Archers thread #143: In the Bleak Midwinter, Ambridge Folk Make Moan. Best Christmas ever? Probably not! 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 you'd love to be in Jolene's choir , 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, we made it through Stir Up Sunday without bloodshed, but poor Ben is now in the grip of psychotic depression. Not going to be a happy Christmas at Brookfield, sadly. When will Jill swallow her pride and go and give him the abject apology he deserves? Would it be a good idea anyway for Ben to see his gran at the moment?

Will Jazzer say yes? I hope so. We could do with a Horrobin wedding to look forward to.

Will Emma and Ed end up in court if they go ahead with this idiotic scheme to nick the logs from Peggy's Folly?

Will the two choirs put on a joint concert at Christmas? I assume so, and also that the BBC will continue to fool nobody by using recordings of what is clearly a really good well-rehearsed established choir, not a scratch choir of half a dozen novices.

Over to you!

For a moment, I wondered why Rex was speaking to Lily like he didn't know her, but it's Adil.

Who is clearly going to be some sort of replacement for Russ.

Why on earth would each Aldridge have to sign each card? I’d bet my life Jenny just signs for all of them.

The SWs seem really invested in their psychological analysis of Lily!

@AskingQuestionsAllTheTime , I fink I have form in not understanding the timing of human gestation. Sniff.

Took me a while to twig it was Adil, but I also thought it was a first prickly encounter presaging romantic outcome.

I thought the Continuity Announcer said Adam had spotted a trespasser so it took a moment or two to realise who either of them were. Definitely being set up for romance.

I don't think Adil has done anything bad enough to deserve being punished with Lily.

When exactly did Rex stop being Tim-nice-but-dim and become spiteful and positively cretinous? He is vile and I hope he gets his come-uppance very soon. My preference would be for him to say something nasty to Fallon, for her to tell Emma, and for the pair of him to persecute him out of the village.

Yes, my Mum and I both heard 'Adam' too. She commented that we hadn't heard from him in ages.

Loved the way the Lily and Adil actors both seemed to step up the cut-glassiness of their accents - as if to underline to us just how well suited they are to each other. This could be amazing! (Though poor Kirsty - she surely can’t compete with a determined Pargetter seducing a man with her acres and heritage …)

I don’t feel Rex is meant to be vile - just incredibly dense and clumsy. Let’s not forget his head must have been biffed a bit by all the rugby - he’s never demonstrated more than extremely average thinking skills.

I forgot all about the beast nonsense how was that 10 years ago. I vaguely think scruff Lynda's dog was involved?

I heard Adam too and was very confused. So Adil not with Kirsty and lined up for Lily then?

Emerald green puffer coat not down sounds nice..

Let’s not forget his head must have been biffed a bit by all the rugby ...

Yes, that possible bit of public information broadcasting occurred to me as well. He came across as excessively angry about something that, quite frankly, is not his business. For all he knows, Harrison/Fallon & Ed/Emma have an "arrangement"!

Gonners
When exactly did Rex stop being Tim-nice-but-dim and become spiteful and positively cretinous?

Ooh, I know that one! Back in January 2021 when he decided to send an anonymous spiteful review to the Brookfield website about their new events barn having been built using slave labour, to pay them out for having not renewed his lease on Hollowtree.

Lily was appallingly rude to Adil, particularly when she was nosing about. Very tiresome if they’re going for the ‘enemies then lovers’ trope.

the SWs think they’re being terribly clever with the Fallon/Emma coat snafu don’t they? 🙄

Don't think I've got much to add except that it was nice to hear Brian back, but I thought his voice sounded slurred. I wondered if Colin Calderwood been off because he's had a stroke or something? Sad that all the actors I grew up with are getting to that age now...

You mean Charles Collingwood! (Did your device auto’correct’?)

Nothing new about him on Google. I didn’t notice slurring - but perhaps because I was too indignant at the card-signing nonsense. Though it’s always nice to hear Alice and Brian together.

One does feel the loss of Home Farm, absence of Jenny and general rolling on of time, it’s true.

Took me a while to twig it was Adil, but I also thought it was a first prickly encounter presaging romantic outcome

Adil’s options are clearly being kept open. Poor Kirsty- always the bridesmaid.

I thought the Christmas card scene needed more context. Alice should have said she doesn’t understand why they are sending them this year. I think we are in the death throes of this pointless tradition - I am quite pleased to have only received a few this year what with the strikes and climate change etc. Brian should have said that numbers are down and it’s already the week before Christmas. I am not sending
any for the second year running.

I find Rex’s interest in Ed’s sex life prurient and extreme. He is acting like a member of the Taliban. Very strange writing.

I think we are in the death throes of this pointless tradition

Sorry, should say now pointless

Is Rex's dad a philanderer? People's reactions to others' infidelity can be quite strong - especially where there's some kind of earlier pain from something similar

If Jenny insists on each member of the family still signing cards, does that mean she sends them all out to Hungary every year for Debbie to sign?

It's difficult to believe she wouldn't have heard about the breakdown, though, given that it was pretty public.

I find Rex’s interest in Ed’s sex life prurient and extreme. He is acting like a member of the Taliban. Very strange writing.
Those were my thoughts too. Who does he think he is?

Surely he's acting like a friend of Harrison? If instead of saying he had 'seen everything' he had said 'I saw you having sex with Fallon' I don't think there would have been any issue because Ed would have immediately said i wasn't Fallon it was Emma.

I think Rex's reaction is probably OK given that a) Ed has been thieving from Rex's re-wilding project and b) Rex thinks there's an affair going on.

In my friendship group (we're all mid thirties/early forties, for context) I can imagine that if a couple of us were having an affair and another member(s) of the group found out, there would be a few "what do you think you're playing at" comments. Although, people would be more subtle in front of people they didn't know.... Rex was a bit like a bull in a China shop, unable to regulate himself!

I think Rex's reaction is probably OK given that a) Ed has been thieving from Rex's re-wilding project and b) Rex thinks there's an affair going on.

Rex barely mentioned the theft, though - which is the only part that is his business. He just made vague unspecific accusations and ranted incoherently about the sex thing, never once making it clear - not even to Ed, when they were alone - that he thought Fallon was involved. If this all gets glossed over and the three "lads" remain firm friends, I shall be unconvinced.