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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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AskingQuestionsAllTheTime · 21/04/2025 19:24

The editorial team seems to have conflated climate change activism, animal rights activism and veganism. I'm finding it all a bit confusing.

Do people really talk about "The Cause" with capital letters these days?

Bruisername · 21/04/2025 19:35

Well you’ve made me listen as I’d like to know how bad it is!!

Lily is so annoying. Would appreciate less airtime for her

saskia😹 gone for the posho activist?

maybe they are climate activists that blame cow farts for climate change?

what are they going to handcuff themselves to? This sounds like a really stupid plan that’s not going to make the mainstream news

rochelle is going to turn her back on her activism and veganism because the people of ambridge have made her feel like family🙄

or is Helen going to be hero of the hour!!!

IHaveAlwaysLivedintheCastle · 21/04/2025 19:42

AskingQuestionsAllTheTime · 21/04/2025 19:24

The editorial team seems to have conflated climate change activism, animal rights activism and veganism. I'm finding it all a bit confusing.

Do people really talk about "The Cause" with capital letters these days?

It was utter nonsense.

Hortus · 21/04/2025 19:49

Do animal rights activists usually live together in a commune? Wonder what Rochelle did to be thrown out. I'm really really hoping she gets caught so can be sent away from Ambridge forever.
It's hard to believe she's a woman in her forties, her voice and attitude are like an early 20something, especially when she and Saskia were talking about her mother. Why have the SW portrayed her with this childish persona, it's all so stupid.

Bruisername · 21/04/2025 19:51

Or why not just make her younger - Joy didn’t have to have her that early in the marriage and didn’t have to marry so young

I think she was kicked out for using on vegan cheese in the communal dinner by mistake

northwestgirl · 21/04/2025 19:53

maybe she lived in the commune ever since the traumatic events of her teens and so shes never really grown up and that's why Saskia can boss her around
Saskia sounds about 50- 10?- years older than Rochelle, so in her teens that would have been old enough for her to take a parental role

Bruisername · 21/04/2025 19:54

northwestgirl · 21/04/2025 19:53

maybe she lived in the commune ever since the traumatic events of her teens and so shes never really grown up and that's why Saskia can boss her around
Saskia sounds about 50- 10?- years older than Rochelle, so in her teens that would have been old enough for her to take a parental role

That’s good - yes it’s the family she never had

but don’t worry - the kindly citizens of ambridge will become her new family

northwestgirl · 21/04/2025 19:55

yes! and when she sees how much Neil loves his pigs, and Tony his cows, and Pat her goats, she will have an epiphany and embrace mixed farming

Madcats · 21/04/2025 20:01

Can somebody Klaxon when the goats return, please? I’ll happily take some episodes for the team in a week or two.

muddyford · 21/04/2025 20:13

Nice to see the high level of crappiness is being maintained...(And I don't mean the Shit hits the Am).

JanglyBeads · 21/04/2025 23:25

It seemed like some 1990s activist group e.g. the Twyford tree dwelling ones?! Very odd. And he's it seemed like Carlos knew Rochelle's whole backstory, had been with her all her adult life.

JanglyBeads · 21/04/2025 23:26

Saskia autocorrects to Carlos evidently!

BeatriceBatchelor · 21/04/2025 23:51

I'm pro animal rights but don't want to listen to it on TA - as with everything, the SL will make a mess of it so I'm fast forwarding.

I'm looking forward to moving in day at Beechwood!

IHaveAlwaysLivedintheCastle · 22/04/2025 00:33

I'm pro animal rights

Me too. And this is not the way to go about protecting or promoting animal rights.

BinaryDot · 22/04/2025 00:39

I've been on holiday, Archer-free. I'm trying to calculate, via this thread, when it's safe to listen again. Not yet it seems.

OnlyFrench · 22/04/2025 07:44

Rochelle slipped up mentioning Rex…. I wonder if he’ll twig what’s going on and save her from herself

LillianGish · 22/04/2025 08:18

The story has all the hallmarks of Kenton, the dog attack and the mysterious gang from Wolverhampton - so clumsily formatted and reliant on historical off-air action as to render it completely unbelievable. Where is this mysterious action group based? If Rochelle abandoned her husband and kids to join it then why has Joy never mentioned it - she obviously knows about it as Saskia has already inquired about her? For the plot to work it requires too much suspension of disbelief - if Joy had mentioned the activism then Rochelle would never have got the job in the abattoir in the same way that Vince's mum's broken hip conveniently removes him from the action. Nothing rings true - unlike say Helen insisting on moving back out of Bridge Farm so she can insert herself firmly into the middle of Tom's family as they move into their first house together or Pat's activism in the face of Borchester Water or even Henry finally making a new friend in the shape of Khalil which might finally bring some of his own well-documented horrific experiences as a child into view. Instead we are forced to listen to the equivalent of a stand-alone drama - something that might have once been tucked away on Archers Extra before that particular unsuccessful foray away from the known parameters of Ambridge was abandoned - and with good reason!

LillianGish · 22/04/2025 08:23

I wonder if he’ll twig what’s going on What is going on? The problem is there's so much backstory it requires entire episodes of exposition.

JudyCoolibar · 22/04/2025 08:39

My moderately posh girls' school made us learn Scottish dancing, goodness knows why as it was in England. We used to have a form competition once a year which was a pointless exercise as the higher forms, having learnt that much longer, always won. I quite enjoyed it but wasn't that good, and tended to be a perpetual understudy for the team. It must have looked quite incongruous when I was parachuted in to take one of the man's parts as I was shortest in the class.

GingerEden · 22/04/2025 09:11

Isn't 'Arrison on a "special investigation" up in Yorkshire?

Ordinarily, the coincidence of it being RochellePet's very same militant activism group he's investigating would stretch credulity, but with storylines just lately...

TottersBlithely · 22/04/2025 09:45

Oooh! That would be fun, @GingerEden!

Bruisername · 22/04/2025 09:46

It would be super if Harrison is under cover in the commune and makes the ultimate sacrifice to save the abattoir

MissMarplesNiece · 22/04/2025 10:07

Bruisername · 22/04/2025 09:46

It would be super if Harrison is under cover in the commune and makes the ultimate sacrifice to save the abattoir

I hope the SWs havent decided to use Spycops - public enquiry going on at the current time - as a storyline. The undercover police involved acted as agents provocateur, inciting others to commit acts of terrorism like fire bombing. Some of the undercover police formed incredibly close relationships with women in activist groups and in some cases fathered children with them. Is Saskia an agent provocateur undercover cop? Has Harrison been sent to Yorkshire as a spycop?

BeatriceBatchelor · 22/04/2025 11:29

Ooh @MissMarplesNiece - that might be one way of Harrison getting his much wanted baybee!

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 22/04/2025 11:32
Grin
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