Archers thread #149: This is not a drill, it’s a plot device. Here’s hoping for Stella-r rows in Ambridge. 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 think George Grundy's bantz make him a great laugh and totally harmless to women, 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 for title suggestions - @FallonsNewCoat started us off with Drilling down OR What’s the drill?: So many jobs hanging in the balance - what’s planned for Adam, Stella, Freddie and horrible George?, @OverArmour's suggestion was ‘Drilling down on less than Stella-r performances and who will be a pig in muck’ and @TeenDivided contributed the laserdrill focussed Lets drill into plot holes and hope George gets his comeuppance. I went for a bit of all of that. The phrase at the back of my head, which I am very pleased to have tracked down, was from one of my favourite film franchises where the character Conklin says in Jason Bourne's memory This is not a drill, soldier. We clear on that? This is a live project. You are go. Training is over. Training is over. Well, that's us, troops. Training is over, discussing The Archers is a live project, and it's our job to drill down into all aspects of what we hear.

On the last thread, people were discussing how unrealistic the portrayal of mental health problems is on TA. I wholeheartedly agree, but I suppose they don't feel they can tackle long-running slow burn storylines that often. They made a great effort with Jack Woolley's Alzheimer's. Other than that, I don't recall anybody having a recurring illness that's been portrayed realistically (and actually that goes for physical conditions as well). Most things clear up and are hardly mentioned again. Sticking just to mental illness, Pat had depression after John died, Mike Tucker had a bad bout of depression, so did Elizabeth. Helen's ED may or may not be about to re-appear, but nobody's mentioning it. Ben's rapid-onset depresssion recently led to a psychotic episode but now he's fine, not least because he got prompt, skilled and appropriate treatment on the NHS, unlike most of the UK. This is one area where I feel they shouldn't even attempt it if they can't do it in a way that reflects the reality of what most of us experience, for ourselves and our loved ones.

Anyway, with that off my chest - over to you!

https://ambridgereporter.org.uk/synopses/
is the convenient place to look; the BBC keeps them one at a time by date in "available now" and you have to click on every single one individually to look at them. And they don't give the dram pers for the episode.

It is searchable using control+f; I suggest looking for "Stella" rather than "Ruth", because there seem to have been several weeks in which Stella didn't speak at all.

This year and before Stella came back from the wedding, she and Ruth spoke in the same episode as each other on 2nd January and on 26th January, both of which were considerably before her going to the wedding was entioned. They were reported by David as being out at the cinema together on 30th March but we didn't hear them speak.

The next time they spoke in the same scene as each other was on Sunday 4th June, by which time Stella had been sacked.

I remember speculation on here about Stella being a lesbian but I don’t remember anything being said on air.

Am quite looking forward to the Lee/Ron meeting now…I’m surprised Helen isn’t nervous about the implications of Ron’s apparent change of heart. She seems to be taking it at face value which is bizarre…

Well I wonder what Knob has in store for Lee.

I'd want that meeting to be very public. I'd have it in a cafe with Anna Tregorran arriving before hand and sitting at a table close by.

Lee should wear a wire/record the meeting. But he’s such a bumbling idiot he’d probably mess that up.

Quite, @FallonsNewCoat

The 🔮still says Ron has a terminal illness. It is adamant on this point.

How prescient are the SWs?

The Grundies playing the Wagner group to Lynda Snell's Putin.

Perhaps Rob plans to bait Lee (in public), collapse again and then apply for custody of Jack

Yesterdays episode was so boring. Eddie Grundy, that man couldnt walk in a straight line. He really really gets on my nerves if he is all the SW can come up with to put a bit of jollyness into the Archers they might as well give up.
And you just know that Rob is going to make Lee do something rash it is so obvious. If this is supposed to be nail biting edge of your seat stuff well.......

I don’t understand why anyone is taking anything Rob says at face value, especially Helen. I can suspend my disbelief to certain extent, but I don’t think any of them are acting in a way that normal people would.

It does seem obvious that there was some sort of ploy under which Rob called for the meeting in order to get Helen into a total panic, then organised the call from Miles immediately afterwards when she would be completely destabilised so that she and Lee would accept virtually anything. Not sure whether the idea is to soften Helen up, use the meeting to provoke Lee, or have the meeting and then carry right on with the legal action. Or it may be that he's just enjoying having her dancing to his tune again.

These were my thoughts too. She knows him so well- how can she honestly believe it will be as simple as Lee meeting with him and then "that's the end of it".

I just zone out when Eddie is on air. Scenes between him and Lynda are virtually unlistenable.

Very good @echt (Wagner group).

Very good!

@BoreOfWhabylon I am with you. I think Rob is going to meet Lee to explain he is dying ( of brain tumour?) and ask Lee to be a good father to Jack and then with a sob ask Lee to arrange for him to see Jack before he goes. True or not true it will mess with Lee’s head which doesn’t take much effort.

@TopOfTheCliff the 🔮approves of your prognostications.

It also thinks that a terminally-ill Knob will thoroughly mess with Helen's head. The Lee/Helen relationship is unlikely to survive.

I think it will be Rob saying to Lee that he will drop the assault charge and the access request, if Lee walks away from Helen. Lee will then be in huge dilemma - leave Helen but for her own good (and his of course re his job and getting to the US to see his girls) or stay but create difficulties for everyone?

I don't think Rob is ill. I think he's got a plan.

I agree @CurlewKate

I think he will try to sow seeds of doubt in Lee's mind about Helen. And cast doubt over the whole story that Helen has told Lee to date. He will try to come across as being ultra reasonable, just a concerned dad desperately missing his dc (which of course, Lee will relate to.)

And Rob will then use Lee to manipulate the situation with Helen and the boys. Maybe there will be an illness thrown in or maybe not... either way, he will be controlling the situation and Lee will fall right into his trap.

I am so irritated by how they are all handling it. They are playing right into his hands!

Although he might pretend he's ill.

@MrsBennetsPoorNerves methinks you have encountered a narcissist yourself maybe.....

@MrsBennetsPoorNerves has it. I don't think we will have anything like the original slow burn on this though.

An interesting thing is when you see someone else being manipulated by your narcissist! As H will witness with Lee. It's a very sad thing.

I think ultimately it will be the end for them. I think Lee would have a better life without H and will probably move to the states. Love does not conquer all.

I think Lee would have a better life without H I was just thinking that. He deserves not to have to carry all Helen’s baggage

Though I’d prefer it if H went to the States and Lee stayed in Ambridge