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!

Good point about Johnny doing an apprenticeship, he might not have needed to write so many assignments.

Something else sprang to mind during George’s super helpful performance and Emma’s comments - doesn’t he live in the big house? I suppose he could still be expected to help out in the caravan.

Radio doesn't really have specific foley artists, I don't think - there's not the budget for it for a start. More likely it's a small team (i.e. one or two) sound engineers who find/create the sound effects as well as recording the scenes and mixing it etc. I did see an old video about the sound effects on The Archers and just googled the name of the sound engineer to see he's now freelance - maybe he was sacked after the Nigel debacle.

I think many people who work on radio are freelancers.

Yes they are but he used to be employed - the BBC has saved a tonne of the money it's had to find by laying off/not replacing staff and having freelancers instead. It's pretty dodge actually because loads of them effectively work full time but without thebenefits of having an employer.

Checking in. Cannot muster enough enthusiasm to say anything. Dejected nodding will have to do.

<mooches off>

We’re going to be treated to a whole ‘misunderstanding’ storyline again aren’t we - Alan will be accused of deliberately smashing the window because he’s against the twins window instead of the only fools and horses moment it was but without the comic timing
im also wondering why on earth in a rural village Alan couldn’t find someone else to get rid of the pigeon - Grundys spring to mind

I listened up to the point when Alan just wanted to go one more rung further, then switched the radio off as I couldn’t bear to listen to the inevitable fall!

Question: George referred to ‘Mum and Ed and Will’.

Doesnt he call either of them Dad?

I’m sure in the past he’s called Will ‘dad’ and Ed by his name.

Blame the editor.

A good way to get rid of pigeons from large buildings: a bird of prey to frighten them away.

If only Alan lived in a small rural village where someone might know where such a thing could be found.

Why was Alan up a ladder? Did he expect the pigeon to stay put so they could grab it.

I have so many questions....

My brother is a falconer and used to do pigeon and rodent work!

I think he said he was going to climb a ladder and poke it with a broom 😂

honestly what an idiot. Surely any pigeon worth their birdseed would just smugly flap over to another bit of beam

I’ve caught up on the week. BOOP for Helen’s “Oh! My goodness!” Reaction to Mick and his Speedos which actually made me laugh.

The rest of it - it’s lazy scriptwriting and plotting by numbers.

Well, what do you know. Radio Carter has a rival in the Top Ambridge Gossip contest.

I’ve caught up on the week. BOOP for Helen’s “Oh! My goodness!” Reaction to Mick and his Speedos which actually made me laugh.
She's a good actor, and the scene being on radio made it more vivid IMO.

Well it's obvious how this is going to play out now isn't it? Chelsea is going to have the baby and Tracy is going to pass it off as hers.

My great grandfather was born into a similar scenario, but I think it's a bit unlikely in 2022.

FFS. Stupid plotline.

I think I asked after the tumbling vicar episode if it could get any sillier.

How stupid is Kenton to think Tracey at almost 50 will be delighted to be pregnant?

And as for Natasha , Helen or Lee, whichever of them gossiped is despicable. I doubt it was Lee but it really is despicable to start gossiping and speculating about a woman being pregnant before she chooses to announce it. I can think of many occasions I've suspected it and never said a thing.

Fgs even if Gnasher is too stupid not to realise an approaching 50 year old woman with 2 almost grownup children is very unlikely to be thrilled to be pregnant, she must know no-one announces a pregnancy until at least 12 weeks.

It's too stupid for words. It also defeats the point of the rise and fall of the Archer dynasty plot line. Who cares about a Horrobin/McCreery baby?

It would require Ben to acquire a spine and blow the whistle- which he won't. He'll just be glad the problem has gone away.

The current storyline references to abortion are making me a little angry. It’s not the time for any anti abortion sentiment, really not the time. Also late abortions are very rare and usually due to extenuating circumstances. Suggesting it’s based on women being indecisive is pretty reprehensible given where we are with Roe vs Wade. When in fact we need to just be supporting women’s choices, whatever they are. It’s actually pretty irresponsible of them and somewhat of a political statement.

I think you're crediting the SWs with too much intelligence for it to be political.

There's very little demand, if any, in the UK to limit abortion rights. Roe -v- Wade is terrible but irrelevant to the UK.

I don't think it's anything more than lazy script writing to create a very unnecessary and implausible drama.

I very much disagree that Roe vs Wade is irrelevant to the UK but will leave it there as I know I get bored when topics go astray on this thread too.

I very much think it's unhelpful scare mongering to start trying to import Roe -v- Wade into the UK.

When women’s rights are attacked, it impacts us all. I am not scare mongering. I’m not importing anything. I respectfully disagree. I am commenting on how I feel about a current storyline.

More stupidity. And who does Kenton think he is lecturing a woman for having a drink?