🐠 Archers thread #135: An Everyday Story of Fishy Folk. 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 would be delighted to be given a goldfish named after your ex, 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.)

Apologies for ignoring the various title suggestions on the last thread. However, here they are, plus a couple of other pithy observations, to kickstart the new thread. I think it's fair to say nobody is looking on this as a Golden Era! Goldfish Era, though ...

@Roysnewshirt: Everyone wants more! Chris wants more Amy; Jazzer wants more Tracey; Alice wants more time with Martha and Amy wants more space… Very true. And now we know Kirsty wants more farming expertise in the rewilding project, but not Pip (thank the lord) so does that mean approaching Adam? Currently under-employed.

@LillianGish: I tune in to hear birdsong and bleating in the English countryside not hammy acting and suggestive grunting.

@stilldumdedumming: Archers is good at the dynamics of family, farming, what it means to have your job, your home and your inheritance so closely aligned etc etc not this nonsense!

@DoctorTwo: Like fuck would Pheobe buy her parents a goldfish each. The Ambridge character transplant fairy has been working overtime this past few weeks, it's been absolutely fucking appalling bar a couple of exceptions.

Can't disagree with any of that. I want to hear more about the pigs and any other effects of Brexit. A topical insert about the war in Ukraine must surely be on the way.

Any happy listeners out there? Any disgruntled listeners with even more grumbles? Over to you!

[JoeGrundyWasMyRoleModel]

Many thanks for the new thread Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g

Some of these storylines really are carp.

[KimikosNightmare]

Given the choice of hearing about piscine Roy and Kate or Alice droning on about what a good mother she, is I'm team fish.

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

@purplesequins

and we are back to the fish of doom theme.
after the famous fish pie, zander etc.

Good point! There were also all the dead fish in the Am as a result of the pollution at Home Farm.

[Flumpaphone]

Cue Chris having a re-think about the Aldridge finances

[Madcats]

@CloseYourEyesAndSee

I truly hope alice gets some proper legal advice rather than setting up some massive pointless court battle that would not happen in real life.
A good lawyer would tell alice to agree ti shared care through mediation and not to waste time money and goodwill fighting Chris on this

With so much at stake, I can't believe that any of the Archer clan would be daft enough to let Alice open her mouth without a hefty bit of legal advice and one of the family present.

Is it going to be an illness or an accident that brings them back together?

[TottersBlankly]

Lord! They’re writing every speech of Peggy’s as if it’s her last.

Sensible perhaps - but it is all rather ponderous.

[TheSilveryTinsellyPussycat]

The joke stuff is such a waste of time. I want to know about how various Ambridge residents are getting on.

I'm very disappointed about the forthcoming custody war, I really could do without it.

[echt]

I notice Alice goes blithely to the solicitor and it's Brine who points out the cost. Or does Alice have a secret stash? Of money, I mean. Not booze. :o

Agree that Chris will start to look at the Aldridge money, especially being in The Flat With The Stairs and a toddler.

[Madcats]

@TottersBlankly

Lord! They’re writing every speech of Peggy’s as if it’s her last.

Sensible perhaps - but it is all rather ponderous.

I've not heard tonight's episode, but I can't help thinking that it is a better option than ignoring the fact that Joe Grundy was dead for the best part of 6 months!

I'm struggling to stay enthused about current storylines. It's about time that they sorted out the heir apparents for Bridge Farm, Home Farm, Lower Loxley.....

[KimikosNightmare]

Goodness Alice becomes more and more unpleasant every time she appears.

Chris did not have a "meltdown". What a nasty piece of work she is.

[KimikosNightmare]

@Flumpaphone

Cue Chris having a re-think about the Aldridge finances

Good. I hope he gets The Nest.

[suzyscat]

Ugh I can't stand Chris in the slightest. Alice only fractionally less but Chris just puts himself lower and lower in my estimations all the time.

I do find him controlling, deceitful and a bit holier than thou. Going back a bit but the "we aren't doing anything wrong" schtick with Amy was awful. Believable, but vile. I have had that said to before (in my misspent youth) and it made me rage and rail then and apparently now too. It's slippery and downright deceitful.

See also him excluding the Aldridges from early childcare to the detriment on Susan, though Susan could have spoken up.

Anyway back to present matters. Why shouldn't Alice look after her child whilst Chris is out working. Successful co-parenting is about prioritising the child's needs whilst being respectful of each other's lives and requirements. Why is better that Martha is with a nanny/ nursery/ Susan than with her mother? I can't believe I'm actually either interested in or defending Alice. A pig will be zooming passed the upstairs window at moment I'm sure, but she was right when she said mediation has only gone well because she's agreed to all of Chris's demands. Loving Brian's sneaky efforts to keep this amicable to save the farm, though his disingenuous advice is a but wicked.

