Archers thread #158: Te Rum? You numpty, numpty, Tom! Empty tearoom follows. Christmas coming, farmers’ stand up, will it make us LOL? No! 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 think Tom Archer is a great businessman, 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 @LillianGish for the title idea, which may plant an earworm if my scansion just about holds up. @BeatriceBatchelor wanted 'plebby coffee' inserted in reference to my Bolivian coffee anecdote on the last thread, so I'll mention it here instead. Here's hoping Fallon and Emma decamp to the charging station or Grey Gables, or both, to run the type of coffee shop/tearoom people actually enjoy spending time in. Tom's cauliflower eclairs and kale criossants approach sounds more likely to drive the casual trade away from the farm shop and cheese window as well as the Google Translate-named Te Rum.

Feeling very uninspired by TA at the moment, so I have nothing more to say for now. Over to you!

Ah Amy, god I'd completely forgotten about her let alone the ONS! That was awful of them both but, yes I agree, that doesn't count as moving on. Has there even been anyone else since that? Chris still very much holds a light for Alice. I don't mind Chris. He was hard on her at times but I think the fact that she was potentially putting his child's life in danger, plus all the other wreckless behaviour made it impossible for him to be understanding at all times. It just all showed how alcoholism destroys relationships, trust etc.

Nothing whatever. He tried very hard indeed to be supportive and to help her get through being a drunk. She was in that state of mind in which if he'd said it was a fine day she would have managed to take it as a slighting reference to her love of the bottle and attacked him for it. (She was frequently a nasty drunk, as poor Ruairi would certainly attest.)

When Chris had sex with Amy, it was in the flat above the shop. Which he didn't move into until after he had moved out of the cottage at Home Farm, leaving it for Alice and Martha to be in: Alice had made him homeless, in effect, after he'd spent the first six months of Martha's life looking after the baby because Alice was unable to do so. So at that point, Alice had made it absolutely plain to him that she didn't at all want to be with him. Her utter horror when he had sex with someone other than herself was a] hypocrisy, since she'd been having sex with other men and b] dog in a manger: I don't want him, but nobody else can have him.

@AskingQuestionsAllTheTime Thanks!

Anyone else wondering if Emma's protectiveness over her phone was because the message from a course mate, inviting her out, came from a man she quite fancies?

I didn't get that impression. I'd be absolutely furious if someone was taking my phone off me and messaging on my behalf.

A drunk Emma is more likely to have been giggling uncontrollably about a guy she fancies on her course or her tutor than a game where you put your shoe on your head! She’s not seven years old!

While she clearly didn’t spend the evening talking about the nuances of her set texts, I’m glad she had a good night out and didn’t come home bemoaning the price of a pint.

Gagriculture japes are wearing thin. It’s just another variation on the panto dross.

@WombatCowgirl I must say like I didn't get that impression (but who knows?). It seemed more to me an opportunity to see the new-look friendly, fun, loving son George in action wanting his mum to relax and have a lovely night out.

Was it only a few months ago that he was a total swine and people feared he might end up like Rob? It's not only Doctor Who who's totally regenerated!

I'd be disappointed if George has entirely turned over a new leaf for good. It would be disingenuous. There's no Tardis in The Archers!

Agree that Chris was a loving and patient husband with Alice for the most part. I'm still a bit hurt that they aren't back together now she's sober - perhaps she did too much damage for my wish to be realistic, and I just don't think she sees him that way any more.

Didn't Chris decide he was in love with Amy, but she saw it as just a ONS? Or am I getting them missed up with somebody else?

I used to be irritated by Joy, now I really like her. Same with a few of the characters, like Linda. With Linda it's because I've now seen depth to her that I had initially missed. Maybe it's the same for Joy too actually. But have the SW also toned her down a little?

The comedy show is anything but. So painful. Have they put Lynda on steroids?

George has changed from being a potential incel pretty quickly. A bit like Ben and his mental health crisis and Helen and her eating disorder.

part of Emma expanding her boundaries is also mixing with people outside the village. Although was all a bit sterotypical with the drunkenness and the ‘new people’. George was right - she will regret it in the morning!

I'm still a bit hurt that they aren't back together

It’s true Chris and Alice engendered enticing social comedy - so much joy for Susan, so much horror for Jenny!

But Brian’s ‘starter marriage’ quip was surely always an implied promise that Alice would have many more. Aldridge (Archer) women (so including Lilian) don’t tend to stick with one man for a lifetime …

@Grimchmas I think Amy decided she was ‘in love’ and asked Chris if he felt the same. He said no or not yet and she decided to leave. I’d quite like for her to return and start seeing him again. She is incredibly dull but it would be interesting to see how Alice reacts.

(Though obviously for Lilian 2x widowhood was a factor.)

Both Shula and Elizabeth were widowed. Jill was widowed. Peggy was widowed twice. Christine was widowed but it moght have been her second marriage.
Lilian was widowed twice. Jennifer divorced but then had a long marriage.
Debbie divorced someone dreadful. Kate is divorced. Alice is divorced. Helen divorced someone dreadful then dumped Lee.

I don't think that is too bad given that the age range is from mid-30s to 99.

I absolutely wasn't; I was wondering who the hell George thinks he is, snatching someone else's phone and sending messages to her contacts. (I am reasonably sure what the reaction would be if that sort of behaviour were put up in IABU!)

Tells me that George is still a little shit, just better at covering it up than he used to be.

ILoveShula
Christine was widowed but it moght have been her second marriage.

Christine was widowed twice: Paul Johnson killed himself by driving into a bridge on a German motorway, as well as George Barford dying of The Ambridge Tree.

I knew you'd know Asking. There's an adopted son Peter, I think. Was there a daughter?I remember Shula asking the GP if her infertility was hereditary, because her aunt hadn't had biological children

moght . Eating me dinner is no excuse

There was only Peter Johnson, but George Barford had a son and I think he also had a daughter. Only the son, Terry, ever came to Ambridge and spoke on air.

I'd completely forgotten about Terry

Elizabeth was so taken with him that she pursued him to Germany when he was posted there!

just coming in to say that Chris and Amy was a ONS that so shook them up because of the consequences, that Amy moved away. He is not the bad guy here in the "moving on" stakes.

And i didn't think Susan was lamenting Alice moving on rather than sympathising with her son, knowing he still carries a torch for Alice. So i see it either as Alice moving on properly and we are going to have proper grown-up separated co-parenting (yes please) or Alice is going to realise at some point that Chris is the one that she wants (no thank you)

But. Gosh no. Jakub. All the flipping no.

But. Gosh no. Jakub. All the flipping no.

??? Don't understand this. FWIW, I like Jakob. He has a lovely voice. Usha clearly feels similarly.

@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g Yes, I was rather wondering too. I thought he did a good job taking a firm hold of the comedy night rehearsal. Perhaps the only person in Ambridge history to be entirely indifferent to Lynda's demands. 😅

I think Jakob will be the unintentionally hilarious compere when he is a little too honest about the acts

I'd like that!

I am loving the Jakob - Lynda interactions. The irresistible force totally defeated by the immovable object. It’s much less painful over all than the usual Christmas panto preparations which seem to go on for about six months.