Archers thread #160: Ram a lamb a ding dong! To rate the mass wisteria in Ambridge, tap the feedback tablet 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 have given a home to Hilda the Hellcat, 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 @MerryChristmasToYou, @OverArmour and @LillianGish for the thread title ideas.

This week is a bit better than last week, but the Brad/Adil/Lily stuff is very odd. Coming up to the anniversary of Jennifer's death (22nd January last year). We need a new matriarch - could that be Natasha? I find her quite an interesting character. Sometimes she's awful and then she has moments as last night where she utterly redeems herself.

Over to you!

Wouldn't it be great if we all had a GP like Azra.

On the subject of Public Warning vids, I'm always reminded of the IT Crowd and 'would you urinate inside a policeman's hat?'

You could have pneumonic plague! I wouldn't wish it on Brian, though, obviously.

Neither plague nor TB has any potential for an ongoing tragi-comic SL about Hilda's future as an unwanted cat. Which appears to be where this story is going more than the health concern in itself.

Just started listening to the 1983 episode someone posted.

Two thoughts

1. A lot slower pace. Extraneous chat. Nowadays tend to feel that every utterance has later significance - I don't think that was true in 1983. More like listening to real life rather than a tightly-constructed soap drama

2. Many more Borsetshire accents than nowadays.

@Neilsfavouritechilli I am very very late to the IT crowd and have just watched that episode. FYI - it was not urinating they were doing in the helmet...

So, have the sheep chewed through some electricity cables or some other nonsense?

You've made me larf, thanks fink

Poor Hilda. Tony wasnt very sympathetic towards Brian.
Thats 3 people that go to the Bull trying to get free drinks. Eddie and the 2 old boys cant remember thier names. Its like when you get to a certain age you have no self respect and ponce off everybody. Does that happen in real life?

It certainly used to happen about 20yrs ago when I worked in a tiny village pub.

When I was a part-time barman as a student, we had an old boy who appointed himself potman on the off-chance of getting a free beer from whoever was behind the bar. I never thought of him as a ponce, just someone who preferred being in the convivial atmosphere of the pub to solitude at home and who didn’t have the means to pay for the beer that was the outward justification for being there.

Eddie and the 2 old boys cant remember their names. Bert Horrobin and Neville Booth. Both are silents.

The electricity went out because Bert Horrobin threw a well-aimed dart at an electricity cable.

not regretting my decision to stop listening for a while. Thanks for the updates.

On the topic of public information videos, this is the best. And kids deffo take notice.

The scene between Brian and Tony was simply glorious.

A comedian once did a thing on this (Mark Thomas possibly). You wouldn't steal a handbag. - but what if I stole the handbag and then gave it back with everything still in it without you even noticing?

Invasion of privacy possibly but that doesn't really apply to the film.

@stilstilldumdedumming you are totally right, just watched the clip online and laughed myself silly.

I’ve just caught up on a few episodes and uggghhh.

So much rubbish! The GP scene with Harry… where to start?
The “longest drinker” comp with silent characters… yawn.
Harry The Wooden (but faintly creepy)

Time to switch off for me.

Yes! When one or both of them retire, I will be absolutely gutted.

Regarding the sheep grazing on the outfield. Did not Ed say that he hadn't been able to speak to anyone at Grey Gables about permission? If so why didn't he ask Oliver?

Cat allergy. Brian's symptoms appear fairly mild. He may have been able to manage them with the antihistamines but he hasn't given them a chance to week. Also mild cat allergies often dissipates over time ... this happens with my husband. When we get home after a few weeks/ months travelling he often has allergy symptoms,. He takes antihistamines and within a couple of weeks he seems to develop some tolerance to the cats.

Harry, don't like him, think he is 2 faced. When he first appeared, shouting at the stables about the hurt horse, I thought he was exceptionally rude and bullying.
Then there was the business with Chris. And as for how he spoke with the GP, especially the phone - so rude and not once did he apologise for not cancelling the appointment. I think if Alice knew about the Chris thing and heard how he talks to other people she might think twice.

I don't think the video will work on this archived version, but this article in the Torygraph made me think of Ed and his Texels
https://archive.ph/2A1kx

How much do people feel sorry for them? I for one get quite irritated by Ed constantly feeling sorry for himself, despite the fact that he's had the benefit for years of good farmland at a knockdown rent and never once thought about doing more to future-proof his business.

Maybe when the lights go back on the coin will be found to be hilariously balanced on its side.

More likely, sadly, that the losing contestant will claim that the other one must have turned the coin over and they'll spin the nonsense out for a couple more episodes at least.

Oh no@Anisette !

@SaffyRosie , Harry, don't like him, think he is 2 faced.
I don't think he's two-faced,and we've had no hints towards that, but I think there's a signs of there being a darker side to his personality.

I am confident that Tony is up to date with his tetanus.

I am confident that Tony is up to date with his tetanus

If he is not, I expect we’ll be off down the surgery to see Dr Azra for that too!