Archers thread #152: The Dog Days of Summer in Ambridge! Rabid rants, tearoom dogfight, Bully Dog George gets it all on camera. Is Lone wolf Rob waiting in the woods? 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 love a son like George, 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.)

Starting this new thread a bit early, as we're near the end of the last thread and I'm out all day today. As last night's episode was a banger, I thought I'd better ensure discussion can continue seamlessly!

The original idea for a dog theme for this thread came from the death of poor Weaver. RIP. The Dog Days of summer are associated with storms and the silly season, so quite appropriate for The Archers at the moment! They may technically be over now, as it's all to do with the heliacal rising of the Dog Star, Sirius (no, me neither), but apparently the Anglo-Saxons considered they lasted into September (thank you, Wikipedia), so that will do for me.

So - what next for Helen, Henry and Jack? Surely even the Bridge Farm Archers will see that she needs professional help? After her outburst the other night they might finally grasp that Henry could do with some too. All very grim.

On the lighter side (perhaps), whither Pip and Stella?

Over to you!

Isn’t that point of the whole Andrew tate thing though - you have a group of boys who don’t really understand what they’re saying and feel it’s ok to use language like that because it’s funny.

yes he’s said some vile things but I think the point of his conversations with his parents was to show that he hasn’t really put a lot of thought into his behaviour.

from the little chunks of light I would say he isn’t evil - he’s misguided. And he is bearing the consequences of his actions and you have to hope he learns. Yes he’s an adult but very few people are the adult they are going to be at 18

he’s not a Rob

Helen could have explained the situation to Henry in an age appropriate way: Rob is dying which is very sad but we cannot contact or meet him at all as despite his illness a judge has ruled it is not safe.

Instead Henry had to hear snippets of her arguments with Lee and understandably grew frustrated as his mother continued to insist nothing was going on. George’s controlling mother rhetoric obviously then resonated with him.

I doubt Hannah would see it like that. Just imagine an 18 year old getting a woman put out of her home - for revenge.

And the moment his mother enlightened him about Ron he should have alerted Helen immediately regarding Henry’s plan. But he didn’t. He did try to separate Henry from him, but it was too late by then.

I know our current undergraduate (I’m 18, I can do want I want!) later admitted he was astonished at the sudden weight of responsibility he encountered once he was officially an adult. It’s never an easy transition - so I can almost forgive George for falling down over Ron - but what he did to Hannah was horrifying.

Mmmm I think there's a really sadistic side to George - taunting Hannah over losing her home and real vitriol towards her still. I think he's a nasty piece of work - not sure if he is beyond redemption but I fear it!

Yes his treatment of Hannah has been awful - he obviously needs a lot of work to get him out of his current mindset. but I don’t think he should be written off so early. He’s clearly a character who is going to make the wrong choice over and over

helen is a controlling mother - and a controlling person on general. Whilst George shouldn’t have helped Henry I do think she needs to consider how her behaviour led to Henry’s choices. Blaming George is an easy way out. Not saying she needs to forgive him but she does need to reflect on her own behaviour.

I agree re Helen @Bruisername - she's a total control freak and has been long before Ron was on the scene, although no doubt he exacerbated it.

I am still looking forward to the GG cheese SL!!

If I may turn a phrase George is what's known as a little shit. Yes there have been sparks of good ish intentions but he is self serving and immature.

Absolutely!

I'm sorry but anyone who thinks Helen's seriously controlling needs to think about Rob (to give him his proper, scary nomenclature!)

To be fair I think we're being given a mixed picture of George st the moment. Let's see...

Was musing earlier: would be a rather splendid irony if George proved a catalyst for Emurr developing a flourishing interest in women's studies/feminist theory!

Reassessing her direction in life, she pursues p.t. distance learning and finds catharsis in writing.

We Need To Talk About George, her anonymous 'lived experience' blog warning against perils of NOT tackling toxic masculinity and misogyny in adolescents, gains rapid traction with other parents.

Grassroots hub for pooling their resources eventually develops into fulfilling careers as sought-after workshop leaders at youth groups/schools...

Hmm 🤔

Love that idea Beryl!

helen is controlling - just because she’s not as controlling as Rob doesn’t change that!

That would be amazing.

Fab @BerylBillings

The publicists for Emma would have a field day.
Teenage bride, ex-con mother, two children and two marriages by two brothers, only previously worked as a cleaner and waitress, living in a static caravan.

I don't think George is any where close to a Rob level bad guy. But I think what we might see is a long chain of circumstances that lead George deeper and deeper into the incel/Andrew Tate type way of thinking and those little snippets we've been hearing of him being more decent will just be suppressed further until they are no more. For example, Helen not accepting the apology will just be further affirmation for him that today's women have it in for men.

Helen has always been controlling. Remember when she was pregnant with Henry and Tony was unsure about it, but came round to the idea and bought her a baby monitor (or similar) as a peace offering? She reacted as if this a selfish, cruel act as it she already had one and painted Tony as completely out of order for not knowing every aspect of her baby shopping. She uses her emotional reactions to control her parents and as a result they walk on egg shells around her. I remember thinking at the time just say thank you and return one!

I don't think George is any where close to a Rob level bad guy.

Probably Rob wasn't at 18, either.

I agree that Helen has always been controlling. Choosing to be with Rob (who was married) was part of that. Losing control because of Rob - it would be natural for anyone to want to regain some control after that, but if you are already a controlling person who gets worse as a stress response - it's no surprise that Helen's the way she currently is.

I'd say Helen was "needy" rather than controlling.

And I think the only reason he tried to then keep Henry away from Rob was to save his own skin if something went wrong.

And I think the only reason he tried to then keep Henry away from Rob was to save his own skin if something went wrong.
I agree.

Hellin was seriously creepy and controlling with pregnant Annette, who had to sneak away in the night to escape her clutches.

It’s whitefly rather than slugs that you plant marigolds for

Ruth seems to have changed her tune about Toe-bee. She didn’t used to like him, did she? And now she’s giggling flirtatiously while he talks about how sexy he finds honey oozing from the hexagons. I liked the beekeeping detail but could have done without the girlish giggling…

I didn't think flirtatious but deffo more positive towards him. Maybe just to set up her shock when she finds out with whom Pip is actually dallying atm?

Yes I do agree that the Annette thing was Helen at her weirdest though.