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Discuss your favourite podcast, radio show or The Archers episode.

Archers thread #184: It’s a shambles! And we don’t mean Casey Meats. Discuss The Archers here.

992 replies

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 14/04/2025 12:03

Thank you, @PseudoBadger, for kicking off this long, long series of Archers threads.

Archers 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. Grin

Archers 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!

Archers 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. Hmm

Over to you!

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Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 19/04/2025 16:02

Josh and Ben Archer are the age to end up in long-term relationships. So is George, at a stretch. Brad.

Kathy's son is Jamie Perks. Now working as a tree surgeon in ?Hereford area. His mother has left Ambridge, his father died years ago, the SWs have forgotten that he owns a share of The Bull so we're very unlikely to see him again. Neither of his parents had any family in the area. His half-sister Lucy is in NZ. If he keeps in touch with his stepmother Jolene and sometime de facto stepfather Kenton*, they keep very quiet about it.

*For our newer listeners, it all got a bit messy. Sid married Polly, they were landlords of The Bull (at that time owned by Peggy Woolley), they had a daughter Lucy, the SWs killed Polly. Lucy was still at school. Sid got chummy with Lucy's form mistress, Kathy, and eventually married her. Lucy didn't cope well with this. Kathy had an affair with local policeman Dave Barry and Sid threw her out. To Lucy's disgust he later changed his mind and took her back. Lucy left for Nottingham University where she met a man and emigrated with him to NZ, having senselessly been made to fail her degree along the way. (The SWs really have it in for young Ambridge women who go to university - Debbie, Lucy, Brenda, Lily - all dropped out or failed at some point. They let Alice pass but turned her into an alcoholic in the process. They let Pip pass and then decided she would turn down a lucrative job in Brazil. Eedjits.)

Later, Kathy became pregnant and had their son Jamie. While he was still quite young, Sid embarked on a steamy affair with Jolene. (Steamy in more than one sense - no one who heard the shower scene will ever forget it.) Kathy found out. An acrimonious divorce followed. Kathy bought April Cottage and Sid had to buy out her share of The Bull (she had run it with him for many years, after leaving teaching). Kenton took up with Kathy and moved in with her and Jamie until Kathy had had enough of his feckless ways and chucked him out. Jolene moved in with Sid and became landlady. They then went to visit Lucy and Sid died of a heart attack while overseas. When Jolene came home, she was a mess. Kenton did what he could to help out. Within the year, they were an item and he moved into The Bull. The rest is history. Jamie disappeared years ago and Kathy has scarcely been heard for years. She used to be Pat's best friend and confidante.

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WitcheryDivine · 19/04/2025 17:39

You’re right, there’s an astonishing lack of romance. I was thinking earlier I wonder if the reason behind Chelsea’s abortion was to put her off men for a bit until the scriptwriters decide what to do with her one of the Ambridge youth is a bit more grown up OR the age gap is less weird with Freddie etc.

ExitPursuedByABare · 19/04/2025 18:44

When was Kathy the Easter Bunny? In my head it was last year but my time frame is out of kilter.

GingerEden · 19/04/2025 18:50

@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g
Excellent summary of the Perks family's backstory! Thanks for filling in the gaps.

AskingQuestionsAllTheTime · 19/04/2025 20:42

ExitPursuedByABare · 19/04/2025 18:44

When was Kathy the Easter Bunny? In my head it was last year but my time frame is out of kilter.

Easter 2022, shortly before she went to America for a six month road-trip and has not come back.

Gonners · 19/04/2025 20:50

Please don't inflict Kirsty on Rex. He has done absolutely nothing to warrant such cruelty.

TheUsualChaos · 19/04/2025 22:43

Bruisername · 19/04/2025 15:46

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

I really like that idea.
Rex is a strange character when you think about it, he hasn't really had any real storylines, yet he's been around for ages now. I like him though, ok he's not very exciting but he just seems kind and genuine. Have a horrible feeling his big break is going to involve being entangled in Rochelle's drama.

MissMarplesNiece · 20/04/2025 12:03

I just walked into the kitchen and heard a conversation on the radio between Rochelle and a man. I had no idea who he was. I thought Ben or Josh or possibly Tom, but then realised, thanks to this thread, it was Rex. Too many male characters indistinguishable from one another.

I assume there are no characters in Young Farmers anymore - all too old? Now and again they used to get up to an adventure in TA.

Agapornis · 20/04/2025 12:47

Poppins2016 · 19/04/2025 07:40

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).

Agree - I've been listening since I was in my early 20s, am now mid/late 30s. I started listening to R4 initially for professional reasons (Today/PM) and TA happened to be on while I was making dinner. Now I rarely listen to R4 live, but use Sounds a lot. That said, I only have one friend my age who also listens to it, so I come on this thread to debrief and speculate 😅

Though I'm not sure many of my generation and younger still listen to live radio - I discover new music via Spotify, and don't have to put up with inane DJ chat.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 20/04/2025 12:56

AskingQuestionsAllTheTime · 19/04/2025 20:42

Easter 2022, shortly before she went to America for a six month road-trip and has not come back.

