Archers thread #145: The glue that held the Aldridges together is gone. Will they fall apart? 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, and of course we are always delighted to welcome back former or occasional listeners/posters. We don't all agree on all points, although we do mostly try to be civil about it.

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.)

Lillian and I both made the glue observation, so I thought that would be as good a way as any to kick off this new thread. We raced through the last one, for obvious reasons. This one may last until the funeral. Will Tamsin Greig find time to attend? I do hope so.

The poem Jennifer quoted in her journal is here: www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43775/rabbi-ben-ezra It's doubtful whether the last of Jennifer's life was the best, but she had plenty to contend with all the way through.

Over to you!

Roy should have pointed out (gently) that the grief after stillbirth, whie entirely genuine and likely to last a lifetime, is very different from the grief at the death of a spouse of ?40 ?50 years, and that respect for the space where that shared life was lived is important. As demonstrated by Brian's bench-sitting.

Yes, very much the sort of man Brian is.

On top of the sentiment over ‘Jenny’ garden’.

And that on top of 24 years of resentment against Kirsty because of the GM crop destruction! (I can well imagine she bears the weight of his disapproval, as opposed to Archer and landowner Tom.)

In fact, the SWs couldn’t have come up with any action more guaranteed to get Brian’s back up than having Kirsty intervene in his grieving. Deserves a BOOP!

Ah, but no other location would have had the right spiritual vibrations.

With respect to the gardening, I found it a little annoying that the R & K talked to each other about the state of Brian’s garden, then had a discussion about how they would like to do something practical to support Brian, and the scene ended with Kirsty plaintively musing “but what though???” As if anyone wouldn’t have immediately said “let’s do his garden!”

Also, I don’t see why they did it without consulting him. Surely most people would offer the specific help first. I get not wanting to be like “oh anything you need, just ask!” as that’s putting too much on the bereaved but surely you’d check your idea with them.

Lastly, (perhaps I was in a grump when I listened to it) has anyone ever in real life angrily interrupted with “you DIDN’T think!!” when some poor fool starts to explain themselves with “I just thought-“. It’s so often used to end an argument in a drama but it really irks me.

Yes, she did say that. I’m imagining an older middle aged hard nosed business man pouting and petulantly saying ‘where’s Ruairi? I thought be be here’ and it’s……. not terribly convincing, is all I will say.

I think Brian’s indignation was largely down to them interfering with ‘Jenny’s garden’. I love Kirsty, but she really does get it wrong sometimes doesn’t she?

I don’t know anything about gardening but I do know people have terribly strong ideas about how their gardens should be looked after. I’m not at all surprised Brian imploded either a) because it was Jenny’s garden or b) because it didn’t look that bad and he knew he would get round to it eventually - or c) a combination of the two.

Kirsty is too much of a do-gooder
for me, anyway. And Roy is just a bit thick (even though I am very very fond of him). By the way, what is Roy doing for work these days? Is he still working as Ardil’s side-kick?

iratepirate
I think it was nice of Kirsty to try to help B in the same way as she’d appreciated

Not so good in Roy.

I think there is a slight difference between a man magnanimously tidying up a bit in his own house when the woman who rents a room there and whose job all his housework obviously is has recently had a late miscarriage, and the same man walking next door and tidying up a garden which does not belong to him and without asking the garden's owner if that's ok or wanted at all.

One is accepting his own responsibilities, the other is unwarranted and impertinent interference.

Oh, and would have thought the obvious person for Brian to talk with would be not Will, but Oliver; nearer his own age, not an ex-employee, recently bereaved in an unexpected and shattering way.

Agree. Though maybe the fact that Brian & Caroline had an affair way back might make it awkward?

I’d say there’s a distinction, @AskingQuestionsAllTheTime . It’s true Oliver has more in common with Brian socio-economically - but Will and Brian have walked side by side for so many years, not as equals, certainly, but with respect and occasional understanding on each side. Brian has been kind to Will, I’d like to hear Will being able to reciprocate now Brian needs kindness.

Of course there’s nothing to stop Oliver being supportive as well - it would just be a less interesting part of the story for me!

I think the affair was well before Oliver moved to the village, so he might not know, or if he did he might not care.

Yes, well over WAY before Oliver was around, but still?
Agree though it could be so far in the past that it isn't an issue, and Oliver is more of an age.

Of course they could bring Shula back, she has experience of Mark's death.
Presumably not too hard to find a time that Shula & Brian actors could record together?

I don't think Brian's affair with Caroline stopped Oliver, Caroline, Brian and Jennifer going on holiday together as a group. So I think they were not letting it get in the way of their friendship. And of course Brian and Oliver were in business together in Hungary for a while, until Olover sold up in order to buy Grey Gables.

All good points well made.

Oh Shula used to annoy me so much but I'd love for her to come back for the funeral and speak with Brian. Too many dear voices lost recently, one way or another.

This. Will is someone who Brian has helped a lot over the years and I really want Will to talk to him - I think he’s possibly the only person Brian wouldn’t push away at the moment. I think it would help them both.

Well, the cat's out of the bag now!

I bet he can't wait to get home and tell Lillian.

And Justin hadn't worked it out previously, had her

*had he?

How spiteful is Justin likely to be? I mean, he’ll tell Lilian - will he be racing to reveal the truth to Brian right now?

That’s surely a heart attack waiting to happen …

Oh so don't think Brine will hear about this for months. I don't think Justin will be spiteful but he will share with Lilian, who'll maybe say something to Ruari.

*oh no,

It's hard to say because he's had so many complete personality transplants ... which Justin will be part of this SL: hard-nosed bastard Justin or concerned (not quite) uncle Justin? It could go either way. I think he'll inclined to be supportive, and maybe help in the downfall of the dastardly groomer Julianne, but who knows! We need Bore to tell us what the future holds.

I think if I had this sudden realisation about a young relative or connection, my shocked question would be 'are you (is he) an ESCORT?' rather than instantly going for the p-word. I know it's six of one and half a dozen of the other wrt the actual task at hand, but one word carries a load of blame that the other one doesn't.