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!

@PuppyPerson HOW CAN YOU NOTICE IT?! I have become utterly fixated on it every time the actress has a scene, particularly a social one where I know she will be guzzling wine...! 😂

Has no one ever told the slurpy actors that when they’ve been banging on about the wine/beer/ whatever their drinking we don’t need to actually hear them drinking. A clink if glass as it hits the plate on the way down would be more than sufficient thank you.

I have a feeling Ill be noticing it from now on! 🤣

Speaking of wine, I wonder how Alice is getting along. It’s AGES since we heard anything about her and Kristuffur. If you were a new listener you wouldn’t know that Susan has another child. They must be divorced by now.

I'm so sorry @PuppyPerson for introducing you to this new torture 😂

I see I'm not the only one who immediately thought a sibling for Rosie and wondered if Toby and Pip were well protected this time? Mind you I do think it might be nice for Rosie to have a sibling.

Definitely NO to all slurping and especially all sex noises, ugh.

I like Rex and he definitely deserves better that slurpy Pip.

wondered if Toby and Pip were well protected this time

Hmm … Pip hasn’t had a date in years, so is unlikely to keep a well stocked bedside drawer. And Toby certainly shouldn’t have turned up with that expectation, so …

I can’t quite recall but didn’t one or other of them opine, a year or two ago, that it would be nice for Rosie to have a sibling?

And Toby certainly shouldn’t have turned up with that expectation, so …

Ha! I think Toby is the kind of guy who has at least 3 condoms in his pocket at all times on the off chance.

Oh not ANOTHER accidental pregnancy, script writers, please! Most women aren't actually stupid.

Pip, however, demonstrably is, especially when tipsy.

Stella and Rex? Oh no she'd have to turn out to be bi or something.
Hmm.

I haven’t really noticed the slurping before but last night was revolting. Aren’t there directors who can tell the Pip actress to tone it down?

Agree it's believable for Pip to make the same mistake twice with Toby. But tbh I don't think they will go down that road. Think Toby is just a plot device to put Stella right off the scent with Pip as no doubt she will somehow hear of the post BBQ slurping. It's all part of a long winded (and probably tedious) plan for Pip and Stella to eventually end up together.

Toby is 100% the kind of guy who carries condoms in his wallet. I doubt there will be a sibling for Rosie. I think this whole storyline was conceived (sorry couldn’t resist) as part of the plot to Pip & Stella’s eventual relationship. A shame really as Stella could do so much better and she will now become yet another appendage to the boring Brookfield Archer clan.

Channelling Lady Bracknell here. Something about once being unfortunate and twice being careless…

I actually thought Tom and Natasha talking while eating was even worse than Pip slurping wine.

Oh yes to where is Alice!

The last I remember of her was the angst over Jenny Darlings will leaving her money. Was that ever resolved?

There are so very many threads left unpulled..... Ruiri - has just gone. What us happening in The Bull? Did Kenton ever fully repay David???

Where's Vince? Is he hidden away, never to be revealed in public again ( although I was incredibly confused when Sykesey was introduced, I couldn't understand why Vince was in the Laurels under a false name) 🤣🤣

How is Shula? Where the hell is Roy? Is Jill still baking? Is Josh helping her?

It's a very small cast at the moment when you really stop to think about it.

There have been TOO many eating and drinking scenes recently. Dinners (too many to mention), tea room (Fallon and Lynda munching cake), BBQs, wine (Brian and Justin, Pip all the time). It’s like they’ve all had a training day on how to overact eating and everyone’s putting it into practice. It’s so disgusting.

Rosie is 5, IIRC.

At least it has been clarified that Fallon is stil upcycling and that the tearoom is full of her stuff. Funny we never hear her upcycling and that it’s never mentioned - think of the sound effect possibilities.

"Where's Vince? Is he hidden away, never to be revealed in public again ( although I was incredibly confused when Sykesey was introduced, I couldn't understand why Vince was in the Laurels under a false name)" 🤣🤣

This made me laugh as they do sound very similar.

What happened to vinces daughter/bens ex?

@Fartooold absolutely! Half the bloody village is MIA atm. Is it a summer holiday thing? Are they all doing other projects? How far in advance is TA recorded?
I'd quite happily never hear from Vince again though 🤣

Should there be a sibling for Fat Rosie, it would make sense for them to have the same father
Ruth probably hopes that Toby and Pip become a couple and stay together, and I can see the logic. He gets on OK with the family and is a known entity. A different son-in-law would make life more complicated.

Ruth won't have contemplated a same-sex relationship for her daughter, which is what will happen.
*
I'd be quite happy to never hear from Vince again, but suspect he won't go away quietly.

It’ll end in tears

Re Alice: last I heard she was trying to split the 15k JD left Martha and distribute it to all the grandchildren. Adam and Kate convinced her it wasn’t necessary.