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!

Oh shit, her death is going to be "all my fault! Boo hoo!"

Exactly! Her legacy.

But, let’s try to remember - when Elizabeth terminated her pregnancy all those years ago, didn’t Jill side with Shula, who wanted her sister to have the baby and hand it over to her? I seem to recall it was Phil who fully supported Elizabeth. If I haven’t misremembered, tonight’s reaction from Jill would be in character.

But it does sound as if her voice has lost most of its power. Hard to know if that’s symptomatic of anything else. I miss her when she doesn’t appear, but …

He should give up the nursing training- again!

I can’t listen for a few days - can someone tell me what Jill has done?

She can't speak to Ben because of what he's done. He should have MADE Chelsea have the baby because he (or possibly she) was part of THEIR family.

Dementia?

I don't think so.

UGH

Patricia Green's voice and delivery is dreadful now. They'll have to write her out.

are dreadful

I didn't notice especially the quavery croaky voice but it sounded like Gill in as much as she is sanctimonious and dare I say traditional and unwavering in some of her outlooks. Can't think of anything specific but doesn't strike me as being out of character.

Yeah doesn’t sound wildly out of character to be honest.

That was pretty horrible.

Also - what is it with both Meere and Jor-yug trying to get Brad into trouble. I’d be giving them a wide berth if I was him.

I wonder if it’s going to create a storyline between Jill and Leonard that is a bit reminiscent of the one in Last Tango in Halifax - a rift due to one being more judgmental and stuck in their ways.

When has Jill been "sanctimonious" in the past?

"Bridge Farm Spreadable Butter" could get a storyline plug (ouch!).

Revolting. I wonder exactly how she thinks Ben could have forced Chelsea to continue. I bet the old harridan wouldn’t have been like this had Pip said she was going to abort her Fairbaby.

As predicted Chelsea is cracking on with life and Ben is still a blubbering mess. Although interesting angle that for once the guy pays for their actions more in the long run perhaps. Now the biggest blow, Ben's lost approval of dear old Gran 🙄 maybe Leonard will talk her round, he seems to be the Brookfield hero lately.
Never been keen on Jill but I don't remember her being as bad as this before! Letting her good old fashioned misogyny flow freely!

Jill's always been anti-abortion, but she doesn't seem to think that 17yo Chelsea made her decision - Ben had said he'd support Chelsea whatever she decided, but recognised it was her decision. Jill doesn't seem to realise that at all, nor that this has been very hard on Ben, because it's probably not the decision he wanted.

Though I was slso washing up at the time, so might have missed bits.

It made me think they're overdoing the 'very clever but no street smarts and will get taken advantage of' thing

I can't specifically recall maybe that's the wrong world but her reaction seemed to be in no way out of character and I guess I have inadvertently added a value statement to it. (Full disclosure I don't like Gill).

Aargh Jill, not Gill!

I agree that this is too LTIH for words and have thought so since the start (and not just because of the actor who plays the wonderful Leonard). Even assuming Jill is anti-abortion (and I think @TottersBlankly is correct) I don't think she would have reacted in this way to Ben. It wasn't exactly his decision to make and she has no idea of Ben's agonies since she hasn't even discussed it with him. In reality I think Jill would have sat down and talked things over with Ben and sympathised with his predicament - he was as powerless in Chelsea's decision as she was in Elizabeth's. I don't get the Jill hate on here although I agree her behaviour has been ridiculous for some time now - matchmaking between Ben and Beth with the necklace for instance. None of this is helped by the fact that Patricia Green now sounds even older than Peggy and I don't think she can realistically sustain a big storyline sounding like that.

He's going to have yet another fortnight moping around the farm because he's too upset to go into university, so the next crisis will be when they threaten to chuck him out.