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!

I thought that JD, Phreebe and Alice were meant to be intelligent, and Alistair and Jakob must be if they are vets. Roy and Pip are graduates.

I don't understand. There's no connection between Mia and Brad.

Mia is Will's step-daughter, and George is Will's son. George's mother's is Brad's cousin.
Mere and Brad are in the same school year, and both did well in their GCSEs

Phreebe has gone, Alice has had problems + conditions (like marriage to Chris) that made it hard for her to fulfil her potential, Alistair is on the brink of retirement surely? Jakob I'll grant you.

I know Roy and Pip are graduates but I wouldn't call either of them brainy - in fact I think the Brookfield Archers are quite proud/accepting of the fact that School Wasn't Really For Them until Ben.

@TheHideAndSeekingHill , what's Alistair being near retirement age got to do with it?

I get that but there's no blood connection between them.

I'll start a crowdfunder to get Brad some paniers for Christmas.

He's been confusing me recently. Are they trying to portray him as having ASD (& ADHD)? He got all het up about protecting Chelsea's honour and then as soon as he hit the fence post he immediately calmed down and was ready to listen to explanations - it wasn't really clear how hurting his fist made him realise he'd got the wrong end of the stick. Then last night he appeared to think George was his friend, despite all evidence of George's shitty behaviour to him (same over the summer with the bullying). And he seems generally emotionally illiterate and unable to read anyone else's emotional state. Plus, the clincher (in radio drama land), he's good at Maths - unnaturally good at Maths given the rest of his family have shown no aptitude for it. Is this their depiction of ASD, or am I just imagining it and he's an average, clueless, teenage boy?

It's a very loose connection. Mia's stepfather's ex-wife is Brad's first cousin. Mia's step-brother is therefore Brad's first cousin once removed. It probably feels more like Emma is an aunt to Brad and Chelsea as there is such a big age gap between them.

Re brains in Ambridge - they are indeed in short supply. Jennifer and Brian are both pretty bright in their different ways. Adam is booksmart but so moany it cancels out. Justin's intelligence comes and goes at the whim of the SWs. Alan was an accountant who then became a vicar, which presumably involves a degree in theology or vocational training of an equivalent level.

I know, I think we all know. But (if it went that way) getting together with your cousin's stepsibling might cause family comment. Many stepsiblings think of each other as siblings.

Alistair needing retirement is relevant because I'm talking about adding to/replacing the older brains with younger smart characters. Obviously he's a whole generation younger than Jim (!) but you can't assume older characters or actors will be around forever.

*nearing retirement - I don't think he needs it

Many stepsiblings think of each other as siblings.

I think it depends how closely you grew up together.

Either way as they are not blood relatives there would be no problem if they had offspring many years from now (hopefully). Even cousin marriage, although inadvisable, is not illegal .

I think that George and Brad seem a bit more like cousins because they are the same age and grew up together. Brad lived at Ambridge View for a while.

I can't stand George. His voice is strange

I don't like the way he says 'Granper'. It gives me the creeps.

I don't know if it's the voice or the arksent, but he gives me the creeps too.

I'm bored of all the Horrobins. If Chelsea keeps the baby I don't want to hear anything about it.

I don't like Tracey. She's been an ineffectual parent and probably has been for years. It was very telling that Chelsea made up some excuse about not wanting Jazzer to move in- not because she doesn't like Jazzer (she does) but she didn't want Jazzer to be the next in line of the long stream of boyfriends who always move on.

Brad seems to have an extraordinary talent to make everything he's involved in turn into a disaster. He's the least obnoxious Horrobin by some lengths although he sounds about 60.

I'm still trying to figure out what Henry and Gideon were up to with the hot tub.
I can't believe that Helen wouldn't have noticed two giggling pre-teens leave the house and climb over the neighbour's fence. I always imagined that Helen wouldn't let them out of her sight. It can't have been easy for the two boys to lift the lid off.

A sex pond must cost a bomb to heat in this weather; doubly so if Helen and Lee now have to drain, clean and re-fill the thing.

I can't below she thought it wasn't safe for the boys to get in with them. They're not babies.

Believe not below obviously.

My opinion of the ghastly George Grundy is even lower than it was earlier.
Is Mick a conman? Joy would be a catch.

BOOP for Brad! 😂 (And the SW, for once. But it was the delivery that was magical.)

Taylor Uttley definitely has a bright theatrical future.

Is Mick a conman? It’s possibly too soon for another bad man, after Philip. But a SW put the word ‘Rochelle’ in Mick’s mouth - so perhaps his burgeoning relationship with Joy will be what brings her daughter to the surface.

I reckon Rochelle is firmly under the patio

If she exists at all.

George is utterly vile.

The Tracey being pregnant storyline is beyond ludicrous. How on earth did Tracey think that would help? She could have said "no, no Kenton- not pregnant- "wimmen's issues" you don't want to know" and wrong footed him.

I hope something truly horrible happens to George and Gnasher.