Archers thread #146: They did fall apart. Can they put themselves together again? 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. Most of us are posting tongue in cheek a lot of the time, so don't worry about revealing that you'd like to donate your time as a guide at Lower Loxley to save the Pargetters paying someone else a living wage, 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.)

Thanks to @Impostersyndrome for the thread title suggestion Buses and trains are sorely lacking, canals might be nearby, but all roads lead to Ambridge, picking up on transport discussions in the last thread. In the end I didn't use it, having in mind the character limit. @TottersBlankly contributed an early draft title Wreathes, wrath, writhing (Jennifer, Lilian, Ruairi). Both good starting points for the new thread, which I hope will last till Jennifer's funeral, surely not too far off now. So, over to you - whither the Aldridges? Also, does anyone care if Lee goes to the US? Is anyone even slightly interested in the Brookfield B&B venture?

I also thought it was Vince to begin with.
Felt bad for Ben being thrown in at the deep end but I think that’s probably the most realistic storyline we’ve had for a long while.

I believe that was indeed Jasper Carrott. Very good job he did too. (His real life daughter Lucy Davies played Hayley, of course, way back before The Office.)

I like all types of bacon. Streaky has to be crispy. Back is good too, though. Bacon and eggs (both fried) is food of the gods.

I came here to say "Out of all of the voice actors in the country how could they possibly have chosen one that sounds so much like Vince?" ... And now I'm here you're telling me that person... is Jasper Carrot?! It's all too much!
I thought that bit was good though, and I think sadly a lot of care homes are very desperate for staff so would have snapped Ben up even with only a bit of nurse training. Whether they would snap someone up so soon after a psychotic episode is another question ...

As for Harrison, @GoldenCupidon 'golden penis' really made me laugh thank you! It's so true though - I do remember when he and Fallon got together he was more fun, they were often out socialising and doing things... Only a few short years later and poor Gallon is married to the most boring man on earth. What police officer would ever consider volunteering at a stately home in their spare time?!
Maybe they'll split up, with the decision not to have kids and Harrison becoming so dull, Fallon could be tempted away...?

I wondered about that. I found my mother incredibly difficult to deal with even before she went into a care home, and I hadn't had a recent mental breakdown. I can't imagine coping with several people with comparable difficulties every day on a routine basis.

Aren't Stately Homes that have volunteers, usually charities - like National Trust? I thought Lower Loxley was run as a business by the family? It's strange that they wouldn't expect to pay people or offer some other kind of benefit to volunteers - and would be lucky to get any?

"And Debbie says she'll just go with the flow"- what a load of nonsense! Debbie would NEVER say that.

I feel like they are manipulating things so that Ruairi ends up doing the reading at the funeral. Mark my words.

There are three mitigating factors 1) you don’t have all the emotional baggage that comes with caring for a parent 2) you aren’t on call 24 hours a day 3) you get holidays and sick leave

I immediately thought of Harewood House,which is the home if the Lascelles family. But the house/visitor side is run by a trust which is a charity.So technically they are volunteering for a charity.

@PuppyPerson @FiveShelties i am glad it wasn’t just me. It’s radio format so seems silly to pick voices that are so similar to other established characters.

Lots of points well made with Bens first run at caring for older people. On balance I think it was a BBC way of trying to show how overstretched the system is, but also trying to show the infrastructure too (Ben was telling Lee that he was shadowing someone).

Having been through the residential care system a few times with family, while I get that the whole ‘grizzled older man relates to a younger carer’ is a really classic story, it would be much more interesting to hear something more balanced. My dad was cold and grumpy but he wouldn’t behave like that - if that was Jasper Carrott then it seemed like a plot device as opposed to anything meaningful. It also reminds me that we haven’t heard from Auntie Chris for a million years….

I thought it was Vince at first too, perhaps visiting his mother who might have been silently placed there.
I was thinking 'how on earth can he not be recognising Ben!'

The volunteers could cycle to LL. There's a road going past it, so maybe it is on a bus route. How does Chelsea get there?

So all Freddie needs is a good supply of mugs volunteers happy to cycle in all weathers to support Freddie's pockets for free. Its not an accident that most of these volunteers are retired and looking for an interest rather than an income.

