Archers thread #141: The nights are drawing in. Can we turn the clocks back to a time when The Archers was fun? Cackle or carp about 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, although we do mostly try to be civil about it. Most of us are posting tongue in cheek a lot of the time, so don't worry about revealing that you're hoping Ambridge has a pantomime again this year, 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.)

Many thanks to @TottersBlankly and @GoldenCupidon for the title suggestions.

Too much to hope, I suppose, that by the time we get to the end of this thread Chelsea's pregnancy is a distant memory and the Horrobins can gear up for a cheap and cheerful Christmas. I really, really hope she doesn't change her mind about the termination. It's a horrible and unrealistic storyline, as most of us have agreed over the past few weeks, but now I just want it to end and be forgotten about.

I do like the idea of Lilian taking on the role of witch in the woods. Much more fun to listen to than Mia sabotaging the Hunt Ball, which is surely bound to go horribly wrong, or the odd wrangling over the stained glass window which we know Peggy won't be contributing to on air , given June Spencer's retirement.

Not a peep out of anybody in Ambridge about all the recent political shenanigans, but that's hardly surprising. Nobody fretting about fuel bills or rampant inflation either.

Also, where's Jenny? I hope Angela Piper's OK.

Over to you!

Goodness - that was really moving 🙁

I feel like crying for Chelsea, and all of them.

Talking of predicting, has the BoreofWhabylon posted in this thread?

Horrobairn no more!

@MereDintofPandiculation , yes on the first few pages, but I've not checked past page 6.

And again, in abundance, about 5 posts after I wrote that!

yes, I should read all the posts before posting, but then I accumulate so many replies I want to make, and moving to the next page wipes your draft post so you have to remember to copy it first…

I'm glad there was no melodrama for Chelsea

I'm less bothered about Ben but hope the SW go for a less soap opera- style story line re his mental health

@MereDintofPandiculation , yes, earlier today - Page 10.

I thought tonight's episode was handled well. BOOP to the Ben, Chelsea, David, Ruth and Tracy actors

I feel sickened by that ... the cheery nurse and cheery Tracy. It didn't have to come to this. I hope we don't hear from Tracy or Chelsea or Jazzer for a long time.

I fear we've got Ben's nervous breakdown to endure.

God I miss Jenny and Brian.

I didn't hear it as cheery. Calm and pragmatic and thoughtful. But not cheery

I heard kind and supportive rather than cheery. Chelsea sounded very young.

I missed the last 5 minutes but teared up when things started happening with Chelsea. Very sad. The pregnancy is no more but her feelings about it won't just go away.

I fear we've got Ben's nervous breakdown to endure. I find Ben’s distress very hard to listen to. It really hurts, as if it were my own DS. Empty nest syndrome I presume

I feel more for Chelsea than Ben, who is being a bit of a drama queen for being left out

Well we've had a good old dose of making sure the men's feelings are covered regarding what's happening to Chelsea. Poor Ben, Jazzer and David. It must be so hard for them having this happen to them...

I'm glad she went through with it though, ill advised late abortion story aside (very large aside). And I'd quite like Tracy to be my mum, based on her experience of being parented I suspect Chelsea would make a good mother when grown up.

Poor Ben, Jazzer and David. It must be so hard for them having this happen to them

I imagine it was hard. Why the face?

Very well done. Lovely Chelsea and Tracy exchanges.

I'll need my hat, well-boiled, to eat.

Because I'm not impressed with the storyline about late abortion, compounded by the reason they've given for it - dithery teenager - which I think does a disservice to the few late abortion cases and the reasons for them. It's not a great storyline for women.

So to add to that, quite a bit of time then spent with women dealing with the men involved's feelings - Ruth dealing with David immediately after trying to help Ben. Tracy asking Jazzer how he felt etc... Yes - of course men have emotions about this. But the time spent on this, in conjunction with the inexplicable reasons for it to be specifically a late abortion for Chelsea, rankled. So yeah, I used that emoji.

I’m puzzled as to who they think will be rushing to access ‘support’ following tonight’s episode. We’ve concluded that dithering-till-more-than-eighteen-weeks teenagers largely don’t exist - but even if they did there’s nothing in the entire world they’re less likely to stumble upon than a Radio 4 soap.

Yes - also thought 'good luck with that' when the nurse / midwife suggested Chelsea contact her GP if she needed any extra support. Now that's a storyline that would be topical. Tracy and Chelsea on the phone for 30 mins every morning at 8am to try to get an imaginary appointment and then three weeks later getting a phone triage appointment that they have to leave college / shift at the pub to try to answer in vain.

I found that disgusting to listen to. Not so much the procedure because of course a late abortion is an horrific experience, but the fact that it was visited on Chelsea, and an Archer baby, it seems as judgmental as Tess of the D'urbervilles. I'm genuinely angry.

I'm just relieved she went through with it

Phew

Maybe it's just me, but was it not a bit insensitive of the nurse to say "Mums are the best" immediately after Chelsea had just chosen not to be a Mum?

I'm very glad that she did go through with the termination but agree with many others that to make it such a late abortion was unrealistic and unnecessary for plot purposes. And now cue Ben wandering off alone into dark fields in an echo of John Archer...