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.

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 https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/radio_addicts/4636789-the-archers-spoilers-thread-7-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.)

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.

What prompted that observation on Watching threads, @WagnersFourthSymphony? Oh, was it what I said yesterday? It’s only, and only recently, a problem for a day or two at the end of these threads.

And, given that MNHQ consider me a drain on their infinite generosity and the kindness of ad-viewing posters, I’m not sure it’s something I’ll need to consider for much longer!

PMSL. How to become the case study for How Not To Do It in Corporate Communications 101. The management seem about as competent as the Archers prod team.

Might be rather a large group! The largest WhatsApp group I belong to was probably one set up after a school reunion which may have had about 60 people at one point. I suppose it was no more difficult to keep up with that than the thread here. There would be no more anonymity, though, would there?

I can still only access on my phone which is not really for me. So I'm not paying.

If I vanish - it was lovy with you all

There would be no more anonymity, though, would there?

My first thought was that I wouldn’t feel any great need for anonymity on a non-public platform where we only talked about TA. But as you say, it would be vast - with no guarantee at all that my rambling thoughts wouldn’t be shared outside the TA platform. So - erm … No idea!

I found tonight’s quite gentle and nondescript, exactly the sort of episode lots of posters here claim to want. Much of last night was taken up by a random actor representing a cricket team in a never before mentioned village setting up yet another stand alone spin off plot (no pun intended!) - it’s exactly the sort of episode I don’t want. I liked the Chris/Alice/Hannah triangle - I think this is just what is needed to make Alice realise she wants to get back with Chris.

What about Gransnet? No pop up asking for £ yet!

I can cope with a few adverts. The computer I use has a big screen so the ads appearing are out of my line of sight.

I don't think I'll be lured across to Facebook; last time I looked everybody was being implored to "be nice", or words to that effect, in case the cast/crew/writers/some random popped on.

It's mad that the only people involved with all things cricket sound as if they probably stopped playing 30-40 years ago. I get that committee posts tend to attract long-established club members, but surely they can find something else for Lynda to fret about.

I'd be OK if I could get it on anything other than my phone. Thumb typing gets very old very soon.

Still not tuning in. Am I missing anything?

The synopsis for that day says
"Alice reciprocates by hoping that Hannah finds someone nice to date soon. She then asks if Hannah likes Chris, and, although Hannah tells her they are just mates, starts to try to sell Hannah on the idea of finding out if he might be interested in her, assuring her that apart from Martha's existence there is nothing left between Alice and Chris. Hannah is distinctly suspicious and seems to have realised that Alice may be through with Chris but Chris is sticking by Alice. Alice says he's always been very loyal but insists that's all it is: nothing more than looking out for Alice because she is Martha's mum. Hannah asks if Alice ever wonders if breaking up was the right thing to do, then apologises and says she was just following the thought through: the two of them seem so good together. Alice admits they were good together, very good, until they weren't. Hannah tries to change the subject but Alice is not done: if Hannah likes him she should go for it. Hannah doesn't seem particularly keen on the idea."

The BBC one is
"After hearing about Hannah’s dating disasters, Alice asks if Hannah likes Chris. Hannah says what’s not to like, but they’re just mates. Hannah wonders about Alice and Chris’s relationship and Alice explains that they get on because they’re Martha’s parents. Alice thinks if Hannah likes Chris, she should go for it."

To me it sounded as simple as "You don't have a bloke. I don't want the one I used to have. You would be welcome to him if you want him." Note, Chris was not being consulted here; Alice was just being her usual high-handed bossy self.

For the anti-ad-and-cookie folk, have you considered Mustardland? It's at a site called "paranormal" but don't let that put you off; that was Peet's website in the distant past, I think, and Peet is now (sadly) dead. I think if you use a search engine "Mustardland" and "paranormal" ought to find it, and you can go and look and have a read to see what it's like without having to join.

