Archers thread #173: The Fall of the House of Grundy? 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 wish we were hearing more of Pip, 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.)

I chose the thread title to echo one I used three years ago, which is here if anyone fancies a trip down Memory Lane: www.mumsnet.com/talk/radio_addicts/4320618--Archers-thread-130-The-Fall-of-the-House-of-Aldridge-Discuss-The-Archers-here. That was the thread where I caused all sorts of confusion at the start by not starting it before the old thread filled up, but others stepped in, fortunately.

At that point I see Ruairi was heading off to London to start his degree, which he has now finished, with none of us any the wiser about what he studied or where. Perhaps this will finally be mentioned now he's graduating.

And now, over to you!

Has Emma actually had her letter yet though?

How are they still going on about the apple and cheese pies?!

I too think Alice will write a reference for George and Brian will be annoyed about it and tell Alice off.
Its no surprise Harrison is thinking of leaving the Police, he has been trying to leave for ages and just waiting for a good enough excuse by saying he carnt control his anger, that Fallen will say what evers best for you MH. He is so selfish when he knows she wants to leave te rum and start her own vegan one. He just thinks of himself and never about her. I hope she leaves him in the end and serves him right.

But what else is he going to do? Professional bird watcher?

Barman. If he and Fallon stay together, it will be a step on the road to taking over the pub when Jolene and Kenton retire.

I agree that the reference wasn’t as good as Ed and Emma think. Mind you, I think they’d be grateful for anyone who didn’t say he’s a little scum bag who should have the key thrown away…

Maybe it will play well with a judge though, it’s clearly honest (rather than the overly glowing references they must get all the time which would suggest the person in the dock is inexplicably a paragon of virtue) and indicates that, while he’s set off down the wrong path, there’s still a way back for him.

I definitely think Harrison will go into pub-managing. They are constantly short staffed, Jolene and Kenton must want to start winding down, the question is can they afford to take him on as barman?

Is Emma still working at the bull? Who do they have working there now?

I think both Kenton and Jolene would see that a volatile barman with a hair-trigger temper would be a very unwise hire. Didn't Sid get into trouble re licensing for threatening someone?

But if he and Fallon are destined to take over the pub then we are stuck with him for a lifetime!! I can’t bear it!!!

he is selfish. I doubt he will discuss with Fallon and will come home with it being a done deal and she’s stuck at terum

I am with @Bruisername - I want Harrison to be sacked, not to resign. I also can't bear the thought of being stuck with him forever if he takes over the pub, but I fear that is the way this SL is going.
Will Fallon turn the Bull vegan?
Is Harrison does resign and needs a job, he could always work at Bridge Farm. They are sufficiently desperate for staff to take him.

Good call. People were saying much earlier that Alice would be team George. She could say that he was only trying to help, then panicked, then was v brave, thus backing his brief's plea in mitigation. It will help burnish her slipped halo. She will have to think long and hard about the fact that Emma was dishonestly offering to give a character reference for her, but could well conclude that that was Emma, this is George.

ETA: and if Fallon offers to give a ref about his bravery, there will be real fireworks...

@Hercisback good prediction and yes @RegimentalSturgeon Saint Alice’s kind words to the serf will make me want to vomit 🤣 I also agree @Bruisername about wanting Harrison sacked not resigning… I wonder if Justin Elliot is going to step in as cafe co-investor with Fallon having had that conversation with her a few weeks ago?

Fallon herself isn’t vegan, is she? Didn’t she just see it as a business opportunity for the cafe to distinguish it from other offerings?

Even Kate is only vegan when it suits her (“dear” ..to borrow from her Gran)

Perhaps Harrison will kindly help Fallon with her new business. It might work provided she keeps him strictly on washing up and clearing tables.

It's pretty clear that she has.

A barman with anger management issues is just what you need!

@Godesstobe Will Fallon turn the Bull vegan?

They'd have to change the name. The Wet Lettuce has a certain ring to it.

The Load of Bull?

WagnersFourthSymphony
if Burns is going to let the red mist descend, who's he going to have a go at? He's pretty angry with Emma at the moment, but for all his many faults I can't see him laying hands on a woman.

He came close when he was vilifying Alice in that horrible way after he was so threatening that she fled from his house, where she had been talking quite calmly with his wife. If she'd stayed to argue I wouldn't have given much for the chance he wouldn't have thumped her in the process of bodily chucking her out.

With luck, his boss will admonish him again and he'll have a go at her. Not to physically harm her, but to seal his fate.

I did have an awful moment of wondering whether Eddie would somehow get hold of Oliver’s character reference (remarkably generous considering the loathsome George’s trashing of Caroline's memorial bench, which Oliver was genuinely distraught about, then blaming Brad for it) and try to 'embellish' it.
Hopefully Emma & Ed aren’t dopey enough to let him get at it.

Though it might have comic potential, it would look like something out of 'Trump Draws' (if anyone remembers that Twitter account).

I don’t think Oliver ever found out about George’s lies regarding Caroline’s bench though, did he? So from his perspective, George was pretty honourable after the “accident” that damaged the bench.

And he didn't actually ask for Brad's account of things, just took George's word for it that Brad had refused to help with the bench – which of course was simply a lie, and one Oliver could easily have found out by asking.

Still better that The B @ Ambridge or whatever nonsense that was.

Maybe Eddie will note, and he would be right, that it's much easier for people with the right background and connections to get a decent character witness. I don't know how much a judge would fall for it, but it's undoubtedly true that a Justin or a Brian would never have to be out begging for a reference.