Archers thread #162: ‘This is like talking to Lassie’ – how right you are, Fallon! 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 cowhide-covered walls are a great idea for a cafe with vegan and vegetarian customers, 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.)

Title comes from one of the better scripted conversations of recent weeks, when Fallon said ”Harrison, this is like talking to Lassie! Just TELL ME”. So true of so many conversations on TA where you just want to shake them and yell 'Just TELL US, and quickly, so you don't get interrupted before you can say the important bit', but of course they rarely do and days pass before the conversation resumes. @TheBell suggested putting it in the title, so thanks for that.

@OverArmour had a great if more obscure idea, paying tribute to a Peter Greenaway film: The Policeman, The Drunk, The Vet and his Lover. That will do very well as a starting point for the new thread. Will Alistair leave? Will Denise tell John she's leaving him? Will Paul learn to be less noisy? Do any of us care?

I do care a little about Harrison and Fallon. I want Harrison to get a grip and realise he needs a paying job more than the captaincy of the cricket team. I don't care at all about Harry but I think he's been brought in purely as a plot device so with any luck we can all forget about him very soon.

Over to you!

If Stella had wanted children, she'd have had them before now.

Crumpet, I'm sorry you had that awful disease, and hope you are well and fit now. My comment was thoughtless, and I apologise. I didn't mean to upset anyone.

I get the Chris and George voices muddled up, lately.

I think it’s a bit unkind commenting on Nick Robinson voice when he’s had throat cancer.

i didn't know that. But anyway: if you are listening to a programme and one of the voices annoys you - then it annoys you. And that is something to be considered when employing actors, or taking feedback. they don't need to change the actor, but it is a legitimate thing to say "don't like the voice"

Throat cancer is nasty though, i hope he's ok.

I’ve heard Simon Williams on a few 4 extra dramas since we got a car with DAB radio. Lovely voice, no phlegminess. Justin constantly makes me want to cough. I don’t trust Miranda and I can’t believe Brian has been drawn into gossip by her.

@Sidebeforeself, , Me too but I like him as a presenter.
@crumpet , I'm glad you are better.

@FizzingAda , I didn't like your post, but you have every right to an opinion on a radio presenter's voice.

I made the mistake of looking up the Justin actor @TherapistInATabard and he doesn't look at ALL how I imagined! I thought he'd be portly and balding 😂

The actor, and his voice, is well-known, and he was described as having a distinctive hairstyle and attire, so I never pictured him as portly or balding.
Brookfield made a guy for the bonfire that was recognisably-based on Justin.
Very few people in Ambridge are overweight.

I’ve heard Simon Williams on a few 4 extra dramas since we got a car with DAB radio. Lovely voice, no phlegminess

Most of Radio 4 Extra's content is at least a decade old, so the phlegminess is his current voice. He certainly never spoke like that when he was dashing young cad James Bellamy in Upstairs, Downstairs (but that was 50 years ago now!).

Yes, I realise that @Ambridge , but it makes it all the more stark doesn’t it?

I see Justin as Timothy West. I am quite stuck in my ways when visualising actors. Ruth has not aged since having Pip!

Interesting. The characters haven't aged in my mind either, and some 'look' quite unlike the actor.

Simon Williams is nearly 78 so it's understandable that his voice is no longer young.

I have just realised: Rosie Ruth Grace Archer will be six in July.

The excuse to get Pip out of the room, so that Stella and Hannah could talk together in the house where they both live, was that she had to take Rosie to the loo.

When I was well over five I would have been completely mortified if my mother had felt the need to accompany me when I needed to use the loo!

Well pip made me regret listening over dinner.

i don’t really think I can listen to much more Miranda. The whole sniping with Lillian was not funny. Nor the sniping with Justin.

@Bruisername i enjoyed listening to Brian, Justin and Lillian together tonight - while the contrivance to get them all there was so silly (ie ugh to the conversation between Miranda and Brian about part of their date being solely to annoy Justin 🙄) they are three of my favourites - someone upthread mentioned being happy to listen to Brian doing his shopping list and I totally agree, and also with Lillian too. It was a nice Friday evening listen for me, with a big suspension of belief involved.

totally agree that the Pip Stella thing is ridiculous and also just cringe to listen to. Perhaps my enjoyment of the sniping with B&L was the contrast with that !

Presumably we were meant to be intrigued by the fact Stella is considered enough of a business heavyweight to be a non-exec director on BL board but finds it hard to stand up to a five-year-old and her mum. I think IRL Stella would have jumped out of bed like a shot and dashed home to open a bottle of wine and spend Friday night shooting the breeze with her housemate.

I get a bit fed up when someone is trying to explain and the other person interrupts all the time, i.e Stella and Pip, Harry and the doctor. Talk about dragging a story out. For Eff sake Stella tell Pip how you feel about FR.
Love when Brian and Lillian chat. I know what you mean about Justins voice but Mirandas just sounds posh to me not gravelly.

She wasn’t sounding so gravelly. Maybe she had a strepsil

could listen to Brian and Lillian all night. Just wish we didn’t have to have Justin and Miranda thrown in

Gah, I hate that trope when someone is trying to say something important and the other person doesn't listen and keeps interrupting them. How many people actually do that IRL?

I don't think Justin's voice is necessarily down to smoking. The person I know with a similar voice has never smoked, but he has quite few medical problems with fluid on the lungs and poor blood circulation.

could listen to Brian and Lillian all night.

It’s wrong but … 😍

In truth Lillian is the only person who could take hold of the Home Farm kitchen and turn it back into the social centre of the village …

<Sigh> There’s no doubt Home Farm (House) was the necessary third person in the Aldridge marriage - at least for listeners. I wonder if, even now, the creative team realise what a priceless treasure they’ve thrown away.

Oh no that’s wrong! Brian and Lillian as in laws is perfect!! Anything more is a bit icky!

I agree - but so desperately miss having (supremely Ambridge aware) grown ups at Home Farm …

I wonder if, even now, the creative team realise what a priceless treasure they’ve thrown away.

@TottersBlanklyIntoBimboCore

And for what?!

I really didn’t need to hear Stella and Pip in bed.

Pip is unbelievably self-centred. I agree, the bed scene was too much. It is just not credible that Stella isn’t running a mile. I am looking forward to Pips reaction when Stella drops her.