Archers thread #184: It’s a shambles! And we don’t mean Casey Meats. 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're looking forward to Morris dancing on the radio, 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.)

Right, to business. I can't say I'm delighted that the focus is on Rochelle and Casey Meats at the moment, because I'm not. All far too peripheral to Ambridge and too new. As I say ad nauseam, more farming storylines please, and where are all the long-standing members of the cast? The discussion about inheritance tax in The Bull the other night was a bit clunky, but what a refreshing change to hear two familiar voices, both farmers, talking about farming-related stuff, even if BBC balance meant they had to be challenged by two non-farmers, and even if it is months after the Budget introduced these changes. Ah well.

I was tempted to put one of my Dad's terrible jokes into the thread title as an oblique reference to George's coffin-making idea, but it wouldn't have made sense to anyone else. He loved referring to the cemetery as the Dead Centre of the island, so I was pondering something about Grange Farm becoming the Dead Centre of Ambridge. It could happen yet. Emma and Ed could provide willow branches and Clarrie could sit in the kitchen weaving them. Surely it must be similar to knitting?

Finally, if the SWs are lurking and looking for new storylines, it's been very dry recently and there have been lots of wildfires in rural areas. There was a bad one on Gaspmother Island a few days ago. Many farmers are very worried about this at the moment, as reported on Farming Today last week. But what am I thinking! This is a story that only works in a rural setting, so in the current incarnation of TA, it's not soapy enough.

Over to you!

Another episode stuffed full with unwashed tripe.

@Trivium4all Although on the surface of it, recruiting a random Scot who is good at Ceilidhs to learn how to teach a random innkeeper how to do a folk dance from a completely different tradition based on YouTube videos seems completely ridiculous, my personal experience of giving historical dance workshops actually made these scenes ring surprisingly true.

I enjoyed it because it took me right back to my early 20s, learning Scottish country dancing at an officers' mess in Germany from my then boyfriend. The Argylls took a hearty attitude to what was referred to as "cross-country dancing", and if you managed to stay on your feet you were doing well. I once ended up flung into the band, who obviously just played on. Periodically there would be a party chez the Queen's Own Highlanders, who were very formal (prissy!) dancers and so one was expected to rein it in. But when they came to the Argylls' mess, it was havoc!

“There is Scottish dancing as performed when there are ladies present, and then there is Scottish dancing.”

I think that’s George MacDonald Fraser.

Love ‘cross-country dancing’!

I quite liked that episode…. Thought Jazza ending up running the show was likely (plus, won’t Kenton be needed in the pub?!). Although I think a professional instructor/caller would cost less than Jazzas family meal, they’ve left it too late to find one (and only a proportion of that meal is actual cost) so they are probably still on to a winner, esp if it actually proves popular.
The storyline with Pat and Emma was well played and I didn’t anticipate (low expectations) that they had been quite so tricksy so found it entertaining.
The last line ruined it all.

It's not a proper Ceilidh unless someone's elbow gets broken in the Orcadian Strip-the-Willow.

I've been to pub ceilidhs in London and they were great fun - I'd totally go to an event like that in my local - assuming there is enough space for dancing

@Trivium4all I'm still chortling at "people tend only to have two legs"

Like most of the population of the UK, Emma is not a regular churchgoer and does not come from a religious family. She probably doesn't think about it very much.

I felt for Kenton (an unfamiliar sensation). I would have been much worse than him. I like dancing but it would take me ages to learn steps like that.

I’m the same age as Emma and I’m not sure how she could have escaped knowing the Easter story in the uk education system. I spent 7 years in a different country yet the years I was here it was often taught!

it was just such a cheesy line

i am struggling with the idea of jazzer, the archetypal Scotsman, dressing up and performing morris dancing and all for free food and drink. Has he no pride!

I'm sure she's been taught it. It's not a day of religious significance for her, or for the Bridge Farm Archers. Just another Bank Holiday.

It’s all about the Easter Bunnay, probablay. (I’ve not listened, but I put in some hard years and feel entitled to BU re Emmur.)

The obvious new part owner would have been one of the extended Mallik family. Pa Malik would have been a credible choice (making him a seemingly unemployed plumber reliant on his wife’s earnings might make sense eventually, I suppose, but not at the
moment).

It would almost explain why nephew Adil was parachuted into a role(s) that any sane person would have employed multiple experts to do. It would also explain why Azra was happy to uproot 2 older teenagers accustomed to life in a big town/Brum so that she had an easier commute.

The reception desks at the health club and hotel are great opportunities to move stories along, talking about characters and events third hand.

Lily presumably finishes her placement at GG soon (or are they going to make her fail another degree!).

Who on earth do they think listens to the archers, because it isn't anyone young? My children are in their 30s and would laugh their heads off at the thought of listening to it, I don't think they listen to much live radio, it's all podcasts

I started listening to the omnibus with my dad when I was small... stopped for a little while in my late teens/early twenties but took up listening again in my mid twenties. I'm now mid/late thirties. I think there are a few of us on the Archers threads who must be a similar(ish) age (we've spoken about having young children/babies, etc).

I’ve listened forever but my kids don’t. DS actively doesn’t because he couldn’t believe some of the ridiculousness!! And that’s without me saying anything

Loved the Morris dancing scenes - it's a good dance for radio because there are plenty of sound effects.

over the entire population, planet wide, the average number of legs a human has is less than 2

Due to having ballroom dancing lessons in my youth, and due to my dad's (and then my) miitary carreer - i was very popular at mess balls for a long time.

Which doesn’t mean Homo sapiens is not a bipedal species. (What is this reminding me of?)

haha, yes, ape-like bipedal species (full of telephone sanitisers)

When did Barn Dancing stop being a thing? I remember a few from the late 80’s and at school but they used to be a tried and trusted fundraiser for PTAs

It was a cheesy closing line and I was surprised at Beeb SWs using it bc the Beeb is to an extent still quite Establishment.

For any who aren’t to sure why it’s called “Good”: it commemorates they Son of God sacrificing himself for all of our wrongdoing in order to offer us eternal life and a new relationship with God.

I really liked that episode!

country pursuits ✔️
characters being in character ✔️
solid activism hopefully paying off (ie public service broadcasting) ✔️
good script ✔️
jingly bells ✔️

Ok could cope without the bells but the rest was a good show and I liked Emma and Pat and Brad all collaborating for The Greater Good

Madcats
It would almost explain why nephew Adil was parachuted into a role

Adil is Azra's brother, which makes him Akram Malik's brother-in-law, not his nephew.

Was Rex 32 when he came to Ambridge? How come he's 38 and doesn't have a girlfriend or wife? Come on Kirsty - nab him before Rochelle does!

I think the SW don't really know what to do with rex, is he going to remain a peripheral character ( leaving him a permanent bachelor living on his boat) or make him more important, in which case they do need to do something about his love life. But if they get him together with Kirsty or Rochelle( please no) they're both too old to have children so if he wants children they need to find him a younger woman. He's such a drip though with not much to offer, can't imagine why anyone would want to be with him.
In fact, thinking about it, what I'd call men of marrying age( mid/late 20s/early 30s) in the programme, whether married or not, are as rare as hen's teeth. I suppose that's because they get sent away never to be seen again eg Daniel, Johnnie, Kathy's son( can't remember his name), Toby.
The one who does need a potential wife and children because it will have consequences for the future is Freddie, but so far he hasn't even had a girlfriend as far as I know, no hints that he's gay either.

He will marry Kirsty and they will become fosterers

someone is going to end up a foster parent and it’s either Kirsty or Hannah imo