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!

Haven’t seen last night’s - but if George wants easy money he should be talking to Ruairi. Maybe he could inherit Julianne. Entertaining for her, educative for George …

I agree - it reminds me of some siblings I know where one is clever and awkward and the other is a bit more earthy and worldly-wise, they really help each other.

Having briefly worked in property, I can tell you 17 year olds and even 16 year olds sometimes come in fully expecting to be let loose on a house.

I'd be genuinely worried about George ending up involved in county lines, he wouldn't give a shit either. Maybe (given Freddie's drug storyline not that long ago) he's more likely to end up as a henchman to some kind of criminal instead. He'd probably think nothing of intimidating people.

Heard. Haven’t heard last night’s episode.

I am starting to think the archers is turning into a disguised parenting guidance programme, by showcasing shocking examples of terrible parenting.

First Tracey allowing her daughter to face the choice between a gratuitously late abortion or a pregnancy with no early medical support, now the Archers apparently allowing their son to throw away his education and vocation for something that isn’t his fault.

They all need a good kick in the pants.

I don't disagree with any of the George criticism and do find him ghastly to listen to, but I do think the difference between him and characters like Brian is a class issue.

He's struggling at school and comes from a family of adults who struggled at school so he's definitely missing out on some much needed support.

As an adult I know it's foolish to think he can walk into a stables or farrier and get paid work (plenty of kids around who'll muck out and groom for the chance of a ride and just to be around) but would I have known that at 17? I don't know. Same with the house. I didn't appreciate how unruly a house of teenagers was until after I'd moved into one, and even then it's probably only looking back i really see it, so can forgive him his inexperience there. Although he was being a CF.

I work with kids and young people and use a lot of positive reframing to help support them, so I guess I've got that hat on. I think he's got a lot of get up and go, not many teenagers would have tried to strike up a deal with Martin Gibson and yeah he was predictably owned - but he picks himself back up after every failure and keeps going. Yes, he would do better to do some reflecting on his failures but he's not without perseverance or resilience.

I actually think ghastly Vince could be a better mentor for ghastly George, though also a match made in hell. They're both working class and both like to be a business shark.

I don't like the character at all so I don't know why I'm so keen to defend him. I just think he could have so much potential if he wasn't being forced into being Joe 2.

I still miss Joe and his ferrets

I don't think it is a class issue.
George's parents have a strong work ethic. They may not have been supportive as in pushing him to do well at school, but that's not due to their class, that's more down to them not being academically inclined.

George is more like his uncle Alf than Joe, and AFAIK, he's only met him once, but he made a big impression.

I think he needs your support @suzyscat 😊

Bit weird that just a couple of weeks ago his stepsister was also looking for horse-related work.

To continue Suzyscat's good work - it's great to see young people deploying their contacts in order to pursue protests and scamming employment. So many kids don't think they have any contacts to hit up for work experience and ignore their Auntie Thing and next door neighbour whatsit as they're too close to home.

Brookfield deserve to go under if Rooth and David were stupid enough to sign a contract with a clause that allowed Vince to cancel the contract whenever he wanted.

And stupid Rooth saying they couldn't get a different loan as they would have to make repayments. Surely they were making repayments to Vince.
And stupid David for suggesting they sell the solar panels. No business acumen at all, either of them.

George is horrible as I don't think he has any morals at all.

For some reason I thought he’d gone back to it. But Neil anyway then.

What does Will do now?

Some sort of clay ornaments, of fringe appeal to the market.

Deliveries for BridgeFresh, I think.

I really don't know where they're trying to go with George. All the obvious storylines have been done relatively recently: Ed had the involvement with dodgy business that he wanted to get out of when he got in too deep, but couldn't (I can't remember how he did escape in the end); Freddie's had the drug dealing; he's nowhere near presentable enough to do the escort/sex work.

He comes across as gratuitously nasty (see what he was like with Brad over the summer) and money grabbing (see his 16th birthday & possibly the church money) with no drive to work his way up or do anything other than shaft other people with what he thinks are crafty deals which he's not intelligent enough to pull off. He's like Del Boy with none of the charisma or charm. He's too dense to understand when he's in over his head and there's no way he's learning from his mistakes so far. So where's he going to go? He has no redeeming qualities to be a loveable rogue, he's just an out and out turd of a human being. I honestly can't see what the storyline could be setting him up for, in the longer term.

Perhaps we are going to listen to George going round everybody he can think of saying "gissajob" only to find he is unemployable and needs to go back to college and finish his course. It does sound as though he is being set up for a lifetime of failure. Poor lad!

I actually wouldn't mind George being a bit of a wheeler-dealer - but not an inept one. His encounter with Martin Gibson should have shown him how important it is to be on top of the numbers at all times. George, this is why they teach you the times table.

In the light of my previous post, I must award a BOOP to George and Martin in tonight's episode .

Really? I couldn't get over such a volte face from both of them. Martyn is supposed to be a ruthless bastard of a businessman, not someone who would willingly mentor a random kid whom he knows to be a bit dim - like he literally has to be told that if he'd known his figures then he wouldn't have got so easily fleeced. And George, five minutes ago, wanted to get rich quick through any half-baked scheme, not to sit patiently taking notes from someone else.

I found the whole Martin/George business entirely unconvincing. Why would he put himself on the spot like that, though I suppose when the inevitable money debacle at Berrow turns up he'll drop George like a hot potato.

Presumably some SL with dodgy/ unethical practices at Berrow is in the offing. One in which the maths genius Brad will be leaned on by George to help him with the figures.

Sorry if this has already been posted; loved Robert such sad news,
www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/graham-blockey-dead-fans-pay-28443770

Dopeys were annoying tonight. They presented the whole land sale thing entirely on the footing that they'd found a way to get out of Ben's mess and they weren't letting him give up his career because they love him yadda yadda. Not once did they mention that the loan issue simply wouldn't have arisen if they'd taken the basic step of getting a solicitor to check the terms of the contract.

I didn't say it was convincing! Just surprised that my previous post unexpectedly came true...

Yes @Winterlight , very sad news. It’s been discussed here from 16.40pm on the 8th of November, if you scroll back.

They mention Graham Blockley at the end of tonight's episode, but I assume that bit won't be on Sounds.

Oh, it wasn’t on that. I just caught up.

is Jill due to come back, does anyone know?!