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!

Yep. And just a big coincidence they all booked for the same dates.

the more I think about the past 6 months the less I want to keep listening.

however, there are people on this thread who are enjoying it still so perhaps I’m just a misery guts (yes I am)

Oh no you aren't!

[getting into the spirit]

Pretty sure Vince would have established exactly how the LL land lay within a week of meeting Elizabeth!

Elizabeth may have married into being “Lady of the Manor”, but I don’t think she’s smart enough to realise that Freddy is vulnerable to losing it all, because of his “nice-but-dimness”.

Not nearly loud enough! Come on, boys and girls, let's give a really loud Mumsnet shout: He's a wrong 'un, Joy! Put him behind you!

[mania setting in]

You’re right @TottersBlankly

Did Vince offer to employ Freddy or did Elizabeth ask?

Yea, Mick’s got rid of his van so he’s homeless if Joy throws him out unless the Ambridge Fairy magics up a staff flat for him at Grey Gables

I agree. I badly need a distraction at the moment and I can tolerate this kind of thing. I played the Principal Boy in the Church Youth Club pantomime when I was about 14. I can't even remember what it was now, just that I had to wear hot pants lent by the Youth Club leader (left over from the early 70s) and the audience of underprivileged children (to use the language of the time) were, quite reasonably, underwhelmed and not really entering into the spirit of the proceedings. The memory of a little boy no older than about 7 yelling'They're lezzers!' as the Principal Girl and I were attempting to play a love scene has stayed with me.

I really, really hope there is a SW reading this thread looking for inspiration. This would do very nicely. I never thought of Vince trying to marry off one of his daughters to Freddie. It would have to be Beth, wouldn't it?

Urgh. That was awful.

Vince getting worked up at Joy like that? A friend of his girlfriend?no

But now we know why Lynda has beef with felpersham am dram (boooooooo!)
I may give this week a miss

(forgot to mention ages back that I love a good Duck Francis and Longshot is an excellent, if a bit gory in places, read)

My favourite Dick Francis is Hot Money. Features a serial adulterer and his very dysfunctional family. Always reminded me of the Aldridges.

I never thought of Vince trying to marry off one of his daughters to Freddie. It would have to be Beth, wouldn't it?

Well, Steph is rough as guts and the other one(Stacey? Shelley?) still at school, so that only leaves the dreary, lumpen Befff.
Bad enough that some of you ‘ship Freddy and the Horrorbint, but Beth really would be a step too far. (why should Freddy’s choice be confined to Ben’s leavings?)

He has school age child?

I never thought of Vince trying to marry off one of his daughters to Freddie. It would have to be Beth, wouldn't it?

He’d have to break up with Elizabeth first. Beth has scruples - I don’t think she’d be enthusiastic about marrying her almost step-mother’s son. And she’s had enough of her dad galumphing into her love life.

There was all that odd business with the other sister and her wedding - apparently flirting with Freddie? The SWs didn’t pursue it.

WTF is going on with Vince? First he tries to invite himself into moving in with Elizabeth in the name of "moving things on", and is completely tone-deaf to the idea that she's quite happy with things how they are. And then he lays into Joy for it somehow being her fault that the roof of a theatre collapsed, thus rendering The Great Ambridge Charabanc Outing null and void.

Knob.

Vince has always been a knob. Remember how awful he was to Ben. It's never felt like a feasible pairing with Elizabeth to me.

The other other day Pip and Stella were talking about Brian and dropped in an unsubtle reminder to the audience about how Jennifer and Brian had to sell Home Farm. Why mention it at the same time Vince is taking about moving in with Elizabeth in Ambridge. Just have this sinking feeling it will be back on the market soon and Vince is waiting in the wings to snap it up 😩

Vince first appeared in Ambridge looking for a pony to buy for his daughter Shelley. That was in September 2019 and she was then seven years old. So she would now be twelve.

Presumably she lives with her mother and will not be a complication when Vince succeeds in bludgeoning Elizabeth into living with him.

I’d be quite happy for Vince to buy Home Farm House if it meant the house once again became a central part of the village.

Presumably he’d have a stream of workpeople stripping out and reconstructing; interior designers and decorators; tree surgeons and gardeners … He would absolutely employ at least a cleaner (if not a housekeeper).

His family would all need to come and pass judgement. Maybe his mother might decide she prefers Home Farm to a luxury senior enclave? The daughters would bring their entourages - who might interact with the local populace.

And of course, in addition to every nosy parker in the vicinity arriving with a welcoming bottle, or cake, or casserole, Vince would obviously want to throw open his new doors to entertain the local aristocracy - David and Ruth; Aldridges, Snells …

It would be just the injection of life Ambridge is currently missing!

Oh I can’t deal with another tween

had zero idea he had a young child at any point tbh!!!

@TottersBlankly oh I know Home Farm needs to come back to the fore and the sw are clearly signposting it. But, Vince? 🤦‍♀️ Maybe Miranda will buy it? She's loaded isn't she?😆

As long as nobody strips out Jenny’s kitchen!

That would be taking it too far! There would be marches!

Wasn’t Jenny’s kitchen dismantled and thrown out by the never seen Gills?

I don't think we ever heard on air that Jennifer's kitchen had been thrown out; there was a lot of listener speculation that it might have been and that it would have broken her heart.

Ruairi's concrete dog was found decapitated in the garden.

It was certainly replaced at one point when Jenny Darling was still alive, I remember it being offered to Susan.