Archers thread #165: Bridge over troubled waters! 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 believe Rochelle exists, 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 https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/radio_addicts/5071889-the-archers-spoilers-thread-9-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.)

This thread may well fill up as fast as the last one, so let's just get stuck in!

I think they are estranged. Joy moved to try and reconcile but Rochelle is having none of it. Having said that, she was sent a card so unless given a phone number I guess it will be her turning up or there’s no drama?

it would make no sense for Joy to be the one who has stopped contact and Rochelle turns up. She would have to have joys address as well and there’s no reason for that to have been put in the card.

still would have preferred it if she didn’t exist!!

@Bruisername ... still would have preferred it if she didn’t exist!!

What, like a toddler's imaginary friend? My much younger sister had a particularly infuriating one called Ross-a-lann (spelling mine) who was forever in danger of getting left behind when we were going anywhere by car. Refusal to stop and open the door for her prompted hysteria. Ross-a-lann is not a million miles from Rochelle, and the actress who plays Joy is just a couple of months younger than little sis.

I'm no longer enjoying this story line. I really dislike Alice so wasn't bothered when she fell off the wagon. But they're laying it on too thick now.

Last night Freddie was labouring about George being a hero and how awful prison is (really Freddie, would never have guessed)

Tonight, Harrison drowning in self pity, and drivelling on again about "we were pregnant" and "losing a child".

That was contrasted with George acting like a normal , decent human being who happens to have a particular and useful skill. I feel sorry for George. It's just too much manipulation, clearly leading up to a massive showdown with Harrison- and for the moment my sympathy will be with George.

It’s almost like they are writing Harrison so badly so that we do feel sympathy for George!! They are laying it on a bit thick now and it’s losing its dramatic appeal

(yes imaginary daughter would be good! But I was thinking more that she’s dead - maybe the address is a cemetary)

I think the most probable thing with Rochelle is that they're estranged, for reasons that will probably not be very interesting. It happens.

Harrison needs pushing under a tractor. No sane jury would convict anyone for that.

I thought the same @Bruisername! Almost started feeling sorry for George tonight but then remembered he only has himself to blame for the lies.

Nearly had to switch off at "we were pregnant". I hate that phrase at the best of times 😡 Not sure how much more of Harrison I can take!

I thought the same @Bruisername! Almost started feeling sorry for George tonight but then remembered he only has himself to blame for the lies.

The thing is the George character is so badly written that I don't feel George is to blame - rather it's the script writers creating a pantomime villain for no particular reason.

Coppers are generally very practical. Not over-sentimental and self-indulgent.

The crash SL had the potential to be brilliant but the resultant fall-out has just led to me wanting to switch off:

1. Miscarriage and ‘we were pregnant’ wallowing
2. Ali-stare’s panic attack
3. Lame cover-up story about Denees and Ali-stare and the fantasy sheep
4. Over-the-top fawning over George

I could go on…The best bit was Alice carrying on drinking but now she has been banished to London. It’s all such a bore.

Ben sounded very well-spoken yesterday. Straight out of RADA.

And what on earth have they done to sensible Kirsty!?!

Yeah, it’s all a bit disappointing

I’m finding it really frustrating where the SWs are choosing to completely change characters’ personalities. Kirsty and Harrison, most obviously.

To add to all the other rubbish about the crash SL, my personal bugbear is that they've somehow engineered it as though everyone thinks Alice's entire drinking problem is centered on her trauma over causing the crash and not being able to remember it - that's why she has now lost the will to try to stop drinking, because she's disgusted with how low she's sunk and has lost all self belief. But that is steamrollering over the fact that she had already hit the drink hard before crash, and indeed it was the whole reason for it. So if they're building up to something where either a) she finds out it wasn't her after all and is magically able to get back on the wagon or b) she does something irreversibly stupid (I don't think they're building up to a suicide attempt, but I suppose you never know) and then when the truth comes out she is sainted by everyone and not held accountable for anything, then either way I will be very annoyed.

This. And while I've banged on about it a bit, having necked bottle of vodka, she would have been over the limit the next day had she driven. To be fair she could have driven to the shop, knowing it would close soon, and totter back up the road in the morning.

Also hate the recent personality transplants.

Yes what IS going on with Kirsty?! It's like she's had a personality transplant! The pig scene with J on the phone was bizarre, it was like her brain had fallen out.

Not convinced Harrison is a complete change though, he's always been leaning towards weird and self centred.

It's been nice to hear from a few people who've been silent for ages though, especially Neil

I can understand Harrison's personality change because there's a reason for it. There's no reason to make Kirsty stupid and reckless around animals apart from the plot needing it.

Good to see Harrison finally in the church though, contemplating. For all the good it has done him.

Are pig's feet really not called trotters outside of culinary purposes??

Pigs 🐖 are escape artists- They can also be dangerous!
Beautiful animals though.
As a teenager I helped look after pigs in the school holidays - the pig man warned to never go into the large barn alone and to feed the pigs from outside the barn ( Troughs ran down the sides to be filled and cleansed from outside)
The pigs knew exactly when meal times were and charged en masse to their troughs.

They are intelligent, lovely animals - newborn piglets are impossibly sweet- no wonder Kirsty wanted to take pics of them.

As an aside, I read a book by a woman who had been abused as a child and who hid in Pig arcs as a child (USA)
The pigs she said cuddled up to her as the men looking for her pounded on the corrugated iron arcs looking for her- the pigs didn’t move.

That made me cry 😢.

There were two Gloucester Old Spots who escaped a slaughterhouse about 15 (?) yrs ago

The Daily Mail I think set up a fund to rescue them- The pigs were guests of honour at Hampton Court Flower show that year in a “ Four Seasons”countryside display .
Lucky pigs- !

Edit: They were Tamworths not Gloucester Old Spots- known as “ Tamworth Two”
They lived out their lives eventually being PTS due to arthritis( Google) in old age.

I think the collective noun for Mumsnet Archer listeners is A Disappointment.
Harrison is getting a bit over the top now, perhaps as lovely Neil says, he will find solace in his faith.
Talking of Neil, how did he end up with someone like Susan? Was she pregnant so in those days they HAD! To get married? Or was it true love?.

Lovely to hear Neil. It would be good for Harrison to spend a bit of time reflecting, not rampaging around insulting innocent bystanders! Harrison could take a leaf out of Neil’s book on how to make a marriage work, too.

Why oh why did the scriptwriters do that to Kirsty? How could she possibly not know that you need to be careful around a) pigs and b) young animals with big scary mothers??? She used to be engaged to Tom Archer, Sausage King and footballing pig impresario, as well as being a sensible woman who lives in a farming community. Grrr

Credit to the scriptwriters for David getting in a quick dig about Josh when he was talking to Ben about the front loader. That was very true to character, at least.

I wondered whether Rochelle will be estranged because of a relationship choice of Joy’s. So maybe an abusive ex or safeguarding risk ex that she handled badly and Rochelle prioritised her own family. That would be interesting and give Helen some concerns re Joy’s judgement over keeping children safe.

We also have the suspicion of joys involvement with someone with mental health issues. Perhaps another child who she prioritised over Rochelle/allowed to compromise Rochelle’s safety and perhaps that child is now dead

i’ve always thought Rochelle was made up because her name seems so unlikely

Are pig's feet really not called trotters outside of culinary purposes??* I'm pretty sure they are still called trotters while still on the live pig.

Neil was nice to Susan in a hotel, and they had to get married. Beware the pity shag.

It's always good to hear Neil, I hope he lives to 100.