Archers thread #174: God it's lame! But it still limps on. 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 think Ben-meets-Zainab is on a par with Elizabeth-meets-Darcy, 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.)

Thanks to @Bruisername for the title inspiration. She said God it's lame and that seemed to strike a chord with many, for some reason.

I am terrified of wasps and live in fear of encountering a hornet, so that was a tricky episode. I hope that's the last we're going to hear of them, except for confirmation that they've been nuked. [shudder]

So what do we reckon - custodial or suspended sentence for George? Will Clarrie return from Great Yarmouth or will she realise that actually life as a carer for her (presumably disabled) sister is easier than the endless and thankless drudgery at Grange Farm? Will any more tables collapse at the Village Hall?

Over to you!

Plovdiv is really nice. We stayed in a lovely hotel (Hotel Erasmus I think) I assume she was going to work in hospitality rather than something environmental. As for the rest of Bulgaria, I encountered the worst food I have eaten anywhere I have been. I'm sure Bulgarian home cooking is wonderful but cold spaghetti bolognaise for breakfast in Sofia and raw chicken kebabs and rancid butter in Milnik - yuk! Apologies for the digression.

The last few episodes (esp last night) have felt like a clumsy shoe-horning in of new characters. Lynda’s reaction was just bizarre - as if she had never seen an Asian person in Ambridge before, even though Adil had been living in her house for all that time. Happy to have some new characters, but only if we can still keep up with the characters we already have - many of whom seem to have dropped off the radar or never been properly defined (I still think of Poppy and Keira as very small children when clearly they are not). Also I’m a bit bored with cats - obviously there will be cats in Ambridge, but do they need to take up so much airtime?

I wouldn't necessarily expect a 13/14 year old to take any interest whatsoever in his uncle's living arrangements for what was only a few months.

Have they? Is Khalil's interest in animals predictable?

In a way, yes. City kid who is going to end up falling in love with the country because of his interest in animals. No doubt he will be best buds with Jakob by the end of the year after having spent a few weeks annoying him

which reminds me, there’s no real dislike in the village. You rarely hear someone bitching about someone else over low level irritations. It’s all very polite or it’s big bang anger like all the fallout from George

I think Ardil would have mentioned the llamas to azra qt least and it would have got back to khalil due to his obvious interest

And also her dog (he isn't called Spot, but can't remember what he is called). So 'hello, are you Mrs Snell, Uncle Adil told me about your llamas and your dog, where is he?'

Has something awful happened to the dog? Was he out with newRobert?

The dog is called Monty

strange he wasn’t there you are right!!

Happy to have some new characters, but only if we can still keep up with the characters we already have - many of whom seem to have dropped off the radar or never been properly defined (I still think of Poppy and Keira as very small children when clearly they are not).
Geowurge was a silent until fairly recently and look at how well that's worked out.
The Tuckers seem to have dropped off the radar, as has Phoebe Aldridge, who is one of the Tuckers.
I like the Maliks.

Also I’m a bit bored with cats - obviously there will be cats in Ambridge, but do they need to take up so much airtime?
Yes! It's the gun that will be used in act 3.
Sheru (spelling?) would be a good name for a tabby.

Changing topic slightly - did anyone else think that Jill sounds if she’s not in the studio? There was a different tone to her words, I wonder if she’s recording them separately at home and then they’re being added in

I agree @MerelyPlaying, and I also agree with @OverArmour that the second part of the scene sounded as though she was in the studio interacting with the other cast members whereas the first part didn’t. The first part was just short, rather abrupt one-liners which could well have been recorded remotely, but I’m not sure that approach does Patricia Greene any favours as an actor. It’s quite a specific technique to master, and while they did it in lockdown with some of the cast, I’m trying to remember whether she was one of the people who went silent for the duration? She’s spent a long career interacting with others and emoting solo into a mic while you mentally project yourself into a scene is difficult.

@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g thank you for the updates. I was aware that Graham Blockey had died but not Ian Pepperell. Very sad about both of them. Also knew Jennifer had died (Angela Piper retired?). And Shula is vicaring up North? I do remember Lexi though the surrogate storyline angered me greatly at the time. It seems in Ambridge everyone who wants a baby gets one somehow. And even people who don’t - I thought Alice was strongly veering towards being childfree?

- I thought Alice was strongly veering towards being childfree?

She could have been but chose to ignore the risks.
Maybe Fallon will manage it. Ideally, she’d be Burns-free as well.

Yes, I think you're right about that being an accidental pregnancy. Lots of those about in Ambridge! Angela Piper retired, yes, and Judy Bennett (Shula) has more or less retired, but has popped back occasionally out of the blue. I have every digit crossed that her RL husband, Charles Collingwood (Brian) never follows suit. Love Brian.

Skidding in late to the thread to report that I practically had to book a dentist's appointment after my teeth gnashing listening to Alice's re-writing of history. She's an absolute piece of work.

I also agree with PP that Salieri is clearly heading for vetsville this week 😂Hope he's insured!

What’s more likely - that an experienced owner doesn’t notice her constipated animal or some 14yo who has limited experience spots it? Of course now we will find out that khalil volunteered at the city farm for the past 10 years and is a renowned expert on constipation in mammals 🙄

I am so close to throwing in the towel. It's hopeless trying to make sense of the inconsistencies, nonsense and plotholes. Ironically, this is one of the (increasingly) few places on here where it feels as if the posters are all real human beings properly engaged with the subject.

Making Lynda be racist was so absurd that I checked who wrote this week's episodes. It was Naylah Ahmed.

Linda runs a business. Adil was a paying customer. I don’t think it’s impossible for her to be racist just because she accepted his custom.

There are plenty of racists who have a Black or Asian friend. Said friend is acceptable as they are “not like the rest” of their race.

I agree it's not impossible at all, but I feel if Lynda is a racist it's never even been hinted at before. However, I'm very conscious that I'm white and have never experienced racism.

It didn't come across to me that Lynda was being racist. I did think she was being ageist. I would say uncharacteristically so in that she is usually very equal opportunities in her condescension across the board, but I don't think she's ever been great with children, in my memory. Not downright rude like she was to Khalil, but not exactly the benevolent, genial neighbour you'd wish for.

She was able to get through to Kate decades ago when Kate's own family were totally unable to (understandably, tbh - she was a horror to them).

... have never experienced racism.
Some of it is subtle and people wouldn't necessarily register that it was racism, unless you were the recipient.

Lynda would have reacted the same if it had been any youngster. I don't believe Lynda is ever bitchy.

Too true. I seem to remember she was quite snippy with Ardil at first.

It strikes me it's more anti-townie prejudice than anything else, but that could also come with an assumption that unknown brown child must be a townie rather than unknown white child could be a friend of a Grundy or Archer or Horrobin (though they could also be a townie while a schoolfriend- please draw your own Venn diagram.)

She was snippy with Ardil at first because she blamed him for the closure of Grey Gables and the loss of her job there.