🐠 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!

Perhaps Mr Button will buy GG and transform it into a state of the art Fungal Research Institute.

It was a touch clunky to have all that exposition, but better than the SW putting Kathy and Jolene together with no reference to their (considerable) past shared history.

I could never find Alice annoying

Yes, although she's actually been slightly less annoying this week although would still be happy not to hear from her again. She's largely pointless.

Her constant “you’re my bother and I love you” whilst following Ruari around is wearing thin and borderline harassment. He is not ready to forgive and accept her as a confidante but as usual Alice cannot accept a situation that is not exactly to her liking.

I preferred it when she was a bit bolshy and defiant a few weeks back. A lot less annoying.

I've only recently started listening to the archers and so missed all her drunken antics! Think I might be slightly more tolerant if I'd seen that side of her.

What did she say to Ruari? I've never been able to figure that out.

@iloveruby, there's a long back story, but the gist is:

Brian used to be a serial philanderer
Jennifer turned a blind eye to most of his affairs
Eventually he had a passionate affair with the GP's doctor, Siobhan Hathaway, who was a translator working from home
She became pregnant and had a son - Jennifer had never 'given' Brian a son, so that was a huge issue in itself (Adam is Jennifer's son by an earlier relationship)
Ruairi's paternity was not known at the time of his birth, but Siobhan and her husband Tim had split up and he was leaving the village, so it was known he wasn't the baby's father (he went off with the vicar, Janet)
Shortly after R's birth Brian's stepdaughter Debbie (now largely resident in Hungary because Tamsin Grieg is too busy for The Archers now) worked out that Brian was the father.
The entire family went into meltdown. Siobhan wanted Brian to leave Jennifer and start again with her and R. Jennifer, however, decided to forgive B and in the end he stayed with her.
FF a few years and Siobhan returned to tell Brian she was dying of skin cancer. He would have to take Ruairi into his family. Brian agreed and amazingly enough so did J. Ruairi has lived with them since he was a very young child.
Alice had been protected from most of the above as she was still early teens (I think) when it all blew up, but obviously when R arrived she had to learn the whole story and she was very upset. It caused a rift for a while. However, she got over it in time, but in vino veritas, and she said something unspeakably vile to Ruairi around the time of his 18th birthday when he received an audio message recorded by Siobhan before she died, and Jennifer was incredibly kind and supportive to him as he struggled with that. As far as I can recall, Alice implied that Jennifer wasn't sincere in some of the things she'd said to R about his mother, and who could blame her, given what S had done. Along those lines, anyway.

Hope that helps!

GP's wife! DYAC.

As far as I can recall, Alice implied that Jennifer wasn't sincere in some of the things she'd said to R about his mother, and who could blame her, given what S had done. Along those lines, anyway. More importantly, that nobody had wanted him to come, and any kindness shown to him, including by Jennifer, was a sham, thus undermining the basis of his whole life and place in the family.

So Archers
kentons wife is only good enough to work ad staff at Elizabeth’s party and not invited as a guest

Interesting point! Maybe she volunteered. I assume the LL volunteers weren't being paid by GG. Just about plausible that they all rallied round out of solidarity with the GG staff and affection for Elizabeth. Also a chance of free canapés and champagne, perhaps.

Yes think you must be right @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g

Adam telling Iain he could afford not to rush into any new decisions about career because he had the redundancy payout: next sentence is asking Iain what he's going to blow the redundancy payout on...

It really isn't plausible.

I interpreted this as Freddie having rushed round to rally volunteers after lots of the staff had downed tools. Jolene certainly wasn't doing it for the money - I assumed it was a favour for her SIL's birthday party.

I'd be mortified if I turned up at a surprise party to find my SIL being chivvied into serving drinks along with the staff of the hotel.

I can't help feeling that whatever we speculate: employee buyout; Hazel; Gill family; Vince; Fairbrother senior...The SW will actually go for something both more boring and more annoying, for instance the Diocese buys it as a retreat centre to be staffed by Alan. This made me chuckle @FlosCampi - so true.

I also think Lynda will invest in Freddie, it'd be another building of their friendship and an "odd couple" thing like Susan and Iain.

Also yes to ridiculous Adam suggesting Iain blow his payment on a jeffing pizza oven in the same breath as acknowledging his new crap wage won't pay their bills. How about Adam tries to get a new job as well? He could probably support Iain for a couple of years til little X is at school.

Oh - I must have fallen asleep while laughing at your retreat centre idea, FlosCampi! Had completely forgotten. It’s such an absorbing prospect, though. Were you thinking of somewhere like Gladstone’s Library, but exclusively for theologians? Or something quieter? I doubt the C of E would want to throw money at something that could never make a profit and would probably run at a loss. You can’t charge clerics much.

I'd be mortified if I turned up at a surprise party to find my SIL being chivvied into serving drinks along with the staff of the hotel

I'd be mortified if I'd turned up at that event at all.

Isn't it a given that everyone hates surprise parties anyway- but a surprise party where some of your own employees have been roped in to work for nothing (because they have so much affection for you- come on, we're talking about Elizabeth fgs) and where a montage of photographs was on display- is a whole new level of ghastliness.

Do surprise parties happen IRL? I'd hate it

I love Lizzie, and Frilly, but I loved Nigel more

I've been a guest at two. The birthday person had no idea and both really enjoyed it.

One was a very civilised dinner in a private dining room in a very nice country house hotel, staying overnight.

The other is remarkable for being the most excrutiatingly awful social event I've ever attended - but not because it was a surprise party.

Adam will say no, won't he

Never mind saying no, surely selling Kates share is disposal of marital assets?

You mean Alice's share

Now come on, you can't leave us hanging like that - we need to know about the excruciating social event!

I really can't. It was so very, very specific that it really wouldn't be hard to recognise it in real life. I know claims people will be outed are usually ridiculous, but the many highlights (low spots) of this event really were unique.

All I can say is Abigail's Party would have been a dream compared to this.

Never mind saying no, surely selling Kates share is disposal of marital assets?

I assumed that the asset will become a wodge of cash for Alice, which will be part of the divorce assets, but it will keep the farm intact.

Alice isn't going to be at all happy about it, though...