How quickly time passes when we're having fun! Easter Hmm

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AskingQuestionsAllTheTime · 20/04/2025 12:57

Happy Easter!

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 20/04/2025 12:58

My children (30+) don't listen to live radio at all, as far as I know, and it's not from lack of parental example. They tolerate their mother's hopeless addiction to TA but I think have taken me as an Awful Warning and kept well clear.

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Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 20/04/2025 12:59

AskingQuestionsAllTheTime · 20/04/2025 12:57

Happy Easter!

And to you! Hope everyone here has a nice relaxed day. Easter Smile

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Gonners · 20/04/2025 13:05

It's only 3 years since Kathy left? It seems more like 13!

JoelenesParrot · 20/04/2025 13:11

Rex is a strange character when you think about it, he hasn't really had any real storylines, yet he's been around for ages now

He was randomly responsible for sending poison pens to Brookfield at one point, wasn’t he? It was doubly horrible given his friendship with Pip and the fact he is an in-law to Fat Rosie. Was that over the EV station or something else? I thought it demonstrated a horrible flaw in his character but he was rehabilitated quite quickly and hasn’t demonstrated such petty spineless behaviour since.

IHaveAlwaysLivedintheCastle · 20/04/2025 13:50

JoelenesParrot · 20/04/2025 13:11

Rex is a strange character when you think about it, he hasn't really had any real storylines, yet he's been around for ages now

He was randomly responsible for sending poison pens to Brookfield at one point, wasn’t he? It was doubly horrible given his friendship with Pip and the fact he is an in-law to Fat Rosie. Was that over the EV station or something else? I thought it demonstrated a horrible flaw in his character but he was rehabilitated quite quickly and hasn’t demonstrated such petty spineless behaviour since.

When did that happen? Ie the poison pens?

Pip and the fact he is an in-law to Fat Rosie.

He isn't and never was an in-law. He's more than an "in-law" Rex is Rosie's uncle. That's not an "in-law" relationship. He's biologically her uncle and if he dies without a will after his parents or brother Rosie, as far as we know, would be his sole beneficiary.

Godesstobe · 20/04/2025 15:15

Gonners · 20/04/2025 13:05

It's only 3 years since Kathy left? It seems more like 13!

As far as I remember, TA was still ok 3 years ago. When did the rot set in?

AprilshowersOnandOnforHoursandHours · 20/04/2025 16:25

Madcats · 19/04/2025 10:44

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

Perhaps when the parents stopped being from the generation who did Barn Dancing at school when it was too wet to go outside for Games lessons?

Or, was that just girls schools, or just my school?

MissMarplesNiece · 20/04/2025 16:57

AprilshowersOnandOnforHoursandHours · 20/04/2025 16:25

Perhaps when the parents stopped being from the generation who did Barn Dancing at school when it was too wet to go outside for Games lessons?

Or, was that just girls schools, or just my school?

We didn't do Barn Dancing at my school (1970s) but we did do something called Modern Educational Dance, and one year we did Ballroom Dancing in PE. I was quite good at MED and used to be chosen to take part in special performances at Parent's Evenings etc. Sometimes, on Radio 3, I hear a piece of the music that I used to dance to and I have a prance around the kitchen, lol.

WorriedRelative · 20/04/2025 17:56

MissMarplesNiece · 20/04/2025 12:03

I just walked into the kitchen and heard a conversation on the radio between Rochelle and a man. I had no idea who he was. I thought Ben or Josh or possibly Tom, but then realised, thanks to this thread, it was Rex. Too many male characters indistinguishable from one another.

I assume there are no characters in Young Farmers anymore - all too old? Now and again they used to get up to an adventure in TA.

George is probably still young enough, and Henry, Kiera and Khalil will soon be the right age.

muddyford · 20/04/2025 18:03

I went to several barn dances in the 1990s, after being taught at school in the 1970s and even had some at university in the early 1980s. Also square dancing, which was great fun too.

Bruisername · 20/04/2025 19:14

Baby goat noises! That’s a plus. Shame we then had to go to the khalil fan club🙄

why on earth does Helen think it’s reasonable to move in with tomtash

recreated photos🙄. As if azra would agree to model for Chelsea

so when khalil talks about Lynda reminding him of his grandma it is the one in Pakistan who has been recently widowed. Good to have a bit of clarity but still seems a bit strange. I assume they married at the farm in Pakistan? But azra was at medical school? And we assumed she was British born?

Bruisername · 20/04/2025 19:16

They really are dipping into the book of cliche a lot at the moment

IHaveAlwaysLivedintheCastle · 20/04/2025 19:19

How is it possible to make baby goats disappointing? Answer have Helen and Natasha wittering on and shoehorning in the Maliks. Bore, bore, bore.Could we not have had 13 minutes of goats?

And as for Jazzer, I'm so fed up of the comedy Scotsman routine.

Gonners · 20/04/2025 19:43

I hesitate to say this here, but the Maliks are currently about the only characters I can stomach. I like Pa well enough, Ma is the GP and therefore not very interesting (I mean, who wants an "interesting" GP?), Zainab is much more human now that Pa is back and Khalil is at least someone to talk to Henry and (ultimately) die of leukemia for plot purposes.