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!

The perplexing thing is that, way back in the mists of time, it was apparent that Chelsea was already sexually active, had been sensible enough to use contraception in the past (she told Tracy this), so clearly was perfectly well aware of the risk of pregnancy - and had indeed gone and got herself the MAP following the rave.

Quite why a 17-year-old clued-up enough to see to all this could then turn into someone who flounces about yelling I DUNNO LEAVE ME ALOOOOONE, I’m not sure. I suppose it’s feasible she could have frozen with shock but it just feels like yet another personality transplant.

Peggy's window is another story stretching credulity to the limit. We all know the actress has retired so why involve her in a storyline in which she is the lynchpin - fair enough to continue with peripheral mentions, but Natasha announcing she's off to talk to Peggy then coming back immediately with a reply was almost comical (and not in a good way). Jenny has been silent for months and she hasn't left (to my knowledge) so there's no reason why Peggy couldn't have been sidelined instead of putting us through this ridiculous charade.

As someone who works in a church, Natasha annoyed me even further (albeit not in the same league as gossiping about Tracy) by turning up out of the blue to a Sunday service and thinking that in the vestry afterwards was the ideal time to bring up a complex problem. She clearly has his phone number, as evidenced by the later scene. Either she is completely lacking in empathy to think of how busy Alan would be and how unable to properly engage with the subject and a Sunday morning just worked best for her, or she knew that full well that he wouldn't be able to fully concentrate so was hoping to force him into agreeing with them without really knowing what he was saying. Either way, badly done.

Sorry @LillianGish, that was a bit of an epic cross-post with you! Iirc, there was a point early on where Chelsea did actually have a conversation with her mum (possibly even when she revealed she was pregnant?) and said something then - can’t remember exactly how she phrased it - but it effectively signalled that a) she'd had sexual relationships in the past and b) she’d used contraception.

That, together with her explanation that she’d got the MAP as well, just makes it even more unlikely that she’s behaving this way now.

And as for the window story….can anyone explain the utter weirdness of Emma not just doing a total volte face overnight, but becoming a cheerleader for the whole sorry thing? It’s beyond unlikely.

@Octothorpe in fact I'd completely forgotten about the earlier conversation re contraception which as you say makes it even more unlikely she'd be having random unprotected sex. It is a complete personality transplant - plot led rather than character led drama (my personal bugbear - see just about every previous thread ever). I also completely agree re. the lack of explanation for the volte face over the window by every member of the PCC. I don't get the window storyline at all - it just feel weird and random even down to the way it was smashed. I'd almost have preferred a freak storm sending a tree crashing down through it which could have been dressed up as an act of God rather than the ridiculous ladder-balancing and pigeon-wangling vicar. Ludicrous.

Plausible alternatives to the current klusterfuk of plots would be:
-Chelsea was raped at Loxfest and thought she recognised her attacker. She is upset, but has no character transplant, and has an abortion
-George succeeds at college and is hero of the village after opening all the doors of the church and blasting a loud horn to get the pigeons out
-October storms (because we do have them) cause a tree to fall through the roof of the aisle/transept. Peggy comes to the rescue with ££
-Shula remembers that she wanted to tour the world....and...tours the world...renting out her house to an exciting new family (rather than 3 under 30s). Nobody bothers to visit Sunderland
-Somebody (anybody) gets Covid/flu... and has to rearrange some insignificant plans.

Any of the Grundys could have dealt with the pigeon problem. The obvious person to speak to was either Will or Eddie.

Emma's volte face is extraordinary. She has no reason to be gracious to Peggy.

I feel really sorry for Chelsea, it's like she hasn't really come to terms with the idea that she is basically having a baby (unless she takes the abortion option) next spring. It's like she thinks she can find a third option.

I suppose this could this become a story about familial adoption (if that's a thing) but she is too self-sorting to live in a village with her kid and not help bring it up.

Also agree with the comments a few days ago that this isn't a responsible way to discuss later abortions. It looks like only about 5-7% of abortions take place after the kind of gestation Chelsea is at now. I only know two people who've had abortions at this stage and both were much-wanted babies who sadly had conditions incompatible with life.

Given that she went and got the MAP immediately, and she will have known since mid/late July that it hadn't worked, why hasn't Chelsea seen anyone until now?

Welcome, @BonesOfWhatYouBelieve! I hope you will find, if you stick with The Archers through its current let's-strain-credulity-and-our-devoted-listeners'-patience-to-the-limit period that it gets better in the very near future. Triumph of hope over experience.

Why is Jim suddenly so invested in the church windows? He is the only atheist in the village.

I've also been wondering why TOAITV has been hanging around the church and vicar so much. He probably likes church architecture but he doesn't usually do this.

Perhaps he sees it as looking after the church and Alan in Shula's absence, akin to the way he promised to tend to Mark's grave. Also, he's on the parish council so maybe he sees it as a part of general village life rather than a specifically churchy thing.

Is Harrison now the Speaker of the Commons? It's uncanny.

Who in Ambridge would be best as Prime Minister? Brian could be the Tory candidate, Emma Labour and Kirsty for the Greens?

Shula, obviously.

that's a good point @Fink

Kate could be Prime Minister because she always blames someone else for her problems.

Obviously!

Ha yes!

Brian has a very 1980s Tory sleaze era vibe about him…(or maybe 2020s Tory sleaze era vibe…)

forgot to say the first para of this really made me chuckle, beautifully written

Brine as MP: m.imdb.com/name/nm1375030/mediaviewer/rm2187761665

Very much what I was thinking @TheHideAndSeekingHill !

I think it's more the case the vicar has been hanging around TOAITV.

Presumably because TOAITV seems to be the only fully functioning adult in the village unaffected by whatever is in the village water supply turning the rest of the Ambridgers into village idiots.

I honestly don't know which plot is stupider-
The Windows;
Chelsea's Pregnancy ;
Tracey's Pregnancy; (even if the village has no qualms about gossiping behind Tracey's back on what planet does anyone initiate a conversation with a pregnant woman about her pregnancy before she's told you she is pregnant?)
Anything involving Lily;
All the "comic interludes".

I have to concede the Ben and Borely Beth plot isn't actually stupid- just deeply tedious.

So Helen thought it wasn't safe for the boys to get in the hot tub with them but they got in anyway plus bubbles.

Another load of old toot tonight. Always good to hear Jim, though.

They’re not even trying now …

Might as well have the CA tell us that - as they want to ratchet up the tension until Chelsea makes up her mind - there will be no more dialogue until that date. They could just play us some nice music instead.

(Thanks, @TheHideAndSeekingHill !)