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!

If they go down the Rochelle the animal rights activist route, I will definitely stop listening. It's too serious - and too sad - an issue to be put in the hands of the TA SW.

Why can't Clarrie go too?

[Obviously her last day at the dairy is more important than George]

do you think she knows Neo?

we’ve already had Mia in recent times doing some activism.

not sure I can face it either

sorry but why on earth would clarrie not go 🙄. And I really don’t think Emma would have agreed

Did I understand it correctly ... Brine was pretending to be at home looking after Martha when Miranda called him from his place?

I think he was pretending to be wherever it is Martha is living at the moment, wasn't he?

Ah, that hadn't occurred to me. Miranda wouldn't turn a perfectly-groomed hair either way, though, being very much a woman of sang-froid.

If Rochelle is an activist it would make sense of that question from Joy: "Are you still with that group?". Maybe Rochelle will engineer a massive release of the animals for slaughter, potentially helped by Mini Malek?

Seemingly Brine was unaware of the bringing forward of the start of Spring due to global warming until Miranda informed him about it after hearing this “on the radio” (R4, obvs!)?

Brine Aldridge, the lifelong successful farmer, is that?

Ah @WombatCowgirl I think you’ve sussed it. (Although this seems not quite the point of Rochelle, iyswim?)

I didn’t think prison visits were directly transferrable?!? I am surprised Eddie thinks he can just turn up instead of Ed tomorrow…neither said ‘it’s lucky we have the same name’ but is that what they are relying for Eddie to be allowed in?

Ed told Eddie that George was changing the paperwork as they spoke

There is absolutely no way Emma would miss the opportunity to see George on his birthday. It seems unlikely that a customer would really give a tree surgeon an ultimatum “either you do the work tomorrow or I’ll find someone else” as I doubt many would be available at the drop of a hat. Completely confused re. Clarrie not going. If it’s because she’s working then that is ridiculous. I don’t know why she’s bothering to work her notice.

I couldn’t work out why Martha was at Keira’s birthday party and then I remembered they are cousins (I keep getting Kiera and Poppy mixed up). Have Chris and Emma made up?

I was so pleased not to have Muck or a Malik or Rochelle that I didn't mind hearing from Ed.

Ed still has the loveliest voice. (I’d forgotten!) And for a brief moment - while he was on the phone with George - I forgot how rubbish TA has become. They were both so utterly themselves.

All this business with Keira and Poppy inventing a health scare for Eddie to manipulate George - and everyone laughing their heads off about it, while George remains a bit freaked out … Is Eddie going to keel over at the prison gates immediately after seeing him?

Is Eddie going to keel over at the prison gates immediately after seeing him?

We can but hope.

I thought Clarrie was going to say That she would do the tree felling as she is so desperate for a job. I too can't understand why she can't go and see George as well as Eddie, but at least I didn't have to turn off because of Rochelle. ( who sounds like Rachel Reeves to me).

I thought Clarrie was going to say That she would do the tree felling as she is so desperate for a job

Don't go giving Eddie ideas! "Strap the harness to yer mum, son, she'll have that branch down in no time and then she can make me tea before her shift at the chicken factory."

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

I wonder if Clarrie feels she needs to keep turning up at the dairy in the hope that Helen might just change her mind?

I don’t think Clarrie is so much worried about the money as having nothing to do. The woman hasn’t been allowed to (or can’t) sit still for a second. I think that without work she feels she doesn’t have a purpose in her life.

@Eastie77Returns yes the idea that a tree surgeon would be able to do a big 2 person job (that isn’t blocking a road or similar) with one day’s notice seems vanishingly unlikely.

Along with “dropping” people from the Village cricket team rather than simply not selecting them, the SW’s are just in cloud cuckoo land.

i am, unfortunately, in the same position as Clarrie (although 10 years younger and have sent out dozens of job applications)

and while i am trying to be sanguine, and putting a good front on it IRL, inside i am slowly dying because i want to work.

LOLing at the idea that Brian hasn't noticed how the seasons have been shifting in the time ever since he became a farmer...
Also LOLing at the tree surgery business that jumps to it, because all the ones i know (have had some work done recently - albeit not in UK) were booked up solid and the only way i got the work done was a) live in the same village and b) tiny job that they could fit in on their way home.

@Brefugee My brother had to wait 3 weeks for tree surgeon to come and do some work in his garden.

Sorry to hear that, @Brefugee. I think you're not in the UK, or I'd have said try B&Q. Don't know if this is still applicable but they used to be known for employing older people on the sales floor because they tended to know more about what they were selling from direct experience.

Apparently, "International Beaver Day" is celebrated today. Do we think Kirsty will be clunkily shoehorning a mention into tonight's episode?