Archers thread #140: Changing rooms at Brookfield with Leonard Llewellyn-Bowen, or saving souls with St Smugula in the heathen wastelands of the North? 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 think a stained glass window marking the birth of newborn twins is just what Ambridge needs, 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/4636789-the-archers-spoilers-thread-7-cant-wait-for-702pm-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.)

Title composed in haste, making use of @Octothorpe's lovely coinage of Leonard Llewellyn-Bowen and @TheLassWiADelicateAir's terrific description of St. Smugula's mission to the heathen wasteland of far flung Sunderland, both from the last thread

I've abandoned the use of an emoji in the title, having been alerted by another thread recently to the fact that it makes it difficult for people with visual problems to use assistive software.

I won't say much more about The Archers, as I'm still feeling extremely jaundiced about the programme at the moment. Fingers crossed it takes a turn for the better over the next few days. It was good to hear Helen, Lee and Joy again tonight. Less delighted to hear the loathsome George. What a numpty not to recognise pheasant chicks! His Dad would be far from impressed.

Over to you!

They won’t need to claim on insurance, conveniently Peggy wants to buy a new window.

I retract this - didn’t realise it was a special window that was smashed

Irritating plot twist. Still doesn't mean the window will be approved, though.

Can it get any sillier?

Although to be fair to George, Eddie and Emma they were actually having a sensible conversation.

Only just listened, so many questions about the logistics of the last scene:
Where did Alan actually end up, on the grass outside the church? Although there were no "outside" noises or change of acoustic?
If he ended up on the floor of St Stephen's, did he 'bounce off' the Jeck Window??
What WAS wrong with his hand? I expected him to say there were a few cuts, at the very least.
Why is he so stupid at times?
Does the PCC and/ or diocese have a risk assessment and full H&S training for working at height?
What happened to the bird?
What the chuff will this mean for the dreadful storyline?

Oh, there'll be some ridiculous change of plan to include Jick and the twins in the same window.

What’s in Jack’s window? I presumed a bible scene with an inscription that it was installed in his honour - but I’m tickled to think that it’s of an old fella, say Jack Charlton in his flat cap, beaming down benevolently.

Jack's window ended up being in memory of all the war effort round Ambridge, not just Jack. I have a vague idea we had some of it described to us when it was officially unveiled, but I don't really remember.

I hope not but remain to be convinced. I am just waiting for the ghost of Brian Rix to turn up.

Also creepy sex pest at work Jazzer storyline.

We’ve also had another ‘public service announcement’ style appointment with a midwife.

The Prodosia storyline is a bit Jilly Cooper.

Oh yes, @OverArmour !

Do we know what George got in his GCSEs?

I was very surprised at the use of the word 'essays' regarding his course.
I am assuming he is doing an Agriculture course from his description. (See here www.sparsholt.ac.uk/subject/agriculture/?f=full-time ) for anyone interested.

If he struggles with his writing he would be better off at least starting on the Level 2 course for a year before progressing to Level 3. (He also should be approaching his tutor or a learning support department for support, not asking Mia, though it may be that in a couple of hours Mia can show him what structure is needed and all will be OK as he knows the info itself.)

From my experience of BTEC / City&Guilds I was surprised to hear 'essays'. Although there are written assignments the structure required tends to be pretty clear from the brief, it is not anything like, for example, an A level History essay.

(This sounds like I am over invested in George's education, but my DD is currently at the above college doing another course.)

Agree with Jangly. It’s pretty redundant to say that the flying vicar SL didn’t make much sense. Stained glass (which I assume the Jick Memorial Window is/was?) is usually leaded and I’d imagine a bit more robust than normal window glass - and it’s a modern one, not a fragile ancient window. But even if it did smash, why would the pieces fall inwards into the church, as the sound-effects suggested?

The implication was that Alan had climbed up quite high, so if he fell so heavily, but only damaged (cut?) his hand, why wasn’t the fall more serious?

So many questions. At least I did watch a very interesting short film about the making of a modern stained-glass church window in my quest for answers, so I've learned something, anyway.

(Am I imagining it, btw, or did the Jick window also include Captain? This could just be the product of my fevered imagination)

Stained glass (which I assume the Jick Memorial Window is/was?) is usually leaded and I’d imagine a bit more robust than normal window glass - and it’s a modern one, not a fragile ancient window. But even if it did smash, why would the pieces fall inwards into the church, as the sound-effects suggested? The implication was that Alan had climbed up quite high, so if he fell so heavily, but only damaged (cut?) his hand, why wasn’t the fall more serious? how has the SWs once again failed to research fall sound effects after the outcry over Nigel's fall? I also don't understand why it had to be so clearly signalled - Alan worrying about Usha breaking a window or the idea that shooting the pigeons might break one. I like the fact that Jick's window has been smashed, I just wish it hadn't been so poorly executed. This whole storyline has been clumsily presented ever since Peggy made her valedictory speech. Without her input all the window wrangling nonsense is just tedious - we won't even be able to hear her outrage at the possibility of having to choose between replacing Jick's memorial and erecting a new one for the twins.

They generally struggle with effective sound effects apart from in the shop, or when someone is on horseback, or when Roy and Kirsty are chomping on a biscuit…

In the words of Melania Trump, I really don’t care about the church windows. Stained glass can be magnificent when done properly- French/Italian cathedrals and chapels for instance- but modern-day attempts in small local churches a la Peggy tend to leave me very cold.

I can’t bring myself to write about that ludicrous scene with the pigeon and ladder.

How widely known is former-agriculture-student Johnny’s dyslexia? He’d be a much better person for George to talk to about the difficulties of the essay writing side of such a course.

Exactly. Though Jonny did an apprenticeship which might well be assessed differently (ie more do and explain and generally less written).

@Octothorpe may I just say, I am so enjoying all of your posts. I feel any posts of mine are redundant and can be supplanted by me just nodding furiously along with any of yours.

Why thank you @RandomCatGenerator <blushes><curtseys>

Have they sacked the foley artist?

Film about making a stained-glass window Just in case anyone's interested. It mentions the Faculty having to approve it. There’s also a shot of a design with a baby (Jesus, presumably) being elevated adoringly, but I’m sure it’s very much the sort of thing Peggy has in mind for the sainted twins.

I made a comment several threads ago about the foley artist. The sound effects have been weird for some time. I had thought they were improving but after last night, who knows?!