🎲 Archers thread #134: Ambridge as human board game. We’ve had Pandemic. What now - Game of Life or Trivial Pursuit? Go! Discuss The Archers 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 warm to Hazel Woolley, 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 @LiterallyKnowsBest for the thread title idea. I also liked @LillianGish's suggestion which was Conversions abound and it’s not just Harrison - Lily’s kitchens, Hazel’s flat, Jazzer’s finances, Bert’s bungalow...come and discuss The Archers - are you a convert or could you be converted? and that seems like a good place to kick off this thread.

Who'll get the bungalow? Pip, Josh or A. N. Other?

Will Lily leave the cold calling behind and launch a bid to run LL when Elizabeth hangs up her clipboard?

Will Jazzer become a financial whiz after mastering Tracy's state of the art budgeting techniques, viz, writing it all down in a little notebook with a kitten on the front?

Over to you!

@KimikosNightmare, referring to the Highlands being more than 40 miles from Glasgow.

I agree that it would be more usual to describe somewhere as time/distance from location. I usually describe where I live as 2 miles from [landmark] or half an hour's walk from [landmark], or say [City]'s not far, about an hour on the train.

I'd describe somewhere as 'about 50 miles south of [big city] or something

@Chemenger, I didn't realise the Highlands went that far south. Apologies for my comment then.

[quote WhoppingBigBackside]@KimikosNightmare, referring to the Highlands being more than 40 miles from Glasgow.

I agree that it would be more usual to describe somewhere as time/distance from location. I usually describe where I live as 2 miles from [landmark] or half an hour's walk from [landmark], or say [City]'s not far, about an hour on the train.

I'd describe somewhere as 'about 50 miles south of [big city] or something[/quote]
Er, yes, that's why I dropped any reference to "the Highlands" - 40 minutes (being a random figure, picked at random) from somewhere recognisable. I wasn't saying the Highlands was 40 minutes so not sure why you felt the need to correct me.

Agree, @LillianGish, it’s a gaping hole in the plot/village life. Any guesses for Home Farm/The Gills’ (re)introduction?

@WhoppingBigBackside

In real life one would say "[place name nobody has heard of] - it's 40 minutes from Glasgow/ 40 miles north of Glasgow"

It's a fair bit further north than that

As I explained "40" was just a random distance but Drymen, Balmaha and Loch Lomond for example are less than 40 miles from Glasgow. They would be classed as in the Highlands.

Aha, again!

Does this mean Kate might be ready to return to SA?

Then. Kirsty. Could. Run. Spiritual. Home.

@KimikosNightmare, I was referring to the council area, which afaik does not include Loch Lomond or the Trossachs.

I can't be arsed to argue and don't know why I bothered learning about counties

What a pity it isn't Alish going off to somewhere no- one can find on the map.

As I explained "40" was just a random distance but Drymen, Balmaha and Loch Lomond for example are less than 40 miles from Glasgow. They would be classed as in the Highlands.

Nonsense! These are all minutes from where I grew up and it is NOT the Highlands!

And by that I mean “the Highlands” in the general sense of the broadly-used tourist name for the area, which does extend beyond Highland Council jurisdiction. But not into the Trossachs, which is where those places are. Saying Drymen is in the Highlands is like saying Islington is in Oxfordshire.

To all the others on this thread who just want to talk about the Archers I am really, really sorry I brought this up and that it developed into an interminable off-topic discussion. But I just could not let that last one slide. It’s actually interesting to have found out how many Scottish Archers fans there are though, I bet it’s not generally thought to appeal to us. Billy Connolly used to do a routine about the theme tune, not sure if he is/was a regular listener though. I’m now racking my brains for other Scottish characters apart from Jazzer. Was Cameron Fraser (boo hiss) Scottish?

Perhaps you’d be surprised at What Kind of People are lifelong Archers fans …

But I’m a bit bored with the scrapping over mapping now.

No one want to talk about Christopher’s strop?

Well Christopher was obviously extremely rude, and I was pleased Fallon called him out on it.

I’m a bit confused about his shingles though. In my (professional) experience people with shingles sometimes feel a bit fluey for a few days before the rash appears. I’m not clear why he’s so ill and exhausted for ages afterwards - the main after-effect is nerve pain, which can be horrible - unless he has a secondary case of plot de Weiss syndrome, which is looking increasingly likely. Presumably we’re building up to Alice wanting part-residency of Martha rather than an occasional half-day, which will upset Chris a great deal.

the shingles could be a catalyst for burnout for chris.
loss of 'purpose', loss of energy, loss of control, depression etc

I guess we're gearing up for a nasty divorse & custody battle between then,.... I really dont like Chris... All all nice/kind when he thought Alice was sick/week & couldn't cope but as soon as shes doing ok i think he'll start sticking the knife, hope she stays strong (not that i particularly like Alice either)

I love this - plot de Weiss syndrome, I was all ready to google, then I twigged.
I thought Phoebe and Kate’s conversation was well done,

In his circumstances I’d be tremendously ill. He’s had a horribly stressful year.

