🌟 ⭐ 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!

I'm bored with Lillian's kitchen already!

Plus cinnamon chicken sounds vile. 😀

Well done, ButtonSister! ⭐️

And a BOOP to the SWs for seeding that so cunningly.

I always hoped Blake might be permanently incorporated into Ambridge. Fingers crossed …

I bet scriptwriters did not know at this stage where to go with it.
Russ
all a mistake, not pregnant
goes ahead, but pregnancy fails
some random guy who we don’t know
goes for abortion
who knows?

Well … Clearly they thought hard about laying the groundwork …

Lily and Sol - so random, so long ago and now used to maximum effect against Russ.

Using Blake, who was left over from another story.

David dropping into conversation the highly unlikely news of Ruth reporting a prospective rave …

Etc.

So I’d be surprised if they didn’t know exactly what they want to achieve ‘going forward’.

As I am always obsessed by petty details, what bothered me was the idea of inviting Lynda and Robert for dinner at such short notice. (a) What would happen to whatever L&R had been planning to have? (b) Why would Lilian have bought enough for four? She doesn't strike me as a batch cooker.

I don't believe Justin has any sexual interest in Lynda. It's cupboard love. He's enjoyed the food at Ambridge Hall.

This thread is nearing its close. I'll need a new title very soon.Any thoughts?

www.food.com/recipe/cinnamon-chicken-183262

Other recipes may exist. Can't say I fancy it.

Horrobins thread #139 …

Horrobins thread #139. As a new Great House of Ambridge emerges, come swear your allegiance here.

(If Papa turns out to be Archer or Pargetter replace emeges with ‘is crowned’ …)

Don’t forget the 👑!

<takes notes>

If only Lillian had one of Jenny's tagines; she could have made an edible Moroccan chicken dish!

I can't help thinking that Chelsea's illicit lover will turn out to be a random college teen, but half the village will get accused in the interim.

It looks revolting. It might work with a game bird- or other game but not chicken.

Aw, Blake.

And you were all right, Chelsea has just been used to knock Russ of his tiny throne.

I wish Tracey had not been so 'You'd be a great mum' with Chelsea and had added 'one day, when you are a bit older' and said what a commitment it was etc.

I hate this story line.

Blake is lovely and I'm glad he's thriving but that's the only redeeming feature of this ridiculous episode.

Was Tracy really so panicked that she completely reinvented what Brad said?

I’ve enjoyed this story so far but that seems a bit of a mis-step. It was enough that she extrapolated from crush to ‘guilty’ in her own head, we don’t need the rubbish of “Brad said Russ is the father”.

Well I said all along that Russ wasn't the father.

Well done Tracey- you told Chelsea yesterday that no one knew Chelsea was pregnant ('cept Harrison, Russ , Lily, Susan, Alastair and Jim)

I'm sure Chelsea will be delighted that Miss Snooty, of all people, knows.

Oh I missed that. All Brad said was Chelsea had a crush on Russ.

Cue Chelsea tearing a strip of Brad.

I'm "enjoying" this storyline only in the sense of how absurd it is.

*off

hmm I'm not giving up on the Russ theory. Maybe he paid her off.

Have you listened to tonight's episode?

yes
of course if he paid her off he would be paying her to say no, no, Russ is definitely NOT the father
hopefully she will save the money until she needs it to set up her hairdressing salon

Well, if Russ has paid Chelsea off then Russ and Chelsea (the characters, not the actors playing them) are both fantastically good actors- they were both gobsmacked by Tracey's suggestion.

Re pregnancy storylines... I know it's a soap, but statistically, aren't we due a storyline where a happily married couple conceives?! Mind you, that would involve actually having a happily married couple of childbearing age who want to have children...

Oh. I had, of course, completely forgotten about the twins... 🙄 It would be nice to hear about them soon! (I still have trouble believing in the relationship, though, it was so whirlwind, their financial views re debt are at odds and I simply don't believe it will last)!