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!

Chelsea was well-played today. There's often an element of compare and contrast in TA, and her stoicism in the face of the facts was a stark comparison with Vince's epic flounce.

While Elizabeth didn't go far enough, and like others, I don't "get" her relationship with Vince, I liked her near-reprise of her Mrs Coulter voice from "His Dark Materials" when she gave him a proper telling-off.

I wouldn't fancy someone who sniffs as much as Chelsea does serving me food in a restaurant.

Er I think we now have the end of Elizabeth and Vince's relationship.

Yup Chelsea is great actually, isn't she?

Ben definitely in a state but maybe college will help him get back on track.

Don't think Leonard would have £40K lying around would he?

That was a very good episode. I loved (hated) Vince’s apology, so classic of that type of man - “I’m trying to apologise”, “you’re not making it easy for me”. Ugh. Well written I thought. And go Chelsea for standing up for herself.

I can't see Lizzie & Vince staying together once she hears he's pulling out of the solar panels at Brookfield on top of everything else.

BOOP for Chelsea's response to Vince's apology.

Equity release?

A more obvious solution is for Jill to sell Glebe Cottage, which must be worth a mint.

Sell Glebe Cottage??!?!

Selling Glebe Cottage? That sounds … excellently viable. It’s fallen out of the story since Carol became silent, so selling it might bring it back into circulation. (Though Pip could feel justifiably aggrieved as she might have inherited it.)

Who might buy it? Jenny and Brian? Lily, wanting somewhere to be independent? Too small for Helen and Lee, probably. Adil!? Though if he’s really the secret prince actually buying GG he may want a grander residence. Wonder if James and Leonie (and Mungo!) might want a country pad?

Or of course it could go to new people, with voices. Ambridge does need some new blood - the statistics @AskingQuestionsAllTheTime posted above on the diminishing cast list are shocking.

I had meant to respond to @Backy about budgetary constraints on casting - it’s something that crops up in conversation here, often! Perhaps more so on the Spoilers thread where the weekly cast lists are sometimes minutely interrogated for clues. It’s all too often apparent that the ‘wrong’ character is involved in a conversation, or a crucial person is missing, purely determined by the limited list of actors for any week.

There's a reason we haven't learnt yet who the new GG wonder is. It's not because it's Adil.......

@BonesOfWhatYouBelieve , endless sniffing she does is a conscious decision
It might be in the script

Yes, but that would still be a conscious decision by somebody. At some point there must have been a general agreement that yes, this sniffing is something they're all happy with.

Elizabeth makes it clear that Ben is “family”, so he goes and attacks the Dopeys instead. Either he’s too thick to realise that they too are “family”, or he’s a man with no control over his actions when annoyed. Either way, “not husband material”.

Does look as if the Caseys are being written out. Probably for the best. Much as I hate Ben being unhappy, he’ll need someone less flaky than Beth.

I'm not at all sure Jill can sell Glebe Cottage.

When (she and) Phil decided to leave Brookfield to David and Ruth (with shares in Brookfield Limited going to their other three children so that if it were to be sold the other three got a cut of the proceeds) Kenton was deemed to have had his inheritance at least three times already, and Shula and Elizabeth were to inherit Glebe Cottage to make up for them not getting Brookfield.

Jill has life tenure, but as when Doris owned Glebe Cottage and left it to Shula (who later sold it to her father) with life tenure for Dan, I don't think Jill would be able to dispose of it.

They shouldn't be thinking of selling Glebe because they need to raise £40K, and as Asking pp, they probably can't.

I haven’t noticed Chelsea sniffing, maybe it’s something that once you do notice you can’t stop noticing.

I feel sure that Chelsea didn't used to sniff. Let's hope it isn't contagious!

Gosh, my impression of Beth is the opposite of flaky. She was really impressive in her reaction to the pregnancy.

She overreacted about Steph but she had had a cheating boyfriend in the past, and also knew her sister was a rat.

I think that she'd be a loss to the programme.

Hello all, thanks for the not so new thread.
I've been trying to catch up for ages and finally have arrived.

Vince is gone for sure.

I wouldn't be surprised if we never meet the new owner of GG, having not met the Gills.

I'd say Beth is the opposite of flakey, though I can't say I'd miss her. I do want Ben to happy but I don't think Beth knows how to be happy. She seems to permanently have a chip on her shoulder. I think we're supposed to be impressed that she's not interested in material things like Vince and Steph, but actually she comes across as petulant, with the incessant complaining. She's had a life time of dealing with Mince though, so should cut her some slack.

Really hoping Alice survives the hunt ball drink free. I actually couldn't bear it if they threw all that up again or even a misunderstanding around it.

Ooh, I’m wondering now if the Hunt Ball sabotage plans could be drinks spiking.
Would Mia and the others necessarily know about Alice’s drinking?
I know it affected Emmmmur but I’m not sure I have a handle on how much Mia is involved with the wider Grundy family. And general village gossip. Teens seem to be fairly self-obsessed…?

I would have thought more open action would be Mia's style.
Such as custard pie in the face of the master of the hunt, or grabbing the microphone or something. I hope she'd think drinks spiking was irresponsible and stupid.

@suzyscat spot on how I feel about Beth!

I haven't noticed either, and I've been listening out for it since people on here have complained about it. I just can't hear it.

It's Hazel I tell you, Hazel Woolley!
(New GG owner)

It will be kind of ridiculous if B & B reunite as we've emotional histrionics when he was still with Evie, then we had the meltdown from her, then him, over the Steph thing. Then we had his meltdown then hers and now his again and hers over the Chelsea situation. I mean - can we keep going? I hope not.