🏏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.)

@echt (waves - referring to another series of MN threads!) I predict we'll be in tears tomorrow night. Or they'll find some reason to postpone it til Friday and it'll be a big thing for the first new Friday night episode.

Unless they do a cliffhanger, any predictions?

I think Friday is earmarked for the great pudding competition iirc.

I like Jim and Jazzer together.

Unfortunately I think Friday’s cliffhanger will be Brian’s heart attack.

Pudding competition and heart attack together would be very TA.

Stella would be ready with the defibrillator.

I’m recalling the one in, one out of SATTC, when Henry was born and Nigel died. Obvs Natasha is pregnant but I wonder if there’s room for another one. Beth, perhaps. That would be Jubilee-worthy news.

Ah of course, Friday's episode will all be Jubilee loveliness (possibly on "Saturday", won't it?

Cake nonsense and then a spurious cliffhanger about a missing pet, maybe?

I’m sure Friday will be Friday - and unless there’s some cataclysmic flood or fire type event, Sunday will be Sunday.

Heart attack looking imminent …

Oh no

Well you were nearly right Chemenger. It came a day too early, that’s all, and designed for maximum anguish for Ruari

Julianne would be, at best a complete laughing stock, or, at worst, creepy as get out, turning up with a teenage boy as her "plus one"

I thought she was Leanne?

It doesn't really matter- she'd still be a laughing stock or a creep or both.

Indeed.

Is tonight intended to presage Ruairi throwing over London (and Julianne) to come back and live with his father and Jenny? Rapprochement with Alice; taking over Brian’s role on the farm - despite Adam??

(Shades of Betty and Brenda …)

how did you know that was in the offing?

Just re-listened and it's Julianne. It's a ridiculous storyline.

Remember, Chemenger gets the inside story from the Intern.

”Here we go” I thought, as he took himself to his office in a huff. Someone will find him dead. Unless, of course he was overcome by the anniversary of his lover’s death coupled with Ruari’s having something to do, and put a shotgun to his head (and missed).

Thanks @KimikosNightmare for listening agin so I don’t have to

That was amazing @Chemenger!

Juliane's suddenly become a character.

And Stella is central....?

Are there spoilers on this thread or just guesses?

Only speculation and guesswork on this thread, PlantSpider!

Spoilers belong on the Spoilers thread, here:

www.mumsnet.com/talk/radio_addicts/4197199--The-Archers-spoilers-thread-6-Cant-wait-for-7-02pm-Join-us-here?reply=117628132

Wow!

Wrong about Jim's being gracious, though I hope he recovers his characeristic courtesy in time. But Brine....
is this parallel plotting on how younger folk let you down?
I know a heart attack can happen at wide range of ages, but how old is Brine?

What a plonker Ruari is to agree to a condition requiring him to turn his phone off.

Brian's 78.

I know a heart attack can happen at wide range of ages, but how old is Brine?

He'll be 79 in November. (Charles Collingwood just turned 79.)

His old is Julianne supposed to be? She sounds in her 40s at least. Bizarre to be taking someone easily young enough to be her son to a work event, it’s creepy.

At least 40. It wouldn't happen. I suppose if it were work related she might take a younger male colleague as part of a networking process but that's a stretch too.