Archers thread #183: The Scorekeeper's Apprentice. 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 like to share a hot tub with Mucky Mick, 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 @TottersBlankly who suggested it and @BeatriceBatchelor who coined this lovely phrase. (It's led me to take a look at the Wikipedia page for The Sorcerer's Apprentice. I had not known before that the animation in Fantasia that goes with the Dukas symphonic tone poem is more or less unadulterated Goethe, and the story goes back to ancient times. You learn something every day.)

At the end of the last thread, there was an apocalyptic tone as we were all bemoaning the lack of continuity and farming storylines (especially lambing, which used to be a big theme at this time of year). Are there any reasons to be cheerful? (Not just Part 3 - another reference for the older listeners here. ) Over to you!

Well, I'm intrigued by Rochelle. I'm not sure what her agenda is.

Clarrie's scenes were heartbreaking.

Vince claiming "we do everything we can to minimise distress, fear, suffering."

Poor animals.

Would not trust Rochelle at all - Vince beware

I shouldn’t be disappointed that Vince appears to be stupid. But I am.

I can't listen to TA when Rochelle is on. She puts my teeth on edge to be honest.
She is awful and I will be glad when she leaves again so I don't have to turn off something I enjoy listening to 1st thing in the morning.

One might have expected a line from Joy and or Mick concerning having to suddenly change their entire menu when a vegan suddenly came to stay, twice.....

I think they did say something at Christmas? Vague memory

Joy has clearly been removed from the scene so Rochelle can show us who she really is. I don't think Vince has the first idea that Rochelle has set her cap at him - she clearly has no idea who Freddie is in relation to Vince (and no idea what Freddie stands to inherit - Rochelle would obviously be far too old for Freddie, but I don't think that would stop her!). Is Rochelle really a vegan? I can't believe a vegan would go anywhere near an abattoir (unless it was standing outside at a protest). Also, I don't understand why meat packing at an abattoir is so much more desirable than working in the chicken factory - I wouldn't have thought there was much to choose between the two.

An alternative theory I’ve seen doing the rounds on TwiX is that Rochelle is ingratiating her way into Casey Meats in order to wreak some sort of vegan-motivated mischief.

I did feel a sense of despair the other day at Mick, a grown man who presumably has full use of all his faculties, being unable to prepare a simple meal for himself and, furthermore, whining to Jolene about his own uselessness.

I think the chicken factory is supposed to be a particularly toxic workplace aside from the actual job. Maybe Casey's is a better workplace or pays better. No idea really

Does Rochelle actually have any sort of fixed abode? It's weird that she's job-hunting on the apparent assumption that she can stay at her mum's indefinitely without ever actually asking her.

Isn't The Bull usually really struggling to find staff? How come they suddenly have a glut of superbly qualified applicants?

I don’t think they have. I think Fallon was using that as an excuse to not employ Clarrie.

Clarrie sounded so desperate.

I would love clarrie to sue them for age discrimination!!!

hoping they employ someone who ends up a complete disaster and they end up cap in hand going to clarrie

did Wayne have help in the kitchen?

I think Mick not being able to cook for himself was the SW's invention rather than anything true to what the Mick character would be capable of.

However did he fend for himself before he battened onto met Joy, one wonders? 🤔

It is odd. Sure he had a time of sleeping in tour buses and probably living on 2am kebabs. But he had a home before the SWs made him give it up for Plot. Of course he must have been able to keep himself fed!

I think he was doing perfectly well before he met the Archers production team, who can't remember that he had a Life Before Ambridge.

I thought Mick was quite capable of feeding himself - he just didn't want to. As someone who's lived alone for 9 million years, I can understand that.

Wayne didn't need help in the kitchen because according to Fallon he was buying everything in ready made and not doing any actual cooking.

They have definitely mentioned that Rochelle is vegan before. For example, Joy cooked vegetable chilli as her last meal before she ran away.

Perhaps Rochelle is an ultra militant animal activist and is planning to kidnap or kill Vince. (Either would be fine by me.) I honestly cannot imagine why else a vegan would want a job at a meat packing plant. And there have been pretty broad hunts that she knew who Vince was before she met him. If Freddie comes to Vince's rescue maybe the trustees will decide he can finally take over at LL.

If Rochelle has previously been in prison for violent activism that might explain why it appears her children don't live with her.

I wonder if the dog died because Rochelle fed him nothing but lettuce and radishes.

It borders on fetishisation of Islam and Pakistani culture. I think Edward Said called it Orientalism.

Ouch …