🌟 ⭐ Archers thread #138: Two new stars on the Ambridge firmament, but will Peggy’s retirement leave a black hole? 🕳️ Join us here for a window on The Archers.

[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 commissioning a stained glass window for two of your great-grandchildren and nothing for all the others is a sensible thing to do, 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.)

Thanks to @LillianGish and @MuddlerInLaw for title ideas, which I have played around with a bit. I'm sad to have heard the last of Peggy. An era starts to draw to a close.

What a relief to be out of the Steph Casey phase, which I hope was an unfortunate blip, not to be repeated. [Triumph of hope over experience there ... ]

@BoreofWhabylon has asked the 🔮 about Adil and it predicts that he is actually the Mysterious New Owner of Grey Gables but won't be revealed as such until he has won Kirsty's heart (or some similar Mills & Boon level tosh - apols to the 🔮 but it does seem to have a mushy side). I still cling to the idea that the mysterious silent and invisible Gills who now own Home Farm may have some role at GG, but why not name them?

No mention of the heatwave in Ambridge, but budget constraints probably severely limit their scope for topical inserts these days. IRL I believe this has been a tricky time for farmers. Perhaps the SWs will catch up with this over the winter and start putting in some farming chat about diversification away from oats to olives, or similar. We already have at least one vineyard in the Ambridge area, at LL. (I understand there was another, in the heart of the village, decades ago, but the SWs have now forgotten all about it, sadly.)

Over to you!

Did Julianne turn up in Ambridge , or was it somewhere else? If she's needy, how long before they are seen together? Might they bump into Brine & JD at Les Soeurs Heureux?

I think more would have been flagged up if Chelsea were pregnant.

But given Tracey's current financial situation, a pregnant teenage daughter would be the icing on the cake. Add to that the fallout at Lower Loxley... Bring it on!

Poor Alistair. I would be pretty cross if my 60th was suddenly being transformed into a teenage party - and I was being expected to pay for it. I know the Horribins deserve a bit of a celebration but that’s not Alistair’s problem - Jazza is really stretching his friendship with Alistair to the limit with this one.

I think if Chelsea and Russ had got together at the rave it would have changed their dynamic more markedly - especially when he tried to help her.

it’s more likely the scriptwriters we’re trying to emphasise Russ had been inadvertently drugged and behaved very differently, and cannot recall parts of the night. I don’t think they had sex.

The two brothers in love with the same girl storyline is so tired. I hate listening to conversations between characters where one is being so blind as to the feelings of the other. Ben would back off if Josh was vehemently against Beth staying over - or would be smarter about it and say “no worries, we’ll find our own place then” or similar. To imagine Ben would push and push making more comments that Josh has already made clear he isn’t up for AND expect a different reaction…it’s just not in keeping with Ben’s character.

Jazzer and Alistair’s conversation was similarly forced. Jazzer has form for this - but Alistair would have a better way for dealing with him by now, surely? Just say - actually, this isn’t what I originally agreed to. Best do separate parties.

Today’s episode felt far too samey. Lots of characters being difficult with people they normally get on well with makes for painful listening when there is no ‘compare and contrast’ to balance it out.

Does Alistair have enough friends ti fill the village hall? Or am I projecting? 😊

I also raised an eyebrow at Ben being so eager to throw his girlfriend into the path of his elder brother. It would be unwise in any circumstances - but we know Josh to be entirely self-centred and ruthless. He would have no compunction whatsoever about magicking Beth away from Ben - and he’d laugh at the fallout. Fingers crossed the SWs are not planning this.

It was very hard to hear Shula so casually offering her house to her nephews. After 60 years of TA listening I don’t know why the easy passing on of privilege and property (even with rent imposed) amongst clan members still affronts me. I know she tried to help HWMNBN - but housing is so hard to come by in Ambridge in the absence of proximity to an Archer … (I know IABU.)

@MuddlerInLaw , but she doesn't know how long she'll be letting it for. Easier to let it to her nephew, who she knows and trusts, than to a family and need to go through all the formalities, only to potentially not renew after the first 6 months. Josh will have Brokefailed to return to, whereas a family of four or more might be homeless in a few months.

I hope that she finds Sunderland too much and comes back almost immediately.

I think if Chelsea and Russ had got together at the rave it would have changed their dynamic more markedly - especially when he tried to help her.

it’s more likely the scriptwriters we’re trying to emphasise Russ had been inadvertently drugged and behaved very differently, and cannot recall parts of the night. I don’t think they had sex.

I agree. Russ' drink was spiked (by Lily?) but there's no suggestion they had sex. I can't believe Chelsea wouldn't have mentioned it if they had.

