Archers thread #142: Kill Jill? Is Ambridge heading for a Tarantino-style bloodbath on Stir Up Sunday? Discuss 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 , 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.)

Well, things have taken a turn for the better in the last few days! The SWs have re-discovered their form and the actors and directors have risen to the challenge. I won't say much more than that for fear of jinxing things. Over to you!

(Thanks to @JanglyBeads for the thread title idea!)

Er I don't think we have evidence for that, do we? She was just naively delighted at the appearance of a new singer.

I was somewhat surprised at her ability in vocal coaching, I wouldn't imagine either her or her DM have ever had lessons?

No evidence at all, I'm just enjoying speculating!

It’s all a bit weird. It’s the second storyline with older women and younger teen boys. While I’m sure Fallen would be horrified by the thought it’s a bit weird to have another at the same time. Particularly five mins after the long winded Russ story ended with such a damp squib (sorry..)

There's not a great deal of comparison between Ruari's SugarMummy and George's forced / very voluntary singing lesson, is there....

Obviously referring to the older woman / teen boy dynamic. Both odd storylines.

Sorry should have said Old Bat / Young Pup

There’s no subtlety to any of the writing at the moment is there?

I agree. It feels like we're being subjected to shouty signposting rather than nuanced story weaving. It's as though we can see the 'cogs' in between the 'sticky notes' on the scriptwriters story boards!

I did enjoy Ruth v Jill the other day, though... I could get on board with the shouting then!

Not sure what you mean, could you give an example of when you found the writing to be "subtle"?

all my safeguarding training alarms were ringing there.

I hope George doesn’t go bragging to others and ends up accusing Fallon of being inappropriate in order to boost his ego/credibility with his friends.

Joylene does sound like a pirate. Hope too that George dosnt start bragging about Fallon. Mind you I dont like her much, thought she could only make quiches didnt know she could teach singing as well.

I can almost hear Harrison saying ‘you know I have to do everything by the book, Fallon’

‘Make quiches’ AKA ignore all health and safety guidelines and create potential death traps.

Actually, this is v consistent for Fallon - has 1-2-1 lesson with teen boy on his own, and create food stuffs without labelling ingredients and allergens.

I wouldn’t actually object to a ‘false accusation’ storyline as it does well to remind people to have a read of KCSIE before you go near children.

George will be 18 in April. Technically a child, but over the age of consent, and Fallon is not a teacher. Does safeguarding come into play in that scenario? I hope we're all wrong, but that was a very odd scence if it's not going to lead to anything sexual, or crossed wires from one of them. Can't say I look forward to any of that.

Fallon used to be the lead singer in a band. Ed played in it too. She did a course in music production, IIRC. The area where she's had no formal training is cooking, catering and upcycling.

Does Jolene have her mind on the possibility of inheriting Glebe Cottage? I'm struggling otherwise to explain this sudden fondness for Jill.

(What I mean is, she may not know it's already promised to Shula and Elizabeth to make up for Brookfield going to David and Ruth. As far as I can recall, Kenton is due to inherit nothing as Phil and Jill paid off debts for him over and over again when he was younger.)

Wasn't her degree in some kind of music/music tech and singing was one of her instruments?

Does Jolene have her mind on the possibility of inheriting Glebe Cottage? I'm struggling otherwise to explain this sudden fondness for Jill

I do think she was just trying to make an effort to be helpful. The detour to drop in on Leonard (who was obviously expecting them) was pretty sneaky to pull on a busy publican. She could have been honest at the outset. Jolene may soon regret wanting to be helpful when she finds herself running the ARcher taxi services.

I had meant to say yesterday BOOP for cap'n Jolene welcoming the new ship's cook Jill aboard.

It did feel like it was building up to Kenton being right but it was nice to hear someone being practical and warm.

Can we send George to the cereal cupboard please? He's making me flesh crawl.

Why the trips to Felpersham? Surely Underwoods in Borcheater provides for all cake baking and other needs?

Crowbarring George into a choir was very ill-judged by Neil. He clearly doesn’t know his grandson very well at all.

George is Emma’s son, isn’t he? I can see a row between them on the horizon with poor Fallon aghast at the thought that she is being accused of having behaved inappropriately with her friend’s horrible, slimy son.

I can’t stand Jolene.

Maybe he will realise he has the voice of an angel and it will change the course of his life. Maybe not.

I have the impression Underwoods has gone the same way as the ‘smart’ department stores in each of the three cities I visit most outside London. Decades and decades of being the place you’d go with your mother to buy a ‘good coat’, nice leather gloves, Le Creuset, and everyone’s Christmas presents, all washed down with luxury hot chocolate in the fancy cafe. Now - maybe not actually boarded up, but clinging on in one corner of their expensively rented building with permanent sales and ludicrously low lighting.

So I’m not surprised they preferred Felpersham.

I was waiting in apprehensive dread for the moment when George decided now was the opportune moment to cop a feel of Fallon's diaphragm (ahem), purely to see how her breathing technique advice worked, you understand.

He's skin-crawlingly awful but unless and until he definitively crosses that line and everyone can see what a wrong'un he is, 'granper' Eddie, Granddad Neil and Grandma Clarrie will continue to coo admiringly over him.

Yes! That would make a good storyline. I expect Underwoods has had to rent space out to concessions. There are no department stores anywhere near us now except on Oxford Street. When we moved to SE London in the mid 80s every shopping centre seemed to have at least one department store. Our nearest was very lacklustre and when it closed it was replaced by the largest police station in Europe, which seemed fitting in some ways.

Perhaps Felpersham has a Waitrose. Borchester has 'the big supermarket' on the bypass, which I've always assumed was a Tesco.