🏏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.)

Caught up again. I assume Chris would say he is securing his financial future with Martha in mind. Nasty business all round. I thought the forensic accountant sounded as if he'd been pulled in off the street and handed some lines to read.

Are we working towards Mia being diagnosed with anxiety? I can't remember if we've ever had anyone explicitly saying they have that condition before. It's a horrible thing to wrestle with. A close relative of mine has it and needs to be on medication, which brings all sorts of problems of its own. Poor Mia.

Good for Jakob intervening at the Stables. Thank goodness we didn't have to hear Shula's sanctimonious handwringing.

The obvious solution was to give Chris The Nest. After all if Alice really cared about this child which she claims to love so much clearly Martha and Chris should have a nice home which he owns outright. Chris has the ability to earn an income to support himself and Martha but probably not to buy a house like The Nest. Alice should never have moved back in and should have insisted that that was Martha's home and that Chris stayed there. It was incredibly stupid and selfish of Alice and Brian not to think of this.

Brian's ham- fisted offer of allowing Chris to stay in a holiday cottage was too little and too late.

This is true, but she could have dealt with it less sneeringly.

Gaspode: I thought the forensic accountant sounded as if he'd been pulled in off the street and handed some lines to read

Yes, this. Worst delivery in a long time, even including Pip's terrible inTONation and Adam's weary droning.

It was the very worst voice I can remember hearing on radio.

One can only hope the actor invented it for the occasion and doesn’t employ it every day.

She could have but it was very true to character.

Meeah and Chelsey- class act!!!

That was ghastly. Chelsea was bullying Mere. Mere was being awkward, which was quite a good comeback.
Love Freddie though.

Yes C is like Tracey was before we were Jazzer was persuaded to like and cherish her.

V well scripted and acted though so thought.

Will Freddie get told off for not giving C a formal warning and reminding her that she is in her probation period?

I think she deserved to be sacked for how she spoke to Mere.
Mere should go on TripDivisor and leave a review

What is Roy's new job?

Glamour Model

Stair Runner.

Chelsea should have been sacked or put on a final warning. And Will should have got a substantial reduction or even a free meal. It was appalling behaviour.

I don't think it was well scripted. Chelsea isn't thick yet they wrote her as a thick, nasty bully. And she sounded about 11.

I don't know how Chelsea kept her job through that. She was being vile. Good to hear Freddie step up, even if he did let her off lightly.

So Chris and Jakob are bezzie mates then? News to me. If I was Kate I'd be singularly unimpressed with his commitment to stay bum chums with the chap who was trying to take a chunk of my business.

Roy's embarrassing himself isn't he? Most toddlers have better negotiating skills.

Well it was the second round of C and M arguments, the first one was quite spectacular too (when Will was trying to engineer a friendship!). Long may it continue, say I.

I thought it was horrible. I don't like the feeding into "mean girls" trope. It's not doing Chelsea any favours. I think Chelsea can credibly be blunt but that was just nasty, as well as really stupid in a work situation.

I hated that Will and Freddie both acted like it was just a squabble when it was Chelsea outright bullying Mia. I was a teenage waitress and would NEVER have survived the day acting like that! They aren’t that desperate for staff as they’ve just turned down Tracey. Presumably eventually they’ll get her in instead and she’ll Shine at LL until Adil is begging her to return.

I did think Roy’s idiocy at not realising he was the pr boy for the people who just sacked all his friends was quite funny

Been away all week and just done a massive catch-up.

Brine was actively concealing assets and suitably disgruntled when rumbled. His horrible views about Chris...can't see how they can ever be rowed back on. What an arse.
Lily sounded exactly like Hermione Grainger in the first Harry Potter film, putting everyone right, but Hermione had age on her side, while Lily was purposely sneering and should know better.
Chelsea sounded awful.
Adil's new contract for Roy - isn't that fire and re-hire? His referring to the redundancy payout was beside the point and should to have been mentioned, but then Advil is shaping up to be the AA slimeball de nos jours.

So Chris and Jakob are bezzie mates then?

I think k they binded over some horse work at some point.

Adil's new contract for Roy - isn't that fire and re-hire?

There have been hints it's quite a different role though.

The Chelsea/Mia scene was horrible to listen to. Mia ruined what should have been a nice outing with Will and Chelsea deserved to be fired.

As for Roy, he is clinging onto GG as if he is bobbing around in the Atlantic following the sinking of the Titanic. I’m a bit embarrassed for my namesake- he needs to dig deep and start serious job hunting.

Mia ruined what should have been a nice outing with Will and Chelsea deserved to be fired

To be fair to Mia, it was Chelsea who ruined it.

Roy's new job is something like porter or receptionist, isn't it?

It’s a new portfolio career - concierge / content creator / whipping boy.

Very 21st c.