Archers thread #172: Come on, Clive! Spill the beans and put us all out of our misery. 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 Clive sounds deeply misunderstood, 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/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.)

Fete over, cricket season over - can the Flower and Produce show be far behind? I don't think I've heard a mention of it this year. Have I not been paying attention?

In any real village, preparations for the Christmas show would already be under way, but not in Ambridge, of course. I am probably in a minority of one in regretting this.

With any luck, though, by Christmas this incredibly protracted tale of Alice, George and the crash will be behind us at last. Do we think Clive's really gone? I don't believe it. We won't be rid of him that easily. Will he go to the police himself? Will he attempt to blackmail his family or extort money from the Aldridges in return for information that would secure Alice's acquittal? Do we care? I find I don't really, unfortunately. I did enjoy hearing Clive for those few brief exchanges but I've had enough now. Unrelieved nastiness is not really what I want from TA.

Over to you!

And I will give the sw credit for a good episode - if only it had happened months ago

That was brilliant. Was in tears from the “Think about Keira” line.

A demain…..

The knock on the door came quickly when summoned,
Only in TA.

Poppy was at a friend's house.

That policeman arrived quickly. I hope it's Harrison and that George thumps him - not because I want George to be in any more trouble that he is already, but just because I'd like someone to thump Harrison.

needs a new post to clarify

I thought Keira was at a friends? It’s a school night so would make more sense for Poppy to be home with George.

yes the police came very quickly!! Clearly not the Met

Are you new to the Archers?

Bruisername
where was Poppy with will away?

A good question; probably with Clarrie.

I don't think it is likely that Harrison was sent round to take a statement, because his boss wossername took him off that case very firmly when she discovered how overwrought he was about Alice.

And why would they have sent anyone round, really? The police don't have time and manpower to answer even calls in which people say there is a man downstairs robbing their house, so why would taking a further statement from someone who has already changed his mind about his story once be such a priority?

Oh my.

Terrific episode - so fraught.

Of course it’s beyond grim for George and Emma (and Will) - but I can’t help thinking of how Susan will be feeling tonight. Maybe she won’t go to bed at all - but there’ll probably be a moment when she has time to reflect on how proud and excited she was to find herself connected by marriage to the Aldridge’s. And now look what it’s brought to her family - her daughter possibly repeating the very worst of her own life.

Gosh, it’s painful.

Maybe Neil advised Emma to mention perversion of the course of justice and flight risk, and the Clive Horrobin connection. Or maybe it was just a very slow night at Borchester nick.

I'm waiting to see what Ed has to say about it.

And Alice.

And Harrison.

Wow. I have to say as a mum of a son I had a lump in my throat there. Past time for Emma to take action though. The ramifications are going to be extraordinary.

I'll be very miffed if we don't hear what Brian thinks about this.

well done Neil and Susan

Are we sure the knock on the door was the police? Surely it's more likely to be Lynda seeking volunteers for her latest project or Ian wanting advice on his WhatsApp group. Or even Clive popping in to say he'd left his yoga mat behind.

Very good point!! Would be fabulous if it’s not the police!!

It was a good episode tonight: well acted, believable and emotionally engaging. And the potential ramifications for so many relationships are fascinating. I'm so pleased the story finally seems to be moving forward and just hope we see some action at last and don't get fobbed off with endless episodes of Ian droning on about the WhatsApp group or Paul having problems with his love life.

It could be Clive. Or Will.

But didn’t Susan say the police were ‘on their way? If so, that does have to happen. Either between episodes or - terrifyingly - during tomorrow’s episode.

Arf! Yes, I was just rethinking that and thought that around here it would probably have been a Jehovah's Witness, or one of those fake ex-servicemen selling tea-towels while his mate snuck in at the back door to steal the telly or (most likely) some nutter with a conspiracy theory and a petition involving 5G and alien invasion.

Well.

DS, who is my eldest, is the same age as George; I remember being pregnant at the same time as Emma.

For various reasons (thankfully entirely dissimilar to George's situation) I'm quite worried about DS at the moment and this has manifested itself in my sobbing throughout that episode.

Who'd be a parent eh?

Same for this dad! If my son had committed a crime I'd expect him to have to face the consequences, but even so to see him at the moment of distress being taken away would rip me to pieces. I can only hope he is fully cooperative and doesn't make things even worse.

It was quite powerful hearing two people working together - Neil with his common sense and decency and Susan speaking from experience - to leave Emma with only one option.

I do hope things pick up soon. Can't have been easy listening.

Oddly enough there was an incident near us today involving a hot pursuit, police car rammed when the criminal reversed into it at speed and then fled by driving down the pavement clipping cars as he went. The area has been heaving with police ever since. Clearly damage to one of their own vehicles is the thing that gets them out in force. (Admittedly we don't know what his original suspected offence was.)

@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g - That sort of event is a more-than-weekly occurrence around here, though generally not too locally, I'm glad to say. They seem to have the knack of bouncing off cars parked on both sides of the road and I often wonder if it's a competitive sport.

God knows why they didn’t just consult a solicitor and also say ‘if you don’t hand yourself in now then we’re doing it.’

On the plus side, George is well acted. All of them in today’s scene were.

Also, is Xander the first child to go to school ever? He’d have been knackered on his first day as well.