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.

Lovely post @TheUsualChaos

I wondered if the Linda subconsciously flirting and being asked out with/by Laurence was a compare/contrast with zenab/Brad/Ben.... ie women are fun/friendly/polite to men and they assume its flirting
(In addition to the alice/chris/hannah, so a 2 for 1 comparson)

Yes I don’t think Lynda was flirting with him.

perhaps we were supposed to see Chelsea’s internalised mysogyny that a woman being nice to a man is automatically flirting. Which she then questioned so not all lost. I thought Zainab showed some too though as she automatically went to jumping into bed

so quite a depressing series of events actually as the assumptions of women was shown by pretty much everyone

on Alice, given she had suggested Hannah go for it with Chris I suppose it’s not that weird she would assume she had. But it did feel a bit like there’s no conversations beyond what happens outside the episode because it was quite a long time ago that Hannah and Chris had their date and decided not to pursue it

i too am confused by Robert’s dental work

I just want to express my disappointment with the current state of the archers and I see it’s not just me. I’ve been wondering if I was being unfair but from this thread I don’t think I am. Has there been a wholesale change in scriptwriters? The quality of writing has nosedived. Characters’ dialogue suddenly doesn’t at all match their personalities. When has there ever been an ambridge pantomime in January before??? Suddenly Chelsea’s besties with Zainab after knowing her for a couple of months. Neil the foundling: awful.

I know the archers sometimes dips in quality but this is the worst I’ve heard it for as long as I’ve listened - 40 years! I’m starting to wonder whether the bbc wants to axe it and they’re starting by driving listeners away.

We're going to be treated to a valentine's special. All the build up with Fallon and Harrison, Ben, Chelsea and Zainab, Chris, Alice and Hannah, Linda, Nu-Robert and creepy guy, Joy and Muck.

The Bull will be a seething pit of love and lust next Friday!

I thought that was a lovely little interaction between Robert and Lyndy at the end

There’s such a huge gap in understanding between Chelsea and Zainab. I agree Zainab is probably embracing the Gen Z conscious choice thing as @TheUsualChaos suggests - and therefore feels unsure of her footing beside Chelsea, who she assumes has had innumerable boyfriends / hook ups / whatever she sees at third hand on SM.

And poor Chelsea! What she hears is that her new best friend is Against Sex and therefore will be utterly horrified when someone eventually blabs about Chelsea’s history.

(I would be frankly astonished if the SWs attempt to portray Zainab as a candidate for an arranged marriage.)

There's a huge gulf between religious marriage and arranged marriage though! She could very easily be waiting for marriage without it being arranged.

Exactly! It's the idea that it's in some way identifying to have a partner who cycles or runs or goes to the gym in his spare time that amuses me. Recreating Ancient Rome out of matchboxes, yes. Parkrun in 28 minutes, no.

Also a difference between arranged marriage and 'introductions' to suitable young men in which both parties have a free choice.

Why oh why has no one said to the Burns pair "how nice you'll be able to see each other at WEEKENDS and DAYS OFF"???

My god the short play at 2.45 is dire. What is going on with radio drama writing!!! So navel gazing and smug but also so inaccurate. The description of soft play was so distractingly bad!!

Well Saturdays don't exist in Ambridge (or we'd have an episode to listen to).

But yes. It's stupid, Maybe the SWs don't realise you can travel 'oop North' without a passport. Even to Yorkshire!

Maybe they’re mistaking Yorkshire for hotel California

I thought that. The prospect makes me feel nauseous.

Starting to feel like they are relying on making nearly every week based on a theme instead of developing decent storylines 🙄

Haven’t heard tonight but I do like Lynda and Robert. A believable couple.

I found tonight's episode quite a relief after all the Chelsea/Zainab/Ben/Brad nonsense and am glad it has been resolved. (Controversially, it appears, I quite like Zainab and think she probably just needs to leave home.) It was also good to hear that people have noticed Rochelle's absence, though apparently not until this evening!

It made no sense.

I thought it did. People turned up to the well being event, realised it wasnt happening and made the best of it in case anyone else turned up. Chelsea and Zainab sorted out their differences and Chelsea supported Zainab keeping her relationship with Ben as friends and not a date.

I agree @CaptainMyCaptain , it was nice episode. Hope the Brookfield lot hadn't lost money. Female friendship is a good story.

What makes no sense is that no one seems to have noticed Rochelle’s absence. You know, the Rochelle who was EVERYWHERE over Christmas, stalking Rex, sticking her beak in and getting pally pally with all and sundry. And did anyone turn up except Chris and Martha, Tracey and Zainab?

It made no sense. Why did this small group know about it and turn up and nobody else did?

Did Tracy buy and bring all her own materials for "mindfull colouring"?

It was an obvious plot device to bring the tedious Zainab and mouthy Chels together.

I liked tonight- it told us a bit more about Zainab, spelled out Chelsea’s insecurities, established that Chris is happy on his own for the moment… all of that could have happened elsewhere though. The wellness event was a bizarrre idea from the start and even more bizarre in Rochelle’s absence. Personally I’d be happy never to see her again - she just seems to have been included to stop the SWs having to write anything about anyone else’s Christmas and to prevent Joy proposing to Mick.

The people who came were mainly responsible for their own activities. I assume not everyone knew Rochelle particularly well and she hadn't formally cancelled it. In any case, it's a dramatic device, so what! It was a great improvement on recent episodes.