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!

Pat is showing more intelligence and understanding than the rest of them put together. At least Tony's finally admitted (if grudgingly) that he's proud of her for sticking to her principles. It’s about time they allowed her character to show some of her former spirit instead of just wanging on about soup.

As for George, he may end up as a bad'un despite everything, but right now, the process really does seem like the punishment - he's in a very uncomfortable place and rapidly coming to all sorts of useful realisations. I liked his talk with Brad last night.

But the other reason they should tell Will is that Poppy is a child who is clearly upset about something and it’s important he gets to the bottom of it. Rather than going in all guns blazing and telling her off

What they should have but won't is George himself warning Poppy of the awful 'as the twig is bent so grows the tree' consequences of juvenile acts of spiteful vandalism (no-one except George and few million Radio 4 listeners actually knows about the letter box afaik).

'Listen Poppy, I was like you once, and now I'm facing life in a chain gang, you still have your life in front of you, don't be me'.

My hopes are not high that Will would deal with it well. His parenting record is against him.

I think someone - Brad? made a valid point last night, that this time around George is genuinely sorry for what he did rather than being sorry that he was caught. I think it is the start of him growing up and, I hope, means he won't be going the way of Eddie and Joe with endless stupid scams.

He is lucky to have Brad - did either Will or Eddie have anything like that relationship?

Re the issue of the effects of all this on Martha - in a twisted sort of way George could argue he'd done a favour. If he hadn't unintentionally brought matters to crisis point, it may well have taken Alice a lot longer to get back to rehab which may have meant Martha having to do without her mother for a lot longer.

So the egg throwing was the day after her birthday? Sounds as if her birthday didn’t go well

Sounds like the sw forgot!!!

Yes... given the fuss they made in mentioning Ed's birthday, someone should have checked. I might have a little more sympathy with Poppy if everyone forgot her birthday because of everything else going on, but I suspect it's not so much the family as the writers. However, if the information is so quickly available to us (I just googled "Poppy Grundy",) it's as easily available to them, too.

In theory they should have an "Archers calendar" with every birthday and anniversary on it, as well as special events like date of village fate, Brad setting off for uni, delivery of Helen's latest new bit of kit.

That would be the obvious thing...

Ed and Jazzer were very close, but Jazzer was not a steadying influence.

The SW this week is Keri Davies, who's usually better than most on the details. Maybe we'll hear some mention of Poppy's birthday tonight.

As far as Alice throwing the brick through the window in drunken despair for a fix, perhaps she was totally aware no one was near?

But regardless who knows it could even have hit a water pipe and nearly drowned those present.

The question is would she have deliberately planted evidence to cruelly fit someone up for her actions and allow them to profoundly suffer for that, or is she the type of person to take responsibility for her actions.

Remember Alice gave up her child because she believed she could no longer trust herself, because she had no recollection of driving and causing the accident. Although she could not believe she could have done it, causing her mental torment, she took full responsibility for it and immediately gave Martha up to keep her safe.

George setting Alice up was a very deliberate and physical act, his feelings of guilt showed he knew exactly the profound effects of his actions on her and Martha (his own family), but despite that had no intention whatsoever of fessing up. Not for the first time deliberately getting someone into trouble for his own actions (another family member and supposed best friend). Also his treatment of Hannah was hugely sexist and his vindictive behaviour of deliberately driving her out of her home and consequently almost having to give up her job, quite an insight into his character. Not just one off reactions but deliberate calculated acts and decisions.

On the other hand, George is a teenager and Alice is an adult. Turned 36 on Saturday.

As far as Alice throwing the brick through the window in drunken despair for a fix, perhaps she was totally aware no one was near?

Ha ha. She chucked the brick after Jim and Susan refused to serve her, with added nagging on Susan’s part. She knew damn well who was there.

I wondered if the point of the Brad Tracy uni conversation was to show the new and unfamiliar experiences that Brad was having which were entirely outwith Tracy’s ken. I thought it was quite a sweet scene and I liked him sticking up for Brad too. I think they’re portraying the post revelation fall out really well at the moment.

There was an interesting mirroring of thought yesterday, when George asked Brad to keep on the podcasting ‘business’ if he’s sent to prison - just as his mother had begged Ed not to let the tree surgery business fail if she suffered the same fate.

Surely Keira would be better for the podcasting

Given the obsessive zeal with which everyone's birthday is usually marked with cards, cakes, special dinners, trips out and/or surprise parties (or all of the above), I’m absolutely amazed there was zero mention of Poppy's big day.

They are both adults. George will be 20 on his next birthday.

He'll be judged as a legal adult, but he is a teenager. Brain still developing (we have to hope).

No doubt, that doesn’t mean they were or were not near the window, which is why I said perhaps and added a question mark for absolute clarity. Did the brick go flying through the window or only thrown hard enough to hit it and stop?

But the main point was about Alice taking responsibility for her drunken actions Vs George soberly and deliberately fitting up others so they take the serious consequences of his actions whilst he gets praise. As mentioned not the first time George has very deliberately done that, or behaved in a sexist, vicious and vindictive way, even to his own mother.

Rob was generally efficient at Berrow, can you imagine Pat if Brian or Justin had given him an honest character reference saying he was a good worker. To be fair Pat thought Rob was fantastic, perhaps she should have given him a character reference too ;) I mean Alice had not even stabbed anyone.

Poor Alan got slaughtered for giving Rob the minimum interaction he could given his role, whilst passing the dying Rob on away from the village ASAP

Alan was an idiot, he could have baptised Rob on the spot, in his study, as soon as the request was made - that would have been minimum intervention and wouldn't have dragged anyone else in.

But Rob wouldn’t have settled for that - he wanted maximum palaver and fuss.

Anyway, I enjoyed tonight. Khalil sounds a live wire, and their rumbustious family life is fun to listen to. I hope we won’t eventually have a depressing ‘return of oppressive husband’ story; I like the Maliks as they are.