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!

Excellent title from @echt.

Zainab's upbringing must have been considerably affected by her brother (who is 5 or 6 years younger) having leukaemia ... and twice at that! I don't dislike any of the Maliks, at least not yet.

Game on. I want Fallon to destroy the Terum - it was her baby and they snatched it from her, I'm looking forward to watching her replicate its success at The Bull. And all credit to Kenton for recognising what a massive asset she would be in the family business. I love the fact that Natasha is entirely oblivious to the fact that she is working in Tom's family business. I also loved the maxed out credit card signalling - let's hope Natasha is in for a massive (Nigelesque) fall from her high horse.

Thanks @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g
And safe journey home for you.

I’m glad Fallon finally seemed to respond to some of the outrageousness of Tom and Natasha. I wish she’d go further with realising they stole her business and then expected her to be grateful for a job.

On childhood illnesses - Neil had long term amnesia, forgetting he was adopted.

Agree, I picture her baked goods for the brunch too - rather than the dosas…

Checking in. I might have to relisten to Fallon finally finding her rage fire last night, was too sleepy to properly enjoy it at the time

Well I listened for the first time in a while

can't say I can get very excited about anything.

did think it was interesting that Fallon thinks she’s friends with Natasha. Natasha does have a way with words - I liked her saying it’s a backward step working in her parents kitchen when she works for her husbands family business

Glad she’s not spoken to Harrison for a while and that he likes his new job - hopefully he’ll stay

did we need shouty Freddie? Why is Lynda so anti them sharing the captaincy? Was being cricket captain always this onerous? Doesn’t sound much fun. I would have thought the only people who would want the role are obsessive types who love cricket

Re the beavers.... I wonder if this is all going to end up with beavers being the answer? Beavers could build dams that controlled the flow of water and stored water etc, thus creating the additional capacity that Justin was talking about?

Thank you @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g.

Last night sounds promising …

Any insurance experts around? Would the farm and tearoom have been insured against ongoing financial losses caused by natural disasters, and is it likely to have covered the whole loss? We're getting so much doom and gloom around the tearoom and cheesemaking business, it would be nice to have some common sense offsetting of the problem.

As someone who has thyroid issues. It is a simple once a day tablet. I get 3 months supplies at a time, and could get enough for longer trips.
Routine blood tests are not interesting anymore than dental check ups or trips to the optician.

Beavers are always the answer. I'd rather hear 12.5 minutes of a sound recording of beavers swimming and building their dams than some of the nonsense we've been subjected to recently. The BBC must have any amount of wildlife recordings in their archives, so it would be nice and cheap for them too. They could save a bit of the budget and use it to have a subsequent week with lots of Brian, Kate, Jakob, Susan, Neil, Jim, Jazzer, Tracy, Tony, Natasha, Tom and Helen. Perhaps the beavers could cause the mighty Am to flood again and wipe out most of the other characters, headed by Pip.
<This post is possibly fuelled by the M&S G&T I am sipping as my Avanti train speeds south>

I’d happily have episodes filled with the (translated) inner thoughts of the beavers tbh

"Beavers are always the answer"

Yep, I can get behind this sentiment. And the idea of a whole episode of beaver munching [fnar] and beaver inner thoughts.

Oh yes, that would be lovely.

That's a good stick. I could use it to reinforce that section near the bank. I wasn't altogether happy with it when I inspected this morning.
Splash, splash, splash
Nice to see a bit of sun. I wonder if spring's on the way.
Splash, splash, splash
Morning, Jason. Thought I'd swim across and have a look at this new dam you mentioned. Oh yes, that's nice. Very nice. I particularly like how you've tackled that bit in the middle. Is that a bit of latticework I see?
Mabel, have you heard our good news? My youngest girl Kylie's in kit. You know, she and Keith have that nice little dam over towards Brookfield. Yes, due in the spring. Really enjoyed their Christmas, then? Goodness me, Mabel, you're making me blush!

And the occasional commentary on those idiot humans

Beavers were on the main news last night.

Adorable

Kind of like a vastly improved beaverish version of the lockdown monologues...

It's a good 'slow burn' storyline.

Felt for Fallon when the tearoom was taken over by the self styled Alan Sugar that is Natasha. Then we had the crazy vegan charging station line before Fallon finally ended up where she should have been all along... she should do well in a popular, pretty village pub.

It's going to tie in well with the Natasha bankruptcy storyline. Pat and Tony are going to end up with all the kids in the farm house.

I do actually know someone who owns a very nice little Italian cafe. She makes an ok living from it but certainly doesn't service the mortgage on an 'executive home' and two lots of nursery fees off the back of it.

Fallon and Tracey are a good combo. 'Pass me the meat cleaver' 😂😂😂

Oh yes.

That David Archer came over this morning, waving his shotgun around in our direction and shouting. What a prat!
I know, but he's the best of a bad bunch over at Brookfield Give me the Aldridges any day of the week, closely followed by the Bridge Farm Archers.
splash, splash, splash
Overheard an interesting titbit earlier when I was gnawing that willow near St Stephen's. I always take an interest in how others approach working with trees, so when I noticed Ed and Emma I kept an eye out. Still no sign of a visiting order from young George, I'm afraid. When's he likely to get parole?
splash, splash, splash
All I'm saying is it would have been nice if Lynda Bloody Snell has asked us if we wanted starrring roles in her adaptation of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, instead of assuming we'd be happy to play Mr and Mrs Beaver (what imaginative names! ). But that's Lynda for you, isn't it?

Thanks for the thread.

Fallon v Natasha is brilliant writing. I hope Fallon wipes the floor with her and Natasha is left eating humble pie (but not from the terum as it will be closed).

Tracy and Fallon are also a nice combination. They're open with each other, know each other's histories and not afraid to probe a bit deeper, meaning we get good conversations as listeners. Bring it on!

Chatting to a friend in Australia yesterday, who catches up with TA on BBC Sounds. We decided that what has made it so boring recently is that, previously, the back stories were the things we had heard actually happening in past programmes. Now it's childhood leukaemia told by the mother years afterwards, the dreary mystery of Joy (oh, the irony), Muck and Rochelle, Neil's past, and probably a few more that I can't remember.

Yes I agree. Although I’m not sure i could bear to listen to a child leukaemia sl

I suspect there will be a Martha neurodevelopmental problem /foetal alcohol syndrome storyline in the future. She's highly likely to be affected by whatshername's alcoholism in pregnancy.