It's madness. I imagined that Alistair would just invite a few friends (or Jim/Jazzer/Fiona) out for a meal (at a push Ian could cook for him).

As for Shula renting out the stable's house to a couple of 20 year olds: The only great thing about this storyline is that Pip will be furious!

Where does Alice live? Shouldn't the stables house go with the stable job?

Can someone explain how come Alistair is sleeping in his Dad’s spare room while Shula secured the stables and the large house in house in their divorce which she is now at liberty to rent to her young nephews who have reassured her they are passed the party phase. What’s that all about?

Surely Alistair’s gambling debts can’t have been so huge that he had to forfeit his share of the property? Or did he keep the vet business while she kept the house etc? Even so- all just seems very unequal but I suppose she is First Family so always lands on her feet….

Blimey that was dull.

We’ve got a month of this. Talk about the long goodbye.

It's feeling like a slog work is busy and not well but I feel compelled to comment. Not enjoying the Archers at the moment.

I don't get how Josh and especially Ben can afford to rent Shula's house. I imagine it will be reduced rent but does Ben have an income? I thought all his time would be studying and ward practice.

Agree with the long goodbye who cares, just go already Shula! Alastair just needs to out his foot down re his party.

Run out of stream. Good night all.

It's feeling like a slog work is busy and not well but I feel compelled to comment. Not enjoying the Archers at the moment.

I don't get how Josh and especially Ben can afford to rent Shula's house. I imagine it will be reduced rent but does Ben have an income? I thought all his time would be studying and ward practice.

Agree with the long goodbye who cares, just go already Shula! Alastair just needs to out his foot down re his party.

Run out of stream. Good night all.

I think russ himself said he had accepted cannabis drinks from someone?

you can get them in sainsburys so maybe it was something stronger!

I'm annoyed at all the discussion around Alice taking over the stables business when it doesn't appear that anyone has asked Alice if she is interested in running a stables. She's an aeronautical engineer FFS. It's almost like they have given up any pretence that they are not just shifting characters around the village as plot devices. That said, it was even more preposterous when she suddenly became a Home Farm manager. At least she does have a genuine interest in horses.

Shula asked Alice last night @HaveringWavering She always wanted to work with horses as a child, apparently, but got distracted by 'the rat race'. She's considering the possibility of the Stables job and how it would work around Martha.

Alice lives in The Nest, @FlosCampi .
Josh seems to be earning an income, and Ben will be on whatever a student is on. They would probably not be charged much rent compared with the going rate. The house has at least 3 bedrooms. They could get a third person in.

They could get a third person in

Didn’t Josh and Beth agree she would move in as a third person last night. I was only half-listening as I don’t like wasting my brain thinking about Ben and Josh’s living arrangements but I’m pretty sure that’s what was said.

Josh is going to have to up his game in order to lure Beth away from Ben given her position on infidelity. She probably won’t go for a ONS or a fumble over the eggs but I suppose if they are living in close proximity she could simply fall in love with the other brother. There will need to be a child in the mix for the SL to have legs though.

I wonder if we will ever hear Shula again. Maybe Judy Bennett wants to retire.

Within the next few years there will have to be some big changes, if TA survives at all <moves into apocalyptic mode>. In the nature of things the SWs will soon have to write in deaths for Peggy, Christine, Jill and eventually Jim. David is older than me, so early 60s. He can't go on forever doing heavy manual work. Kenton is in his mid 60s or a touch older. Jolene similar (haven't checked). What will happen to The Bull when they retire? Nobody can go on working forever.

BTW, Tracy's difficulty in getting a new job doesn't ring true, as others have said, but there we go, the SWs wanted to shoehorn in a story about financial difficulties and it has proved even more topical than they could have known when they planned it, probably months ago. It did occur to me the other night that as well as the possibility of replacing Parker at Summer Orchard, if Toby leaves, won't that open up a job at The Bull?

Following on from the musings above, I could see Tracy and Jazzer running The Bull. Maybe Brad will get a stellar degree in something mathematical and then a fabulous job in the City, and return a millionaire to turn the Ambridge order of things on its head.

NOOOOOOOO! I love Shula.

We've had the two brothers, one woman story already, but I suspect that @Roysnewshirt might be right. Beth is so dreary, I can't imagine what they see in her.

Farmers don't tend to retire. I imagine David will be doing less of the manual work as he gets older. My farming relatives tended to work until they were no longer capable of working, handing over to their son.

Love the idea of Tracy and Jazzer running the bull! Could see Tracy as a Peggy Mitchell type chucking the troublemakers out.

I can imagine Emmur as the pub landlady.