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!

@IHaveAlwaysLivedintheCastle The first ugly sister is the dame from York

@LillianGish on first reading I thought you said Paul had a full time job as a wet nurse.

He's wet, he's a nurse, that's an understandable misunderstanding.....

gosh how very original and charming, a pie, with custard, I could never have guessed what would happen next

So did we find out why the village hall has been booked out for so long and why none of the nosy Parker’s of the village noticed?

It can't have been, because Vince booked that evening after the Ugly Sisters were too stupid to do it the moment Lynda accepted the bet.

A question: If Vince is going to be at his mother's birthday bash in the village hall, is he going to bilocate to the events barn?

Just plopping in to ask, what the heck was all that?
Who is the random bloke in the panto, why are they doing a panto now and throwing custard pies at people?

Has MN ever had one of the SWs on in one of those live chat sessions?

Sorry what - Vince is having his mums birthday party in the ambridge village hall? Wtf

Also, I don’t think anyone answered by are the felpersham players amateurs as well?

Am I the only one here who's loving this week?

Maybe it's because I love pantomime <<shrug>>

I imagine the SWs vying to win their bet are having the most fun …

Has there been any actual pantomime in this week so far, or has it all been actors not actually in a pantomime?

The fact that they have the mick actors mate and didn’t do an open casting of celebrity panto dames has irrationally irritated me

Yes but the panto outside of the panto is what I’m loving most, Asking! I wonder how they will bring it all together.

The point earlier about the strange confluence of genres, games and retcon is true however, it’s like they’re having a competition to do the weirdest thing.

It definitely rivals that awful ‘Will the Archers well Brookfield and move Oop North?’ plot a few years ago.

I'm enjoying it.

The village hall was booked out when Rochelle wanted to book it. The scriptwriters have forgotten that.

A simpler explanation would be that Rochelle was lying when she told Ruth the village hall was booked solid, because she was hoping for a free venue.

That would make sense because it seems unlikely Lynda wouldn’t know about it!!

Hmm is Rochelle going to pop up like a demon in the middle of the panto and reveal her True Colours?

Tbh I think a simpler version is the SWs forgot.

Are people going to be turning up to the panto expecting pilates and goat yoga and mindfulness? That will be mirth provoking.

Will someone please let me know when I can tune back in. I will be over here watching paint dry until you come and get me.

Likeliest is that one SW forgot to tell the other, at a guess. You don't think any of them listens to The Archers, do you?

If I could suspend disbelief and go with it for a moment (which is admittedly hard - I mean, it's a homemade custard tart even a thing you would ever think of?! I love baking and it's not on my top 100 list of things I would make as a peace offering) - what on earth is Susan thinking? A suitable apology is offering to replace the shoes with a new pair, nothing less. No, Tracy should not be open to talking about it to repair the relationship, not until Susan goes round with a gift card for a nice shoe shop. Not a random piece of patisserie. And, to hammer home her utter lack of understanding, she then mentions to Tony that she's not sure if she's the one who should make the first move to apologise. What the hell? You carelessly lost your sister's shoe, don't seem to care or understand why she's upset and have basically told her to get over it, and then you throw a custard pie all over her. There's one person in the wrong here, Susan, and it's not your sister.

My local destination, pre-order bakery is featuring rhubarb and custard buns for this weekend …