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Archers thread #164: AmbridgEnders! An Everyday Story of Soapy Folk. Discuss The Archers here.

980 replies

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 05/05/2024 20:13

Thank you, @PseudoBadger, for kicking off this long, long series of Archers threads.

Archers 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 like to have your fortune told by Bartleby, or other unusual views. Grin

Archers 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!

Archers 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.)

Thread thrown together in great haste in advance of tonight's episode. Who's in the Am? Is it George's fault? Is this the end for Alice? Over to you!

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ArtG · 08/05/2024 06:16

We’ve been expecting it but a pregnancy for Fallon is the least interesting plot line that could have come out of the car crash story. How disappointing.

WitcheryDivine · 08/05/2024 07:16

I was aghast that he told her in front of her husband. For all he knew Harrison had been deployed with the army for the past 6 months or had had a vasectomy and he’d be revealing an affair let alone the far more mundane reality that it’s Fallon’s body and clearly it is “life changing news” and up to her what to do with it. Hated how it was handled.

Classic Alice to think that her presence would be a balm to her supposed victims!! As a PP said exactly the same as with the Harrison work story.

Really disappointed there’s another bloody unplanned pregnancy story. That playground isn’t only haunted by slavery it must also be jam packed with miserable women wondering how it came to this.

Bruisername · 08/05/2024 07:21

The way he said ‘we ran some tests and one was positive’ - was a really odd way to introduce the topic

how old is Fallon?

TherapistInATabard · 08/05/2024 07:35

Would Alice’s blood tests really take weeks to come back? She said something about wanting it over didn’t she? And Kate picked up on it straight away. I wonder if she did take pills as well (suggested by ??? above).

Tophelleborine · 08/05/2024 07:38

Soooo many things wrong with that scene. Is it routine to do urine tests on someone who's been in a car crash?! I'd be very surprised to be asked, and would be wanting to know exactly what they were going to test it for. And also, he said "we'd like you to come back in for an ultrasound" - um, which part of the hospital is this? Surely he'd just tell her to book in with the midwife?

It's disgraceful that he told her on front of Harrison, for all the reasons already pointed out. It all just felt very lazily written.

Tophelleborine · 08/05/2024 07:39

TherapistInATabard · 08/05/2024 07:35

Would Alice’s blood tests really take weeks to come back? She said something about wanting it over didn’t she? And Kate picked up on it straight away. I wonder if she did take pills as well (suggested by ??? above).

I was surprised by this too. When I had bloods taken by the GP recently it only took 2 weeks max, and surely the police have access to a faster system?

Original poster
Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 08/05/2024 07:40

Born on 19th June 1985, according to the BBC, so 40 next year. Nearly 39 now.

Such a tired old cliche to have a woman find she's pregnant just after a special occasion when it's heavily signalled there's going to be some amorous congress.

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Original poster
Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 08/05/2024 07:44

With the criminal justice system in the state it's in, I can entirely believe that the police are under pressure to keep costs down by telling the lab in cases that don't lead to death or serious injury that there's no rush for the test results, so do them when you can. Something like the old payment scale when you had to take films to a chemist to be developed - you paid a lot more for a 1-hour service and if you went for the cheapest option you got your photos back the following week.

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Bruisername · 08/05/2024 07:53

Also would a dr tell her in front of her husband for many reasons - abuse, coercion etc.

I'm guessing she’s now going to have to come to terms with it while living with an excited puppy.

we’ve also only recently had termination of an unplanned pregnancy

I think she will keep the baby and she will hate being the primary carer etc and it will drive a wedge as Harrison is just fun dad

MsCheeryble · 08/05/2024 07:58

I couldn't get past the paywall for the Hollie Chapman interview. Do the Telegraph offer share tokens? Or could anyone copy and paste?

Tophelleborine · 08/05/2024 08:00

To get past the paywall, put your phone on airplane as soon as the page loads - works for me.

Roysnewshirt · 08/05/2024 08:10

You can also do a month’s free trial. I have just signed up as I wanted to read a Springsteen review. And have got the HC article as a bonus! You just need to remember to cancel of course.

WitcheryDivine · 08/05/2024 08:14

Bruisername · 08/05/2024 07:53

Also would a dr tell her in front of her husband for many reasons - abuse, coercion etc.

