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!

I picture Harrison as Sam Gamgee at this point, he basically wants Fallon to be like the film version of his wife Rosie Cotton with multiple behbehs.

Harrison is nothing like Sam Gamgee, you slanderous monster!

Skilled gardener, excellent cook, bookish enough, interested in people, excellent with his hands, prepared to travel far from Ambridge Hobbiton in a good cause, explicitly anti-racist, very brave, loyal, sensible, able to deal with big hairy spiders, kind, funny, came back to his woman and made a home with her.

Harrison forsooth

By the way, in case there is any doubt, I am outraged at the comparison between Sam and Harrison.

Just so I'm clear.

Kind to his old father, defender of the weak, civic spirited, a natural leader, fond of animals.

Nor would less well-connected characters like Johnny or Tracy or Neil. Because they are honest and hard-working.

Or very probably Mia, who may be a pita but is not known to be dishonest. Brad ditto apart from the pita bit; he's mostly harmless. Chelsea.

Perhaps Hellin could write a character reference? I seem to remember that he George took pity on Henry and let him join in a football game on The Green a couple of years ago.

Helen might simply remember the run-in she had with him herself, and feel a fool for having allowed him a second chance at Bridge Farm.

Well as Helen seems to be having a post ridiculous Rob so rest I guess we will never know

With regard to the dire apple and cheese pie and giant sunflower SLs, I assume the SWs have to meet a strict quota of "comedy" minutes every month.
When Shakespeare inserts comedy scenes in his tragedies it is supposed to have the effect of hightening the pathos in the tragic scenes. I've never bought into this with Shakespeare. If it doesn't work well in Macbeth or Hamlet, why would it work in TA?

Good god someone needs to have a word with Jolene about that accent. "Ooh aarrr me darlin"

Poor Jim. Going to be stuck in his room all the time. Plus she has a spare key now. Pushing him out of his home. All of their ‘humourous’ sl at the moment all have an underlying nastiness to it. And he sounds so frail.

if it was Derek fletcher then I’m definitely throwing my radio at the sw head

as soon as Fallon was talking about the pitch etc we all know he’s going to blow her dreams out of the water just as she’s about to quit terum. Probably by getting sacked

Re Harrison and The Bull - H was very keen to help Kenton with the beer delivery. Whatever happens he will be sickeningly evangelical about it 🤢

Incidentally, I love people being evangelical about whatever they're doing- job, hobby, faith. But with certain dramatic characters, I cannot stand it. I think I must be suppressing annoyance along the way somehow!

What utter rubbish tonight's episode was.

No way would Alistair actually do that to Jim's house.

I’ve agree - have been thinking this for ages!

What utter rubbish tonight's episode was.

In particular:
Lynda pronounced Alistair the Denise way, especially the first time she said it.

Harrison is an utterly selfish knob for even thinking of mentioning giving up policing the night before Fallon's pitch.

Alistair has overridden his father's express wishes and pushed him out of his own home. Which is not only mean, but also really not in character.

Lynda pronounced Alistair the Denise way, especially the first time she said it.

yes! That really irritated me!

Didn’t George help Henry get in touch with Rob?!

I dunno, I suspect that if Justin was to ask for a character reference there would be a lot of shuffling feet and looking the other way.

Why can I suddenly not remember who it was that Oliver, a while ago, declined to give a reference for?

Oh yes - Freddie!

George is lucky …

The very thought of Jim being shuffled out of his own house! And yes his voice sounded very wobbly.

By the way, several weeks ago, I heard Jim say Ali -stare too. I re-wound to hear it again. Yup. It's a thing.

Now Harrison has agreed to go back full-time he'll definitely lose it. And soon.

Harrison is an utterly selfish knob for even thinking of mentioning giving up policing the night before Fallon's pitch.

Absolutely. It gets ever more difficult to understand why she is so keen to maintain her marriage to him.

Harrison's fears about his own capacity to do his job properly voiced to whoever earlier this week are hardly selfish, the height of responsibility. And it was the other character who said he must share this with Fallon.

He didn't say anything about them, just agreed to work full-time. Seems a bit harsh to say he has transgressed in thought.

I hope Harrison hasnt handed his notice in already and was selfishly going to tell Fallon just before her pitch. I worked in jobs that I hated but got on with it cos we needed the money.