🐠 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!

Lizzie has some neck complaining about Freddie leaving planning for the Easter thing to the last minute, given that her own planning seems to have been confined to repeating everything they have been doing since they first opened LL to the public.

She provided an example of another annoying Archers trope, namely characters telling other characters the bleeding obvious in a hectoring, bullying tone of voice. In Lizzie's case, it was going on and on at Freddie about health and safety - I mean, I know he's not the brightest, but even Freddie can work out that it's not a great idea to kill your customers.

Yes, Lizzie’s Easter vision sounded very tired. If I remember correctly, her events aren’t always a rip-roaring success - wasn’t she responsible for the Halloween debacle a couple of years ago?

Was Alice privately educated?

Yes, at St Margaret's, a girls' school up to GCSE, and then at her insistence she moved to Borchester FE College for A levels.

Ah yes. Thanks Gasp

The Roisin advice was ridiculous. Is Alice living off her savings and share of Home Farm?

Led to Brian's glorious comment about her fellow students not having opposable thumbs.

Most of Brian’s comments are glorious.

Yes indeed. Sadly, his attempt to console Jennifer when Alice and Christopher arrived back from Las Vegas and announced they'd got married has proved correct. 'We'll just have to look on this as her starter marriage'. Heartless woman that I am, I guffawed at that one.

@WhoppingBigBackside

Ah yes. Thanks Gasp

The Roisin advice was ridiculous. Is Alice living off her savings and share of Home Farm?

What savings? Her employment history was checkered. She strikes me as a spendthrift , we know she is, as per the ridiculously OTT and guilt driven birthday party (which had zero to do with Martha and was all about Alice)

Brian has had some wonderfully cutting lines over the years, hasn't he!

I'm not sure where Alice's funds have come from. I remember the pair of them putting her first rehab on the credit card (how on earth have they paid that off), and didn't Alice get Shula to sell Banjo(?) for the second stay?

I suppose she might come into a fair amount of capital when Aunty Cardboard and Peggy are deaded, but she's presumably stoney broke at the moment. She really hasn't done much work for the past couple of years.

I've not watched Eastenders this century, but the death of "Dot Cotton" (and the discovery that "Nat" is Stella), has had me wondering which of the 80's/90's cast would be good as "The Gills"?

A near neighbour of ours had a role in EE for a bit, but even then I'm sorry to say I didn't watch. However, I know there's been some crossover of actors and production team members over the years. Didn't Sean Whatsisname leave TA to go to EE, but didn't last long? Kellie Bright used to play Kate and I gather she is in the EE cast now. Anita Dobson had a guest appearance in TA as the ex-wife of Lilian's short-lived squeeze/would be squeeze, Matt's brother or half-brother - Paul?

'Hazel Woolley was in EE, as was the old Kate Madikane (Linda Carter).
Hellin Archer is in Corrie, or was, and Gavin Moss is in Corrie too
I don't watch telly, so I don't know, but I sometimes catch up on tv on t'internet and have seen Natasha Archer's RL husband on things, and I think that Natasha was on Pobol y Cwm.

Stella was in The Bill

Oh, and Kursedy's mum was in Brookside

Lynda Snell is in Postman Pat and Debbie Aldridge is in Friday Night Dinner. I think Lily Pargetter used to be Beth in Corrie

Back in the day, Lizzie and Nigel were also in Crossroads, and the daughter in Crossroads, (Jill?) Jane Rossington, was in TA

'Oliver' pops up in all sorts of things. He was the vicar in Downton Abbey. Paul Copley, who plays Leonard, is another stalwart. He's Tom Wrigglesworth's dad in the Radio 4 comedy and he was in the ancient R4 school sitcom King Street Junior, playing a teacher.

Paul Copley was Egg's father. I had a massive crush on Miles

^I think that Natasha was on Pobol y Cwm.&

Isn't it law that all Welsh actors have to do a stint on PyC? Just like all Australian actors have to appear on at least one of Neighbours or Home & Away.

Oh yes, and Paul was Daisy's father-in-law in Downton Abbey.

Stella was in The Bill

She wasn't one of the main characters, was she? I think nearly every actor in the UK has The Bill on their CV somewhere.

DC Stevie Moss

Kristiffur ...

@WhoppingBigBackside

DC Stevie Moss

Kristiffur ...

Oh I liked DC Stevie Moss.

Who was Lizzie in Crossroads?

What a bore Pat is. I don't believe for one minute that Gnasher is bothered about other people having chocolate at Easter.

Oh well done Chris. I don't know if that plan will work but Alice deserves it. Stupid woman.

I think Alice deserves it to ut really in what world are solicitors advising being St hone for both parents and neither brining in an income. This is just a way in which to ensure he goes after home farm. Wish they'd thought it through a bit better.

Alice is so expecting of people to forgive her. She does not deserve Rauri's forgiveness, what she said was awful. And Chris not trusting her yet, it hasn't been long enough. She's typically entitled that now she's right everyone should bow down to her. Sorry, but I hope she is heading for another downfall of some sort.

The plotline of neither of them working is ridiculous but Chris is right- there's no need for the stay at home parent to be Alice. As you say cameocat - it was inevitable he would come to that conclusion.

It's such a silly storyline it makes Pip and Toby seem sensible and well grounded.

Not listened to tonight's, my Sounds isn't working.

For people complaining about the lack of any reference to Ukraine, did you hear Brian mention 'the new divorce laws' when talking to Alice. Maybe they've been planning her divorce ever since they knew there was a change coming?

Why does Carrie sound like she’s got very badly fitting false teeth? She’s almost unlistenable.