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!

Her surname was Bannister, so unless she married into a much larger baking family that's not going to happen.

Very nice extended metaphor there, @WagnersFourthSymphony!

Nellie Hovis has a nice ring to it ...

<strains of Dvorak's New World Symphony drift over the thread>

I know a girl who hid her pregnancy only quite recently (the child is still in primary school). Her family knew, and healthcare people, but no one else. And I saw her all the way through pregnancy until her brother said she was sick one weekend and turned out to be in labour! I hadn't even noticed any weight gain. I still don't really know why they concealed it except that she was a teenager.

It’s all so clunky - even picking her name to be as close to Neil as possible. I feel like I’m being taken for a fool. Will have to look at the spoilers thread to decide if I can bear listening!

the SW have gone all Game of Thrones on us and completely swerving the natural story arc in favour of Shock! What next?!

I'm not sure what else can be shoehorned in. Maybe Eddie will come out as trans or something to keep topical.

The lady who found Neil sounded younger than Neil: she's supposed to be in her mid-80's!

I'm fed up with this steady stream of "here for a fortnight" characters when so many regular characters are left flailing.

I don't linger on Archers fan pages; are other listeners miffed too? At this rate, I'll be writing into Feedback!!!

Hate to go against the grain but I don’t really mind this storyline. Yes it’s far fetched and stupid that we haven’t ever heard it mentioned before but it’s not changing Neil for me, he’s always been a soft hearted kindly man and lots of people with difficult upbringings do go on to try to be as stable as possible for their kids.

I’ve said before on these threads that I’ve got a friend who was hospitalised with severe stomach pain only to be found to be in labour, she and the baby both fine in the end although baby was premature and mum obviously in complete shock.

WitcheryDivine
he’s always been a soft hearted kindly man

Ah, you don't remember what a dubious character he was in the early days, a motorbike tearaway who used drugs, which culminated in his getting Susan up the duff (even though he didn't particularly fancy her at the time) when he was also going out with other women?

There are so many story-lines that have been abandoned abruptly such as the sink-hole, stolen bunting, Carol Tregorran living in Jill’s house and Dr Locke moving back to the Ambridge, to name a few, so why not tie up a few loose ends rather than shoe-horn in a mini “Long Lost Family” special about Neil?

I think someone found the bunting (or perhaps it just mysteriously reappeared) long after we'd all forgotten about it. The perp was never charged, at least not on air, and I don't think they were ever identified.

Is it just me or are the story writers going over the top with “ beavers” innuendoes?

Ha no I don’t, I’m a bit younger than Emma

intriguing! I do remember him rejecting Shula quite kindly when she went bonkers and thought she’d quite like him back after 40 years

The other day when Josh and Pip had beavers and lick in the same convo I did think perhaps the SW were betting if they could get away with it

Neil's life could have been so very different, had he only been able to resist the undoubted charms of Susan.

I thought the same @WitcheryDivine …

Lily: "I never knew that about Neil"

• no you and me both Lily and ive been listening for nearly the last 51 years ....

Sigh

🙄

that is all

Raising a for Jenny …

I don't think Neil did either.

I think, while they're jumping the shark, now may be the time to reveal (through some sort of medical crisis) that Freddie and Lily don't share the same father and that neither of those fathers was Nigel.

oooh yes !

Yes I nearly swallowed my Darjeeling the wrong way.

It’s starting to feel like they think they have a whole new listener base so need to drop in little back stories

Yes Witchery I was driving and nearly swerved!

To the previous post saying the Neil SL was insulting to long term listeners etc - it's also insulting to any child who's not been brought up by birth family.