🐠 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!

The SWs (or is it a specific one?) do seem to have a thing about Bath.

In the past I’ve liked hearing Ruairi - I hope he’s not being turned into the village villain. All my hopes rest on he (‘him’? No, ‘he’,) and Ben being solid friends and allies for decades to come. Our own university first year came home for Christmas but hasn’t yet put in an appearance this holiday season, though he’s expected eventually.)

I’m trying not to get m’knickers in a twist over the SWs’ apparent insistence on who gets to be rich nowadays - racehorse owners, racehorse vets, potential hotel purchasers, absent Home Farm owners (re our speculation) … It might begin to look like stereotyping. But perhaps they’ve discussed it and concluded that oodles of dosh is the only ticket into Ambridge for ‘outsiders’.

Thought Tracey was uncharacteristically unprofessional with the new guest - only had a vague idea about local high end restaurants, telling him to make the most of the chocolates etc. Surely she wouldn’t want to mess around with bedrooms again, she’s on a warning. She would have rushed to sort the room out.

@SparklingLime

Thought Tracey was uncharacteristically unprofessional with the new guest - only had a vague idea about local high end restaurants, telling him to make the most of the chocolates etc. Surely she wouldn’t want to mess around with bedrooms again, she’s on a warning. She would have rushed to sort the room out.

That storyline was nonsense (too)

I like Bath though a bit gloomy in winter and too many tourists in the summer.

Of course there is stereotyping, mainly of the rich and poor Ambridge inhabitants. The Grundys and Horrobins, Justin, Martyn Gibson...

It’s all so stupid at the moment. Awful plot driven drivel. The Battle Of The Stay At Home Parents is ludicrous. We need the intern’s insight into the contortions the SWs made to get to ‘Chris goes for Alice’s share in Home Farm’, which was obvious from the start but has taken the most ridiculous route to reach!

I’m really no fan of Alice, but Ruairi was being petty and childish with all his sniping. I could just about understand him doing it in private, but in front of Ian? . I find I don’t care about his obvious dodgy dealings.

The selling of Grey Gables is rather obvious isn’t it?

I was quietly cheering for Josh and his brilliance* being recognised. I really hope Vince doesn’t screw him over!

*ok, slight exaggeration

It's likely that Mince will screw him over, but he is dating Josh's aunt, and his daughter is dating Josh's brother

Oh, and Natasha is indeed in Pobol y Cwm. I think I mentioned previously that an old acquaintance works on PyC and said that scheduling her around The Archers has been a nightmare, particularly over the last 2 years. Apparently TA are not inclined to be flexible!

Harrison was a care home worker in Tracy Beaker. Tony was in a lovely programme some 10 years ago called The Cafe. Written by and starting Michelle Terry and Ralf Little and featuring a little known Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Pip was in Home Fires, the 40s WI drama, and was really quite good.

featuring a little known Phoebe Waller-Bridge
wonder what became of her...

I wonder if the TA actors are better than we think. They might be good on stage but directed differently on TA. Presumably, they are encouraged to ham up the accents (looking at you Fallon and Mere)

If only Pip had some redeeming features.

I think Alice is well acted and I hope that she gets to the bottom of Ruairi's riches

I think acting on stage or screen is very different to acting on radio, and lots of people underestimate that. I still chuckle when I remember Pip and Jill being described as a kazoo and swanny whistle.

If we are surmising that the mystery visitor might be about to devour GG - why aren’t the hotel staff thinking the same??

I have no idea. They’re all so gossipy and suspicious, it makes no sense that no one has made that suggestion.

I still chuckle when I remember Pip and Jill being described as a kazoo and swanny whistle Me too! The perfect description.

It does sound as if Oliver is thinking of selling Grey Gables - there have been hints dropped along the way. It feels as though the pandemic has somehow sidestepped Ambridge - no mention of how a lack of visitors, conferences, weddings and events has affected business. Members of a hotel health club near my mum recently got a letter saying their memberships were being stopped as off that week because the hotel had been taken over by the Home Office to accommodate asylum seekers. I’m not suggesting that should happen to GG, just that it indicates how rough business has been for hotels

We were being told that GG was hovering on the brink of collapse after the explosion, so really lockdown should have tipped it over the edge. It's a bit odd if, having survived this long, it suddenly becomes financially unviable just at the point when trade is picking up in a big way and the summer season is approaching.

I agree it’s weird that Brian was so impressed and excited about an overnight stay in Bath

I'm not sure that he is, is he? I thought that Ruairi was talking up his and JD's alleged excitement because he wanted to bugger up Alice's plans.

@ILoveShula

It's likely that Mince will screw him over, but he is dating Josh's aunt, and his daughter is dating Josh's brother

Why would Vince screw him over? Vince is rich and successful- he probably had no compunction in stealing a march over business rivals to get where he is but what benefit would there be more to doing that to Josh?

Haven't listened much in the last week.

Have we found out the identity of the Easter bunny?

Wasn't the trip a mother's day present for Jenny from Ruairi? I imagine that the delight was about Jenny's place in Ruairi's life being acknowledged after all the Alice shenanigans. And because they were so thrilled, they didn't look too closely at how he managed to afford it.

I think Jenny and Brine are just hugely relieved when any of their children show anything other than near total self-absorption.

No, @Tulipomania. I imagine there will be a jolly Easter weekend reveal. Groan.

I think Jenny and Brine are just hugely relieved when any of their children show anything other than near total self-absorption

And of the children the only one who does think of them is Ruari. Which made Alish's behaviour even more objectionable.

I thought it was “cracking” that Vince was supposed to help Freddie but heard about his pal exploiting him and immediately decided to invest in the pal instead

Wonder how lizzy will like that.

I know it’s old news now but I’m really glad they’ve made Susan and Iain friends, more of that please. In fact there’s a welcome return of friendships all over: Ruth and Stella, Alice and Fallon and Amy. Prior to that it felt quite rare (can only think of the barely believable Iain and Helen and the nice Ben and Ruairi)

In fact there’s a welcome return of friendships all over: Ruth and Stella

I agree that it makes for better scripts with friendships in the mix - it was weird how for a long time people only spoke to their relatives or randoms participating in shared community activities. Having said that, I did think I would rather stick pins in my eyes than share a bottle of cheap red with Stella and Ruth discussing slurry. Stella deserves a better social life than that.

I think Tracey might have made a good impression on the mystery guest, though it was careless of her to allow changes to the room given her recent warning.

I hope there's nothing dodgy going on with Ruairi, but I can see Alice uncovering it. Agree about her good acting, and she can be extremely irritating at times.

I would rather stick pins in my eyes than share a bottle of cheap red with Stella and Ruth discussing slurry.

👏👏👏

They seem to have been introducing Kathy into the conversation at GG a lot lately. Is it too much to hope for that she's going to be released from purdah?

I think it's more likely Kathy will be let go so they never need mention her again (rather like Jamie - what did happen to him?)