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!

Possibly!

Actually, Fallon being 37 I can cope with.

He’d fit in well on Doc Martin sling with Jolene.

Ugh, Martin Gibson Is fairly odious.

Hate to say it but I think Neil was wrong to go to the work Christmas party aiming to talk shop about staffing issues. Martin Gibson is clearly loathsome but it was definitely not the time or place.

I didn’t really follow Martin Gibson’s blind date story.

I didn’t think much of Ruth’s complete failure to ask after Chelsea (or Tracey) given that she is the one who has - at the very least - been through a similar experience to Ben. I’d say her situation was much harder.

don’t think it’s Tracey’s job to give comfort to the mother of the man who knocked up her daughter even if he then had a breakdown! Would have been fine if a two way chat but it wasn’t.

I would have thought people like Ed - who rely on picking up casual work in the countryside - would be among the few beneficiaries of Brexit. I don't understand why he hasn't put in a few hours at the chicken factory - not a nice job I imagine, but he was happy enough for Emma to do it. Or at the abattoir, or picking something. What is Will doing now (apart from his ridiculously sculpting?) - I know he owns his own home, but surely he needs to make money to live on as well? It's a pity he can no longer work as a gamekeeper for the sake of another flash-in-the-pan storyline (can't even remember what it was all about now) that hasn't really been followed up. I'm finding it harder and harder to imagine what rural life is like - which is one of the main reasons I listen.

I thought it was quite realistic. Ruth and Tracy don't have much to do with one another as a rule - it's not as if Ben and Chelsea were boyfriend and girlfriend. Ruth didn't know how much Tracy knew about Ben's breakdown - she felt awkward talking about it even though she clearly felt the need and I thought the scene captured that awkwardness very well. The fact is, Chelsea is actually OK - her family handled everything much better. Ruth knows that, Tracy knows that and I think there must be a certain comfort to Tracy knowing it's that way round.

Will does deliveries for Bridge Farm, @LillianGish

So he does, @ILoveShula! Had forgotten that. In which case the SWs really ought to be making much more of the gossip potential of someone knocking on countless doors in the vicinity.

As an undergrad I had a boyfriend with a holiday job delivering veg boxes. I used to wait in the van - and every delivery took ages because he’d have long chats with each householder / restaurant kitchen / corner shop. We knew everyone’s business!

I imagine Will’s job is much more leisurely and sociable than Deliveroo - even though not quite (what used to be) a District Nurse level of interaction, he must be gathering some juicy tidbits. Perhaps he’ll gradually shift from pottery to novel writing?

I don’t know how Ruth would know how Chelsea is getting on if she hasn’t asked. And as Tracey pointed out C did run away before, so not exactly the totally chilled taker of things in her stride some would depict.

It could have been a nice chat if they’d asked after each other’s kids and acknowledged that they’d been through something really hard with knock on effects. This chat just had the vibes of “well your daughter is fine as she was born to have a teenage pregnancy and an abortion, let’s talk instead only of the severe impact on my delicately bred boy.”

@GoldenCupidon , I didn't hear it like that. They were talking about Chelsea having said Ben seemed wired when he visited first.

not first, before talking about Ben's MH

This chat just had the vibes of “well your daughter is fine as she was born to have a teenage pregnancy and an abortion, let’s talk instead only of the severe impact on my delicately bred boy.”

I’m afraid that’s how it sounded to me too. My son is way more important than your daughter. And I don’t really care about you and your stupid boyfriend either. I have my own concerns to think about.

I didn't hear it that way. I thought it was quite well done. Ruth acknowledged that she wasn't getting great support from David, whereas Tracy was singing Jazzer's praises. Ruth misses her Mum, entirely understandably.

In other news, Martyn Gibson is one of the most odious men alive, but we did know that.

The Laurels will be crying out for staff as will every hospitality business. Why doesn't Emma do something other than chicken plucking?

Which didn't actually say "Chelsea is doing ok", though; it said "Chelsea was upset about Ben turning up and being wired at her".

I did wonder how Ruth (absorbed in Ruth's troubles with a side order of Ben's troubles) would know how Chelsea was doing after her abortion when she didn't ask about her at all. She asked how Jill was getting on, but not how Chelsea was.

She works in the pub and the tearoom, don't know how many more jobs she can get.

Does she still have cleaning jobs?

I hadn't registered that Emma works in the pub.

Yes @AskingQuestionsAllTheTime I was so sure she must be asking about Chelsea that I actually did a double take and had to rewind when she actually asked about Jill instead.

If my son had been upsetting a neighbour's daughter due to his psychosis I'd apologise to her, not go mad at her (although I did understand her frustration that she wasn't told).

I forgot she'd got her job back but the other day when Ed suggested they go to the pub she said she was already there 3 nights a week, didn't she?

I think the SWs back engineered it after making a mistake, or have tried to slip it in unnoticed. George mentioned his mum working at the pub a few weeks back. Until then, afaik, we'd heard nothing of it. Nic worked there and Tracy does, but we never heard that Emma did until recently, when apparently she'd been there for ages.

But she's the one moaning about not having money and being resentful of anyone who does. (I may be biased, she reminds me of my sister in law)

If I had two jobs that involved being on my feet all day and my husband was doing the occasional bit of work I'd be bloody telling him to go and get a job in hospitality, not taking on another one myself.

I know she's pretend but pretend Emma only has so many hours in the day.

They're going to get caught aren't they. No more rewilding jobs for Ed.
Liked the idea of Martyn & Pam on Blind Date