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!

He was so ill-advised, in every sense. Gave Rob so much. Which we all knew would be Ron's aim. (Leaving that autocorrect in!)

Bruises….🤦‍♀️

Lee is a fool. An absolute fool.

He's naive and was groomed, within one conversation.
But yes.

It’s too much. I find it impossible to believe anyone as stupid as Lee could survive into adult life …

And Rob! My God, how he must be rubbing his hands with glee. He’s now pretty much destroyed Helen’s relationship. First put the man under threat of never being able to visit his children in the US, then miraculously lift the threat and simultaneously send the man scuttling off to the US in a flood of snotty tears! He’s good.

But there is no universe in which those three successive visits to Rob would have happened - so I don’t believe a word of it.

How flipping idiotic is Lee. Literally hands Rob information on a plate as to where and when Henry takes part in a weekly activity.

We’ve heard a lot recently about the fact Henry now goes out and about on his own so presumably Rob will bump into him after his next gymnastics class and convince him to keep it all a secret. It won’t be long before he gets Henry to bring Jack along to a clandestine meeting. It will then come out that Lee is to blame. Hopefully that will be the death knell of his relationship with Helen and he books a one way ticket to San Francisco. I’ve had enough of this snivelling simpleton.

Hypocritical Helen gave Tom hell over the dirty money from the girls modelling but is happy to accept it now it’s paid her legal bills🙄

I guess it’s poetic justice! After Tom wringing his hands over accepting the toxic dollar, he’s now had to hand it over to pay solicitors, purely because of the unconscionable mess he himself created by dragging the - what was it - ‘snivelling simpleton’ (🏆) into a cage fight with an evil genius.

She hesitated when she realised it was That Money and I wasn't sure if that was just because it was the twins'.....

But at least Rob hadn't paid it. Just Tom kinda money laundering.....

Lee is a physiotherapist and presumably has to undergo professional training that should have given him at least a glimmer of an idea about safeguarding etc. Or am I being over-optimistic here?

The fact remains that he is, as my late FIL would have said, as dim as a Toc H lamp.

I struggle to understand how Lee managed to gain any kind of professional qualification.

I find it impossible to believe anyone as stupid as Lee could survive into adult life

He was being so open with the man who raped the woman who is now his partner -who had to give birth in prison - tried to take one son off her and abduct the other. And is now terrified of him. I wouldn't have been surprised if Lee had suggested they all go on a family holiday to Center Parcs.

Yes it's kind of as if everyone, including at some points Helen, and definitely including her legal advisors) has forgotten most of that.

Although to be fair there is a naive, must-be-polite at all costs side to many people. Maybe a British thing?

Oh lord that means I mustn’t be British!

<checks Irish heritage>

Oh Lee, how could you be such a moron.

"Gymnastics"... what a sneer... but Rob caught himself! Do you remember how he tried to teach Henry cricket and tried to encourage him to be more manly?

Timothy Watson is a fantastic actor.

If Helen and Harrison had any sense, they would have primed Lee to lie in response to any personal questions, especially any questions about Jack and Henry. Or else he could reasonably have said that in light of past events and the court order, it wasn't appropriate to talk about them.

Sang like a canary.

Aaaah! A most relaxing episode. Pity the respite will be short.

What time is the service at St Stephen's (how often are they, not every week, is it?) I thought the first two scenes were in the wrong order chronologically. I loved Mia turning up at the door

It’s too much. I find it impossible to believe anyone as stupid as Lee could survive into adult life …

glad it's not just me. What an absolute wet wipe.

I don't understand why Mia is still so keen on the charging station. I would have thought a lot of Jim's arguments would appeal to her, given that clearly things like using public transport are more ecologically friendly than driving electric cars, and that it makes no sense to have people driving a long way off the road to find the charging place when it could presumably be sited much closer to the busiest routes.

Isn't the whole point of Mia that she deeply cares but she's still a teenager and so some of her heartfelt opinions and causes are actually flawed and really cringeworthy?

I love Brad in his green suit! Well done Chelsea. Think he could do better than Mia though.

I wonder how many blows to the head Lee suffered in karate instructor training?

Found a picture of Brad in his suit.