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!

I think I read somewhere that they're paid varying rates according to how long they've been in the programme ... presumably regardless of talent. Though I may have dreamed it.

They need to save the money for the random actors playing tourists who have to sleep in a barn, Neil’s ‘mum’, the panto dame etc etc

I think it is true that after being in the programme for thirty years (or some figure like that, but I think that was how long it was) the actor will be paid a few pence more per episode.... Someone posted the link to the pay-scales for TA at the time of Nigel being killed off, because it was claimed he was about to enter the higher pay bracket just after he was killed off. I have a feeling it was shown that he wasn't.

The English language version of our National Anthem (it's usually sung as Gaeilge) includes the warning that 'Out yonder waits the Saxon foe'.

A poundshop Lady Chatterley,
Plastic violets in her bush,
Opines that TA latterly
Has turned her brain to mush.

But it was written in English first. I prefer as Gaelige, but still.

When they were talking about her interest in boning he said it £600 a week so not amazing for the higher skilled work.

She went to the wrong place for the first screening interview too, didn’t she?

Why ? What's the point of it?

Denise and Paul and Pip and Chris and Alice have also disappeared. Where have they all gone?

Drowned in a sea of sewage, I hope ... apart from Chris, obviously.

There’s been a lot of SL based around the abattoir - including the denouement to the dog attack (whatever happened to him?)

I would much prefer to have more SL around the farms.

it makes me think of when they dropped the farm from emmerdale. Maybe they’ll drop the archers and it will be an over the top story of unrealistic folk called just ‘The’

In those circumstances and that language it is a simple description of a particular culture of person, as eg German or Welsh. In a conversation in English it's a bit like someone English calling a German a Deutscher. (Lord knows what a Welshman might be called: I don't particularly fancy that rabbit-hole..)

@Bruisername Maybe they’ll drop the archers and it will be an over the top story of unrealistic folk called just ‘The’

Or "The Dullards" ... an everyday story to remind you to switch off the radio.

Alastair has only appeared recently as a prop for about 2 seconds in a llama drama episode and a fleeting appearance to say the tea room was smelly.

I don’t particularly fancy that rabbit-hole

Rarebit-hole, please.

Grrrrrrrrr. And not, anyway, and you know it. Welsh rabbit is 1725, Welsh rarebit is an attempt to gentrify it which didn't get used until 1781. (And according to Wikipedia, see also English rabbit, Scotch rabbit, buck rabbit, golden buck, and blushing bunny. But only if you feel you absolutely have to.)

I cannot understand how the BBC manages to afford some quite well-known actors for the afternoon plays (45 minutes each) when they seem to be quite cheese-paring with the numbers of actors on TA which fills about 5 times the air time each week.

Presumably the afternoon players also need more rehearsal time as their parts are less familiar to them, need more directorial input, incidental music and so on.

If my Googling is accurate the listener numbers are about 5 times higher for TA too.

An over the top story of unrealistic folk.

And only 184 posts in …

I’m not a great soap opera devotee but I find it hard believe that programmes such as Eastenders and Corrie simply disappear long standing characters and bring in a load of randomers who suddenly dominate the story lines. I wonder why the SW think this is either acceptable or a good strategy for TA.

Kidding - lolz tho. (sorry, Pat)

I recently, for reasons, watched a football match being broadcast live on BBC Alba. I was totally unprepared for 80% of the broadcast to be in Gaelic (sP? no offence met). It is the first time i've ever heard it and it is fantastic to hear so many people speaking it. Also hilarious when the non-Gaelic speaker just spoke English, the other gave a short answer then carried on in Gaelic. Long may it last.

My understanding of "sassenach" is that it means outsider? so used by highlanders to mean lowlanders, and all Scottish people (Scots?) to mean everyone else which effectively usually means the English? and has morphed into an insult-ish?

Nice to hear Emma being utterly sensible and providing solutions. and good to hear Brian back her up, not because he likes her or anything but because her ideas were very very sensible. Loved her casting Pat in the baddie role.

Have loved having Chelsea back. Long may it last.

@Brefugee Given your last post, did you mean Chelsea the character or the football team ?! 😄

Tbh whilst the implementation is shaky and I don’t really want to get to know Martin, the water SL is a good one and has brought out the old characters

the abattoir SL is not great

i don’t mind new characters but I think they need to readjust the airtime so they only get about 10%

I love the idea of animal activists being in the area - makes them sound like a wild species to be spotted on safari

I do wonder who their target audience is though - it seemed like they were really targeting a younger audience but then they bring in a special guest who most people that age will be googling to figure out who he is

I agree. It's good to see Brian and Emma in the same scenes, and that he is actually linking to older storylines, such as Emma having been Peggy's cleaner some time back. Gives a sense of continuity.

I’m afraid the Archers has zero appeal for DD and DH. They prefer to “watch from start” Michael Portillo at 6:55 in preference to R4.

I think it is Keri Davies’ mission to dig up some past in the SLs. I think he did the Home Farm week too.

As for the rest of the SL’s I quite expect to have something from Adoloescence shoe-horned into proceedings by the Summer!

I’m sure the sw will say they dealt with toxic masculinity with George 🙄

I live in London and I’m a confirmed city dweller. I like the archers because I like dropping in on rural life.