🏏Archers thread #136: Howzat! Oliver’s bowled a googly, Kathy’s out, Grey Gables left with nightwatchman. Tracy knocked for six. Is Ambridge on a sticky wicket? 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 are entranced by new character Adil, 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 if anybody made a thread title suggestion and I missed it. I decided to mark the start of the cricket season in the hope that things will take a turn for the better for poor Tracy.

It feels like months since the last new thread, which was just after Phoebe departed for Scotland. Has she been mentioned since? I can't recall. Not greatly missed, by me, at any rate. Her fish gifts didn't last long.

I can't shake off the feeling that The Archers is going through a long dull patch. I don't feel greatly engaged by anything that's happening at the moment other than Tracy's plight. Such a good actor, which helps, of course.

What's keeping you listening? Habit? Genuinely enjoying it? Over to you!

(PS In the process of starting this thread, I've discovered that our custom-made Archers emoji has gone. You used to get it by typing . Not any more.)

Thanks Gasp0de

Yes, I'd noticed the loss of our emoji too.

When Is TA going back to six episodes per week again?

Next month, I think.

We got that emoji back in the days of OliviaMN. Long time ago!

Thanks for the new thread @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g . Is Kate still alive?

What's keeping me listening? Force of habit probably

I think we'd have heard if she isn't! So many people we never seem to hear much from now. Jill, David, Ruth, even the loathsome Pip - anybody living at Brookfield used to be central and we'd hear from them all the time. Feels like months since Jennifer last spoke. Very little from Lilian and Justin, Lynda and Robert, Jim and Alistair, Shula, Emma, Ed, Will, Clarrie, Eddie, Kenton. I wish we heard more from Moany Tony too.

I've emailed MNHQ to ask if we can have our emoji back.

Habit keeps me listening. It's one of life's little daily rituals that I enjoy.

Good. I started a thread but have got sidetracked into discussing how to get the tartan bonnet emojis.

tartan bonnet emojis.
????

Possibly made for Burns Night originally. You can see them here. I can't remember how to get them. www.mumsnet.com/talk/site_stuff/4544404-emoji-gone

I'm finding TA pretty much unlistenable at the moment. It feels like a very poor, clunky radio drama

I have skipped the last two nights and don’t feel I have missed much after reading this thread. I’m not sure if I am on the verge of giving up for good - it kind of depends on next week.

'long dull patch'

Yep

I've heard back from BeckyMumsnet and she's on the case!

Can't quote because it's on the other thread but I'd have loved some "ghosts" from the archive as well - that could have actually been quite moving.

Thanks for the new thread, just checking in to say please please please Cathy take Pat with you please!!!!

@Flumpaphone , it's Kathy not Cathy

It looks like the Archers emoji has been fixed. At least, I can see it now in @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g 's OP. For those wondering, type

archers

inside square brackets and you get .

Wow @DadDadDad have you been around the whole time???

I notice when a new thread starts, and then I feel guilty about my lack of TA listening. I did catch the announcement about GG.

Talking of closures, has the fate of the pig unit been decided yet?

Yay! Thank you MNHQ

Talking of closures, has the fate of the pig unit been decided yet?

Nah, they gave stay of execution for 3 months or something.

💃

Am I the only person who finds Lynda's absence from the recent storyline completely inexplicable?

And Helen's for that matter- shouldn't she sympathising with her friend Ian?

Last night's shenanigans were clunkier than the gearbox on my 20 year old car. I was glad when the theme music played. Hope it improves soon.

I remember being told (whether it's true or not I have no idea) that Jean Paul was based on the guy who used to run The Stag at Mentmore, closest pub to the location of The Great Train Robbery. Don't think he ran it then.

Lordy but I can’t stand listening to Kathy.

Great title @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g The best thing about The Archers at the moment is this thread (at least I feel as if I am listening with people who remember when it used to be good!) That mention of Nelson's wine bar at the end of the last thread - I could immediately conjur up the place I used to see in my mind's eye almost as if it were a real wine bar (Elizabeth Archer perched at the bar along with the silent Shane). I'm finding some of the new locations harder to picture - Brian and Jenny's for instance. I still picture them in the old farmhouse then I have to remember they don't live there anymore, but apart from a few tagine storage difficulties in the early days I don't feel we've been given any clues about what it's like. Now I shall have to banish GG from my thoughts as well.