Archers thread #166: Choppy waters in Ambridge! Look out for the red flags and 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'd love to be married to Harrison, 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.)

Another thread started in great haste, mid-packing! Over to you.

I kind of feel like they are building to another big episode with lots of trailers blah blah blah and I feel like the archers should only really have one or two of those every few years

There’s absolutely no reason for Leonard to have an independent storyline, though, @Alwaysdieting - he’s only ever existed as an adjunct to Jill. And now she’s essentially silent he doesn’t have a role. I imagine he’ll be prominent, or at least audible at her funeral or in the days leading up to her dying.

(Entirely prepared to be proved completely wrong!)

Yeah there is too much going on at once atm, I hope it's not dragged on for too long. It was fun for a bit but ultimately, I like my Ambridge slow 😂

it does feel like there’s too much going on

alastair and Denise (not as engaging as Brian and Siobhan if comparing affairs)
Alastair ptsd
paul ptsd when he finds out about his mum
harrisons craziness
fallons feduppedness
alices descent
georges dilemma and eventual downfall
jolenes crazy guy (can’t remember name) seems to have been left on a backburner
Joy and rochelle
joy finding out mick is moving in
the impending tree surgery disaster
the Filipino mafia telling posh boy Freddie to piss off with his gym and just get them a pay rise
Lily is surely going to come crashing down at some point?
brad and Mia university outcome
brian and Miranda

Harrison is going to want a ‘ceremony’ to mark the loss of his unborn child methinks.

Yes! And Fallon will tell him to do it without her

I wish Alan good luck with that one! Anglican funerals in normal circumstances (for someone who was actually born before they died) are a very delicate balancing act because Anglicanism doesn't offer the possibility of praying for the dead (although I suspect it probably happens on the quiet in the high church, not relevant for Alan), so they kind of dance around the topic - praying for the family, remembering the dead, and generally hoping that no one will notice. Based on my experience, it mostly works - people come out thinking they have prayed for the deceased and it's only if they have some more theological training that they realise. Funerals for unbaptised children add another layer of complexity, and funerals after stillbirths even more so. I have no idea what he would be able to say to mark the loss of an early, unplanned pregnancy where the mother didn't want any involvement!

I know that the entire premise of the Archers is based on unlikely people talking to each other in unbelievable situations but why on earth are Elizabeth and Lily involved in Joy's birthday party? Surely they have nothing to do with each other normally.

The Archers did, perhaps accidentally, make me laugh out loud though when Ben dropped in on Joy's to invite her somewhere and on hearing that Fallon and Joy were having a cheese tasting said "OK, bit random". That's exactly what I was thinking. Why would Fallon be excited at trying Helen's cheeses she must be quite familiar with them what with her working at the cafe, catering, etc?

Oh goody, someone give Harrison a Catholic bible and let him get stuck into 2 Maccabees. I can just see him moving from praying for the dead on to really gruesome torture.

If Harrison tries that on, I hope Alan gets a letter from the Bishop referring him to the nearest Catholic church.

I wonder whether Mick has gone insane and booked LoLo for Joy's party?

Well as Elizabeth is apparently such good mates with Joy perhaps she’s offered it for free🙄

yes I found the ‘bit random’ funny too and it made the scene more natural. Fallon must have tried all those bloody cheeses to death so it was very weird

i remember watching a cooking show and there was a woman who made trifles and took them to every event she was invited too. I was thinking how people were probably ‘not another bloody trifle’ about it. Anyway, that’s also how I think about Helen and her cheeses

Definitely agree. Now they SW’s will have to work in a GE. Or maybe that’ll help get the SW back to the woes of British farming and stop thinking they have to the radio equivalent of EE to be down with the kidz. My latest was wondering if Harrison was going to attack Alice. Sigh.

With the cheese tasting I can only assume there might be seasonal variations in flavour and texture according to the time frame of making, storing, selling and eating.

(Vaguely recalling the small essays cheese producers sometimes offer on their websites, warning buyers that the products won’t be identical across the year.)

Our Maternity hospital has a Quiet Room with a lovely stained glass window. It has Memorial books - the name of your miscarried child can be written in the book in beautiful calligraphy.

When I miscarried at 12 weeks, we were asked if we had a name chosen. We hadn't, but quickly picked a unisex family name. When I miscarried two years later at 11 weeks we were better prepared and used my maiden name as a unisex name.

In both cases we could have attended a service held quarterly to remember losses. We didn't, but if Harrison wanted something, I don't think it would be difficult or complicated to find something.

The issue would be Fallon's feelings, if Harrison wanted them to "name" the "baby". I think she would be horrified.

there are 2 trees in different parks in my area where you can tie up a note to your lost child. Some are young children but there are a lot of miscarriages as well. I think it’s a nice idea and can help people feel less alone

The issue would be Fallon's feelings

Don’t be silly. What do those matter when Harrison’s lost his baybeeee?

Tbf I think it would be healthier for her to acknowledge his feelings of loss but make clear she doesn’t feel the same but will support him in how he wants to grieve. He also needs to acknowledge he can’t make her feel differently

I don’t think it’s that rare in RL actually.

I do believe they could put Leonard in now and again, he gets on with everyone not only Jill. He could have a story line with him and Jim behaving a bit badly. Its a waste of a good actor, just carrying Jill's coat and bag and lemon drizzle cake.
Cant be any worse than the Capt Jolene and Mikey story.

i remember watching a cooking show and there was a woman who made trifles and took them to every event she was invited too. I was thinking how people were probably ‘not another bloody trifle’ about it. Anyway, that’s also how I think about Helen and her cheeses

I wouldn't mind; there is no limit to the amount of cheese I can eat! Not trifle though, I don’t like that at all. All those layers mushed together <shudders>

I said that ages ago! I hypothesised that Joy had miscarried.

Suddenly Harrison’s unlike “finding God” has a point

On Rochelle - if she is dead I think it’s after she has kids (who also died). Could be a bit dark.

on never getting enough cheese. Agree but the beauty of cheese is the variety. Being stuck only eating borchester blue and sterling gold would be thoroughly depressing even if the taste changes slightly over the year

Oh, thank-you! That’s opened my eyes a bit, especially the martyrdom of the woman and her 7 sons. And the discrepancy between the narrative and Ciseri’s painting.