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!

Oh Lord - another Bridge of Doom?!

You’re quite right though.

And I for one am not up for any TV style mass culling of residents.

Is it going to be poor Neil dedded at the side of the road - after the coach swerves to avoid his poorly sighted mam tootling along on the wrong side of the dual carriageway, full of excitement at finally meeting her boy?

Genuine question, but do "normal" people go to pantos without (grand)children in tow?

I used to have to perform in the things as a child and DD was in a few when she did dancing classes, but I've never felt the urge to see another.

I'm not sure they would get much change from £2-300 booking a coach for the evening.

Genuine question, but do "normal" people go to pantos without (grand)children in tow?

I don’t think so. Especially on a coach. Weird that Vince and Freddie think it will be such a treat for the workers…

I'm not sure if I am a normal person or not - possibly not - but we went to an excellent traditional pantomime without children a few years ago because my American daughter in law had never been to one. We had a good time but we won't go back until the grandchildren are old enough to enjoy it.

I agree though that it is very odd for a bus load of childless adults to be so excited. Even more odd for the teenagers to see it as such a hot ticket. I suppose Ambridge residents are just aroused by the thought of seeing something that hasn't been produced by Linda. Have any of them ever been to a theatre outside Ambridge before?

Thinking back to when Beth and Ben were together, I pictured Vince's abode as being "Footballers' Wives", rather than Grade 2 money pit.

Wasn't Elizabeth pleasantly surprised at how tasteful and stylish it was? And didn't Vince's mum live there too?

I took my child to a panto over Christmas and was surprised to see some groups of adults absolutely living it up. So maybe it’s more common than I had realised. It’s certainly never occurred to me to go as an adult but then perhaps I have lived a narrow life!

Genuine question, but do "normal" people go to pantos without (grand)children in tow?

Don't know if we would be described as normal but DH, DD (adult) and I go every year in the run up to Xmas. Already booked for this Dec. You know how MN is obsessed with Christmas traditions? Well panto is ours - oh yes it is 😃

Vince did say they could bring their kids but with only 50 places it would go pretty quick?

I too am concerned about the coach trip. But surely it’s too soon for another motor related accident.

Well the eastenders sw have decided every celebration must now result in a death so if the sw are channelling Enders then we may expect something stupidly dramatic at every turn

Aren't all his employees Filipinos? I wouldn't have thought panto was a big thing over there. Are there any Philippines based listeners who could confirm or deny this?

Yes very true. Although the sw have probably forgotten that

I'm hoping the red headed niece makes another appearance, otherwise what was the point of her? (The niece of the bad man who was on the fiddle at the meat packing plant.)

I’m very tired and read ‘opinions’ as ‘accusations’. Both seem welcome…😂

This was my memory - Vince lives with his mum (or vice versa). Will she also be moving to Ambridge or has she died and we’ve missed it? The lack of attention to continuity is alarming.

Vince is one of the few characters that I have a really clear image of in my mind, and to me he is very lithe, quite tall, and very ‘neat’ looking both in terms of hair/grooming and dress (although agree his style might be more Footballers Wives as someone up thread said). Always really interested to hear people’s differing mental images - I remember my mental image of Lillian being super different to others in the past.

That is very, very different to my image of him.

Yes me too - I see him more like an older version of James Haskell!

In my mind Vince is tall but with quite a large belly. He's had what's left of his hair clipped very short and he has a face similar to Jeremy Clarkson's.

I still have no idea why Lizzy is with him.

I see him as Warren Clarke from Dalzeal and Pascoe!

Thought I would brave it tonight but regretted it pretty quickly. I really don’t know why they have done this tbh. The sw could have just written an afternoon play

the whole thing was so painful

The theory of Nelly being the mum seems very strong and very badly signposted

edited to add they clearly think they are extremely clever to have dropped Emma’s last line as the cliffhanger 🙄

Goodness - this is a long obituary (I presume) …

Yes. That's exactly who I was picturing. I just couldn't place him.

OK, so I found that episode quite moving (putting aside the actually ridiculous timescales) and worthwhile.

But there is no way that that was the reaction of a mother who abandoned her child and hasn’t seen him for however many years old Neil is, to meeting her son again. No way.

I agree that despite the ludicrous premise, the episode was well done. It crossed my mind too that she was Neil's mother but just as likely she knew who the birth mother was.

Who knows what the SLs have in mind?