Archers thread #178: Ambridge or Scambridge? 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 fancy Mucky Mick, 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.)

The scars from Scambridge week will take some healing. Most of us felt we were the ones scammed - where was The Archers we know and (very occasionally) love?

Anyway, onwards and - almost certainly not - upwards. Will it be the best Christmas ever in Ambridge? Do we still care? Over to you!

Me too! She’s fabulous

The carol arrangement was pretty spot on for mimicking the sorts of arrangements found in Carols for Choirs and similar publications, with the oohs and aahs in accompanying parts, the somewhat naff piano interludes...about all it needed for a perfect Rutter pastiche was to be rendered in 5/8 and maybe an abrupt key change up a semitone.

I was wondering for a bit if Brian was drugged or having a stroke! Knitted ferrets??!

@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g, the organ isn't so much harder as the piano, as just different. Most organists have quite a lot of piano background before they start, which is partly to do with availability of teachers and access to instruments. The very basics of the technique (as in knowing the notes of the keys and how to get round them with your hands) are the same, but after that, the technique is quite different (and of course a lot of organ music uses the pedal board, and there's registration (which stops to use in which combinations) to learn, too). And good hymn accompaniment is a serious skill. But it's quite feasible that a teenager that has learned piano could learn to play a hymn well enough on the organ in a few weeks to make her doting relatives happy.

Half a dozen mince pies, a couple of fridge magnets, reindeer baubles, a bottle of cider and a pair of Clarrie's knitted ferrets with initials stitched into their jumpers - I'd like one of those goody bags!
Merry Christmas! 🎄🎄🎄🌟

So you have lovely Brian ranting and raving to the vicar, about the price of the tickets.
Then when he gets his goody bag he is over the moon with the knitted ferrets with B and M on them. Hang on could they have been brought in B and M because where does Carrie get the time to knit them?
I'm sure we are going to find out that mucky Mick is going to be already married. I could be wrong and he could except Joy's proposal and both live happily ever after. Nah. Merry Christmas all. 🎄🎁

Accept

I heard a whole programme on the Sheffield carols on Sunday ten days ago. It was absolute listening gold. R4, 8.00 a.m.

As if Brian would've had the bad manners to kick off in church about paying a few extra quid for the tickets! He sounded murderous. And then be ecstatic about fridge magnets and ferrets.

🎄 Merry Christmas one and all 🎅

Thanks, @muddyford, that sounds right up my street!

Merry Christmas, everyone! I wondered about B&M ferrets too. Odd. Poor Brian. It's mild here in London but not yurt weather, whatever that may be.

Thanks, @Trivium4all, interesting. Did Phil Archer play the organ? I can't remember now.

Yes, he did.

Happy Christmas everybody!

Cracking name change! (Getting into the spirit before Wallace and Gromit tonight.)

Thanks, @FizzingAda, now I think about it, of course he did! Wasn't Valda his occasional substitute?

Valda , the name rings a bell, but it's a long time ago!

Phil didn't think Valda good enough to play for his funeral and left instructions for someone else (I forget who now) to do it instead.

Ooft, that's not very kind!

If that was aimed at me, thank you.
Managed to log myself out and the associated email address no longer exists.
I've lost my many witty usernames, and the knitted ferrets seemed to be just what I needed.

No, but it is what happened.

Lowfield, Tuesday 16th February, 2010
Jill's expecting Alan .... She and Phil had discussed their funerals so she knows what he wanted and he'd prefer Valda, the Penny Hassett organist, to be replaced by Felpersham Cathedral's Basil Young. Alan's sure Basil will be honoured.

I am grateful that this (almost certainly) isn't the storyline, but Mick's grotto just seemed a bit seedy to me. Maybe I'm a product of 70s public information films?

I agree, @stilldumdedumming ... "Never trust a man who invites you to see his grotto" is one of my Rules To Live By.

Wow!

At last.

Can’t listen - do we finally find out about Rochelle?

Rochelle, blinkin eck that's a turn up! Wonder what the back story is.

I am getting bored with unheralded characters who have been left out of the cast list so everyone can go "ooh". A surprise effect loses force when it happens every week.