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!

I saw Arthur Hughe as Richard III at the RSC (last year or year before) and never realised he was Ruairi!!!

Such sad news about C. J. Sansom. He was apparently halfway through writing the next instalment of the Shardlake series. Absolutely loved those books and will take one of the earlier ones to read again on holiday this year.

Back to TA. If Alice is drinking so heavily she managed to sleep through the phone and Jakob banging on the door for ages then she shouldn’t be left with Martha. It’s really irresponsible of him not to alert her family.

Oh that’s bad. She’s really descended fast. So Jakob knows she’s drinking again?

I suppose we're now in for the super-soapy storyline of Jakob agonising over what to do and getting it wrong, which in this case means he won't tell anybody about Alice's drinking.

Did you see this lovely tribute to him? C. J. Sansom 1952-2024 - The Mary Rose

He found her in a disoriented state at home and spotted an empty bottle of wine hidden on or behind the sofa.

I would think Kate would drag it out of him. People will talk and find the stories Alice has told them don't match up. Hopefully it won't take too long.

The wine bottle was behind a cushion, and not well hidden.
Alice sounded drunk and is well-acted.

And Martha was there?

No. Martha was at the nursery. Chelsea was annoying at Te Rum.

Hopefully Chris picking her up!!

so she chose the tea room?

The reason Jakob was knocking on Alice's door was that Kate was meant to be picking up Martha, Alice had forgotten to tell the nursery this and they wouldn't give the child into her care, and neither Alice nor Chris was answering the phone.

Kate was picking her up but the nursery staff needed confirmation from Alice.
The Archers - 29/04/2024 - 29/04/2024 - BBC Sounds

Oh thanks. What a mess. I’ll try and listen tomorrow

chris will be furious and understandably so

Surely Kate is going to be even more suspicious of her now

I think Alice's experience as an alcoholic will be very different this time without Jennydarling pandering to looking after her. And how will Brian cope?

This time she definitely should lose Martha so that will send her further over the edge. In fact I think her only hope of regaining her sobriety will be if she's up the duff and forced to stop drinking again. Then she could have another baby that Chris is forced to watch over while he's got custody of Martha.

(also big contrast with Fallon up the duff - who may lose her baby bc of the impending pub ransacking by organised crime)

<Hope Alice throws a brick through the shop window again and doesn't miss this time😁>

She didn't want to work with her Mum.

So Jakob will have to tell a lie about Alice's not informing the nursery - more subterfuge, more concealment. I know in Rl people do lie, of course, but TA absolutely runs on silence.

Alice was real well-acted.

Chelsea was awful.

Chelsea’s behaviour was shocking. I find her voice extremely annoying so zone out a bit when she’s on.

I don’t know what’s next for Alice. She’s already been through rehab, has a buddy and did all the meetings. If she loses Martha I think she’ll end up hospitalised.

also big contrast with Fallon up the duff - who may lose her baby bc of the impending pub ransacking by organised crime

oh well, every cloud and all that.

She doesn’t want a bloody baby, and has managed not to get up-duffed for years. It would be very annoying were they to change that status quo.

I found you all again because I was actually quite upset about Alice falling off the wagon! Martha needs her mother and I’m a bit tired of things not working out for the women of Ambridge. Why did the script writers feel the need to do this to Alice. Am seriously in a huff and May boycott for at least two weeks. Fallon pregnant?!

I think surely something will go wrong due to A drinking before J has time to divulge it, making him feel guilty?

no one is pregnant as far as we know btw and I think it’ll stay that way for the moment

Knowing Jakob he cant keep a secret and is very friendly with Chris and of course Kate is his girl friend, so I really dont think he can keep quiet even if its because of Martha's safety.
I hope he does say something.Alice shouldnt be incharge of a child if she is drinking anything can happen.
Chelsea is so annoying and im sure Natasha wil get rid of her soon and the pub job would have gone as well so she will be back to square one and blaming everyone but herself. Sniff!

Sometimes TA seems to be heading for super soapyness and then it seems like they have a rethink and it all comes to a head in the very next episode in a surprising and satisfying way 🤞

Good point, @Outwiththenorm (great username, btw - are you Scottish?). I will try to remain optimistic. Do the right thing, Jakob!