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!

@stilldumdedumming that’s very funny about your daughter and hooking her in by talking about them as if they’re real!

I wonder whether Emma's complete inability to see George for what he is, and her way of seeming to support him more as his awful behaviour gets worse, is about Emma really not being able to face up to the fact that his upbringing must be in some way responsible for how he is turning out? As we have been reminded recently, the whole Emma, Will, Ed story was pretty wild, and, I think, has resulted in George having a lot of anger.
I'm no psychologist obviously, but there must be a reason for her not giving him a bollocking for his awful behaviour?!

As for Helen, I think she's really unlikeable, but there is a nicer, more fun side to her, we just don't hear it often. I think Tom is FAR worse than Helen, (although they are both so selfish and self obsessed). I do, however, enjoy hearing them and their stories, they're both well acted I think.

So... Is Jonny related (by marriage only?) in some way to the Horrobins?! I knew he was John's but never understood who his mum was. This new thread has been extremely informative so far!

Johnny’s elder half-sister is the daughter of Clive Horrobin.

I'm always cheered when Kate is on, as she is soooooo awful! So utterly selfish and the most 'unspiritual' person at Spiritual Home, she is hilarious. I love her!!

@PuppyPerson , upthread, there's an explanation of Johnny's Horrobin connection. His mother had a child with Clive Horrobin, then with John Archer.

I think you are right.

Yes I'd read all of that but was still confused!
So Johnny's half sister is... Tracey and Susan's niece? And therefore Chelsea and Brad's cousin?

That's correct. Kylie Richards is really a Horrobin, and is Susan and Tracy's niece.
Johnny isn't related to Tracy or Susan. Kylie is really nice, as is Johnny.

She is also Emmur and Kristiffur's cousin.
(Spelt like that because that's how Susan says the names)

I can’t think of any character I loathe. I’m lucky I think because I enjoy listening to the ones with bad personalities (like Kate or Emma) and see them very much as well written fictional characters. The ones I do like (Ben, Tracey) I believe are real people 😂

Like PP, I get a bit taken aback at the vitriol towards Helen.

This thing about her thinking Lee should be over missing his daughter’s birthday. . … it feels like that’s gone into canon as Helen telling him he should be over it by now and gets repeated as such. My recollection is that Helen knew he was newly upset about something, thought it wasn’t just about missing his daughter’s birthday as he’d been down about that a few days ago, felt better, and then started acting perturbed again. Helen’s instincts told her there was something else up and she was right. It’s not as if Lee was upset about his daughter, said so to Helen, and then she snapped he should get over it. I’m sure that never happened but to read some PP, it did.

Justin is my least favourite character because he’s so inconsistent - swinging between amiable country gent and dastardly cutthroat businessman depending on the requirements of the storyline. He is basically a plot device.

Lilian is my fave.

i loved Lilian and Matt in Puss-Cat and Tiger phase. Was a pity he had to go - and in such an outlandish way too.

Oh, I loathed the whole Puss-cat and Tiger thing 😱😂

Lilian was one of my favourites pre-Justin ...

Did Emma really only get 1 gcse? That was pre grundy mayhem wasn’t it? I seem to recall she was studious

George has gone into self destruct mode then…but it will be everyone else’s fault

Ahahahaha!
I knew it!

Points to whoever mentioned Andrew tate!

That was me Bruiser, although I think others may have too. Poor Emmur, I do feel sorry for her as the awful realisation of what her son is becoming dawns on her.
This is shaping up into a most excellent s/l.

I have consulted the 🔮, which says the Fates are unclear about how it will all play out but one possible direction is that George, in an effort to make amends, will do away with Ron. He will then be banged up for years (with Em wailing "He's a good boy really!") only to emerge again in full adulthood.

I’m glad they didn’t drag Emma’s realisation out too long

We had a lengthy conversation about whether George was an actual incel or ‘just’ a follower of AT maybe two threads back, I think?

Glad they've brought Andrew Tate into the storyline.

Although I expect Pedantswhatsername will be along to tell us there are other online misogynists Emma could have been referring to.

Apologies Totters, so we did!

Bruisername
Did Emma really only get 1 gcse? That was pre grundy mayhem wasn’t it? I seem to recall she was studious

Emma did indeed only get one GCSE. It was a nasty shock to Neil.

The only evidence we ever heard for her being studious was her fond parents bigging her up, which they did. She herself did not speak until April 2000.