🎲 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!

Those boats aren't cheap. I know Toby had his Scruff Gin money, but when was Rex suddenly flush with cash?
www.whiltonmarina.co.uk/used-narrowboats/default.aspx

Is Toby still sharing a bed with Pip, by the way? He never gets a mention.

His Dad is well-heeled, but I have the impression also not keen on parting any for either of his boys.

I live in hope that his father will make another visit to Ambridge and speak, at length.

Mmm. Sigh

I'd love a scene where Fairbrother senior pops down to Ambridge and discovers that both of his sons have unusual sleeping arrangements.

None of the cast have mentioned Lent this year; is that a first?

Fallon did. Harrison is giving up meat for Lent.

My feeling is that it is probably more something like this Rex has bought. V expensive to do up and get through a survey every time narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/boat/springer-45-cruiser-stern-for-sale/690367

I'm surprised there hasn't been a topical insert on Ukraine yet. It would make sense if someone as ignorant of geography as I am were to question Kirsty about the location of Bulgaria, whether being near the Black Sea wasn't frightening etc!

I kept shouting “Management buyout!” at the radio.

But that would mean Hannah stays …

I'm so cross about the Chris - Amy storyline. It's so implausible. Amy has been a great friend to Alice as well as Chris & seems so decent.

I think the soap-like ploy of them waking up in bed together out of nowhere is really tawdry and un-Archers-like.

It's just an awful thing to do to Alice. By both Chris & Amy.

@TottersBlankly

I kept shouting “Management buyout!” at the radio.

But that would mean Hannah stays …

Hannah has improved vastly.

@EarringsandLipstick

I'm so cross about the Chris - Amy storyline. It's so implausible. Amy has been a great friend to Alice as well as Chris & seems so decent.

I think the soap-like ploy of them waking up in bed together out of nowhere is really tawdry and un-Archers-like.

It's just an awful thing to do to Alice. By both Chris & Amy.

It's a ridiculous story line but I don't mind as I really don't like Alice.

I don't mind as I really don't like Alice.

I was the same till recently! I think she has been much more likeable since rehab.

@EarringsandLipstick

I'm so cross about the Chris - Amy storyline. It's so implausible. Amy has been a great friend to Alice as well as Chris & seems so decent.

I think the soap-like ploy of them waking up in bed together out of nowhere is really tawdry and un-Archers-like.

It's just an awful thing to do to Alice. By both Chris & Amy.

Perhaps it's all designed as the next thing to send Alice back to the bottle.

I'm listening to today's episode and getting more annoyed by the minute.

At Christmas, Chris was professing his love for Alice & trying to kiss her. It's only a bit more than 2 months later & he's so over her, he's labelled Alice as 'controlling' and is all 'I'm a single man, me'.

Their baby is only 1 year; they've been through hell with Alice'a addiction & the fallout, but he's now apparently so over oh he wants to hook up with her friend, the friend who's helped her most with her alcoholism. 🙄

Anyone else uncomfortable with chris not taking no for an answer from amy,

@Atichen

Anyone else uncomfortable with chris not taking no for an answer from amy,

I really didn't like the narrative he had developed - that Alice was controlling & id controlling Amy too.

He'd no interest in why Amy felt so bad.

None of which sounded like Chris at all.

I feel sad for Amy. Chris isn’t thinking or speaking with his brain - and it’s her availability he likes, rather than her personality.

@TottersBlankly

I feel sad for Amy. Chris isn’t thinking or speaking with his brain - and it’s her availability he likes, rather than her personality.

Amy seems as keen on Chris as he is on her.

Presumably this is being set up for a spectacular showdown.

He didn’t usually take no as an answer from Alice either. Now he’s had to, he’s moved on at a rate of knots, and to someone he can punish Alice via.

Yeah this is the reason I dont luke (this) Chris he didn't listen to Alice when she came out of detox and just said she was fixed after 2 weeks, and ok he didnt want a big party, but alice did so why does it have to be his way.
Alice gave up a major job oppertunity for chris (canada?) has he given up anything for her or was it always his way

Alice dumped Chris. I know she has issues but she dumped him. It may only have been a couple of months ago but that’s the equivalent to at least six in a soap. I’m not crazy about Chris but I can see why the idea of the apparently uncomplicated, Amy is so appealing. He has to be allowed to start a new phase too after having worn kid gloves around Alice for years.

Having said that, I would probably have preferred him not to have turned into Oliver Twist, begging for more but anyway…

The whole idea that saint Amy would sleep with her best friends husband whilst still supporting said friend who has just left rehab and is only 1 bottle away from returning to addiction is ludicrous. Particularly as the only other meaningful we know Amy has been in involved a married man and that was a car crash. They've given her a complete personality transplant.

Men do tend to move on quickly when they separate or are widowed (Will Grundy an obvious exception) so Chris' behaviour isn't surprising but it would have been far more realistic if had just taken up with a random he met in a pub.

I'm sure it will all come out in some kind of Eastenders style dramatic revelation since that seems to be the direction this silly storyline is taking.

What will Alan say! What will Soosan do!

It was Amy's idea to call on Chris after the dull date with Rex, he didn't coerce her into doing that. I would assume the sex was consensual too. Alice chose to end things completely with Chris, it is a bit soon but this is soap world where life moves on quickly.

Presumably this is being set up for a spectacular showdown. Well, yes. I presume the shadow at the end was Alice. Unless it was someone else, so we can be privy to agonising talks about whether Alice should be told, and when she inevitably finds out, she’ll realise the whole of Ambridge has been talking about it for weeks, andthat will really drive her back to drink

Amy and Chris are both awful for doing that.