🦈 Archers thread #137: See left - have they jumped it? Discuss The Caseys - sorry, 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 think Steph Casey is a wonderful addition to the programme, or similar odd 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.)

Too dispirited to add much else. Have we reached a new low?

I suppose the Archer twins will be born before we need a new thread. 👶👶
Any thoughts on names? Patrick and Antonia were suggested before - inspired! Peggy has to be a strong contender.

Over to you!

It is good that Brad will be doing 'decent' A levels and hopefully going on to university.

Was it referred to this evening I try not to listen to sainted Shula. Maybe dull policeman will be a vicar instead

I don't think there is A level engineering is there? It been a BTEC and is now a T Level.

It has been- not " it been"😑 Why couldn't the site re-vamp have included an edit button?

Wasn’t Shula away on her vicar retreat when we had the ‘hilarious’ kitchen episode? Or am I muddling that up?

yes she was I think

Oh wow I only caught bits this evening, didn't realise that was GEORGE!

Oliver was being positively creepy - presumably trying to make up for Tracey, but it just sounded like he was grooming Brad! Waaaay too much interest and bonhomie.

Sad that George is a prick, I’m surprised his parents have let him grown up as a bargain basement Will… actually just remembered that’s his real dad so maybe less surprising! But all his family like and respect Oliver so where’s he got his attitude from?

I think Brad is clearly being set up to be some kind of banking/tech millionaire and save the family at a future point. If he doesn’t get pitchforked by George before then.

To be fair to Will he has been very good with Mia lately. I think he and the rest of The Grundies would be horrified if they'd heard that.

In think George stole the money that was being collected for a good cause, that was then blamed on his uncle

Will got involved in disposing of illegal waste and lost his job so they couldn't get the mortgage IIRC

Yes, I was thinking about that. Takes after his Great-Uncle Alf, then. Oh dear.

I like young Brad. I hope he does well in life. With those A levels he could get an excellent apprenticeship if he doesn't want to go to university, but I will have every digit crossed that the SWs don't cop out and have him end up in the chicken factory with his mum. Alice could perhaps mentor him and in the process remember that she's an engineer and could get a decent job.

Ed, not Will, but yes, I'd forgotten all of that. Adam sacked Ed from Home Farm. Rather ironic, given Home Farm's record with illegal waste. Brian wasn't sacked and he did far worse than Ed, albeit decades earlier.

Will got involved in disposing of illegal waste and lost his job so they couldn't get the mortgage IIRC

No he didn't. That was Ed. Will was horrified by what Ed was doing.

Oliver was being positively creepy - presumably trying to make up for Tracey, but it just sounded like he was grooming Brad! Waaaay too much interest and bonhomie.

I’m not crazy about Oliver but I didn’t think he was being creepy. I think it’s a shame that these days older men are not able to take an interest in a younger person without being suspected of grooming and abuse. I am not certainly not underestimating nor making light of how widespread abuse is by saying this but I just think it’s a pity that a straightforward, well-intentioned interest in a young person and their future cannot be taken at face value now.

I'm hoping Brad gets his degree, sets up a successful local business, and George ends up having to grovel to him for a job.

@FlosCampi , there is an A-level in Engineering.

@CloseYourEyesAndSee , it was Ed not Will.

George is vile.

Yes sorry I meant ed

It didn't occur to me for one minute that Oliver was creepy or that it sounded like grooming.

The BBC is middle-class land.

Brad may be clever and do ‘A’ levels but he will fuck up in some way due to the lower class horrid ‘Horribin’ genes, and end up in a McJob or something worse.

Kate on the other hand although she mucked up sixth-form, managed to get a masters, because she is middle-class.

Did Kate get a masters degree?
Her success has been because her family has money, not because she is MC.
Brad and Mia are at a disadvantage because their parents hadn't been through higher education, not because their parents are WC, although you could argue that HE is a MC indicator.

I didn't think that Oliver was creepy, although he should have told George to stop being so unpleasant to Brad.

I found it hard to believe that George would be that unpleasant. I know that he is related to Eddie's brother and to Clive Horrobin, but he's been raised by Mianed and Wiwyum. Nic had found him difficult in the beginning, though.

I think Adam pointed out at the time that because of the dumping scandal at Home Farm, they had to remove the chance of being even remotely linked to a similar crime, so Ed got the sack. All a complete nonsense.

It really upset me to hear George talking like that about Oliver and Eddie, even though I’m not fond of either of them. I now hope Oliver takes Brad under his wing the way he did with Ed.

I didn't think Oliver was creepy at all the last couple of days (or ever, I like Oliver). I thought he was desperately trying to make conversation and not getting much back, although Brad eventually opened up a bit. Just a really nice guy who wants to chat to break what would otherwise be a protacted awkward silence but who is having to do 90% of the spade work in keeping the conversation going.

George really upset me with his knock-off pantomime villain wickedness. I don't want more misery for the Grundys, just get him quickly discovered, disowned, and booted out of Ambridge. But of course it won't happen, we're in for the long haul with more and more nastiness from him and hand-wringing from others until there'll eventually be a resolution. I can't take more depressing storylines, just make it about the sheep getting through a hole in the fence, or stress over someone not learning their lines for the Christmas show, or Rex being infested with pheasants who have escaped the shoot.

I find these days that they're missing the subtlety in characters and storylines. George is a prime example, such an over the top, ridiculous bully. It is more eastenders with drama etc than slow burn well set up, more realistic events. That said, I like the idea of it and that they have assigned Brad a bright boy who is going places type of role. Tracey is a good role model for hard work. .

I read someone's question of Shula about how her vice training was going, which would have made a more exciting, eastenders storyline.

Poppy's clothes will be too small for Fat Rosie