I'm guessing she’s now going to have to come to terms with it while living with an excited puppy.

we’ve also only recently had termination of an unplanned pregnancy

I think she will keep the baby and she will hate being the primary carer etc and it will drive a wedge as Harrison is just fun dad

Actually this has made me think Harrison could become a SAHD if they do keep it, he’s clearly shite at his job.

I don’t know if it has ever happened and I’ve missed it but I would love one of Ambridge’s many entrepreneurial women to build a proper business that exists outside the village as well. Instead it feels like they always end up going downhill - Natasha being a glorified cafe botherer and now Fallon losing her cafe. She ought to be expanding her business not going back to being an employee. Anyway if she has a baby hopefully it will spur her on to career progression not trap her as Earth mum.

I KNOW we’ve said this so many times but how many consecutive accidental pregnancies is this? Fallon, Chelsea, Alice, Kirsty… When they mentioned the coil I thought “have they put this in to reassure us that Harrison hasn’t been tampering with her pills?”

Roysnewshirt · 08/05/2024 08:22

Possibly the ultrasound will show up something untoward (as a result of the accident) making a decision to terminate more straightforward and softening the blow for H. She can’t be many weeks pregnant though. The Maid Marion scene was only a fortnight ago and the Robert/cocktail night was only a week or so before.

She simply can’t have a baby as the poor child would have to cope with having a pirate as a grandmother. I wish J would get a parrot though. In my head she always has one on her shoulder - it makes her scenes more bearable.

Original poster
Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 08/05/2024 08:22

Also Pip. The last planned pregnancy I can remember is Ruth having Ben. Oh no, wait, Keira (sp) and Poppy were both planned, I think. Henry definitely was, Jack wasn't Sad. I suppose Leonie and James probably planned Mungo, but they don't really count.

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Original poster
Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 08/05/2024 08:22

Pirate grandmother! Grin Dressing up box would be well filled.

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WitcheryDivine · 08/05/2024 08:26

Tophelleborine · 08/05/2024 08:00

To get past the paywall, put your phone on airplane as soon as the page loads - works for me.

This worked! Thanks so much

TottersBlanklyOnTheEdge · 08/05/2024 08:26

we’ve also only recently had termination of an unplanned pregnancy

Yes … This does suggest they’ll follow a different road this time.

A SAHD role for Harrison doesn’t sound bad! He could combine it with his guardian of the rural galaxy aspirations. Although maybe only if Fallon massively increases her income, as they’re already stretched.

(Were the starry twins not planned?)

TheUsualChaos · 08/05/2024 08:35

Oh I think Fallon will want the baby. Whether that's going to be an instant change in feelings(hormones do funny things) or a slow process. But either way I think it could be lovely. It would be nice to have a new family and think how welcome the news would be for Jolene after what she's been through. Hopefully it will be a positive story line.

WitcheryDivine · 08/05/2024 08:36

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 08/05/2024 08:22

Also Pip. The last planned pregnancy I can remember is Ruth having Ben. Oh no, wait, Keira (sp) and Poppy were both planned, I think. Henry definitely was, Jack wasn't Sad. I suppose Leonie and James probably planned Mungo, but they don't really count.

Xander is the last wanted baby I can think of in the Archers, that was a bit different! I think he’s about 5 now??

WitcheryDivine · 08/05/2024 08:38

TottersBlanklyOnTheEdge · 08/05/2024 08:26

we’ve also only recently had termination of an unplanned pregnancy

Yes … This does suggest they’ll follow a different road this time.

A SAHD role for Harrison doesn’t sound bad! He could combine it with his guardian of the rural galaxy aspirations. Although maybe only if Fallon massively increases her income, as they’re already stretched.

(Were the starry twins not planned?)

Oh good point! I always forget about them.

TottersBlanklyOnTheEdge · 08/05/2024 08:38

Nova and Seren were wanted.

Their number might have been a surprise …

Grimchmas · 08/05/2024 08:42

Another regular here sharing their weary disappointment at the unplanned pg line for a woman who just doesn't want to have a baby. Especially a 38 nearly 39 year old - age related declining fertility not a thing in Ambridge clearly.

Harrison is such an irresponsible buffoon - yes I could see him being a happily stay at home dad and Fallon struggling to bring in enough income, losing her own identity and creativity in the drudgery of breastfeeding and endless cycles of washing - you just know she'll still carry more of the mental load than Harrison. Maybe some PND for either parent sprinkled in there too.