🧦 Archers thread #133: Woolley socks it to them! Discuss The Archers and its Woolley thinking and plotting here.

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

Thank you, @PseudoBadger, for kicking off this long, long series of Archers threads.

All views on The Archers welcome here! New blood welcomed. We don't all agree on all points and most of us are posting tongue in cheek a lot of the time, so don't worry about revealing that you would love to take part in the Mysteries, or other unusual views.

Spoilers: not on this thread, please. We don't wait for the omnibus to discuss the weeknight episodes, but we do try our best to avoid cross-contamination from www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/4197199--The-Archers-spoilers-thread-6-Cant-wait-for-7-02pm-Join-us-here, where spoilers are positively welcomed!

For newer listeners, lurkers or those who just have no idea what we're talking about, @DadDadDad has created this useful thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/3557323-For-Archers-fans-a-guide-to-acronyms-on-the-long-running-discussion-threads-and-any-other-meta-thread-questions-you-may-have - BOOP point for him! (See thread for explanation.)

Thanks to @ButtonSister and @BorsetshireBanality for title suggestions. I went with their idea in the interests of keeping the title fairly short.

@LillianGish and @FoxgloveSummers made cracking but longer suggestions, which (mashed up) will do a great job of kicking off our new thread.

Evictions (Tom and Tash), depictions (Bridge Farm Christmas card), conniptions (entire cast and crew of the Mysteries), convictions (Philip) and addictions (Alice) - what are our predictions for 2022 in Ambridge? All sure to make this the Best Ambridge Christmas Evah!

This thread should take us through to early January unless something very exciting happens (ha ha, fat chance). My predictions: this is a bit left field, but I wonder if Peggy will offer to buy the shop and flat so Tom and Gnasher (great coinage, whose was it?) can stay put. I don't believe Hazel is sincere about wanting to live in/regularly visit Ambridge. She's always been utterly two-faced and rotten to the core, why would she change now?

The Mysteries will, of course be a triumph and briefly borrowing the🔮 (sorry, Bore!) I expect we are going to hear them at some point over the New Year period.

Over to you!

Stella is far too sensible to think the problem is Ed! She’s hardly likely to drown him in the Am to silence him on the subject of Alice. I’m sure she will be pissed off with Brian though for being aware Alice made serious mistakes and caused serious problems for other staff, including opening them up to potential tribunals I’d guess, and didn’t tell her. Just tried to get Ms Liability back on the books.

Opening them up = opening Home Farm up

Who’s going to be whispering the words ‘constructive dismissal’ into lovely Ed’s lovely ears?

On the topic of younger generation finances, I couldn't understand why Tom and Gnasher were stuck in what sounds like a pretty tiny flat above a shop. Surely between them they have been earning enough to buy a property?

@LiterallyKnowsBest

I enjoyed Stella listening to Ed and Ed having the gumption to go to his manager and explain.

I was pleased, too. Until KimikosNightmare scared me …

Sorry. I just wanted a hand hold !

@BashStreetKid

On the topic of younger generation finances, I couldn't understand why Tom and Gnasher were stuck in what sounds like a pretty tiny flat above a shop. Surely between them they have been earning enough to buy a property?

Gnasher's financial and business situation makes no sense whatsoever.

Weeell to be fair Gnasher started her business in comparatively recent years, and probably plunges any profits right back into it. Plus she knows how to spend it. Tom on the other hand has done basically the same job for 20 years and in that time has only ever bought a bathroom cabinet - so where’s his bank balance.

I’m another one who is team Kirsty. She’s been around Ambridge most of her adult life - in Ambridge Organics, GG, her work for the Borsetshire Wildlife Trust (why did she ever give that up?), she’s just single-handedly produced not one, but two plays featuring just about every inhabitant - she couldn’t be more implicated in village life. She was only conveniently removed for months on end so she wouldn’t be around to notice what Knob was up to. Not everyone who lives in a village needs to be a land owner (or related to one). Lynda has no family link - it certainly feels after the Christmas shows that Kirsty is being lined up to fill her shoes. Where would she go if she left? She never leaves the village or has anyone come to visit - personally I’d like to see her get together with Roy (and I would find it entirely believable if she did).

Haha @FoxgloveSummers I love the idea of David and Ruth having a Nightingale floor outside their bedroom to deter their Ninja children.

I’m not anti-Kirsty - poor woman. I acknowledge all the ways in which she’s become part of the community over years. And yes, the thought of her actually going elsewhere to start again, involuntarily alone, is … saddening.

But the SWs! What they’ve put her through is utterly indefensible. And I don’t believe that any woman with the non-Ambridge gift of self-determination would have chosen to remain there.

It seems intolerable that they’ll make her stay there saying polite things about Natasha’s pregnancy, buying baby clothes for the new twins, listening to Tom wittering about their toddler adventures …

it is a horrible thought. It's a bit Book of Job-ish. Here's a bright idea, perhaps helen and lee can die in a tragic kayaking accident and she can adopt "the boys" and turn them from violent little weirdos into nature loving hippies.

No-one else from Bridge Farm can die. Ever!

Josh is not a likeable character, but he's very well acted and I enjoy disliking him.

I think I felt similarly about Pip many years ago when the original actress had the part. The current one just annoys me.

OTOH, I warm to Stella more and more every time I hear her. There aren't many sensible, practical people in Ambridge with good people skills. And she has a lovely voice.

Tabitha and Tamara

Thomasina and Nathaniel

We’ve already got a Johnny named after his brother so maybe a Joanna? Jonathan? (Perhaps as a middle name). And something terrifyingly Welsh since the kids I think will be 3/4 Welsh. Myfanwy? Cerys? Blodwen? Gwen?

There’ll definitely be a version / diminutive of Margaret. (Peggy will buy her way into immortality …)

And an Anthony, maybe? (Though I daresay Natasha’s people also have names that might need consideration.)

Catching up on episodes I nearly dropped my wine in the bath when Pip called Josh selfish - she invented the word.

Re Tom & money - didnt he lose money on the wedding & house that never was ?

I like Stella a lot - hopefully she isnt Justins OW when he was married pre Lillian taking on that role - I missed a bit in the summer when Stella arrived.

I feel sorry for her though if she ends up as Ruth's next BFF .....

btw is Carol ever going to be heard of again.

How old is Stella - is she being lined up for Alistair ???

@FoxgloveSummers, Myfanwy? Cerys? Blodwen? Gwen?

Blodwen is a great-grandmother's name, and not really usable
Myfanwy hasn't been used much for over 70 years. Nice when sung by a male voice choir but definitely grannyish
Cerys - 1950s/60s name. Mainly used in the south, Carys in the north. Now more likely to be used by someone who didn't already know dozens of them. I don't think either of them are nice. I was served in a shop (Home Counties) by a teenage Carys recently - no Welsh connection.
Gwen - popular now after not being much used for decades

If they pick a Welsh name, it will probably be mispronounced. couldn;t believe it when Welsh Pat called Olwen Olwyn. Shibboleth.

@LiterallyKnowsBest

No-one else from Bridge Farm can die. Ever!

Not recently, anyway (or should it be ?)

Thanks Whopping. Just beautiful. There was a fairly recent episode of R4 Soul Music that featured it. Very moving.

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0418kfw

Sausage Boy's progeny will, of course, be known as Pinky and Perky, irrespective of what their parents call them.

'Toby! Heel!' - I thought it was Pip

Sausage Boy's progeny will, of course, be known as Pinky and Perky, irrespective of what their parents call them.

I nominate Bore for the post of the year.

Pinky and Perky it is.

Especially for Bore

Dog was Jobey. Silly me