Would prefer more Berrow chat.

[EthelTheAardvark]

Why is better that Martha is with a nanny/ nursery/ Susan than with her mother?

I'm now wondering if the plan is that none of that will apply because there will be her lovely stepmum with all that experience of midwifery and working with babies.

[KimikosNightmare]

@EthelTheAardvark

Why is better that Martha is with a nanny/ nursery/ Susan than with her mother?

I'm now wondering if the plan is that none of that will apply because there will be her lovely stepmum with all that experience of midwifery and working with babies.

Even better. Alice was blatantly lying about what happened at the mediation.

[dimples76]

What income does Alice have at the moment? Does she get a share Home Farm profits. She seems to be spending a lot but not making any moves to find paid employment

[LovedayCL]

I think we’ll have Brine trying to counsel caution and accidentally letting it slip that he’s concerned about the farm. Then Alice will let off steam to Amy via phone / unexpected return and who will give A dubious advice immediately before being found out. Alice will explode but not drink again and Chris will look bad but the whole thing will go on and on and on until all the listeners need a drink just to listen to it.

Eventually they’ll agree to the 50:50 they obviously should have in the first place. And FWIW, I understand Chris’s concerns but he sounds like a right patronising and controlling twat and if he’d just kept a lid on it then A might not have gone off on a full custody rant in the first place. Maybe Ruairi will turn up to be the beloved child again in the meantime.

[TottersBlankly]

I never know how share tokens work, so apologies if this is inaccessible. It’s mildly amusing. ‘Ware photos!

The Archers’ husband and wife stars, Charles Collingwood and Judy Bennett

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/98b1699a-9fc4-11ec-a1de-983f3d5a1668?shareToken=a50af5f95e8de1d7402187749c3e2188

[Madcats]

TottersBlankly, that 2002 photo is very much like i visualised the Aldridges. What a lovely article.

A lot of the cast are getting on a bit, aren't they? I don't feel that Kate/Alice/Adam/Pip/Josh/Ben etc are worthy replacements.

[suzyscat]

What did Alice lie about? I missed that bit.

Think ZT is spot on for Alice

[TottersBlankly]

Hmm …

I’m not sure Brian would have managed to be anything other than skinny and a touch weather-beaten!

But Judy Bennett definitely looks more like Jenny than Shula - to me, at least.

[Roysnewshirt]

I hate to say it as I can’t stand Chris but if a father had been drinking as heavily as Alice and almost dropped the baby less than a year ago, sympathies would almost certainly lie with the mother - however much he said he had changed. I don’t think being sober since August ie seven months ago is quite enough to form the base of a convincing claim to be the primary carer. Chris needs to kick this problem down the road and say that they need to give the current arrangement more time and will then review. He is going for absolutes and a fast solution - because it’s a soap - which is always high-risk. Am quite looking forward to the dust-up over the Home Farm shares though - the more we hear of Brian the better.

I agree that the SLs seem to be limbering up to write Peggy out. The scenes with Tony had the pathos of a Dickensian deathbed scene.

[LillianGish]

[quote TottersBlankly]I never know how share tokens work, so apologies if this is inaccessible. It’s mildly amusing. ‘Ware photos!

The Archers’ husband and wife stars, Charles Collingwood and Judy Bennett

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/98b1699a-9fc4-11ec-a1de-983f3d5a1668?shareToken=a50af5f95e8de1d7402187749c3e2188[/quote]
Was about to come on and post the same. What I found most surprising is that the actress who plays Shula is 78 - how old is St Smugula? Presumably somewhat younger in view of her priestly aspirations.

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

Thank you so much for the share token! What a lovely article. I think the age thing comes about, Lillian, because Judy Bennett was brought in as a young woman to play assorted child parts and stayed on to be Shula as she grew up. Peggy is younger than June Spencer too. Most of the young male characters are also played by actors who are several years older than the character's age, so there's a problem being stored up for several decades hence (assuming The Archers goes on forever, which is rather a big assumption in these troubled times).

I'm pleased about Tony getting involved in the rewilding. I didn't see that coming. Was sure it would go to Adam!

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

Forgot to say that Shula and Kenton will be 63 in August.

[KimikosNightmare]

@suzyscat

What did Alice lie about? I missed that bit.

Think ZT is spot on for Alice

The enormous exaggeration of what Chris said and did to poor little Alice.

I don't know if it's deliberately good acting but the Alice actor is sounding more and more like Kate- spoilt brat who thinks the world revolves around her, everyone else is in the wrong and it's just so unfair to point out very recent past conduct- or very bad acting if we're supposed to be sympathetic towards Alice.