Archers thread #181: Panto Week's behind you! Was that the nadir? 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'd enjoy playing badminton with Derek Fletcher, or other unusual views.

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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.)

Will it be onwards and upwards for TA now, or do we fear even more of these special weeks (Martin and a Christmas Carol, Scam Week, Panto Week) and sudden reinventions of long-established characters (Neil)? I for one have had enough of all that. I want a quiet period of change counting in the village shop, farming talk with suitable sound effects and village gossip over coffee at Terum or a pint in The Bull. Slowly developing storylines featuring the full cast, not a subset for a few weeks with no mention of the others, and all behaving in character. Not holding my breath we'll get any of that, though!

Over to you.

Thanks for the new thread, Gaspode....

Checking in! Nice title @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g. Unfortunately I don't think panto week was the nadir - Neil the foundling is a much lower point for me. Also I fear we are about to be subjected to weeks of cricket club captain nonsense with yet another random new addition to the cast. It never bodes well when randoms are voiced to move the plot on - witness all the scam victims, Nellie Bun the baker's daughter, Berwick Kaler and now Laurence the cricket bore. The SWs have a wealth of characters to play with - most of whom have been decades in the making - they should use their time getting the facts and characterisation right with them instead of throwing in lazily cobbled together newbies.

Thanks all.

Ah, thank you, Gasp0de! My less than a year old phone was taking a full 15 seconds to crawl to the end of the last thread.

Loved Asking’s observation there about poor Jenny having been deprived of more huge weddings to prep for, despite having dozens of daughters. (I forget how much input she had into Adam and Ian’s ceremony.) My own mother has, thus far, also been cheated of the full MoB palaver.

Any bets on a 2025 Ambridge wedding?

Thanks for the new thread.

I don't understand the logic of using so many random newbies. It seems they can't afford to have more than a handful of established characters each week (meaning that SLs don't get progressed in a timely way or get forgotten about altogether). So why are they wasting money on characters we neither know or care about? Especially when they use established actors like Rupert Vansittart or Berwick Kaler who I imagine don't come cheap (even if I had never heard of the latter).

poor Jenny having been deprived of more huge weddings to prep for, despite having dozens of daughters.

I’m sure Brian would have been secretly relieved to be spared the months-long irritation and constant wittering, let alone the colossal expense.

You know - I’m not sure I agree …

Brian loved seeing Jenny in her element, magnificently immersed in grandiose entertaining, lording it over the great and good of the county. (IIRC it was one of the reasons he gave for not leaving her for Siobhan).

And he loves his daughters. I’m sure trillion dollar weddings would have been incorporated into his calculations for their futures.

Of course he’d have pretended it was all a colossal nuisance.

But the wittering would have been epic and incessant - that would have been the killer.

Thanks for the new thread!!

Ta f’ert thread @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g

<channel’s Harrison before he heads Norf>

Is there a collective term for a series of nadirs I wonder?

A well of nadirs @Sidebeforeself ?

I don’t recall who mentioned the REGFM Radio Play, but thank you for entertaining me on a particularly quiet afternoon at work.

Oh god I had no idea that Berwick Kaler was a real person. I suppose that explains the execrable Panto storyline. Thanks, I hate it.

Also hate the Neil the abandoned baby, stupid.

Pip and Stella made an appearance recently, hate that for us.

Finally Joy and Mick. FFS have a conversation you stupid pair of twats. I'm delighted the horrid Rochelle has gone but honestly, what was the point? And how are they still having Rochelle's wellbeing evening now she's blown back out of Ambridge?

A labyrinth!?

A plummet!

Isn’t the white elephant that Fallon and Harrison recognise that long distance relationships (or travelling home at weekends) only work if you are prepared to make them work, and neither of them even want to try. This is an uncomplicated way of signing out without having to have to conversation. One last hurrah and I can move on with my life with fond memories (and a massive sense of relief).

For most of the time I've been with DH, one or both of us has spent a chunk of the week living away from home (subsistence/no food bills helped us to buy our house). It really is easy enough to do, especially now with mobile phones/messaging/video.

It's about time there was a wedding in Ambridge; I would even tolerate a Chris & Alice proper marriage. Kate and Jakob would be acceptable (the kids could come over from SA)!

Very good point. I hope you're right and the SWs are indeed aiming for this subtle and realistic development.

Kate and Jakob would be a welcome event.

I’m afraid when I turned the question over in my mind, the only image that emerged was of Brian and Miranda …

Though that might equally prompt an epic reassembling of the global Home Farm clan.

Re tonight:

What brings out villagers out onto the Village Green to watch the noble game? (I paraphrase):

Beer and cider seem to do the trick

I am not standing for our Lyndie having a possible affair!

So, this week seems to have a theme - unwilling gooseberry.

And what the hell is Lynda playing at?? All solicitous with Robert - but positively frisky with Laurence.

that didn’t have a lot in it though

Chris and Alice are definitely destined to be together

pleased that I knew the answer to the first question - had no idea about the last!!!

We have definitely not seen the back of Rochelle. I’ve got it! Joy will propose to Mick, they’ll plan the wedding and Rochelle will turn up to stop it dramatically, revealing the entire back story. Does anyone know of any lawful impediment… ‘yes, me. Hello mam…’

I think she’s genuinely simply trying to manipulate Laurence into publicity for Ambridge and not realising the only thing driving him is in his pants. His disappointment when Robert turned up was palpable.

Laurence seems to have acquired Justin’s respiratory problems and also his patronising manner.