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!

Thanks for the list, Askingquestions, that is so useful. Some old,names there - where is Dr Locke, we never hear from him, the residents of Ambridge must be so healthy!

Richard Locke doesn't work or have a surgery in Ambridge; he was being a locum in Felpersham last we heard, which of course is why he chose to rent a cottage twenty miles away in a village he left under a cloud and where he is mostly disliked.

When he closed the surgery in Ambridge and ran away to Manchester because Shula chose Alistair instead of him, the Ambridge residents were divided up between two surgeries, one in Borchester and the other in Hollerton. I've got a list somewhere of who went where, I think.

Richard Locke was sinister, pity he's still alive anywhere.

I have now caught up with the last three weeks. My brief hope that the table that attacked Pip would prove as deadly as the one that did for Nic being thwarted, my hope now lies in her having got pregnant with Toby. Nice for Rosie to have a sibling. Or two or three.

Well done Stella for running, I hope she doesn't turn back.

Other than that, Grey Gables going bust before it re-opens looks a good bet, with any luck Adil's will have to subsist on the profits from radish sales. I hope he has been paying Lynda weekly, and put down a deposit at the start of his stay.

If he's selling the radishes from his allotment he's probably breaking the rules. Wait until the Committee find out.

DeanElderberry
Richard Locke was sinister, pity he's still alive anywhere.

He did always seem to batten on to women in trouble: Debbie after she was involved in the armed robbery at the Post Office and was in a fragile state, Usha after ammonia had been thrown in her face and she was frightened to be alone in an isolated cottage, Shula when her son was very ill and she was afraid he might be dying...

Financially well-off women in trouble. And that business with the patient who named him in her will. Very dark vibes from that man.

Oo Idon't remember the will thing?

An elderly lady who died of cancer left him some money in her will. Her son reported Dr Locke to the GMC for negligence, or similar. There was some irregularity about recording of morphine, I think. He was cleared, possibly with a slight rap on the knuckles about taking more care over record-keeping.

There was a formal enquiry because one of her relatives complained - I was always convinced Richard did her in for the dosh.

Wish fulfilment, Dean!

Nasty man, now, very happily, all gone.

@CaptainMyCaptain · Today 13:05
If he's selling the radishes from his allotment he's probably breaking the rules. Wait until the Committee find out.
Normally, anything you know anything about, the SW get completely wrong, but new allotment holder being inordinately pleased with radishes is totally true to life.

I wonder if it could be 'Tiger' that would be fun!

I was thinking similar this morning. Pip decides she’s gay, and there is only one gay woman in the village, so clearly she’s designed to be her life partner.

I don't disagree with that. I have a pumpkin growing in my garden that I am inordinately proud of.

Helen giving away food again? (Haven't listened for ages.)

I like Brad & Mia.

Brad and Mia are quite ridiculously sweet together.

But who, or what, will save Helen from herself?

Thinking about the previous episode, how did Rooth not recognise Stella's car, presumably parked outside Pip's cottage (disclaimer: I haven't a clue about the farm's geography).

Giving away food and running obsessively. Oh dear.

Stella was on a walk. I don’t think she lives that far either

mia has a funny delivery

does Natasha not know about the eating disorder?

Pip lives in Rickyard Cottage and Stella lives in The Brookfield Bungalow. The two buildings are about a hundred yards apart, down a private farm track from Brookfield farmyard. I think Stella, expecting booze at the pub and out on a dogwalk-without-the-dog, might not have been in a car.

Yet again, what had they done to get rid of Bert for the evening? He lives in the same house as Tracy, Jazzer, Brad and Chelsea; he's the senior tenant.

Thanks all. Just shows how much faith I have in the scriptwriters these days

He was at susans

Bert went to Susan’s for his lunch and tea/dinner, presumably because Tracy was working so couldn’t cook for him. I’m not sure if Bert is actually an invalid and is that why everyone waits on him hand and foot? It seems he literally cannot do anything for himself.