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 ...

It was surprisingly good tonight.

Now, will Alice decide to plead guilty? I can't remember when the hearing is. There may be be loads more of will he won't he will she won't she to come, and maybe even a race against time.

And who's Emma gonna call?

George deleted it

Ahhhhh, thank you. I definitely need to pay more attention.

Why millennial and not generation Y? Generation Why?

My main complaint is that it's unnecessarily complicated. What's wrong with terms like 'people in their late 30s', 'young adults' and so on? Ages change. Whereas labels like “boomers” you’re stuck with for life.previously you could talk about the “post war generation” but “post war” has gone on a bit.

Ultimately it is better for George to go to the police and confess than it to be a dramatic court room confession At this stage, “less bad”. He needs to get a solicitor (not Usha) very quickly. But they don’t have the money to pay for one. So he’ll be stuck with legal aid.

I've only just listened (we were hungry unusually early and food took priority) and howled with laughter at Emma being Emma. She promised not to tell a soul, whatever it was, and then immediately proposed telling absolutely everyone in the family, plus Harrison and gawd knows who else. I wondered why she didn't just call the Borchester Echo.

The local nick's duty solicitor would probably be preferable to Usha. Also, he would have the benefit of knowing Harrison and loathing him.

Yes I missed the mention of a door mat.

As they went into Will's house Emma was burbling on about how the doormat was very worn and needed to be replaced. I immediately leapt to the conclusion that it would have a starring role in the episode, but I was wrong. Ah well. Perhaps its time will come.

Perhaps the doormat was a metaphor. (Not sure what for though.)

I think the doormat is just to highlight they haven't got any money. And George needing a solicitor means they won't ever have any.

They will have to sell the chainsaw.

Stonkingly good episode. Hats off to the actors. And the scriptwriters, as this episode felt very true to character. More of that please (not necessarily high drama but the true to character bit!)

(had to edit - stupid autocorrect)

Ultimately it is better for George to go to the police and confess than it to be a dramatic court room confession At this stage, “less bad”. He needs to get a solicitor (not Usha) very quickly. But they don’t have the money to pay for one. So he’ll be stuck with legal aid.

Can you even get legal aid these days if you haven't been charged? He might get one of those free half hour consultations if they're still available and if there's anyone local still doing them. Firms doing legal aid are as rare as NHS dentists these days aren't they? It would be good if there were a SL highlighting the scandal of the whittling away of legal aid.

(Edited to indicate quotes)

George got hold of his phone and deleted it before Will had listened to it.

What a great episode - makes up for the utter tosh we’ve been fed all week. And great acting.

Crikey, that was quite the episode. Was half way through when I got to Waitrose and did my shop in double quick time so I could get back in the car!

How on earth does Emma think no one - Ed or Will, not to mention Susan who is very good at winkling things out of people at the best of times - will notice that she’s got the weight of the world on her shoulders too, and there’s clearly something up with her and George now?

How is she going to exonerate Alice without letting on?

And when is she going to realise she’ll go down with George for also perverting the course of justice unless she speaks up? I don’t think the Grundy/Carter clan could cope with that many jail birds in one family…

I thought the doormat was the re-establish characters: Emma was the former “woman of the house” and in her absence no one notices the worn doormat needs replacing.

I wondered if George was going to turn violent at the thought she might tell the police.

Who would best persuade him to go to the police? Who does George respect?

Eddie?

@Gorgonemilezola , about 3.20 in.
I had always imagined Alice as tallish and slender but not small.

Yes, I’d always imagined her as a slightly Sloane-y English rose type. Slim and tall.

I can be slow on the uptake, but of course George has form for passing the blame onto others. I'm surprised Brad ever forgave him. Did Oliver ever get the truth of that story? I think I was abroad at the time and never caught up.

I reckon Emma will crack and tell Susan, or else Susan will drag it out of her. Emma will think Susan will have sympathy for the idea of keeping George out of prison at all costs but Susan will demand that the police are told immediately, not least because Susan has been in prison for perverting the course of justice before (I think - when she gave her brother Clive an alibi after he’d committed a robbery?). She’ll know that now SHE’S guilty of PTCOJ again too, and being hauled up in court a second time for the same crime is unlikely to go well for her.

Mind you, if I was George I’d WANT to be in prison when Harrison found out who was truly at fault. He’d be safer behind bars.

I imagine Kate to be similar but shorter. Maybe 5'6" to Alice's 5'8". Both of them blonde like their mother.
I always pictured Debbie as less slight, but again tallish and slender, but a brunette.
All of them English roses.
Adam I picture as tall, good-looking and auburn-haired, Ruairi shorter but good looking and redhaired. Both are half-Irish.

Funnily I always see Debbie and Adam as blondish, but Kate and Alice to be dark haired. Alice healthy but not skinny, and Kate as slender.

I imagine Kate to be quite slight. All that yoga.

BrightYellowDaffodil
Emma will think Susan will have sympathy for the idea of keeping George out of prison at all costs but Susan will demand that the police are told immediately, not least because Susan has been in prison for perverting the course of justice before

Both these women have a considerable personal interest in Alice not going to prison; if she does, they will be the ones who have t look after her child when Chris is at work.

they will be the ones who have t look after her child when Chris is at work.

Indeed. Or, as has often been the case, if Chris wants to do something else.