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.

Have a heart! Brian has only recently (yes recently), lost his wife, who happened to be Peggy's eldest daughter.

<returns to lurking>

Yup.

They're believing what Robput on those invitations and Alan should have made 💯 sure that that claim was refuted/ clarified, in a public letter but also private pastoral one to Helen (and her family), before the baptism.

Even if only to protect his wife!

I wonder how Shula would take to being a police officer?

I don’t think she’d have asked him to in RL. She wasn’t saying “I’ll stop my SO unless you …”, she was presenting a fait accompli. He’d have found out when the money didn’t arrive

Yes Shula and Harrison need to job swap, excellent idea.

Although not location swap. Please.

As usual the pip stuff was stupid. ‘She’s so sensitive’ - honestly.

nice to hear Brian but the cutting off the church is also stupid. Though at least the church scenes were believably written

rob was obviously going to set the fox amongst the hens but I find this dramatisation of it the wrong way. And Peggy has clearly not spoken to helen

At Pip's age I was just as sensitive as her. My own DM, lovely though she is, didn't notice, though

Why is everyone criticising the characters for being fallible, well-drawn (IMHO) human beings? <relurks>

She's not just sensitive though is she - she's an annoying childish whinging creature who has got her partner who she is sooooOooo in love with acting like an adoptive parent towards her. It must be such a turn off.

I'm normally somebody who doesn't join in with the Helen and Pip criticism, but I think the last few episodes have peaked me 😅

Well Pip has peaked in awfulness. Take away a perfectly viable housing option for a homeless woman because she is ‘sensitive’ (spoiled and brattish)? Appalling.

As for Peggy…well that made me so cross.

The fact that Pip couldn't see the difference between Stella having Hannah as a lodger and Stella and Pip living together 🙄Has she recently been kicked in the head by some cattle, or was she always this dense?!

I don't really see the relevance. Peggy wants to use her money to punish Alan, and also she wants him to know that she's trying to influence her friends in his congregation to do likewise. It's a slightly weird thing to do at this juncture anyway, given that she found out about Alan's alleged support of Rob two or three weeks ago. Why does she need Brian to deliver the message? She could pick up the phone herself, or write to Alan, indeed go and see him, given that she seems to be still going out to church. Brian could have suggested either of those courses of action to her, and indeed he could simply have told her he doesn't want to be involved.

Actually, thinking about it, what would be even better would be to tell Peggy that he will simply take over the payments, on the basis that JennyD is unlikely to have approved of scapegoating Alan for Rob's sins.

Peggy's in her 90s. If Alan was relying on her regular donation, he'd be a bit daft. And yes, I know, but not even he is that dim.

V good point, @EBearhug!

I guess we're meant to imagine that her regular gift is very substantial.

We shall find out more when we hear poor old Al discussing this (confidential) matter with someone.

I suspected the baptism story would peak around the location and wording of Sideshow Rob’s headstone but now I’m wondering if there’ll be a “battle of the burials”. If Peggy has removed herself from the congregation, can she still be buried in the churchyard?

I don’t think pip is a well drawn out character at all

helen is a well drawn out character if contrasting self centred characters

Ben might happen to be on that ward now he's nursing again.

I think they’ve set it up that a deathbed scene with justices would be ok. I would imagine Helen will see him before he dies/on his deathbed. I think she will forgive him but hopefully not say she has always loved him etc.

Helen having shown true Christian forgiveness, Peggy will follow Helen’s example and make up with Alan

Agree. I think it also helps that the Helen actor is very good indeed.

I think radio acting is a special skill that some actors can’t manage even though they are decent screen actors.

some scenes stretch credulity because of the acting but where the actors are good it highlights when there is bad writing

The problem about ‘sensitive' Pip is that she’s not coming across as sensitive but as a tantrumming 5 year-old.

It’s not a good look for a 30 year old woman. And I can’t imagine it makes for a partnership of equals for Stella, who isn’t stupid and who must be realising that she's having to assume the role of Pip's mummy in this ill-begotten affair. That whole 'tell her she can't move in, then!!' was just risible.

Then Stella and Rooth (who actually do sound much more sympatico) discuss her with a kind of affectionate but weary tolerance - much as Pip has formerly discussed her own small child's foibles and whims. Tbh I find it slightly strange the way they keep having these conversations about Pip, with Stella vowing never to hurt her and so forth.

Just listening to last night's. If Pip is over-sensitive, over-thinking, and hard work, you can definitely see where she got it from!

Stella = Jordan

Ruth = Henry

Pip = Matty

That’s all I’m saying …

I don't!

It might be all you're saying, but please can you give those of us with no ue an idea of what you're referring to?

Thank you for asking that. I felt like I should know but I don't.