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.

I thought the same, but couldn’t figure it out, and then realised and couldn’t understand why they didn’t actually say it?

I’m embarrassed to say that I only realised through this week’s storyline that Wayne is actually Fallon‘s dad. Which is really weird for a silent character?

Also, won’t they have to put the prices up if they change all the ingredients to what they apparently should be?

Indeed, and perhaps during the cost of living crisis punters have been flocking to Ambridge for an affordable pub meal without being unduly bothered about whether the scampi was wholetail or the anonymous fish in the batter was cod. When Fallon starts using pricier ingredients and a more diverse menu they may see a falling off in trade.

Jolene, probably not. Kenton, quite possibly!

The R word nonsense just illustrates how fearful some white British people are of being perceived as racist.

It was odd how Khalil asked Lynda if her scars bothered her and then said that he no longer noticed them. Why bring it up then? And if she's so disfigured why did Laurence fancy her.

But it was nice to see the warm relationship developing between Lynda and Khalil and Zainab. I'd love a Lynda Snell in my life!

Wow that data is really quite something.

Well that discounts my theory that recent problem with some of the quality lately is too many writers. As clearly there's been quite a big team for a long time!

Because racism in itself is not an offensive word. It's a word that can be used by children and in any setting without risk of upsetting anyone. My 10 year old grandchild did a project at school about "giving the red card to racism".
There are only 3 words which I'm aware of that are abbreviated this way- f word, c word and n word, the first two are frequently used in full.
I used woke in the way it's generally come to be understood, meaning rather performative and rather excessive political correctness. That type of behaviour is not typical of a person from Lynda's generation, particularly as she is using a term which no one on this board has heard of, so is unlikely to have spread to common usage by an 80 year old in a rural village.

And if she's so disfigured why did Laurence fancy her.

In my head, Lynda is a lady of great presence and an impressive bosom. I'd be surprised if a man like Laurence had even particularly noticed her face.

I hadn’t even noticed the irony of saying it’s woke to avoid mentioning racism - pretty sure it’s exactly the opposite isn’t it.

I think Lynda was just trying to be sensitive and I liked the fact that she reflected on her own behaviour and then decided that basically she’s just judgemental 😄

I understand they were referencing when khalil was winding Lynda up to his mother all those months back but I couldn’t understand why they didn’t say the word then either!

Ha quite and she has a banging haircut courtesy of Chelsea doesn’t she. I imagine the scars are quite noticeable but her eyes etc are unaffected

"The R word" stuff was nonsense. Firstly there's no such thing as "the R word"

Secondly if there were it would be "retard" not racism, which isn't a word much used in UK English

Thirdly the the 3 "letter" words are words which genuinely on many occasions have to be censored. There's no need to censor "racist/ racism"

Isn't it funny how we think of the characters- in my head she's wiry and slim but strong, smaller bust, short sensible haircut and likes accessorising with earrings and a scarf and wears stout walking shoes.

I always have a toned down picture of Sybil Fawlty in my head for Lynda 😅

Yes, that's pretty much as I see her.

I thought the r-word terminology was a callback to when Khalil was winding Lynda up a few months ago, used now by Lynda almost as a fond in-joke. I’m wondering if I have misremembered.

I thought Khalil talking about Lynda’s scars was his (or the SWs?) way of reminding her about visible difference, and how it can make you feel. So, she with her scars could think about her similar experience to Khalil’s experience of having different skin and hair to what his peers and community assume is the norm.

Did Lynda say why she wasn't doing the interview with Lawrence? Because if not, he's probably thinking this is why women can't be leaders, they can't handle the pressure. Mind you, even if she told him it was because of his attitudes, he's probably thinking, silly woman, oversensitive, this is why they shouldn't... etc.

(I may be feeling jaded by petulant men at work who are just waiting on retirement.)

Well I imagine he will throw her under the bus in the interview so we get more cricket angst only for plucky ambridge to beat Laurence’s team. Hoorah!

I imagine the scars are quite noticeable but her eyes etc are unaffected
Definitely a bright twinkle in her eyes.

Going back a bit, when Lynda first met Khalil, I don't think there were any undertones of racism in the encounter at all. But merely seeing someone who clearly didn't look like they were from the countryside and assuming they might do the wrong thing. I think a white boy dressed in townie clothes would have had the same reaction. It does get tedious dealing with people feeding your animals, climbing on the walls and fences, staring into your house and garden so people do get defensive and make assumptions unfortunately.

I'll skip the racism stuff as I need to listen to the omnibus tomorrow.

For me, pre 70% burns, Lynda has always been Margot Leadbetter/Penelope Keith in the Good Life.

She arrived in Ambridge with shiny new wellies and Barbour(?), and threw herself into all things rural with varying degrees of enthusiasm.

FWIW I think it's a shame that Robert's child(ren) don't pop into the story more regularly.

Interesting stats about writer numbers; I can see why the continuity archives used to be considered so important. I suppose they just google the old summaries now, which normally lack nuance.

No!!!!!!! Lillian is the one with the bosom. Lynda is quite tall and thin with short dyed blonde hair and noticeable glasses on a chain. How can it be that everyone doesn't know that?

No, no, Lillian is a rider. She will have been reasonably trim all her life although maybe pushing the weight limit for the horses these days!

I don't think that's what 'woke' means even in its current divergence from it's original meaning.

Also what word did she use that no-one on this board has heard of? Racist is a commonly used word and I think everyone knows what it means. Maybe I missed something.

Lynda is definitely tall and thin in my mind. And also definitely short dyed hair.

I don't care what Lynda looks like, I just wish she'd STFU. If ever an actress had a voice for mime ...