Archers thread #170: The scriptwriters have cast a Paul on proceedings! 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 Drunk Alistair, 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/radioaddicts/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/radioaddicts/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. I was tempted to try some sort of complex riff on chocolate names, given @PedantScorner's lightbulb moment - Paul's sister is Cara Mack! - and all the nonsense in last night's episode about coffee creams, but I couldn't be bothered, beyond thinking we must all be Cadbury's Fruit and Nutcases for listening at the moment. Let's hope the SWs take a walk along Quality Street or we'll have to put a Bounty on their heads!

And over to you ...

Ha ha! My mums actually from abroad and the archers was a fascinating glimpse of rural English life for her as she grew up rurally. Tbf the stories she tells from her village rival the archers for drama!!

Was fun to hear Emerald O’Hanrahan’s accent sliding unconsciously into Emma sometimes as she talked about her.

And yes, completely agree about the Emma / Susan connection - it’s a great ongoing achievement.

The village I grew up in and where my mother still lives also rivals TA, although the village is very much smaller than I imagine Ambridge to be.

A few highlights include: armed raid on the Post Office/shop when the owner and his wife were tied up and left overnight; builder who came to renovate two houses and ended up having a simultaneous affair with the two women in the houses concerned and wrecking two marriages; affair between two residents that lasted several years and which everyone knew about apart from the wronged partners; vicar's wife who had been a chorus girl before her marriage and used to get very drunk at my parents' parties and flirt disgracefully with all the men; suicides; domestic violence; alcoholism; and, my personal favourite, a farmer and his wife who went on holiday to France with another couple from the village in the 1970s and came back two weeks later having swapped partners.

My mother ended up as the unwilling confidante of many of the people involved - not sure why as she wasn't personally sympathetic in many cases and was inclined to give rather stern advice about behaviour. As a teenager I was absolutely rivetted by some of the things I overheard.

It seems a lot quieter there today - the Post Office/shop has closed, there is no longer a resident vicar and most of the women now work outside the home so have less time on their hands for liaisons with unscrupulous but handsome middle aged builders.

Harrison and Alastair convo - bleurgh. Is there something wrong with Harrison? He sounded manic. But now he’s offered to go back full time he’s definitely losing his job in the foreseeable.

sw trying to reference the SM thing about men wearing football shirts watching tv match is ick. And whilst it’s nice to remember the actor aren’t they overdoing the Roy memories/love?

is kate going to move in with Kirsty?

Rather sweet remembrance of Roy Tucker.
The actor playing him died in January. Are they deciding to keep him alive but "off sound"?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2024/jan/04/ian-pepperell-obituary

Sounds like my village. The juiciest bit of gossip I heard was the pub landlord going to the cash and carry and returning sooner than expected. Caught his wife in bed with the barmaid... Such a shame as they did wonderful fish dishes on the menu.

I thought that Kate/Kirsty scene was very nicely done.

You must have missed all the discussion here when he died, @Lalgarh?

I thought it was heavy handed!!

I thought the zoom call was a good memorial, and tonight's episode had gone over the line into ghoulish.

I thought it must be the anniversary of Ian Pepperell's death, but I see from the obituary above that it wasn't. All a bit odd, really,.

That aerial photo of Ambridge must be out of date. Time to get one showing the current Ambridge including the Bridge of Doom.

But that wouldn’t have Roy in it. So they wouldn’t have been able to use that saccharine last line.

That Kirsty and Kate scene wouldn't have meant anything to a listener unaware of the actor's death. It seemed to me more of a tribute from the actors themselves to Ian Pepperell. I'm usually totally immune to the drama but found that meta aspect rather moving, tbh.

I found the Roy storyline tonight really rather lovely.

Kate always used to get on my nerves (despite my agreeing with her on the sort of things my father refers to as “bloody bohemianism”) but either she’s mellowed or I have…

Even though it felt hasty and superficial (and truthfully a bit made up,) it was vaguely gratifying to hear both Phoebe and the Birmingham Tucker contingent mentioned.

It was a lovely scene if we hadn’t already had so many tribute scenes. This was probably the best of the lot and all they needed to do

It went over the line into shite, imo.
Roy’s actor’s death was far too early, but Roy’s departure as a character is welcome.

Mind you, I missed the zoom call, so there is that.

While I loved the tribute to Roy, I feel a bit let down after last night’s cliffhanger. How long after the event are we going to hear Will’s reaction to Emma’s revelation? I’m happy Fallon and Harrison have had a rapprochement and I’m delighted the charging station plan will now go ahead, but let’s be honest, that’s not what any of us were tuning in for this evening!

I thought it was lovely. “He’s some actor, and a good man” was definitely the scriptwriters’ and actors’ tribute to Ian P. Not too mawkish just sweet.

harrison on the other hand still wants pushing into the Am

I thought it was lovely.

Gosh Kirsty and Kate was very forced! They spoke like he was dead, not living in another country. And nowadays someone would surely say “let’s text him”.

They should have played on the momentum from last night with Emmur’s confession.

Yes the way they were telling the story of the tent being trampled was really odd given both knew the story

I think we should all be very grateful they didn't choose to do a topical insert reminiscing about his early far right leanings.