Archers thread #156: Fireworks in Ambridge! Helen gave Lee a rocket, but Grey Gables is a damp squib. Is the writing on the (church) wall?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're irresistibly attracted to George Grundy, 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 to @OverArmour for the title suggestion, which I have tweaked a bit. I was strongly tempted by Less GGP (Grey Gables Peril) More GPP (Guinea Pig Plot), which was a plaintive cry from @PuppyPerson some days ago, but if Poppy has found new homes for the baby guinea pigs that may be the last we hear of them for some time, sadly.

Surely in the life of the next thread we must hear more from or of Rob, or Ron as some on this thread prefer to call him? <taps foot> Will Kirsty snap and tell Helen a few home truths? Will Pat's shotgun finally be brought into play? We can only hope ...

Also, will we ever find out who owns the other 60% of Grey Gables? Why is Adil AWOL (to use the other bit of OverArmour's title idea!)? Why aren't we hearing from Roy? Will GG ever re-open and will Emma get her Big Chance at last?

So many questions! Over to you.

I don’t know about personality transplant, she’s dealt with a lot in the 5 years she’s been back in Ambridge, especially in the last year or so. A mother with Alzheimer’s, appalling shit from George, who was foisted on her by Martin G and Neil, losing one then two housemates meaning she was paying more rent, then eviction with a side order of gloating from George, now trouble finding somewhere to live and the prospect of having to find a new job, with said mother going further downhill. I think all of that would humble and take the sharp edges off anyone, tbh.

I think she turned up like it though when she returned. Most of those things happened afterwards.

I can’t forget how rude and condescending she was to Neil and I’ve disliked her since. I still think she sounds petulant. I struggle to listen to scenes involving her or Pip.

She was horrible to Neil.

phew, was seriously worried what Tony was going to do tonight

Rob's dad was so nasty. That was quite an upsetting scene.

What a thoroughly bizarre episode. Bruce was written so unsympathetically it was unbelievable. Purely to derive sympathy for Rob. Any listener who hadn’t heard the original sl would listen to this and think she’s the one in the wrong.

Farmer Giles 😂

Lily and Josh convo was oddly written. it’s quite selfish to let a family member come to stay without discussing it with your housemates when it involves losing the living space

I thought Tony did well to pity Rob while not forgetting what he'd done. Good balance and nuance, BOOP for Tony.

Bruce was just the same as ever. It is a bit surprising that Tony hadn't previously twigged what their relationship was like.

While being thoroughly unpleasant, Bruce was on the money about certain aspects of Nob's character, the self-pity for one.

Tony was particularly good about his complex response to seeing Nob and the frightful Bruce, but did he mean to say "But he's close to dying, Helen, and his father doesn't love him". I've replayed it several times and he definitely said Helen, not Alan, the aitch was sounded.

but did he mean to say "But he's close to dying, Helen, and his father doesn't love him". I've replayed it several times and he definitely said Helen, not Alan, the aitch was sounded.

I thought he said Helen at first but I've gone back and re-listened and I think it's definitely Alan.

If it were Helen, it would be a rehearsal for what he will now feel he has to say to her.

God isn’t Lily just vile.

Utterly

I thought he said Helen at first but then assumed he'd said Alan. If he did day Helen it could be another very subtle hint as to an unfolding dementia story line. He's thinking about Helen so says her name.

I missed that. What happened?

I lived in a house share where one of the girls had her parents both come to stay and she moved into the living room for 2 weeks. It was a pain in the arse. No shared social space and 2 extra people who despite not having to get up for work, still chose that sort of time to have showers while the rest of us were trying to get up and out of the house.
I have some sympathy for Lily and Josh's position. It's not really on to move someone into a houseshare for an unspecified amount of time.

Her mother.

Why are they so enthralled by Paul? I really don’t get the way those 3 behave. It seems very unrealistic and the dialogue oddly written

??

I think they mean Lily is vile because of her mother

I have noticed a real dive in writing lately. The thing that is really, really irritating me is the mirroring that happens in conversations. So Character A might say 'I saw him in the shop', and character B says 'In the shop?'. it's really strange and once you notice you can't unnotice!

I don't think Elizabeth is to blame for Lily's behaviour in the last couple of episodes. She just seems to have suddenly started behaving like a Mean Girl. Strange!

I found last night’s episode really odd. Also Rob and Miles sound v similar.
Bruce is awful; presume he was there purely to help Tony empathise about how Rob became what he has.
I’m so glad he didn’t do anything stupid or dramatic…I’d like TA to stay more gentle rural drama than ridiculous soap.

Agreed. I’m finding the dialogue clunky and unnatural.

I hate radio drama where they feel they have to say what they see. There are far subtler and cleverer ways.