Archers thread #157: How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless clan! Discuss The Grundys here. Bicker about The Archers as well if you like.

[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, 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 idea of making it clear in the title many of us are inveterate bickerers!

Now over to you, as we are about to eat and I won't hear tonight's offering till later ....

Oh please don't let Alice's horsey chap (name escapes me) be too good to be true!

I quite enjoyed the scene between Justin and Lillian- which is a sentence I never thought I'd write.

The way she was going on about Martha would have sent a lot of men running on a first date!!

I feel like introducing him when and how they did may suggest a more troubling sl for Alice. I hope so (purely because it’s fiction) as him being mr perfect would be boring

Do we think Tom and Natasha are really interested in the land for their business? Seems a bit bizarre when they're renting.

I wouldn’t imagine they have the funding to buy a plot to build a house on

It will be like an episode of Wacky Races 🤣🤣🤣 SO true.

🔮

I really, really hope not. I used to work with sex offenders and I confess it was my first thought, which I quickly hoped would absolutely not be the case.

I can imagine it’s bloody difficult to get a balance for single mothers who are dating. Introduce the idea of the child too late and you’ve wasted your time if the chap doesn’t want anything to do with kids. Introduce the idea of the child too early and you’re vulnerable to predators.

When I was listening to yesterday's episode I kept thinking Harry sounds too good to be true. He seemed to have a pitch perfect response to everything Alice said. I also really hope they are not going down the dark path of him turning out to be a predator.

I thought Alice going on about Martha and showing endless pictures was realistic though. I have friends with children who are Martha's age and meeting up with them almost always involves having to look through 'cute' pics and hear anecodotes about the latest amazing things they've done, how bright/advanced they are, they said the most hilarious thing the other day...

Love my friends but gosh it's dull (mine are 8 & 10 now and I know I was exactly the same when they were toddlers)😅

When I was listening to yesterday's episode I kept thinking Harry sounds too good to be true.

But wouldn’t it be a more logical, less melodramatic, story for Alice to be the problem? The tension would be in having found a perfect man - who can’t cope with your not being perfect.

I mean, he seems lovely but might be freaked out by alcoholism revelations and inclined to step away speedily …

I thought bloody hell Alice slow down, telling someone on a first date about your child is one thing. Forcing them to sit through endless pictures of said child smeared in food <vom> is quite another. Honestly I'd be suspicious of any man NOT put off by that, are they weirdly interested in the child (in any sense - could just be desperate to set up a family) or do they have no boundaries/thoughts and preferences of their own.

But then I admit that even quite beloved small children are of next to no interest for me in photo form. I don't really "get" it.

It was my first thought too - was hesitating to post as I thought it unlikely the SW would go down this road - but I completely agree with you.

Hmm …

No one’s pregnant at the moment, are they?

That might be the entirety of the drama - Harry delighted, Alice horrified / ambivalent? (Chris … confrontational?)

Or Harry’s family might have reservations about a divorced recovering alcoholic?

Story full of potential!

I was thinking of dv and not csa! I think that would be way too dark

a dv sl where perhaps it is picked up quicker? Doesn’t end in a stabbing preferably

i I think its normal to show toddler photos to friends but I think it was pushing a boundary on the first date. Alice should have been more guarded

I know it’s already been commented on but Alice, miss super professional yard owner who has grown up around horses and gone through pony club, junior eventing and hunter trials had no idea who Harry was despite him having competed ‘at the top of his game’ at Badminton, Burghley and Kentucky. Just ridiculous.

He's not that perfect. He was an absolute nob to Lillian, then flirty and schmoozeywith Alice when he thought she was just a groom, flipping to furious when he discovered she was the manager.

I suppose we have had a CSA storyline, via Jim?

I just want Alice and Chris to sort things out.

Thinking about it, I miss Tobeee too though. Rekindle both love stories and free Stella up for a much more suitable relationship

Completely - plus I was a bit flummoxed by Lilian cogitating between an equine wellness centre and an “outdoor arena”. Surely a yard with its own cross country course must have a school?? And if it doesn’t then surely an equine wellness centre isn’t the priority.
I wish they’d talk to some horsey people when doing these storylines 🙄

Justin’s voice really irritates me. It just makes me want to cough. Why would anyone trust Justin with anything? At least Natasha has his number.

how would they have the funds to do the house though

the funeral was a bit odd wasn’t it? As in taking up so much of the episode

Another episode with two interpretations of one theme. Weird how they think this laboured structure works.

Was surprised that Gnatasha didn’t seize the opportunity to slag off Fallon’s decor with Justin. I thought she would have relished the opportunity to air her views on shabby chic…

I suppose the funeral was true to life. All those jokes delivered by with vicarly timing to polite subdued laughter. But it was excruciating to listen to. As bad as being there.

They’re over-egging Jakob. OK, we get it, he’s ND with no people skills. We don’t need it screamed at us through a megaphone.

An outdoor arena doesn't take up 10 acres. If they do need another school (and I'm sure that they must have at least one already, and probably an indoor as well), then they could have that in addition to the wellness centre...also, how far would all this be from the yard? I currently have to hike about 500m from the yard to the schools, and it's a real pain in the butt.

I can't decide if Natasha was being serious about the house building idea. I think she was just letting him know she had his number.

Natasha wouldn’t slag Fallon off to Justin - she’s more savvy than that. Sue definitely knew what he was up to!

10 acres for an outdoor arena (which, for non-horsey types, usually come in two sizes or thereabouts: 20mx40m or 20mx60m). What’s she running, the World Equestrian Games? As for a horse spa…eh? Rehabilitation centre with water treadmills etc, maybe but I don’t know of anyone who’d pack their beloved equine off to a horse spa. I wouldn’t, like they’re not already expensive enough to keep!

Good to hear Syksey again and Alan’s horrified “Marvellous” was better than any comedy you’re going to hear on Jakob’s stand up night

Oh bugger .. I hoped we had escaped a Christmas show this year . Sounds like it’s going to be hilarious. Not.