Archers thread #163: Too much aggro, not enough agri! 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, 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 @LikeTalkingToLassie for the thread title idea! She and @LillianGish had fun with this theme on the last thread:

More farmer, less drama
More ploughing, less rowing
There's mileage in silage.
More sheds, fewer beds.

All good points. Fair to say nobody on the last thread was delighted to see the return of Harry. I think we all agree that Alice is a blithering idiot to get involved with him again. Most of us also think that Miranda is up to no good. Other storylines in play at the moment:

Alistair and Denise, with the massive complication of John and Paul
Ed and Emma - another doomed Grundy enterprise? Does Will still have the will to wang them some wonga?
Whither George - YouTube sensation or Borchester Magistrates' Court?
Will Markie cause mayhem at The Bull?
Will Harrison haul him in to Borchester nick?
Will Hannah get off with Chris?
Will we ever get used to the new Robert?
Will there ever be a new Roy?
Why do we hear so little from Brookfield now? (Although if we never heard Pip again, I for one would be delighted)
Will Stella dump Pip?

There are probably others I've missed. Over to you!

Why did Alice tell Chris such a stupid lie?
He's clearly going to ask Lillian about the work meeting.

Oh, I know. Plot reasons.

Alice has no insight. Harry is manipulative. It will all end badly.

Chelsea playing off The Bull against the tearoom is going to end badly no doubt, likewise Alice’s lie to Chris about where she was going. Why didn’t she just say she had an AA meeting of her own? I don’t really understand her continued fascination with Harry - is it that she has a saviour complex? This is where we needed a more gradual development of the plot so we could understand how she might find it hard to extricate herself from the relationship. As it is it just feels like a mechanism to drive a further wedge between her and Chris to propel him (somewhat unrealistically in my opinion) towards Hannah. No farming again - more aggro no agri - never was a thread title more appropriate!

Poor Hannah. Alice is going to bring her life crashing round her ears. But that’s through her own selfishness - she put Harry above everyone else but that’s because she’s getting a kick out of this somehow.

Chelsea was being a bit of a madam this episode speaking to Jazzer. I know they’re trying to make it funny but she comes across as rude

amazing how Emma was holding the whole village economy up 🙄

Aye. Playing Fallon off against Jolene is going to work a treat Chelsea.

Tbf if they are that desperate and they can’t find anyone else then they will have to up the pay

I think he often sounds like Rob Titchener, not just the laugh < shudder >

I want everyone involved in this episode to DIE.

That is all.

Why are they going so heavy on the sauciness!

Brad is correct - extra nice should not be necessary. I don’t understand how Lily has managed to end up with such responsibility? Nice to know the sw have decided to continue on gg being run as the least professional hotel around. Going on about being extra nice and then speaking to Fallon and Harrison like that? And then the mayor being indiscreet enough to mention what was in the case.

I know they are going for humour but it’s just so bizarre.

the whole episode was weird. Wish I’d forgotten to listen

🥱 yawn.

Oh I enjoyed it! I found Lily very crisp and funny. I mean Maid Marion and the Sheriff of Nottingham is a little dated and ‘carry on’ but I liked it 🤷‍♀️

Christ on a bicycle but that was dire.

As a one off it was quite funny!

That was grim.

As a refugee from a 1950s farce it would pass muster. And Frankie Howerd, or some other seriously good comedian, might have made something of it. Lacking any good comic actor, it fell on its face.

I like to think of a poor SW being allowed a little fun …

… and totally fumbling the chance

That made me laugh out loud. Thank you.

Dear god that was bad.

Oh dear. I usually quite enjoy the komedy kapers of TA, but this wasn't it.

Is this the light relief before some hideous revelation on Friday?

Maybe it was Hedli Nicklaus who reminded them?

Fallon was going to dress up as MM and expect Harrison to put on a RH costume. Really? Do people do that in RL?

Also what was that nonsense Brad and Lily told the Mayor about a safe case policy and they'd noticed the case was in THEIR ROOM so they were moving it to a safe cupboard.

I'm going to have to LA as I think I've made that up.

I feel slightly queezy
To me Harrison looks like a dark haired Barney Rubble or Danny Devito
He is at least 4 inches shorter than Fallon and overweight.

Why would the mayor have looked in the bag, clocked it wasn’t hers and then just taken Malcolm for a walk and not asked for her own back?

I don't think Harrison is overweight- he's a cricket-playing policeman, and while neither of those preclude him having a beer belly, he sounds quite active.

Maid Marion only works if it's the Disney version, but the Sheriff of Nottingham would have to be Alan Rickman, so the wrong mix.

I don't really get costumes, anyway. I can understand lingerie, but mostly that's there to be taken off. Also, if Fallon's worried about a couple of fancy dress costumes - well, I'm sure hotels have seen far worse. It's not like every night in a hotel is chaste. Mind you, I don't think I've stayed in a hotel where I know all the staff.

I do wish they wouldn't try to do comedy.