Archers thread #150: For whom the sausage rolls: George over a Berrow, Fallon & Harrison seek new lease on life, is it all a Fête Accompli? Discuss The Snivelling Simpletons, sorry, 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 people frequently miss their own weddings because of a morning quickie while in a plaster cast, 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. I basically took @OverArmour's excellent suggestion and managed to shoehorn in snivelling simpleton, gloriously coined by @Eastie77Returns to refer to Lee in the first instance.

@WitcheryDivine suggested Recharging, Red Kites and The Man They Call Ron, is Ambridge becoming an earthly paradise or a hell on earth? which seems as good a place as any to kick off our discussions! Ron = Rob, a fortuitous typo on a previous thread. It does feel a bit as if we're marking time before he turns up again. Odd to do what could be a high profile storyline over the summer holidays when a lot of people will be away, but depending on your point of view, maybe that's a blessing!

Whither George? Is he shaping up to be Andrew Tate mark 2?

Everybody looking forward to Ferret Fun at the Fête? Me neither.

Over to you!

What do we actually know about Henry's father? I grew up on the Archers but stopped listening for years so I have some gaps in my knowledge!

I can’t bear these storylines. I hate people manipulating others for their evil purposes. Henry. Noooo
and I fear for Poppy.
I may not listen for awhile.

Anonymous sperm donor.

I had to switch off yesterday - Rob and Henry is just awful.
while excellent script writing, it is so dark, having to deal with two manipulative psychopaths at the same time
Stella - is in the long game too if ensuring Adam can never threaten her again. The whole cherry tree element could have been handled so much better IF Brian thought about family harmony.
”go back to Bridge Farm” - how much more unpleasant can you get?

Thank you!

The families I know who have non-traditional setups haven't had a big conversation about it, like The Talk. The kids grow up with that as their normal and at certain points (when they notice that other families are not like theirs) they ask questions and talk about it. But it's never been a big revelatory moment.

I suspect Henry's probably not entirely comfortable sharing his origins with friends. Probably just hints that his dad and mum split up early.

Excruciating to listen to Rob manipulate Henry. Just awful.

😁 love it!

I did like the way Hannah wasn't intimated by the little scrote. Mind you, she was nasty in between personality transplants.

Same here. It's just their normal and the child tends to easily accept that other families (mother and father both present) are normal too. I think adults often judge and struggle with it far more than children do.

The SWs seem to be taking inspiration from James Norton’s character in Happy Valley when they’re writing George.

😱 Let's hope it doesn't go that far

No it probably won’t but the sinister way he zeroes in on people’s weaknesses to get what he wants out of any situation, his thirst for revenge and talent for deception are rather reminiscent . They seem to be painting a sociopath.

Maybe the apprentice manipulator is going to get bulldozed by the master manipulator.

I’m gripped by George. Haven’t listened as regularly since before Covid.

Yes I think the SW probably have lots lined up for George. Those wanting him to get his comeuppance soon will be disappointed I think. I can see him stirring up trouble for villagers for years to come and getting away with it, he knows how to play everyone. Thought did cross my mind (and I hope this won't happen), with his contempt for women being made so clear already, will this eventually lead to a sexual assault or even rape 😥

Oh look - farming!

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/jul/29/uk-dairy-farmers-costs-milk-price-energy-feed-bills?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Don't you think that now Rob is dying he might want to take his family with him????

I think you may be horribly correct, @Fartooold …

How long do we reckon until Rob engineers a Henry-assisted (via George?) 'secret' meeting with Gideon Jack?

"You're such a mature boy, I know you understand not to mention it to anyone. Or it'll cause arguments and be stopped. And you don't want Jack upset, do you?"

<shudder>

At the very least Rob will be wheedling out Jack's holiday club details from Henry. And probably lurking to glance him from afar.

What if said holiday club does mass outing to big attraction/theme park, and Rob lurks within the crowds...

Perhaps George will take Henry and/or Jack to meet Ron in the van (existence unknown until recently) and realise he has gone too far.

exactly what I fear. Or at least take Jack with him.

That would be horrible but plausible. I do hope not.

That’s the awful thing about his terminal diagnosis - Rob has absolutely nothing to lose by perpetrating the most horrific thing his mind can conceive of.

Rob kidnaps Helen and kids to take with him, everyone knows George engineered it and he is an outcast.
George finds the family in peril, tussles with Rob and goes over the cliff with him.
Rob does, George survives but is badly injured and will never walk again.
Hero or villain😊
There isn't anyone disabled and struggling with every day life in the Archers is there?

Good question …

Peggy had a minor stroke decades ago - which made her somewhat reliant on her adult offspring for transportation but didn’t seem to have any other effect. Realistically it would have made her more prone to accidents that could lead to severe frailty over the years. We didn’t hear of anything like that until Jenny died.

Lynda struggled, perhaps still does, in the aftermath of the Grey Gables explosion - but I’m not entirely sure what disabling injuries she still has.

Gone-to-Brum Mike lost an eye and became depressed … And his younger daughter was exiled, of course.

Really there’s no reason why some characters might not be living with physical incapacities - perhaps the SWs will retcon a few?