🏏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.)

Gosh, what fun, who would not find the Adil and Kirsty scene funny?! Honestly it just gets worse and worse and I am beginning to not care if I miss an episode or not a nothing ever happens.

I didn't mind Kirsty and Adil and thought he was rather sweet at the end. I've been in a similar situation (had to take my top off) and it is quite embarrassing.

I'm sad about Ben and Beth, but BOOP for Beth's proper bit of introspection on the phone - she actually listened to Ben rather than doing classic soap "don't want to hear it" but decided for various reasons she coudn't handle it. No doubt they'll be back together soon when she's had time to cool off.

You know what I was thinking re: LL. It would be so nice if the scriptwriters did another of what they did with Kirsty's ex, show us a story in plain view and then "it all comes out". For example if Lizzy and Russ had been having a long term affair that would make lots of sense. Or if he were defrauding LL somehow. I don't know. BUt they so rarely do that.

Beth's voice is so whiny
The removed trousers was just pants

The end of the Kirsty and Adil think was weird: Roy walks in, finds them in a compromising position and says he'll leave them to it, Kirsty tries to explain. After all that, when Roy has left, Adil starts with 'Do you think he thinks we were ...' Well, yes, obviously that's what he thinks, that's what the whole scene was just about! Either Adil is completely clueless or a bit thick!

I think that was him flirting?

It was a bit tricky as for some reason they seem to make their Asian cast members enunciate a lot more than white ones, so they always sound more deliberate and less relaxed. It's very odd.

Although tbh Kirsty would be one hell of a mover if she'd really got Adil down to his keks in 2 minutes flat.

Are we supposed to believe that Adil thinks Roy and Kirsty are a couple?

‘Curfew at the B&B’?

In 2022?

Yeah. Right.

Oh fgs, Deth and Ben are young and were together for only a few months. This is drivel.

But Ben’s parents have borrowed a huge sum of money from the father of the young woman Ben is supposed to have wronged …

It could get very messy. Or even break up Elizabeth and Vince. The inciting incident was stupidly unconvincing though.

And much as it pains me to say this, boop for Alice and Chris.

I don't mind the Dopeys being in hot water.

You're too right. There's so much drivel going on it's difficult to spot it all.

Surely Helen of all people would know that Kirsty may find it hard - and premature - to start thinking about a new relationship. She sounded like an excited Mrs Bennett as she quizzed Kirsty about her feelings for Adil.

Helen was just like that when Philip hoved into view. You would think she might (1) grow up and (2) learn from experience to leave Kirsty's relationships well alone.

You're so right about Mrs Bennett, although to be fair to Helen, Kirsty did seem quite keen.

I want the SW to give Kirsty a nice relationship for once. I hope this one will work out for her!!

I don’t know why they’re making a thing of Adil not being K’s usual type due to being a businessman etc (rather than presumably some kind of hippy) - when her very ex husband was not only a businessman but an actual slave owner.

on the plus side, Adil sounds a lot hotter than Philip.

do we think he is actually married and/or gay though? I would put my money on he has an ex wife and some kids. Kirsty as stepmother (to children) might be interesting.

*very recent ex husband!

although maybe they’d do an IVF story as IIRC the last time they did that was with Daniel who must be about 30 now.

although maybe they’d do an IVF story as IIRC the last time they did that was with Daniel who must be about 30 now

Oh dear, I hope not. IVF SLs are generally quite boring. They had one in Casually between Dr Hanna and Mr Jordan and it totally killed the romance that we were all vicariously enjoying..

Xander was conceived via IVF.

Kirsty would have no trouble conceiving. She's probably pregnant already.

If they are going to do an IVF SL, they could do a more realistic one, not one where a baby appears a few months later.

I got thoroughly peed off at people posting that Helen had IVF. She didn't. I get irritated by people saying IVF when they mean AID

I can’t really imagine Adil having sex. He is so uptight. Would he take off his red Wellington boots and duffel coat do you think?

He managed to take off his kecks ok, so presumably the wellies and duffel coat could stay on.

He'd have to take the wellies off to remove the trousers. Do you think he would put them back on again? It's a look!

Maybe he has special ones with poppers so the red wellingtons stay on