Only hope he doesn’t lose his business because of it.

I agree, Alice will want repossession of her baby. After all, she has a nice little cottage to keep her in - not an awkward flat up dangerous stairs! Chris might find himself living above the shop by himself … Totally wrong footed by Aldridges, poor man.

Plot de Weiss for sure - for long enough for Alice to form a proper bond with Martha then we can have a custody battle.

Chris was behaving as if he hadn’t seen Martha for about 6 months when she has actually been gone barely a week. He saw her when Alice dropped by a few days ago and he has been in bed for most of the week incapacitated. Alice is already starting to look way more stable than him.

I think you’re right about a nasty custody battle being on the cards…esp after Brian said recently that the break up is all very civilised…

I've had shingles, when the DC were little & I had a demanding job. Probably stress induced. Unpleasant rash on my midriff but I don't think I had to take any time off work. Don't think I was prescribed anything either. Obviously worse for some people than others.

What's de Weiss? Sorry cba to google.

De Weiss - pronounce the Weiss the German way, with a V for the W. Took me a minute to see it! VG, @Prestissimo.

I too am bored with mapping scrapping but will just lob in that Cameron Fraser was supposed to be Scottish but inexplicably the part was given to an English actor who had no great facility with accents. Set my teeth on edge every time he spoke.

Good for Fallon. Chris was appallingly rude. Of course, both his mother and his sister are often rude when upset and stressed, so it's not surprising. Pity he doesn't take after his father more.

I also liked the Kate/Phoebe conversation. Kate was being very silly, of course, but that's a given. Good luck to Phoebe. Perhaps this start up will be massively successful and a role can be found for Pip, running the next phase in the depths of the Amazon rain forest.

Tulip, it is simply a rather clunky "plot device".

I've missed big chunks of last week, but just wanted to pop on to comment that DH also wasn't particularly unwell when he had shingles (though plenty of people told him it could be "nasty"). He just had a few painkillers and got on with things. He only had to bash a keyboard, not an anvil.

The Carter finances must be fairly shaky; Chris and Alice have both done very little work in the past year. Wait until they see their utility bills!

Agree there’ll be a custody battle, has there ever been one in the Archers before? I vaguely remember the Grundy paternity thing but was that custody or just “who’s kid?”

I did laugh at Amy being one of the most selfless people etc etc from Fallon. Interesting to know that’s how we’re supposed to think of her. If it takes Chris ages to recover and he needs help from St Amy that’s going to forward the possible romance there.

I thought Kate might have plaintively asked about Phoebe leaving Gran in the lurch. That was probably her best leverage…

There haven't been too many divorces in Ambridge.

Kathy and Sid, Jamie mostly lived with Kathy, but saw a lot of Sid.

Will and Emma, fractious to start with, eventually a bit more amicable, George moved between them. (This reminds me that the time must surely be coming when George Grundy acquires a voice. Isn't he at sixth form college now?)

Debbie and Simon, no children involved.

Kate and Lucas, children remained in SA with Lucas when Kate returned to Ambridge.

Kate and Roy (not married), after various shenanigans of a soapy nature, Kate left for several years and Phoebe stayed with Roy.

Brian and Siobhan - not married, if Jennifer had divorced Brian there would have had to be some discussion about where Alice lived, I suppose. Siobhan left the country when Brian decided to stay with Jennifer and she took Ruairi with her. Not much Brian could have done about that, I suppose.

Shula and Alistair, Daniel was an adult at the time.

Kenton and Mel, he left her and their daughter Meriel on the other side of the world and came back to Ambridge.

Jolene and Wayne, Fallon stayed with Jolene.

Jennifer and Roger Travers-Macy - Adam and Debbie stayed with her and he dropped out of their lives for a couple of decades.

Jack Woolley and his first wife Valerie - this is a weird one. Explained here: www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/archers/archive_moment/archive_moment_jack_valerie.shtml Essentially Jack married a widow with a child. The marriage failed but Jack adopted the child (Hazel) and when he and Valerie divorced Hazel stayed with Jack. No wonder Hazel is so messed up.