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!)

Eastie77Returns
I can’t believe Jazzer tried to talk Chelsea out of speaking to David and Ruth Seemed uncharacteristically selfish.

Perhaps he is afraid that if she does, and then Ben does something self-destructive, Ruth will go into her irrational attack-mode and blame Chelsea for Ben having done whatever it is.

It might be more sensible to have a word with Josh, who might blame her for the whole mess at the time but would be likely to try to do something helpful for the person he is sharing a house with. Only I have a feeling Josh's actor is busy over Christmas so Josh won't be in the cast for a bit.

Thank you for the Slinky Malinki love.

If they were real people, and I had heard the whole story, I would be utterly furious with Ben for going against Chelsea's expressed wishes and turning up, unwanted.

(Catches up late)
What does dairy mean, then??
Another fan here. The BEST books to read aloud. We also had David Tennant on audiobook for the car.

Jazzer just wants everything to go back to normal for Chelsea.

It's just what Kiwis call the corner shop @JanglyBeads.

Christmas wedding coming up then

Originally the place on the farm where milk was turned into butter and cheese, then extended to the shop that a dairy company selling the milk from several farms might have as adjunct, selling milk, cheese, butter and also eggs. Our shop dairies disappeared with the coming of supermarkets I presume, but it looks as if NZ still have them, with an expanded range of goods.

I had no idea Slinki Malinki was from a book! My mum used to say it and I think I assumed she'd made it up <happy sigh>

I fear Ben’s storyline will be one of self-harm and possibly a suicide attempt, but I'm hopeful he will recover I suspect a successful attempt followed by agonising by Chelsea because she listened to Jazzer and Tracy and didn’t tell anyone. (Now over to spoilers to see if Ben is still in the cast lists).

Do search them out! The illustrations are lovely!

Tonight's was really nice.

Which makes me really really wish tomorrow wasn't Friday.....

We'll still be listening regardless.

With 2 choirs on Christmas eve

I liked it too. Double wedding with the double choirs, Jazzer and Tracy, Mick and Joy? Not realistic, but there's not been much on TA this year that's been realistic, and it would be nice to have a cheerful storyline to end the year with.

Chelsea sounded so happy tonight- she made her decision in the end and now she’s getting on with living her life with the support of her family. Meanwhile Ben who had no choice in the matter has been excommunicated by his grandmother for a decision he had no control over. It would have been better if Chelsea had not named the father then Ben, Beth, Vince, Jill, Uncle Tom Cobley and all would be none the wiser - I really don’t see why Ben should be so harshly punished and why Jazzer should have refused to tip off David and Ruth about his mental state. What was Ben doing while Chelsea and Tracy were having such a great night out at the wedding fair? In a parallel universe Jill would have been press ganging Ben to attend, so keen did she seem to marry him off to Beth.

The fa-la-las were far too good tonight.

As a student nurse would Ben have access to drugs that would make him act in that manic (?) Way?

I missed tonight (Thursday) but am really enjoying the Hairy MaClary chat! I’m in my mid thirties but that was a staple to read to my little brother, and I think we had a tape as well for holidays, what a random but lovely connection ❤️

back to the topic - @TottersBlankly i am so invested in Stella! I need to understand how old she is and what is happening - of course in the real world she could absolutely be friends with Ruth and Pip at the same time and as three grown woman in the same industry and location it would be completely unremarkable - but we know it doesn’t work like that in TA and I’m so confused 🤦‍♀️

Also - two of my friends did make spider costumes at uni by stuffing a combination of straw, paper and fabric into tights, so I didn’t find any of that unrealistic at all. They just hair sprayed them until they stood up right 🤷‍♀️ Pip, as usual, is just annoying.

The Hairy Mclary chat is wonderful to read. The books are a staple in our house. Our favourite is bitzer maloney all skinny and boney.

Poor Ben, I hope Chelsea does something.

Chelsea wasn't the one who named the father, IIRC.

I've recently joined a for-fun non-auditioned choir. It is comprised of 'women of a certain age' or above and 6 men. The choir leader (a young chap, around 30) is fab. He never says things aren't good, he just says 'lets try that bit again' or whatever. I'll be able to report back to my DM it is nothing like Jolene's. Have we heard Fallon's yet?

He did that himself by telling Beth and then turning up at the hospital when she had told him not to. If Chelsea had never told him none of the drama would have happened (but I suppose the drama is the point)

I just think he didn't need to know - she took the MAP so didn't want a baby in the first place, the decision was hers to make so why involve him, they weren't in a relationship - it was a drunken fumble, she didn't want any support, hospital visits etc, she had plenty of support around her from her own family, she just wants to get on with life uninterrupted now (and judging by last night seems to be doing so and hurray for that). I know, it's a drama! Overthinking as ever - which I always think is rather the point of this thread

Whoever dubbed Jolene the Pirate - genius.
I will never be able to listen to her again without thinking of that!