🌟 ⭐ 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!

Actually couldn't decide whether Russ was being even more unbearably smug and condescending than he usually is.

Well done, Bradley. Lady Muck has been dumped!

Excellent.

As ye sow,
So shall ye reap, Russ

Finally!

I enjoyed that episode.

Really hope Lily doesn't change her mind and plead for him to come back.
I actually thought he sounded suspiciously calm and reasonable. Any decent man accused like that would be far more indignant. Especially a professional who understands boundaries and safeguarding.
Oh wait...

I think Chelsea is with her Dad , Den hiding out - I felt a bit sorry for Russ - thought the script writing was v good though - that is exactly how Tracey would behave + Brads comments about being a Horribin - on the money

I therefore think that from tonight that Russ will not be the Father of Chelsea's baby - still can't work out what (if anything) is significant of 2hrs she disappeared saying she was cutting Harrison's hair hurt after Tracey asking about the Father

Tracy's speech about welcoming the abuser to Ambridge was so so true.

And Brad's

And Lily's

Only but I didn't like was Freddie kind of supporting him!

I therefore think that from tonight that Russ will not be the Father of Chelsea's baby - still can't work out what (if anything) is significant of 2hrs she disappeared saying she was cutting Harrison's hair hurt after Tracey asking about the Father

i don't think there is any chance Russ is the father.

The missing 2 hours seems very significant. Chelsea's phone pinged- was it a reminder or a text? Whatever it was, she was gone for 2 hours and we don't know where.

And oh ha, ha Princess Lily -bit late to have a crisis of conscience about Russ' wife.

I actually thought he sounded suspiciously calm and reasonable … especially about handing over his phone. DH said “he’s got another phone”. I challenged him with knowing too much about the mechanics of two-timing, he said “well, it’s you! You keep reading me bits from MN”

DH also reckons that if you’re “messing with teenagers” you’d be very careful about condoms. Another reason to think it’s not Russ.

Russ sounded like a spoilt toddler when Freddie suggested he and Lily could talk. “Sha’n’t! Don’t want to” or words to that effect .

I suppose if the attraction of teenagers is purity and innocence, then the discovery that “your” gf is soiled goods/an independent woman with her own mind (delete as appropriate depending whether you’re Russ or a normal decent person) hits extra hard.

Hope she does and he says no. She's such a stuck up little madam.

I know almost every one hates Russ but he hasn't actually done anything wrong so far as Chelsea. An older person buying a younger person lunch in their joint workplace and general mentoring isn't evidence of wrong doing.

/an independent woman with her own mind (delete as appropriate depending whether you’re Russ or a normal decent person) hits extra hard.

Lily isn't an independent woman with her own mind- she's a spoilt, pretentious brat still reliant on mummy. She hasn't half the gumption of Chelsea. Lily can take the dead end call centre job because she knows she can pack it in any time and run back to LL.

We don't KNOW if he's done anything wrong.

It did always seem a bit strange that he decided to keep helping her. Definitely liked the adulation. In that light I can believe he's done something Bad. He was v cool re the phone handing over wasn't he.

An older person buying a younger person lunch in their joint workplace and general mentoring isn't evidence of wrong doing.
Really? It could be seen as grooming. A man with a much younger girlfriend buying a 17-yr old a restaurant meal could look suspicious, especially if he'd been tutoring her and getting haircuts

I have a theory: George Grundy
Thank you

If there's nothing on his phone why wouldn't he be?

I don't think it's strange he carried on helping her- I agree it might be out of vanity but that's not in itself evil.

It could equally be just buying them lunch at work.

Please let the father not be George Grundy. The poor mite would have a double-dose of Horrobim genes. Just no!

Ah ha ok so it's not Russ then is it? Who can it be? Must be Josh or Ben. Can't be George they are related.

Glad it has been voiced that Russ is a predator he has never been held to account.

That fell apart remarkably quickly, I thought, given that it was all bliss and riverside apartments a couple of days ago. But it did sound as though Lily had been harbouring doubts that popped up to the surface with lightning speed, suggesting that she’d been fooling herself on a major scale.

I can’t stand Russ so I’m not unhappy with the outcome, but my main feeling is serious annoyance that Tracy's character - having been bludgeoned with humiliation after humiliation recently - is now being put through the agony of having a missing teen in the service of a storyline that’s really all about splitting up Lily'n'Russ. I don’t believe that Russ is the actual father.

In a way, this feels like the whole point of Russ as a character - we've (or certainly I've) been waiting for some effect or consequence ever since he was introduced and seduced Lily. It's been a long wait, but I've never believed Lily would end up with him despite all their cosy domesticity and her old-before-her-time transformation. I also like the idea of him being brought down by his fatal flaw and by something Lily knew about him from the start. In fact I'll be very disappointed if the father of Chelsea's baby turns out not to be Russ.

I was in awe of this when LillianGish first posted it - and it’s even more potent now.

But the great thing is Russ doesn’t need to be the father now. He has been brought down by his fatal flaw - possibly without having done anything wrong this time. I wonder if it would have occurred to someone of his character that the moment he began a relationship with Lily he lost the right to ever be considered innocent until proven guilty with regard to any teenage girl.

It’s just so poetic that Horrobins have shattered the status quo chez Pargetter. Such (19th century rural peasant) power! SOC would be proud …

Wouldn't George be too close and a bit ick?

But , definitely a no. It doesn't serve any real plot purpose either.

Ideally the father should be from another branch of the first families for maximum devastation.

I am a law and rule follower. I've handed my phone to the police before. It is not a calm thing!!! Your paranoia runs wild! Even when you know you've done nothing wrong!

If it is George, it might have been rape. Chelsea confronted him about scheming with Brad if I remember.

George being a rapist would be too awful. And Chelsea did say it was with consent.