Archers thread #182: The Shit hits the Am! 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 be delighted to oblige your employer by cleaning up sewage spills without proper training or equipment in place of your normal duties, 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.)

Credit for the title goes to @echt. Can't think of anything much to say about current storylines. Credulity is strained to its limit on many fronts, unfortunately, but there are a few nuggets in the slurry. I did enjoy hearing Natasha's outrage that Fallon is doing obvious, sensible things at The Bull even though it might hit Terum. I thought Natasha was supposed to be an entrepreneur!

Over to you!

I think cricket would be much less time consuming than making and editing videos though.

Cricket would be more social and exercise, the drone is work.

He’s going to drop out of uni isn’t he

he should be socialising there

fed up of the sw not giving anyone (except maybe Phoebe) a normal uni experience and following career

No He Is Not.

Perfectly reasonable for Brad not to want to continue with the drone business. If Eddie feels so strongly about it, perhaps he should do it.
Sounded to me as though Brad was making excuses (as far too many people do) by saying he had no time. He’d have been better off just telling Eddie he didn’t want to do it. He’s under no obligation.

Is he still visiting George weekly?

Definitely a bit of compare and contrast going on with Freddie and Brad.

So we have Freddie, not very academic. Criminal record for drug dealing. No particular qualifications as such. Yet has had an employment opportunity bestowed on him that most his age would have had to absolutely work their socks off to achieve.

And there's Brad. Academically gifted. Never been in trouble, at least not through any fault of his own. Hard working and generous. But struggling hugely because he's surrounded by people who simply don't understand that he needs to be given support and space to be able to focus on achieving his goals and potential. They all seem to just think he's smart so that's all it takes. Poor Brad.

We heard nothing of Phoebe's time at Oxford.
Alice, Pip, Roy and Brenda managed to complete their degrees.

There is very little about Eddie that doesn't make me want to gnash my teeth.

Just tell him "No", Brad and keep repeating it until he buggers off. Please. For the sake of my blood pressure.

Brad could have done with Zainab around to give Eddie a firm NO.

Was interested to hear yesterday that Brian and Miranda had been to visit Ruairi (wherever he is).

Oooh, maybe Henry has a tractor accident but survives

poor Brad. He’s definitely heading for a crisis

im struggling with the massive economic impact a couple of weeks has had

I thought Susan would be sad Emma wasn’t at Martha’s party

Can we pleeeeeeeeeeeease have "Stop the Plop!" in the next thread title? 💩

...and who else thinks that Clarrie is going to whip up some giant poo costumes?

...although "Species, not faeces!" is pretty good, too! 😸🐴🐮🚫💩

I want to slap Eddie, Clarrie and Tracy.

I didn't use to like Brad but he's improved a lot. It's so unfair of the Grundys to take advantage like this and Tracy should step up.

Right, so 90 minutes after listening I remember the tractor bit but absolutely nothing else. Honestly, it's almost as though it's now so bloody tedious that I'm not paying attention ...

Diary back open. Patronising gift of new pink wellies for Clarrie and Susan when they've spent the last two weeks scrubbing and mopping.

Susan said Tracy has noticed Brad is taking on too much but no one seems to be joining the dots that George and the Grundy family are the problem.

I hate what's happening to Brad and bored on about this in the last thread about a clever working-class lad being held back. Having a MH breakdown will only be seen as dropping the ball by his feckless family.

I don't see Freddie as being offered some golden ticket at the abattoir - he didn't want to do it at all and has made a good fist of it. The thing that pissed me off was his being edged out of work at Lower Locksley in the first place- all in the service of struggles with Lily down the line.

It seems such a BBC trope - working class brain box know your place!

No, not a golden ticket as such but not an opportunity your average college dropout who has served a prison sentence would ever get. Not what he wanted but still a huge privilege to have the chance.

Just realised I wrote diary instead of dairy 🙄Been a long day.

Will be very disappointing if Brad leaves uni. It was unexpected him asking to join in with cricket, he's never shown interest before. Maybe it will help him somehow. Does Ben play? Perhaps he will spot the signs that he's struggling.

Quite.

Being one myself back in the day makes me have a skin too few when I see its portrayal in Brad who is clever, sweet, and a good person. A pity the SWs seem not to allow him to have some self-protecting nous. They managed it with Joy.

Wow pink wellies so exciting. The way Susan and Clarrie talk you would think they had a share in the business.
I hope Brad tells everyone to do one. No one cares about him it's all George and keeping his business going, when in fact he deserves it to flop now he is doing time. Those Grundys really take the piss.
Why can't Helen just say no to Henry he is just a kid and in my mind too young to drive anything.

Please could someone remind me how John died (before my time). Was a tractor involved?