As far as I know they don't use cookies, don't have advertising, and only occasionally ask people who post there for donations to cover the cost of running the place.

It’s funny because I heard that conversation as Alice effectively saying she’s not good enough for him, he deserves to be happy blah blah blah. Not in what she said but in how she said it

I think Harrison will meet someone he’ll become ‘clurse’ to oop north and have an emotional affair leading to an affair affair

I’m having real trouble with the site and today it’s either been really slow, freezing, not letting me login or the screens been blocked by the drop down menu with no ability to close it

i suspect my time on here is limited now. Even if I had considered paying I certainly won’t pay for such poor functionality.

I'm not on any other social media so at a bit of a loss what to do!!

Why on earth is Chelsea so invested in her brother's love life. It is really odd. I wasn't remotely interested in either of my brother's girlfriends at her age (beyond wondering what on earth any girls saw in them!). She was awful to Zainab.

That all came completely out of the blue, I felt.

She’s worrying about herself. Like a Hardy heroine she’s afraid an early mis-step has ruined her life. She thinks she now has no chance with Ben (or possibly eventually any other nice man) because - compared to Miss Involuntary Gap Year Doctor’s Daughter - she’s ’damaged goods’. Bad reputation, looked down on by respectable society.

It’s painful to imagine. Poor girl.

I know everyone is saying that Fallon and Harrison are going to break up when he goes oop North, but I wondered tonight if that is just wishful thinking. You could certainly read the last few episodes as suggesting absence is going to make their relationship stronger. Obviously I really hope not.

Now that the hideous pantomime SL is over TA seems to have returned to normal. The last two episodes have been dull and worthy which is ok by me - I've never confused TA with Ibsen.

Fallon and Harrison are so badly written - booking same restaurant, her laughing so much the waiter thought there was something wrong with her, him working 2 hrs away but suddenly he may aswell be on the moon! Sleepy scrunched 🙄. Can’t wait for him to leave.

and of course they could have gone away - Tracey is apparently fully competent

and I really don’t need to hear all the teenage love life stuff

I guess Zainab was pretty insensitive given Chelsea’s past and the abortion but as she doesn’t know…

when did Chelsea run away?

I'm a big fan of Chelsea as a character. I think she's basically a decent person (like her Mum) but she's immature because of the narrowness of her experiences. She's intelligent enough to know she is missing out and that makes her very sensitive if she suspects people are looking down on her. She's jealous of those who have the things she lacks - not just money, but confidence, education and prospects - and so she lashes out. I don't think the love of a good man (or woman) is the answer to all life's problems, but I do think Chelsea would benefit enormously from a relationship in which she feels valued and respected, and I hope the SWs give her one soon. Otherwise I fear she will become increasingly bitter and envious and will go to the Dark Side.

Chelsea fancies Ben. Ben fancies Zainab.

Maybe they're trying to suggest that Chelsea has hopes of getting together with Ben and is jealous of his friendship with Zainab? But she (Chels) could do a lot better than drippy Ben, and I suspect Zainab is being set up to be either the first asexual (disregarding Freddie) or the third lesbian (or maybe the fourth ... the Tregorran daughter?) in the village. In a fit of being cool, maybe they will even trans- her?

Whatever. I would like the SWs to know that I Do Not Care. Unlike what appears (here, at least) to be the majority, I have no particular dislike of Azra or her children and zero interest in the private lives of teenagers.

Harrumph!

Chelsea's yobbish accent kept slipping during her chat with Tracy. Almost like Dear Jenny on a couple of occasions.

Yes, I noticed that about Chelsea's accent!

Thanks for the new thread, @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g

I liked the Harrison and Fallon part of the episode, and of course it will all go horribly wrong, though I hope not.

I have the same view of Chelsea as @Godesstobe and hope her character isn't sacrificed to some ridiculous SL. I know drama is tension, not same old same old, but I don't like seeing working-class characters ground down and kept in their place, viz. Brad with his great A levels suddenly finding it all too hard.