Archers thread #180: Burgeoning backstories! Continuity, what’s that? 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 it's a great idea for Helen and the boys to lodge with Tom, Natasha, Seren and Dippity*, 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 www.mumsnet.com/talk/radio_addicts/5244480-the-archers-spoilers-thread-10-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.)

*Can't remember who coined this, but it's genius.

I was strongly tempted to use one or both of the posts suggested for the title of this thread on the last thread, but went for something a bit briefer. However, they're brilliant and will kickstart this thread very nicely, so here they are:

@Sidebeforeself: Beavers, bridge, bunny boilers and busybodies - it's all a load of bollocks!

(I couldn't agree more!)

@DeanElderberry: I don't usually speculate much on the appearance of characters, but do wonder what it is about Miranda that is bringing out the chest-thumping silverback in Brian and Justin? One little bridge game and the course of Ambridge rewilding is set. The face that launched a thousand beavers.

Over to you!

I still maintain that is what the afternoon drama slot is for

What do you mean @Bruisername ?

The sw didn’t need to put this sl into the archers. They could have just written their own little radio play for the afternoon slot

And this particular SW is no stranger to writing afternoon plays, I seem to remember.

Katie Hims. She started writing plays for Radio 4 in 1996.

https://archive.org/details/KatieHimsBBCr4

I thought she was the birth mother with the way she reacted to hearing about Neil's life. But why wouldn't she just say so? I think she doesn't want the inevitable next question of who is Neil's father as clearly she knows.

So do I, well actually the Warren Clarke of “Nice Work” with Hayden Gwynn

Potentially Vince could look like Jason Isaacs.

I thought her reaction perfect for a nice person who had a somewhat emotional the to the little baby she found. She would have been beside herself with joy and grief and guilt had she been the mother.

• somewhat emotional tie

But I think Nellie does know who the father is. She also mentioned her own father a couple of times. She didn't mention her mother so we can assume her mother was out of the picture.

And the SWs have already signalled Neil's anxiety about his birth father.

Note that - quite naturally in the circs - George's present situation wasn't mentioned, but the listeners were reminded of him.

Yes I agree with all of that Wagner.

Are we supposed to assume that Neil's mother is Nellie and that his father is Nellie's father? Because that would be pretty bloody bleak!

I hope not!

Being a mere man, he didn't notice that his daughter, with whom he shared a house, was pregnant. He just thought she'd got fat since Christmas, and that she had then abruptly shed all that weight in a week or so, shortly after finding a baby on the doorstep with the milk.

I was picturing Nellie hanging around, waiting for the milkman to go past, before quietly opening the front door and leaving Neil on the doorstep. He was born in May, so hardly likely to freeze!

Might a reasonable explanation for the baby being left on Nellie's (father's) door be that Nellie's father is the father, and Nellie is Neil's half-sister?

It’s beyond ridiculous - with Susan and Emma fussing round as if this has been a huge cloud hanging over Neil’s life. The entire episode left me a bit cold to be honest - he’s not Henry who genuinely might go through life wondering who his father is. I didn’t find it moving I found it hopelessly contrived.

I think she's his mother. It's a pointless storyline if she isn't.

It's an equally pointless storyline if she is.

I think she's his half-sister.

Equally pointless.

Nellie and Neil 🙄

Maybe either or both of them will drop dead before the next contact. That would be satisfactory.

Penny-novelettish bilge.

Bilge is the word - or perhaps more accurately pigswill. Neil has been so carefully drawn over the years and in such detail only for all of that to be blown apart by this utter hogwash,

I’m still hoping that her surname is Gregg or Warburton and she’s planning to leave all her bakery money to little Neil in remembrance of the sweet baby on the doorstep. Mother or sister or just wellwisher.

I reckon Neil’s mum left a note with him that gives a big clue to his parentage.