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!

'Paul' Mack-intoshes
Colours available:
Gold - for when you're winning at life!
Red - doubles up as a flag, useful sign to potential partners!
Blue - for those times when your partner announces he actually wants to be polyamorous, not exclusive, and then you get a mysterious itch

She tried to but I don’t think he really believed her. He seemed to fall on the “We’d have made the best of it, she’d have loved it once it was born” side of things.

I suppose the situation with Alice wouldn't have helped. I believe she didn't want children until she accidentally fell pregnant.

I think men should be allowed to be upset about the loss of a baby or in this case the loss of the possibility of having one.

I agree with this. I agree also that Fallon should have made it clear before marriage- but maybe she didn't know. Maybe she thought she'd grow into the idea as she got into her 30s. However, she did make it very clear to Harrison after they were married, and even if she hadn't, grieving about lost possibilities doesn't mean taking it out on anyone else. His aggressive reaction should have caused Fallon to think, "thank god I didn't!" if she'd ever had any wavering doubts.

When Fallon tried to tell Harrison she may have had an abortion he made that strange strangled sound and ran out of the room saying it was too much to take in. He didn’t want to hear or accept it. He has convinced himself he would be on his way to being a father by now if it wasn’t for the accident. As long as that delusion continues I think their marriage is doomed.

Brian was so compassionate when Eddie confided in him about Will and the gun. He (Eddie) knows what it’s like to feel desperate when your child is in harms way so to hear him basically say he doesn’t care if Alice rots in jail as long as George is spared was awful.

In fallons defence - I understand her adamance came from Harrison’s niece visiting and him leaving her to do all the looking after.

yes she didn’t say until after marriage but there is such a things as divorce

I have always wondered if a therapist’s tabard would have any unique features.

It needs pocket to hold your tissues, boiled sweets etc. And be made of soft material with no sticky out bits (buttons etc.) for the hugs. And preferably something absorbent for the tears.

WagnersFourthSymphony

sorry, no idea why "return" became "post" there.

WagnersFourthSymphony
Who is the SW at the moment, does anyone know? Is it still Nick Warburton? He can be v good.

It has been Liz John this week and last.

What a lovely post.

It was Susan, wasn't it, years ago who described herself as a Therapist in a Tabard? Terrific line. I've always envisaged the Community Shop tabards as looking something like this.

Re Susan, I wonder if her fall and rise may mean she is sheltered from the full social reaction to her being George's grandma?

I think word will spread that it was she and Neil who did the right thing when they found out, or rather pushed Emma to do the right thing.

I'm really shocked at Eddy - never saw that nasty side, he’s had a few brushes with the law but I always saw him as just a bit of a chancer. He was one of the characters I’d have spared from the Ambridge Massacre, too 😥afraid he’ll have to go on the list now

It would be entirely unreasonable for anyone other than George and his parents to be pilloried

I think word will spread that it was she and Neil who did the right thing when they found out, or rather pushed Emma to do the right thing.

I don't know if they'd want it to, because it would mean painting Emma in a worse light as someone who didn't do the right thing until forced. They're loving parents, they'd probably keep quiet to protect Emma from what they can.

Ooh it's going full Game of Thrones now.

Echoing pp to say how much it irritates me that the SWs have risibly unrealistic representations of people's jobs and businesses. Too many to list but Tash and her fruit trees, Grey Gables (don't get me started on Oliver doing the Grundy shopping), Ian's fecking pizza van and most of the farm sidelines especially Brookfield's.

I want to hear about people and ways of life outside cities and industrial areas but not some nostalgic tourist fantasy. I enjoyed the arrival of Berrow (before Justin was a petulant pensioner and village shop meddler) and Charlie (remember his fine tilth?) et al because it seemed a new commitment to representing some agricultural nitty gritty.

Adam will be kicking himself about not choosing Charlie. There's no better description of Ian than he's a 'texting labrador' as someone upthread beautifully described him.

I think it's an Actual Voice Artist doing the kitten sounds

They must have paid a lot for the cat sound effects as they are using it a lot

pie chat is boring

I seriously doubt that demand at terum is so high. It’s all so unbelievable

so xander tells him about the toys and what he’s doing and Ian is incapable of inferring from that if he loves it or hates it because he hasn’t clearly come out and said it 🙄

sunflower sl is boring

a fantastic copper 🙄

lots of eye rolling this episode!

BOOP for remembering the existence of Wayne! As the first few seconds played out, I was getting angry that the two of them were baking pies to be The Bull's Award Winner when they have a resident chef. Have they not got enough to do running the rest of the pub? Instead of 'we just need to focus on perfecting a winning pie', maybe Jolene should have said 'we just need to focus on actually keeping our business afloat.'

And another BOOP for Fallon remembering that they're not her customers and it doesn't matter to her if the Terum fails. I wouldn't have let Jolene step in, I would have let it go and let Tom and Natasha see what a mess they've made.

so xander tells him about the toys and what he’s doing and Ian is incapable of inferring from that if he loves it or hates it because he hasn’t clearly come out and said it
It was comedy Bad Parenting. But I do feel his pain. We've got one in pre-school now and I don't have a clue how's she's getting on. She's really chatty about everything else, but doesn't say a word about school. At a push, I can sometimes get her to tell me what was for lunch. And the teacher just sends generic emails about what the class as a whole are doing. I don't mind, I just assume that we would be told if there were a problem. Not my first trip through early years education!

Blimey that was dull.

You didn’t find seething hordes at the tea room, pie-based doubles entendres and usurpation of the sunflower absolutely riveting?
You surprise me.

I didn’t mind that episode. More “Jolene and Kenton are a competitive but secure couple” character establishment. Wayne was allowed a mention. Iain was given a chance to be a bit mischievous about the pie advice. The parenting storyline and the storyline about him being the more involved parent is interesting.

A while ago didn’t we have a storyline about Iain having trust issues/Adam hiding debt? I don’t really feel like that was resolved - can anyone else remember better than I can how the two of them mended their relationship, as I’m sure at one point they were close to separating?

So Robert elbowed Jack aside to win Litter Picker of the Year and now Jazzer is going to elbow another child aside to win the Random Sunflower Competition?
I don't personally have any issues with Jack and Rosie being elbowed aside (quite hard preferably) but it does seem very odd that two apparent adults are so desperate to win meaningless competitions.

No jazzer has had to withdraw because he can’t steal a sunflower they already know about