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!

Vince really does approach everything like a bull in a china shop.
I saw potential in him when he was introduced; I was hoping he would be a suitable replacement for Tiger, who I had a soft spot for. But no such luck.

Yes, 'bull in a china shop' is a good simile for Vince. I think he's used to having to 'fight' in business and it comes over in his personal life too.
Not excusable, but understandable.

I don't want to see Ben and Chelsea as a couple.
If Elizabeth collected Vince from the airport, how did he get to the Stables?

Maybe he leaves a spare Audi at LL.

Good sleuthing skills there, @ILoveShula! Borrowed Elizabeth's car? She drove his car to the airport? Found a bike in an outhouse? Hijacked a buggy used for LL visitors with mobility issues and chugged along the lanes at 2mph? Ran through the fields and hills? Happened to run out of the gates at the time of the only bus running all week between Ambridge and LL, jumped on, and got back to the stop in time for the return trip? Stopped a car in the road and ordered the driver to take him to the Stables?

 @Gasp0de

That was supposed to include a

I dimly recall that years ago, either on a documentary about TA or on the old BBC Archers messageboard, it was explained that at any given time there would be three main storylines running - a longer term one bubbling along, one that would run for a week or a few weeks and then be wrapped up, and then something that might just run for one episode or maybe two. That was in Vanessa Whitburn's time, though, and the budget has obviously been slashed since then, as mentioned above, plus we're on our ?third substantive Editor since she retired, not counting the people who held the fort between Editors. I'm not sure it's as organised as that now.

I heard a bit of a R4 programme the other day which included an interview with the archivist for Emmerdale. He explained the importance of consistency and how detailed their records are for each character. The example he gave was making sure each character always ordered the same kind of coffee. I wonder how detailed the TA archives are these days. The old archivist left or retired or was made redundant, I forget which - was she ever replaced?

@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g 😂

I would just assume Elizabeth had dropped him at the airport originally, hence his car would have been at LL. Could be wrong through.

@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g , I thought he might have used Beth's car, but would she have left the keys in the ignition or just lying around.

The modes of transport suggested by Gasp, are more amusing. I'm picturing a furious middle-aged man exhausted from a 13 hour flight, frantically pootling down a dark country lane in a golf buggy.

🤣🤣

😆

I think Ben and Beth are going to last, but Elizabeth and Vince are not.

@GoldenCupidon , I've always been a bit sad that the Beetle jazz band wasn't going to have any new members, after Flora's intervention.

If he had listened to Elizabeth or stopped for 5 minutes, he would have realised that confronting Ben was more about his (Vince's) own feelings than adding beneficial to the situation. As I said above, family trait. Had Beth listened to Ben over the Steph storyline, she wouldn’t have dumped him and none of the current misery would have happened.

You forgot: the Stables temporarily moved to Lower Loxley

Possibly my favourite book.

I know exactly what you mean!

but on second thoughts, didn’t Meriam marry someone (Urk?) so I expect more band members were on the horizon.

I expect they succeeded and we owe the Beatles to the Beetles, musical heritage wise

Discounting the fact that the Stables might now be at LoLo, I would very much like to see Gasp0de’s scenario* *filmed, sped up and set to the Benny Hill music.

I'm picturing Vince as Two Ton Ted from Teddington

Re modes of transport - Elizabeth told Vince she met him so he wouldn't have to get the bus or the train.

But wouldn't he have got a taxi?

I quite liked lots of interlinked things happening last night. It was like a house of cards collapsing.

I thought last night was good. I particularly liked the fact that neither Beth (turns out she's a Bethany!) nor Elizabeth had any truck whatsoever with his toxic masculinity spilling out all over Ambridge. And Ben just didn't answer the door! Good.

I have wondered if Beth might move in with Elizabeth for a bit, and become a future Freddie love interest? Brummie lady of the manor would be nice - jumping ahead a bit there. But Freddie hasn't ever really had any romance in his life that we know of. Was Nigel a late bloomer?