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’m getting heartily sick of Covid related programming on radio 4. It still feels way too raw and the impact on my kids is still way too painful at present to be exposed 24/7 to it

so the archers at least gives a break. Did anyone on the archers die with Covid? I didn’t listen during those years

I don't remember them even mentioning anyone having Covid, let alone dying from/with it. But in TA, Peggy isn't dead yet. I had assumed (on zero evidence) that June Spencer had recorded a final scene, to be broadcast after her real-life death, but there's no sign of that happening. See also Auntie Chris, who has been silent for years but is not (as far as I recall) dead yet.

On the bright side, I suppose stuff like this means that Brian can live in my heart forever?

Debbie's father Roger Travers-Macy, now resident in Scotland, was said to have Covid, and some time after the event Hazel claimed to have had it and as a result to want to retire to Ambridge where she was loved. This delusional notion was stomped when she overheard what Peggy really thought of her....

Surely Hazel can't really have thought she was loved? 😆

She seemed to. Quite mad.

Annette Badland also played a policewoman in a series called "An Odd Body" on R4. It wasn't very good. Well, it wasn't even a little bit good. The premise was that her elderly mother was supposedly interfering and annoying, but mother was in fact the sympathetic character whereas AB was pompous and dull. So perhaps she's just been typecast?

Well what a load of rubbish. Why wouldn’t you start by reducing hours? Surely even Helen is bright enough to realise that 0.5 x 2 = 1. Speaking of Helen does anyone else feel like she barely does a stroke of work? It’s always her telling them to make yoghurt which I’m sure they could see themselves on ordering software.

What I did enjoy was the production team clearly exorcising the way the BBC constantly seems to treat its staff. The old “apply for your own jobs” cycle is apparently endless. And the insistence on interviewing people that the interviewers have known for donkeys years because that’s “fairer” than judging them on prior performance.

It feels as though the dairy is going the way of the tearoom - driving away staff who are the backbone of the business leaving Natasha and Helen to take up the slack (neither of whom seems particularly suited to anything other than giving orders). It will serve Helen right if neither of them applies - she won’t even be able to rope Adam in this time as he seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth.

There must be jobs at Grey Gables. Room cleaning wouldn't require evening shifts or particularly early starts.

What, stop the cows needing to be milked twice a day? Not sure it's quite that straightforward.

Can't believe Helen, this is the first time I've got really annoyed with a character.
How dare she tell them to decide who leaves, then says they have to apply for the job surly both of them could apply. I hope she doesn't get any staff and has to close the dairy and the shop and they have to sell the milk cheap to other businesses.
Lily is having a laugh and also I think Rex would have to declare himself as professional if he is getting paid. I think Vince will not go along with that. What if the other players find out, they would all leave the cricket team.

Well they’re not going to make as much cheese etc with only one employee so they’ll have to find another use for the milk

Susan was bang on when she told Helen she will have to choose I.e. do her actual job as the business owner.

I think they must both be part time already. Susan works in the post office and shop and Clarrie is always about helping Eddie with whatever he is up to.

Helen could bathe in it, I suppose, Cleopatra-style.

Bathe in it while complaining how hard her life is

Maybe Vince Casey could emblazon Casey Meats all over Rex's car and pay for the privilege. Then Rex can turn out for the team after all.

Doesn’t Rex work through a taxi firm in Borchester?

It was odd that Lily thought they could (secretly!) pay just one member of an amateur team. Imagine the SM outrage when it was revealed two minutes after Ambridge wins the cup! (Whatever cup it is.)

The idea that Lily would get Vince to pay Rex was just bizarre. Ambridge is just a little village cricket team team that was fielding young girls and OAPs last time I looked - it was all about the taking part. Is Rex even that good and does it it even matter that much? I feel I have missed something and I feel the SWs have also missed something since they still haven't asked Akram if he plays (or any of the Maliks for that matter. Since they've already made such a fuss about them being Muslim, surely Pakistan's cricketing prowess can't be far behind?)

Maybe Lily wants an excuse to spend more time with Rex.

I’m surprised Lynda hasn’t browbeaten the maliks to join the team because she wants to teach that racist chap (can’t remember name) a jolly good lesson

the Whole thing is odd

It is very odd to have offered to pay for Rex to play but then again I thought it was odd for them to have a paid actor in the weird "instant panto" story.

Maybe it's the way things are going and we'll have professional entries to the Flower & Produce?

I really want Susan and Clarrie to not apply for their old-but-different jobs.

Zayneb can do it?

The rest of it was preposterous

Not a lot makes sense in Ambridge these days.

I think this is the first time I don't feel an ounce of sympathy for Helen. The way Bridge Farm treat their employees is awful.

If we could have an episode where Kirsty rejects Tom and Natasha's house offer and Clarrie and Susan both tell Helen they won't be applying for their own jobs that would be amazing. We can hope!