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 dunno whether this is on purpose or not but Denise sounds like she couldn’t give a shit about Alastair, whereas I feel they used to have quite a warm dynamic last year. Disagree she’s a “tease” though, she’s perfectly entitled to decide whether she fancies cheating on her spouse sex or not depending how the evening pans out.

Yeah, I was lining up on your side, not contradicting you.

Denise did seem to be hinting she wanted Alistair to move out before making a move, grossly unfair if she tries to make him choose between his elderly father and living with her and possibly Paul.

Did anyone else think Brian sounded a bit ‘breathy’ at the end of tonight’s episode?

The Grundys are going to kill Bartleby. They have been warned. Animal cruelty to one who is as old as he is. He should be enjoying his life at his age.
And how many people just happen to be passing a field with £30 in thier pockets to waste. What a load of thickos, and what a crap story line. I really dislike Eddie Grundy.

I really don’t enjoy the Grundy storylines at the moment. I also had the thought that Bartleby won’t be around for much longer.

Agree that the likelihood of people visiting the field with that much cash was close to zero

I don’t like Eddie either.

If there was a Venn diagram of people I know who walk round carrying lots of cash and the people I know who care about things happening online it’d be like this:
OO

I thought that. It felt like he wasn't good enough as he is.

We’re meant to be entranced by Denice’s straightforward nature and love of animals but here she is wanting a luxury hotel experience and a boyfriend with a fancy bachelor pad. If she was that in love with Alli-stare she certainly wouldn’t be worrying about his father’s slippers when they finally had some time alone together.

She sounded superficial and demanding to me. And she is often rude and very self-centred. I have never liked Denice - even at the beginning when she first started speaking and was flavour of the month on here - and think A could do much better.

Yeah - she’s using him as an escape. She has come across as quite unpleasant

maybe Laura will get another chance

Alistair and Denise's feelings seem to be based on lust rather than any long term practical thinking.
I liked the way Alistair said he isn't planning to move out and leave Jim alone but how would that work with a new partner?
I feel sorry for Paul already and so it's all involved with his place of work.
I'm worried about Bartleby's demise, unless he's enjoying all the attention.

Bartleby has so much potential for a proper country storyline, about health problems of elderly horses (teeth? Cushing's? Did Jakob say what's meant to be wrong with him?), and the ethics involved...I know quite a few people who can afford a pony while it's healthy, but who would struggle with mounting vet bills. That could be a serious, sensitive storyline, rather than this Rude-Mechanicals-Without-The-Cleverness nonsense we're getting now. I sort of get the generational clash of the conflicting get-rich-quick schemes, but the implementation (a pony speaking local gossip goes viral? Random ramblers shelling out £30 for a fortune-telling pony?) is just silly!

I think Denise wants to use him as a bit on the side and she has no intention of ending of her marriage. It’s ludicrous that she hasn’t been able to have the conversation with John because he is avoiding the subject and all the other excuses she’s come up with. I doubt she wants Alistair to move out of Greenacres as there is no way she wants to live with him. But more fool Alistair. He seems happy to be used.

No words re the Bartleby saga. It just seems like a silly storyline. Eddie in his 70s and still trying to fleece people with get rich schemes that make little sense. We’re in a COL crisis and people are really prepared to pay £££ to have their fortune told by a donkey. Ok.

The Ali-stare and Denise SL is sordid and grubby.
Retired professor encourages his vet son to shag his married colleague.

In response to those who complained about my ticking a checkbox post, I welcome diversity in the characters but why not have a black character who isn't in a relatively low-paid occupation and that we actually care about, not 2 vet nurses, both stroppy and whiny?

Presumably the Ali-nise SL has a purpose.

"an everyday story of country folk"

I wondered if folk were flocking to Ambridge because of Bartleby’s online presence?

(only joking)

Jim knew he was going away for the night.

Why did he not pack his slippers as well as (presumably) his pyjamas and dressing-gown?

If he’s anything like my Dad he is travel slippers!!

Yes heard that along with a clip of Alice drinking. Do the SW think they’re the radio equivalent of East Enders? Fgs 🙄

The Archers - the metropolitan idea of what country life should be like! Sorry but it really isn't.

I assume Paul and Denise both being employed at the Vets is a plot device leading to Paul discovering A&D in the office getting up to something <shudder>.

What a horrific thought. 😱

Can she only get turned on in vet clinics and church halls?