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!

That sounds yum but looks difficult to eat!!

70% of the way through the thread. Maybe I should do a poll at the start of the next one so we can all try and guess the date of the final episode.

Wot, no last ditch, sit down protest outside the Mailbox?

(I could bring buns. And we could order luxury hot chocolate from Harvey Nichols …)

I'd chain myself to the railings for one of those buns! Not sure I'd do it to ensure TA carries on if it would mean more of the stuff we've been given over the last few months. A return to the old days would be great, but I worry that nobody at the BBC really cares any more.

There must come a point where it’s too far gone to rescue?

I am waiting for the meta version of the panto horse. There must be a panto horse in this bizarre panto-within-a-panto scenario.

Can someone patiently explain to me why Vince, who AFAIK has signed up half his workforce to go to the panto, is now sabotaging it? Are the staff not coming to this panto then? And If they aren’t then who on Earth is?

Mick was just utterly shite this eve and I found the self conscious stuff about getting into character just cringe (yesterday and today).

The only things I’m really enjoying are what’s his chips insisting on payment and Jazzer furtling around in the sets.

actually I’m relishing Lynda and Lil as well, an enjoyable double act as ever.

oh yeah and WHY Alice as cinders???

I think that's been reached.

Yes I wondered about Alice , a somewhat elderly panto heroine. Who is Prince Charming..... Not Chris, surely?

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)

And even if it were worth making as a peace offering (which it isn't) custard tarts in real life don't make that sort of mess. It should have been something like a banoffee pie with loads of whipped cream (which would be a real peace offering) or a key lime pie.

Yes of course I get the meta, meta, meta thingyness that that scene was just part of the pantomime.

I'm still sort of enjoying it. It was still better than the Pipster and her dreary siblings.

I do feel sorry for Brad. Everyone in general and his mother in particular seems to have forgotten he's having a really tough time.

Sadly, I feel we are there.

Remember, Helen and Rob's old wedding ring is lying about in undergrowth somewhere. George could find this "precious" when he gets out, and kick off another week of daftness.

Coming to the rescue with a costume:

https://daydress.co.uk/collections/new-in/products/lina-dress-in-cinder-stripe

Yes A custard tart is quite firm so unless Susan made a (yuk) watery one, you would not make that much mess, then again it could have been one of those custard tarts in films that have a load of shaving foam on top.
If I lost one of my darling sisters shoes I would buy her another pair ASAP, instead of this fannying around Susan's doing.
Of course Vince has knicked the costumes but why oh why oh why, the man has turned into a total A Hole, and for what, it's so ridiculous.

I have to confess at the mention of custard tart my first thought was mmm, haven’t made one for ages. I use a recipe by some ‘famous’ chef which uses 8 egg yolks and is lush. And the resultant egg whites cry out to be made into a pavlova.

Shame I live alone now.

I've just resigned myself to the fact that this is the pantomime - because we're unlikely to hear the actual performance - and that nothing of significance will happen this week. Following hard on the heels of Justin's Christmas Carol nonsense and then scam week it's all starting to feel a bit wearing. Wondering when normal service will finally resume...

You are right @LillianGish. I don't have the same hatred as others for these storylines but there have been too many weeks dominated by a single, weak storyline recently.

It gets in the way of the longer running storylines where the seeds are sown over weeks and months. That is where TA is at its best and we aren't getting enough of it at the moment.

There are just so many loose ends left in favour of the week long, single storyline.

I'm lowering myself to comment when really I should be preserving a dignified silence; this level of dross doesn’t merit recognition at all, but, but but…

…are we honestly supposed to infer that abbatoir-owner Vince Casey, 'The King of Meats', an adult man of supposedly-sound mind, has now become so hell-bent on sabotaging a village pantomime that he's stolen all the costumes - having first booked the village hall (as I predicted upthread) so that they don't have a venue? All because he doesn’t want to lose a bet that he made in a sour fit of pique while propping up the bar?

Quite apart from anything else, if I were Elizabeth Archer, I’d be fearing for the sanity of the man I’m in a relationship with. He needs an intervention, fast.

(And as for the custard tart episode - who uses tinned custard in a custard tart? Just who? Do the SWs even know what a custard tart is?)

I think that’s a big part of the problem - the sw really aren’t as clever as they think they are and it keeps showing

I'm not a long term listener of the Archers but I had to turn off yesterdays episode because it was so awful. Hopefully this particular storyline will be over pretty quickly but I do feel for the actors having to perform this dross.

I've only ever been to one panto, when I was about eight and in the brownies, I hated then, and have never watched another. But am I right in thinking that Buttons is is played by a young woman (or a young man), and not a middle aged gruff and probably overweight man?

Jill's dressing gown is 'a bit tarty' - love it!

The Archers seems to me like a dear friend who by ageing has gone a little wayward in their mind and doesn't behave the same way anymore but who is still loved because it's them and I don't think they can return to how they were.

Buttons is always played by a man I think. And is I believe in love with Cinders.

This is such nonsense - it's far worse than the worst 6.30 so-called comedy show. I keep listening in horrified fascination.

Poor actors, I can't imagine what you are going through, having to perform this shite. The Archers' best years are BEHIND YOU.

The only relief is that Harrison isn't around to investigate the stolen costumes.

I tend to listen on catch-up while walking the dog and I think she's getting concerned by the noises I'm making.