Chelsea drives doesn't she? Although don't think she has her own car so presumably lifts or buses - but as its for paid work presumably that covers the costs.

Poached eggs? when my (chef) DH makes them, the water method is acceptable. But i use one of those egg poaching pans which he says isn't poaching (i agree but it's been nearly 40 years so i can't give in now). My baby brother used to called those eggs round eggs, and so they still are, by me. (fav egg dish? Eggs Benedict Florentine which is exactly what it says, either Eggs Benedict with spinach or Eggs Florentine with bacon )

If the people that I volunteer for showed anything other than complete gratitude, I’d be out of there like a shot. F needs to sort out his attitudes.

Maybe they're building up to all the volunteers walking out? I love going anywhere that has a good guide so i can learn something. Stately Homes, art galleries, museums, towns, whatever. And i care not a jot about the age of the guide, but how well they can tell the story of the place they're showing me.

And now i have the next 3 story lines
a) all the volunteers resign because Freddie
2) Alan takes over Spiritual Home since he's having a religious crisis
iii) Harrison takes over the church from Alan because he was Jesus, dammit

Yes that always seems a dubious use of charity to me. I remember being shocked at just how little a family has to do to get NT type status for a house and all the tax benefits which go with it. It was a few rooms and a part of the garden for 80 half days a year or something absurd (this may have changed these days, at least I hope it has). The paid jobs which were funded by the charity also went to family members.

The whole set up seemed to be a massive tax fiddle by comparison with where a whole property is owned outright by an organisation like the NT and run as an NT business.

Freddie needs to grow up and realise that if he wants free labour he has to be offering something in return. For retired volunteers with free time and an interest in history he can offer a hobby outlet and tea/coffee. I would not want my taxes used to supply free labour to fund Freddie's luxurious roof frankly. If workfare was introduced here it should at least be where people can receive proper training on the job in a skill trade or something of public value.

“Harrison takes over the church from Alan because he was Jesus, dammit”

brilliant @Brefugee

I wonder if a burglary will take place on Friday. The entire village will be turning out to bid farewell to JD. Ideal timing for a break-in.

I thought it was Vince too.

Hands up everybody else who was convinced it was Vince. ✋️

Thank god it wasn’t just me ✋

My mind is boggled with the Jasper plays Vince thang.

👋

Can't stand fried egg.
I wouldn't choose to eat it. I couldn't eat a custardy flan or custard tart.

Not keen on fried food. The smell of fried bacon is horrible. A dane I know said that the Danish bacon we have over here is not the same as the bacon they have in Denmark, as it is bred for a different market.

I thought that LL might be run by a charitable trust.

AFAIK, Chelsea had a few driving lessons from Tracy and possibly Jazzer but that was it.

If the man in The Laurels was Jasper Carrott, shouldn't he get some funny lines?

It's quite interesting to get a glimpse inside The Laurels - more usually it's a silent retreat for all the silent characters (I'm expecting Peggy and Jill to be packed off there at some point as company for silent Aunty Cardboard). Amusing to think that in fact Jasper Carrot is in there livening things up. Kate really has no self awareness at all does she? "When one of us was in need, she never put herself first" - I don't think any of Kate's children (or indeed anyone at all) will be saying this at her funeral. And then in the same conversation she blithely talks about closing down Spiritual Home - her business that absolutely had to stay where it is even if it meant Jenny having to give up her beloved farmhouse.

Sorry, posted too soon. I meant to add "It's really made me think about my own life" is Kate - once again - making it all about her!

I thought maybe it was Vince’s dad (but then he would still be Mr Casey). Ben could win him over and get set up on a date with his granddaughter…

Okay I'll say it. I did not think Jasper was Vince for a moment. Also, surely having similar accents is more realistic for characters all in the same area?

My mum and her sister are indistinguishable on the phone.

I think it shows fantastic acting skills that such a slender man could so convincingly portray someone much larger too.

I enjoyed the exchange but I think it shows how much Ben will need to toughen up. Jazzer would have a much better bedside manner for those types of patients I think. Thinking of mental health nurses and youth workers who can seem big and intimidating visually but are gentle but firm. A bit of tongue cheek humour and firm steer IYSWIM. Maybe I've not explained that well but need to get the sewing machine out for WBD before work