Archers thread #147: Spring is sprung, the grass is riz, I wonder how old Ambridge is. Discuss The Archers here.

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

Many thanks to @PseudoBadger for kicking off this long, long series of Archers threads.

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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.)

Title comes from this poem, with which I drive my family to distraction at this time of year.

Spring is sprung, the grass is riz
I wonder where the birdies is.
The bird is on the wing.
But that’s absurd, the wing is on the bird.
Or so I’ve heard.

Ogden Nash

Apologies to @TeenDivided for ignoring her good ideas for the thread title. Here they are to kickstart our ruminations:
'window on the world of cheesemaking'
'how long until the intercom is fatal'
'will Brian settle in new pastures'
'Springing towards Easter with Widowers, Windows, and wails'

Over to you!

I agree @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g maybe this is the point where Oliver decides (realises?) that he's being taken for granted by the Grundy's and it's time for him to really sell up an go. It's sad really because I have always enjoyed Oliver's character, and his kindness and generosity feels very genuine, but I can see why this series of events might be a final straw for him.
Time for Clarrie and Eddie to move into Brian and Jenny's cottage? Did they actually live there before?!

Come to think of it, there is kind of a broad strand here about the younger generations behaving in certain ways and causing family disruptions or rifts almost across the board? George, Tom, Freddie, Ruaridh, Alice/Martha, Ben too - for the latter two I'm not describing alcoholism and mental I'll health in the same 'bad behaviour' way, but they've all got storylines that have to some extent 'rocked' or disrupted familial/generational norms...? Maybe this is the long term story arc they are taking us on as we say goodbye to so many of the older characters?

What, TA morphs into 'an everyday rural version of Trainspotters' or something?!

How many empty properties must there be in rural England right now? And how many bored teenagers? Surely to god climbing over a wall and scampering around a deserted building is standard behaviour? Completely agree, but in fact I think this storyline is there to add to the drip, drip, drip of George Grundy gradually morphing into a psychopath - superficially charming, over-inflated opinion of himself, no real real remorse or empathy, tendency to lie, cunning and manipulative, inability to distinguish between right and wrong - the SWs are ensuring we know he ticks all the boxes before unleashing him.

I agree @PuppyPerson, except for Tom. He's not one of the younger people- he's 40 and should know better!

@GoldenCupidon if I were the Grundys I’d be sending George off to join the army ...

They wouldn't have him. And even if (by some administrative error) they did, he wouldn't get through basic training. I think George would do better to join some really incompetent gang of petty criminals.

It is, but I guess the police need a statement from Oliver that it's his bench and they didn't have permission to break it, so it comes to the same thing in practical terms.

At any rate he will surely not now give George £5k.

Oh, I do hope so. And I guess Brad can wave goodbye to any more help with maths courses etc.

I can understand Oliver being extremely upset.

Hmm … I’m sorry for most people who have property damaged or destroyed - but Oliver could easily have had the bench removed for the period while GG is being renovated. That would have been the natural and sensible thing to do.

I’m not enjoying this new iteration of Oliver - doesn’t he have any American grandchildren he could fly off and oppress with his ‘generosity’?

When Alice was haranguing Brian, I simply didn't get what she wanted him to do about it. He'd already acknowledged that she was entitled to feel hurt, but it's not as if he could change the will or change Jenny's mind if she was motivated by not trusting Alice to stay on the wagon.

Well, yes. What bored teenager’s didn’t do, builders could be guaranteed to do more effectively.

To think I once shipped Tracy and Oliver … He’s turned into a miserable old bore, using his money to poke nose and control other people’s children. If he’d really cared about the Horrobins he wouldn’t have deprived Tracy of her employment and income!

Forgot my BOOP for Chris and Brian's single man chat. I thought that was beautifully written and acted - "Simple things like finding stuff." "Finding stuff, exactly. Cheese graters." The admission that Brian moves things back when his daughters have left. "It is Chris, yes." And then Brian admitting that he still keeps his slippers on the radiator even though he doesn't really care if they're warm, it's just because that's what Jenny used to do. I felt quite emotional.

Alice is very clearly being unreasonable, she's still an alcoholic and it reminded me of those scenes with her mentor who said she couldn't afford to be self-pitying. Summary of Alice currently: "Waaah wahhh I'm so hurt that my mum was anxious about my daughter's security because of my huge drinking problem, how dare she not trust me to start drinking again? Maybe I'll start drinking again."

My list of people who could usefully be 'accidentally' killed when Rob comes back shrinks and grows, but Alice is always there.

I concede the Brian and Chris interlude was a bit lovely. The unfindable household items …

My list of people who should be consigned to the combine harvester just grows and grows, and I think it's reached the stage where absolutely everyone with Archer blood in their veins is on it.

Ooh that's a good point. Most of the people I hate are Archers by blood - except Ben, I like Ben.

I don't know why but Adil and Oliver often sound like they're recording in a different room to everyone else.

I'd like to hear Adil do a different emotion - maybe they're saving him for something in the future where he'll break out of "chilled out corporate man" mould and we'll all fall over.

I enjoy listening to Adil because I like his voice. He sounds (in both tone and accent) exactly like my very calm GP.

Oliver, on the other hand ... not so much.

i, too, love Adil's voice. But I'm also one who wishes he'd get to express a bit of emotion sometimes. He is altogether far too chill at ALL bloody times.

Alice. Oh god Alice. Combine harvester accident (or suitably seasonal farm equipment accident) asap, please. I harp on about it because we have someone like Alice in my wider family. So self-obsessed (fair enough when you've been in therapy etc) but - 2 days with no drink and one month in a clinic and it's all "stop treating me like an alcoholic". Alice is like that. She is convinced she is cured. We all know, and everyone else in the show knows, that she will never be cured. I loved Chris and his quiet "i don't think you should joke about that" (I am so bloody worried they'll get back together)

Loved loved LOVED the Chris & Brian scene. So lovely and gentle and wryly amusing.

Oh, absolutely! Also of all of them I think his desire to have the twins used in the advert is probably going to be the most harmful to the whole family, not to mention Bridge Fresh which is Tom and Natasha's business specifically?!
Maybe we all needed a reminder that the organic farming really is Tony and Pat's passion, Tom never really minded either way 🤷

I also really loved Chris and Brian, so perfectly done and great listening.

Definite agreement about threading! I try to remember to quote what I am quoting, as it were, but that only takes one back a single post. Sorry for any confusion I may have caused; I didn't mean to.

Sorry for any confusion I may have caused; I didn't mean to. No need for apologies!

As suspected!

(The reason for Rob’s return …)

So, do we think there's no chance that Rob will pop in Ambridge with a creepy "Hello, Helen - did you miss me?"