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!

i really don’t care about Brad tbh. Or the rewilding. Or George anymore

it does sound like there will be a fight over the farmhouse now. I don’t understand how Natasha doesn’t tell Tom some home truths about his sister!! I can just imagine the thread on here she would start!!

Considering Tom has been engaged to Brenda, nearly married Kirsty and has married Natasha, he is not really woman innocent, so why is he so afraid of Helen?
You just know that Pat and Tony are going to take her side if it ends up in a big row. I wish he would tell Helen to stop feeling sorry for herself shes not the only one with two kids( I say this because she always brings the boys up in any conversation). If I had a sister like Helen Id put her straight. . She has an eating disorder so dont upset her. Everyone walks on tip toes around her, but then again she has a prize winning cheese which must be pulling in a lot of Customers at this time of year, so not all bad.

I know we all think Tom's a tit but Natasha loves him

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. You reckon, @BeatriceBatchelor?

I don’t mind Tom tbh - he is a product of his family

he won’t anything to upset Helen because he’s been brought up to treat her as if she is very fragile. it’s not about being woman savvy but about a sibling relationship

God Hellin is absolutely GHASTLY and such a bloody hypocrite! She thinks Beechwood is below her, the dreadful snob yet now you'd think it was her dream forever home 😂

She needs to stop calling it ‘my house’. And she hasn’t even started looking for somewhere else has she?

I don’t like Tom but I’ve noticed that his family routinely blame him entirely for things that are actually Natasha’s fault or the result of one of her ‘brainwaves’.

I can’t remember the specifics but she came up with an idea around how they could use the land Rob bought for Jack and when Tony found out he went absolutely ballistic and accused Tom of being selfish, grasping etc. No-one acknowledged Natasha’s role in it all.

Signing the twins up for a photoshoot with a dodgy company was Natasha’s idea and Tom didn’t even want to do it yet the family berated him and Natasha was absolved of any blame.

Similarly, this entire drama with the house is Natasha’s doing but Helen only shrieked at Tom and completely ignored her SIL. It’s actually really weird.

It’s because the are cowards! I suspect if they spoke to tash the way they speak to Tom she would lose patience pretty quick

he is blamed for everything and has the disappointment of not being John thrust on him.

Are we also foreshadowing Helen making things difficult for Kirsty in terms of moving out?

The John angle is certainly true. I think it’s an awful thing he’s had to carry around - this sense that his parents feel an enduring sorrow that he is not his brother. I don’t think Pat and Tom actually feel that, losing one child is surely as terrible as losing another, but Tony has compared him unfavourably to John in the past.

This is true. But Tom had a responsibility in allowing himself to be railroaded. Just because these things weren't his idea he still usually proceeds or is secretive about them.

I do hope Brenda has bought the house. Preferably to live in herself, but if not then continue to let it at a much increased rent.

no doubt Helen will be telling everyone how horribly she’s been treated.

its going to be very interesting when Henry and Jack are older - particularly if they end up with wives who figure her out quickly

long term sl wise - Jack is abusive to his spouse and Helen refuses to believe it?

I think the dynamics of the boys childhood and their fathers (one completely unknown the other a violent abuser who Jack almost saw on his deathbed but then chose not to - will he blame Helen for this later?) will have a very unfortunate impact on them in adulthood and also on their relationship with each other. The biggest negative factor in all this is their mother. They might have stood a fighting chance with a different parent but Helen is quite messed up herself and this doesn’t augur well for the boys.

Hello. What's this. A choice of reactions now available to. Posts instead of Thanks?

That's a retrograde step. I don't want to send mindless emojis instead of an English word.

God, that's awful. And you can no longer click on to see who 'liked' your post.

And what is more, an emoji I can't even see properly because it's so small! And which doesn't let me know who it is from as the previous iteration, "thanks", has done until now.

Snap, BOW

But now it's stopped working anyway....

I hope they change it back. I liked the thanks not the react+ . Why do they have to spoil things. If it aint broke etc.

I know we are supposed to pretend that Peggy isn't dead, but was she going to leave money to the grandchildren in her will?

I lose track of property, but what happened to The Lodge? Was it still going to go to Helen (and who lives in it now).

I missed the start of the week, but Brenda is a welcome re-addition to the cast. I liked the reminiscing about Helen was always being interviewed by her because of the shop in town. PLEASE let her buy a bolthole in Ambridge (especially now that she is single and fancy free).

Madcats
I know we are supposed to pretend that Peggy isn't dead, but was she going to leave money to the grandchildren in her will?
I lose track of property, but what happened to The Lodge? Was it still going to go to Helen (and who lives in it now).

Peggy's most recent will mentioned on air left her property to be divided equally between her three children. This seriously annoyed Rob, who had been looking forward to getting a house even though it would have been too small for the family of four.

The Lodge was later sold to pay for her keep at The Laurels.

They have a lot to lose if Tom and Natasha fall out. She could get half of Tom's business share, and take Corsa and Astra to Capel Curig, or wherever she's from.

John was the heir and Tommy the spare. Helen has been wrapped in cotton wool all her life.

Helen has been wrapped in cotton wool all her life.

They really should explore the possibilities something more airtight would offer.

That's not funny.