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!

Jolene was indeed a silent in 1994. In 1991 she had left Wayne and was living with a bass player in Huddersfield when Eddie tracked her down to invite her to his fortieth birthday party, to which she didn't come, but apart from that and her having had a baby in 1985 we knew nothing about her once she left Layton Cross.

Eastie77Returns
currently ill in bed

I hope you get well soon.

Do violent thugs really have such long active careers? Surely the one she ‘recognised’ would by now be dead, in prison, retired to the Costa del Crime, or blamelessly domesticated in Surrey and building Lego trucks with his grandchildren. It’s a bit of a stretch to imagine he would still be cruising through the dark with a gang to wreak havoc in random places.

Or indeed he’d still be recognisable as the same thug he was 30 years ago.

As I have already admitted on the spoilers thread, my knowledge of crimes and thugs comes entirely from crime dramas, whodunnits and high profile cases reported on the news. (Long may this continue to be the case.) Having just watched the heavily trailed BBC documentary series The Tourist, which involves two organised crime gangs led by people at or close to pensionable age, I can entirely believe that elderly thugs exist. Jamie Dornan would not lie to me, I feel sure.

I can entirely believe that elderly thugs exist. I’m sure they do. Just not convinced they’d be recognisable as the younger thug they were 30 years ago.

Jamie Dornan would not lie to me, I feel sure.

😂

I’ve been putting off watching The Tourist S2, because S1 seemed so artificial and unconvincing. But if it will help me to understand an Archers s/l …

Nevertheless, I find it hard to believe there’s no career progression in thuggery …

I don't think it's meant to be convincing, tbh. As with many series, I found the ending by far the weakest part, but I enjoyed most of the progress towards it. Beautiful scenery. I think you'd like the leading role played by Olwen Fouéré, Totters. That character would shake Ambridge up, but possibly not in a way that most Archers listeners would enjoy. Other end of the spectrum from change counting!

I’m a great admirer of hers, @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g. Though I’ve only seen her once on stage - in Fabulous Beast’s production of The Rite of Spring, many years ago.

Lucky you! I'd not come across her before.

I thought we weren't supposed to show pictures of the actual actors

Jamie Dornan can lie to me anytime he likes.

On another thread Bore recommended his very recent Desert Island Discs. Really excellent.

Can’t believe I’ve missed nearly a whole thread. My excuse is that I’ve been producing a junior Archers listener. Well she’s not been listening yet as I listen in the rare 13 mins I have away from breastfeeding to pee/clean teeth/wash. But she will, she will…

Congratulations!

That's a reasonable excuse for what would otherwise be clear dereliction of duty... (grin)

So the Brummie baddies have history of burning down pubs and the Bull is due to host the "Renew" fashion show?

If I had a crystal ball I might be predicting a large scale extinction of any number of TA characters in a Friday night horror episode.

Wolveramton, not Brum, wasn't it?

Awwww congratulations @WitcheryDivine 🤗

<rubs hands>

Many congratulations, @WitcheryDivine!

Congratulations!

congratulations! mine used to react to TA theme tune after she was born because she'd heard it so much while i was baking her in my lady oven.

Oh my gosh I need to try it with her in that case!

I’d like to hear that Peggy, Robert and Roy have all gone off to join the gang and start a life of crime in Wolvo

Yes, very different places! (Said as a Brummie, no Brummie want to live in Wolverhampton!)