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!

Stupidly I didn’t actually say what I meant to say above! Following on from Lil’G’s musing on Joy - You’ve really landed on your feet here is something one might say about someone whose good fortune seems undeserved. So it does suggest an undercurrent of resentment flowing from Rochelle to Joy.

I was wondering if the mystery visitor to George in prison was Mia ?

... or it could indicate 'I can get something out of this'. Time will tell.

I always picture Beechwood as being much like the tiny development where my parents bought a new build, which has a mixture of houses of different sizes. Helen's house is clearly quite big, but do we know that Joy's is too?

We know absolutely nothing about Rochelle's father and Joy's ex. Perhaps he had to give Joy a large settlement when they divorced and she moved away to make a fresh start.

I think Martyn Gibson or Vince. No idea why either of them would, but just a hunch.

It’s suspicious that she doesn’t want to talk about her children, doesn’t say that they’re coming back soon etc.
It’s also suspicious that she’s reassuring Joy that she is ‘fine’ - suggests that there’s a time when she hasn’t been. I’m guessing mental health/drugs, as there’s already an alcoholic storyline.

No doubt all will be revealed. The question is whether or not I care enough to find out.

We never really got a resolution over the champagne that Jolene had poured, did they find another excuse to be celebrating? Was it poured down the sink? Is Joy ever going to propose? My money is on Mick already being married but having failed to mention it. You know, that sort of thing can easily slip your mind when you’re busy fixing up your motorhome.

Yes, that last line certainly solidifies the impression Rochelle has something on Joy that could damage her reputation. (Possibly even blackmailable (though ISTR we've had that before) so maybe emotional blackmail.) Note Joy's unease about R going on a walk with Lynda: afraid of what they might talk about? Stories not matching up?

Or worse? E.g. ill gotten gains from the late Mr Joy's estate, him having been a wrong un? (But how would that have got through all the money laundering rules when you buy a house?)

More idle speculation:

Also, not to do with the back story, did I miss something a few days ago when R was clearing up the litter from the Christmas table? Might she have found the cracker proposal - she's canny enough to go looking - or did Joy dispose of it more carefully instead of just screwing it up?

But anway, class acts from Susan (Charlotte Martin) and Emma (Emerald O'Hanrahan) as usual.

I'm way too invested in Joy/Rochelle - my excuse laid down with chest infection and nothing decent on tv !

I loved all the ideas earlier this year about being in prison, witness protection etc but I feel the SW are going to make this a slow and not ultimately interesting reveal - hopefully not as full of plot holes as The Split Barcelona.

Do we know if Joy is definitely divorced or a widow?

All I can keep in mind is that when Mick went looking for guest for Joys party he located Rochelle's address in Joys address book - therefore Joy knew where Richelle lived at sone point and it wasn't a million miles away - did she move to Beechwood to be near her ? But she was awful to Mick about looking for her.

When Rochelle turned up on Christmas Day why ? Is it likely you'd find her in ? Also whilst shocked Joy seemed pleased to see her ?

Did Joy perhaps give Rochelle away to be adopted as a baby and has made all the back plot up imaging her daughters life?

Joy's story makes no sense and never has. It's also unbelievable that no-one, especially Lynda and Susan, wouldn't have asked about her background.

I thought witness protection or even "Mary Bell" anonymity, but Joy is clearly well off and I don't suppose that type of protection pays enough to support Joy's lifestyle.

If you’re wealthy and have to go into witness protection I assume you can keep all your money?

We don't know how old Joy is, but I'd guess "around mid-late 60s" ...<dramatic pause>... so she'd be about the right age (and has the right accent) to actually be Mary Bell.

Oh good point.

I'm leaning towards Joy having been a high class madam before coming to Ambridge. That would explain her apparent affluence and her desire to bury herself away where none of her previous clients would recognise her.

Against this, Rochelle does not sound as though she has been privately educated and brought up in ignorance of her mother's profession (which I believe is the usual arrangement in these situations).

Hmmm, what do we know for definite about Joy beyond the fact Rochelle definitely exists?

@BeaLola I'm wondering if she is still married and that's the significance of the Christmas Day proposal gone wrong?

That doesn't really explain where her money comes from though.

BTW, I haven't registered my love of 'Oh Little Town of Bethlehem' on Christmas Eve. I'm a complete sucker for things like that. It was lovely.

Didn’t we reach the conclusion, some time ago, that Joy was a fair bit younger than we’d imagined? I forget what evidence was relied on - maybe the actress’s playing age?

Can’t be bothered to google - there is too much cheese that needs to be consumed.

From the sort of pop music she's referred to she is in her mid 60s

Rochelle will cuckoo Joys house. County Lines.
Thanks to George.

She's really landed on her her feet here," pretty much sums up what I thought when Joy first moved to Ambridge.

Yes I'm thinking Joy has done a Beth Jordache and had been in nick for killing Rochelle's dad

Why on earth would anyone want to marry Mick?

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g
I always picture Beechwood as being much like the tiny development where my parents bought a new build, which has a mixture of houses of different sizes. Helen's house is clearly quite big, but do we know that Joy's is too?

We know that Joy's house had enough bedrooms for her to put up a nameplate for Noah and a nameplate for Harper on two of them and still (in those days) have had one for Rochelle to have slept in, if the family came to visit her. I make that four at least.

Rochelle now saying that her children are "too old to share a room" I put down to scriptwriter ignorance; last week's writer was not working on the programme in 2019.

This is what I think. I also wondered if Joy received compensation for something or life insurance from someone she dedded; Rochelle’s dad perhaps.

Wouldn't that not happen under the profit from crime stuff? Or are you positing that she didn't get caught?

Maybe she got away with it and moved away for a fresh start where no one knows her history? But Rochelle blames her for killing her dad 😮

Helen doing her usual of course! She’s going to stay in beechwood far longer than is reasonable I assume

no doubt Helen will expect all the work to fall on Tom when the parents retire yet take the farmhouse and her ‘fair’ share of profits

she very quickly accepted at offer to host Henry’s birthday

is Rochelle supposed to be similar age to Rex then? She sounds about 15

sounds like she doesn’t have primary custody of the kids. Struggling to care

We'll! I'm preening myself something shocking about predicting the passive Haus/Bridge Farm inheritance SL. It'll take ages of course but will be very bitter.

The first rumblings will be from Tom and/or Natasha when they hear that Helen moves in. For best effect this will happen before they've moved into Beechwood.

Thanks! Gosh, quite big then. Of course in true Ambridge fashion it may have shrunk since then.