🏏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.)

I wonder if they'll write Brian & Shula off/out at about the same time so they can retire together?

Just in case there is any doubt my prediction was a guess not a spoiler.

was it based on clues?

Just his frequent appearances losing his temper and portentous discussions about his legacy to his children.

Yes, I felt that a Brine related health crisis was being heavily foreshadowed.

I haven't been listening closely enough recently. I just dip in and out these days, and any remotely stressful storylines I turn off and then miss the rest.

Quite. It's entirely normal to go to work things without a partner.

Picked a bad night not to listen live! Brian has to pull through. I insist upon it. Extremely impressed by @Chemenger's powers of prediction. Do you have the 🔮or was it the intern or are you just very clever?

Can't work out what's going with Julianne at all. Is she perhaps passing Ruairi off as her son?

Anyway - Friday episode back! Wow. I thought it might have gone for good, budgets being what they are at the Beeb.

Anybody even remotely interested in the missing cow? Thought not.

Delurking after many months of simmering rage to say

1. Pretty much every storyline is completely rubbish at the moment, and

2. Ruairi is being handsomely paid for playing 'escort' to worldly, loaded Julianne, who is twice his age (at a guess), but is not sleeping with her oh no no nooooooo - what? Why? How? Please explain in what universe such a preposterous scenario could ever credibly happen?

(And PS 3) Roy is an idiot and Adil appears to be an alien beamed down from a distant planet and unused to the ways of humans)

Please don't go back to lurking, @Octothorpe! I agree with you on all points. An extra episode a week of this tosh, dearie me.

I realise this highlights the double standards of society (and my own I guess) but if 45 year old Julianne is accompanied as her plus one by 19 year old Ruari, won't most people assume he's her son, or a gigolo, and think a bit less of her? I know that if the sexes were reversed the 45 year old man would be seen (by some) as successful for having a 19year old woman on his arm, but I can't help struggling to see what's in it for Julianne, if there is neither status nor sex nor any sign of Ruari being a scintillating conversationalist.

I feel like I have missed a chunk somehow, as I have no recollection of the rat conversation or any reference to braids. I do listen in bed though, so maybe I drifted into sleep for a while. Have always pictured Denise as black in any case... no idea why, really, but maybe I did pick up something about the voice.

I don't want Alastair to get together with Denise or Stella. I do quite like the idea of him and Shula reuniting...I was thinking about that when they did the stupid kitchen quote storyline.

The bit with Roy telling Adil about his racist past was truly cringe, but I thought it was very well done... the way that it was all about what the white person needs and feels, with Roy desperately looking to Adil to somehow exonerate or forgive him, as if that would somehow make everything ok. Adil's reaction was very well acted, I thought.

Worried about Brian! This might finally end all of the conflict between Chris and Alice, and it will perhaps make Ruairi get his act together. Do we think Brian will die?!

I hope that Jim will be magnanimous about Jazzer moving out. I love their relationship. I think Jazzer and Tracy are building up towards an engagement or something. I hope that Jim can be pleased for him.

I love Stella and would like to see more of her.

BTW, when did the Friday episodes restart? Is it today or have I missed some?!

Thanks for the welcome Gasp0de ☺️

To be fair, and on second thoughts, I can see that if Julianne were gay, worked in a violently homophobic industry and felt under extreme pressure to take a male partner to her work social events, that might partially explain things. But why in that case she’d pick a somewhat risky prospect like 20 year old young enough to be her son Ruairi, and pay him, instead of a nice discreet friend to blend into the woodwork, I have no idea.

Friday episodes do indeed return today, @Mumwantingtogetitright, with the Platinum Pudding competition, joy of joys.

Yes, it only occurred to me this morning that this might be it for Brine 😪

It was bound to be something big for the plantinum jubilee. When are Pinky and Perky due?

I'm not sure if it is sexist, Flos, it would be weird if it was a middle-aged man and a teenage woman too.

Maybe Ruairi is a pet/child substitute

Platinum FGS. Where's the spellchecker when you need it?
Hmm, wonder if there will be a PJ AD pudding.

Why have I got the obligatory AD packet in the cupboard but no milk?

If Brian chucks a 7 just how guilty is Ruairi going to feel? Imagine blowing out your dad for a woman (as yet undefined.). Blimey

Oh no! They can't dead Brian!

I've just caught up and noticed that Brian wanted to "drink and reflect" with Ruari about the death of Siobhan 15 years(?) ago.

They surely can't plan to do that to poor Ruari.

The sugar mummy SL is ridiculous, but so is the idea that Damara/Borchester Land hasn't the manpower or consultant budget to advise them about the piggery.

I predict Alice and Ruari will realise that "families must stick together" (like in Eastenders) and Chris and Alice will either realise that they still love each other or sort out a sensible division of assets.

The Jubilee storyline can't be Brian dedded? Shirley not? Not at all compensated with a Pudding competition judged by every child in Ambridge ( who will just like anything with chocolate and Smarties). The programme would be so much the poorer without him, as an actor and a character! With any luck it will just be a wake-up call for him to step back, and the family to step up, as you say @Madcats

I don’t think he’ll be dying this week.

But I’m annoyed that FRIDAY will happen while I’m out.

It's so that the stuff between Kristiffur and Alish gets sorted.

It would have made more sense to have Ian as the judge of the Pj Pudding.

Poor planning on your part there, Totters. Life stops at 19.02.

It's not like you could listen on a device or catch up on Sounds or anything

Thank fuck for that.