Archers thread #168: Near to the Maddening Crowd? 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 like to hear more of Harrison's strange little moaning noises, 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 @OverArmour for the title suggestion!

Over to you.

Joy has been good with mental health issues a couple of times now - with Ben and now from an addict perspective. I’m going to go with her perhaps being an addict herself too, or perhaps Rochelle was an addict who died by suicide or an overdose and Joy was unable to save her. It does seem as though they were together for at least a part of her childhood - references of majorettes etc.

Depends how she presented him “this is a friend of mine who is staying the night” cf “this is your new daddy”.

I think you may have crossed a line there! Grundies, Oliver, Justin, yes, but not Bartleby. (Bartleby’s voice can go in with the rest).

There's nothing wrong with a parent having a friend of either sex it's only problematic if he's introduced as a permanent fixture. A child in my class told me her Mum was 'going out tonight to find a new Dad'. 😔

Love the way you added the random Lola the guinea pig in your list of victims to be boiled down, I'd forgotten about her😄
Some of your posts balance out well the more sensitive posts written on here - (sometimes posted by me).

My ex-h very quickly introduced the OW to our daughter when we first split and they were officially together. They split up within months but dd still remembers her now or at least speaks of her as though she remembers (I am aware of childhood amnesia). She was just under 2 years old and it's now been 12 years since she last had any contact with the woman. So I don't find it improbable that Martha would remember him even if they hadn't spent a lot of time together.

I don't think it was Alice's finest parenting decision, mind you. But part of the reason for that is precisely that children do remember and form relationships quite easily. My 3 year old niece goes on and on about 'my friend', a child she once played with at someone else's birthday party.

Yes this is true. I also can’t imagine Harry being able to read a story in a way that she found so engaging!!

I think putting a child to bed is quite an intimate act and as a parent you need to ensure your child doesn’t create strong bonds with someone who may not be there for long

take harrison as an example, he’s keen to be seen as a great friend of Martha’s but in reality he has very little loyalty to her as an individual. Fine for him to be at birthday parties etc but if he was doing more caring duties (like bedtime) I would think that inappropriate

@Lalgarh I also had a ‘Joy is Rochelle’ moment while reading everyone’s musings 😂

The Joy issue I don't think she or Rochelle committee any crime for the fact Joy was able to afford to buy a (3/4bed?) New build house -presumabley without a mortgage, doesnt have a job and seems to afford to have a nice life. I don't know about these kind of thins but if ether of them had been convicted surly legal fees would would have eaten up a chunk of savings? *

Possibly someone killed Rochelle and she got life insurance?, or I like the twist Joy is Rochelle (and someone died/abbusive ex/life insurance)

• Obviously not if your a first family helen/Freddie/Alice though

I know I'm late to this but re Fallon's "Lasagne"

So joy in her youth is a drug addict/criminal whatever - has Rochelle taken away and adopted (actually Rochelle to me is the kind of name a young person would have given at the time so perhaps Joy was just very young as well). Since then she’s turned a new leaf and earnt the money we see she has now. Perhaps a small inheritance from her parents. She has since tried to get in contact Rochelle - perhaps they met up and that’s where she heard about majorettes - but Rochelle isn’t interested

or she had Rochelle very young, got in with a bad crowd and Rochelle was taken away at an older age and doesn’t want to see her because she remembers things being bad.

either way, I think Joy would have had time to turn things around financially and there’s always the soaps magic money fairy to make sure it all works out

I like the twist Joy is Rochelle

What does this mean? We are suddenly in the realms of a deep philosophical/existential discussion. It’s like being at Oxbridge on this thread some days...

This is what I keep coming back to - Joy moved to Beechwood from the NE so it was not a “downsize” in financial terms. She doesn’t work and there’s been no mention of a previous job. When she first popped up, with an exaggerated Geordie accent matched only by Heatherpet herself, none of us could fathom why she had rocked up in Ambridge or for what purpose. If the mysterious Rochelle was living nearby that might explain things. She constantly mentions Rochelle - childhood reminiscences, invented FaceTime phone conversations - even the fleeting hospital visit - so she wants people to know about her (otherwise why mention her at all?). She’s was massively understanding about Ben’s psychosis and now Alice’s alcoholism so maybe it’s Rochelle who has addiction issues, but if that were the case and she’s living nearby I’m sure she would have turned up looking for money - though maybe Joy hadn’t told her she’s moved.

It seems it’s rochelle is the one who doesn’t want to see my rather than the other way

i still think mick found out more than we’ve heard when he went to the address

Maybe Rochelle was taken away in early childhood - possibly due to Joy’s mental health issues, which would explain how much she knows? Or due to the mental health issues of a partner whom Joy was deemed not to be protecting Rochelle sufficiently from.

Either way, Joy has had updates thoughout Rochelle’s childhood and maybe into adulthood, hence the majorettes etc - and she moved to Ambridge in the hope that one day Rochelle will want contact.

I find it impossible to give any brain-space to someone who doesn't exist even in a programme full of people who don't really exist. Whether we are supposed to be fascinated about Rochelle or not, there is absolutely nothing there to be fascinated about as far as I can tell. Joy's maunderings about her are null as far as I am concerned.

Ditto John, and therefore all Denise's wittering about John.

And honestly, since the Markie guff is so hopelessly ill-thought-out, I don't care about that either.

Tbh, the mystery of Rochelle is only going to disappoint so the speculation is the only joy I can get from it

agree that markie and John elicit no interest at all. I’m sure Denise isn’t going to leave him as she doesn’t sound like she thinks much of Alastair and I don’t really care if she does. It’s all meh

i’m fed up of harrison and I don’t think I'm going to enjoy the fallout when George confesses nd that is going to drag

None of the Archers seems to make sense any more. I was looking forward to seeing the back of Bartleby. Who is going to look after him when George ends up in the slammer!

There is tremendous scope to bring in some nice new characters. The "youngsters" (Lily, Freddie, Ben, Josh, Chelsea....) surely can't stay celibate for ever. Grey Gables needs a manager, a health club manager, a chef....

The "youngsters" (Lily, Freddie, Ben, Josh, Chelsea....) surely can't stay celibate for ever. Grey Gables needs a manager, a health club manager, a chef....

Breeding them to order, @Madcats? Could work, but it would take an awfy long time

Chelsea is surely destined to take over as chatelaine of LoLo, which takes care of Freddie. Lily needs to be jilted at the altar and either live out her days Miss Havisham style, perhaps in the attic, or get herself to a nunnery. Josh and Ben can be paired off with the Button sisters.

Chelsea and Ben are being put together by the sw at the moment

they need some new blood as well. Perhaps Lily can have a lovely Robert type to tone her down

josh needs a girlfriend who inherits her own farm so he can get away from his awful family

freddie will end up with the red headed niece…

Thinking of changing my name to Alwaysdietingand asking questions. 🤣🤣🤣

Oi buggerlugs no mocking the moniker afflicted

Think I will use the ampersand in future, belt and braces

Anyway thanks for telling me about the website with the old back episodes ;’)

Red-headed niece? Having a senior moment here - who's this?

Niece of the meat thief at the slaughterhouse