Archers thread #176: In which Ian puts the I in PTA. 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'd like to hear more from Wesley the ashtray collector, 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 @DeanElderberry for the pithy phrase in the thread title and @CaptainMyCaptain for suggesting it should go in there. At least we've got the spooky disco out of the way for now. Plenty of wooden dialogue in the last few episodes that could go on the village bonfire next week. It's all been too dispiriting to discuss in greater depth. I'll just say that I don't hold out any great hopes that the production team will make a good job of reflecting concern in the farming community about the changes announced in the Budget to inheritance tax for farms. So often they get an expert to talk them through stuff like this but instead of ending up with a realistic storyline they pick out the bits they like the sound of and cobble them together in a totally unrealistic way. Maybe I'll be proved wrong this time. I hope so.

Over to you!

This was an amazingly good chocolate cake. The non-vegans were eating it as well as the vegan

Embarrassing if Kirsty isn't at home in the late morning, that. She'd have to get the driver to trail around the village until she found someone to pay the fare for her.

Somebody PLEASE make the Justin story go away. I'll put up with quite a lot but the "conversion on the road to Borchester" is too much.

But she would have at least reached her destination and she could have just claimed to have noticed her wallet is missing.

just such an odd way to get her talking to justin

It's such an odd scenario. What's she coming for, anyway? I don't recall Kirsty mentioning her before. (Perhaps she has, I just don't remember.) She's already dropped K in it with Justin by saying she's not looking to make a profit and we know that's all he cares about. For now. So she's here to make trouble and stir things up, as if Kirsty hasn't already got enough to worry about.

Are we having the bonfire/Fallon's heaving leaving do/Harrison Burns tonight, or is that saved for the weekend?

I am so fed up with TA at the moment.

Kirsty’s mum has been to stay before and iirc, Kirsty found her somewhat trying. So I’m not sure the cheer-up operation's going to go that well.

Well that was weird. I mean she’s not emigrating to Australia

vegan cafe is going to be a disaster after all those good wishes

and the rewilding convo was thoroughly odd

and Harrison talking about the incident etc etc was like they were trying to be as generic as possible. We must be getting to Harrison’s meltdown soon surely

You were right there! I’m surprised she hasn’t got an MN thread about her!

That must be one of the times when I had TA on hiatus. The time is fast approaching again.

I'm wondering if Harrison will not be coming home to have his cake later.

(Not a euphemism btw.)

Thank you. I think we all need a bit of optimism! 👏

Kirsty's mum was in the cast on a single day back in 2020 and tried to talk Kirsty and Philip into having a big wedding, which neither of them wanted.

Kirsty went to stay with her after the miscarriage and was driven demented by her; she came home after about a week.

It was amazing to see how Tom and Natasha still don't think Fallon had any real right to leave Terum. And as for Natasha's mean-spirited remarks to her face afterwards, me, me, me. The good wishes at the end didn't save it.

Tom's cack-handed sarnies are a sign of things to come. I hope.

And Kirsty's mum. Dreadful woman with her ambition-crushing sentiments.

Will seems to have had a lobotomy.

If Martyn Gibson turns out not to be terminally ill after that stupidity in the car I shall be very angry.

Fallon also seems to have had a lobotomy.

I always thought Kirsty moved to Ambridge so that the force field (mentioned upthread) would keep her parents away.

Neither Kirsty nor Rex has ever been portrayed as actually stupid and incompetent, and in fact are usually portrayed as hard working and sensible so I’m not buying this lease nonsense. it’s ridiculous.

I like Henry & Khalil making friends but their conversation is preposterous. Jack remains rather sinister in his silence.

Why is everyone in Ambridge so obsessed with marking every trivial occasion with some kind of afternoon party?

Harrison will have vaporised from over work. I mean he's working full time don't you know, poor lamb!

I am not a doctor, but I question the lobotomies. Can you have one if you don't have a brain to start with?

I actually know somebody who had a lobotomy. They were absolutely desperate for a relief from their mental illness. Partially successful

It was 30 years ago but pretty uncommon at the time

So Harrison gets a call saying he's needed in work pronto and simpering Helen stalls him trying to persuade him to stay for cake!

And what's the big deal with working full time? Obviously, it's not for the likes of yours truly but Harrison's a young bloke.

Especially working FT with livestock farmers who might have to deal with animals at any time.e of day or night. Harrison isn't in an environment where everyone else does 9-5 at an office desk. He's not that special.

Though a part of me wants to hear that Billy Button is now a gang leader in Borchester.

IRL Helen would have said you must go of course but let me wrap up a slice/fairy cake for you to take with you.

I know it’s hard to keep the show on the road with new fresh SLs all the time but that’s what writers are paid to do. The news/igram threads are full each day of funny/poigant/unusual stories that could be mined by the SWs. How about David getting a DNA kit for Xmas and discovering he is related to Susan and Tracey?

What about Phoebe? Brains to get into Oxford, then set up a re-wilding scheme on land guaranteed to be available for only 5 years. That must be a genuine lobotomy.

Phoebe escaped the enclave though and took her brains and her scintillating personality to - er - wherever it was she went.

Especially working FT with livestock farmers who might have to deal with animals at any time.e of day or night. Harrison isn't in an environment where everyone else does 9-5 at an office desk. He's not that special. My thoughts exactly re Harrison. The trumped up rioting in Felpersham is just one of many unbelievable storylines at the moment. Also all the talk of what Fallon had done for the business in Natasha's leaving speech - it WAS her business, she set it up and built it up. Have the SWs completely forgotten this or is this an attempt to rewrite history?

Tom is so deeply unpleasant.
I really hope he gets gored by one of Tonys prize cows/ bulls.