Archers thread #185: Some farming would be nice. Discuss The Archers here.

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It was Alan marrying Usha specifically rather than just any old Hindu.

Shula and Usha had had a falling out over Richard Locke (the Harold Shipman of Ambridge) who was schmoozing both of them but delayed a little too long before deciding which to target first, leading to mutual miffed-ness.

Bloody lucky escape for both of them imo.

The Rex and Rochelle thing is so bizarre - she’s in her 40s but acts like a 13 yo and he’s so wet I’m not surprised he lives on a boat

There was that as well; but it was Usha who (in spite of having got fed up with Doc Locke and been wondering how to get rid of him when he lived in her house and had nowhere else to sleep) was spectacularly upset; I assumed at the time that it was because she had been looking forward to chucking him out and was disappointed when he left of his own accord. Shula didn't have it in for Usha; Usha did have it in for Shula.

And yes indeed, a lucky escape for both of them. Shula may or may not have been right to choose the amazingly boring Alistair Lloyd instead, though.

She said it kept happening lately. Maybe she's always drunk.

@TottersBlithely There is not a chance that in real life Rex would have had the slightest bit of interest in Rochelle.

Absolutely zero chance - and not just for class/snobbishness reasons. He is dull (though not quite as dull as Toe-B) and dim, but she is positively moronic.

I honestly don't care that Fagash Lil is missing her mother. I can't drum up any sympathy. She's so annoying.

The en masse family holiday is the stupidest idea, well since the last stupidest idea. What a nightmare that would be.

Oh actually the other really stupid idea is leaving the lion's share to Kate - if that is what happened. Why? Other than to cause trouble. I always got the impression Peggy saw through Kate and didn't like her that much.

And while we're on really stupid ideas why is Fagash buying booze from the village shop? I don't believe there isn't a stockpile of good stuff chez Justin.

The en masse family holiday is the stupidest idea, well since the last stupidest idea. What a nightmare that would be

But think of the endless twists and turns of the SL. That's the only thing the SWs care about. Also very PIggoi to give substantial money and then tell people how they will spend it. Caaah.

Was the holiday to Iceland, and is that the supermarket on the bypass?

Maybe the end line from tonight, "where has all the money gone" like a primer for some Topical And Worthy BBC tie in with predatory marriage (ok unlikely) or the stuff featured in the Will Power detectives

Thanks so much! What sort of era was this? I’m guessing 2000s. I do remember the save the organic sausages freak out from Tom, vaguely.

Bored to tears to hear Rex and Rochelle (and Joy). I can’t believe Rochelle only arrived at Christmas it feels like years.

The thing with Rochelle’s back story is at least you’d expect her to be a person is quite bold and fiercely independent. But oh no she’s a total wuss and comes crying to her mum every five mins. Totally unbelievable that this is a character who we’re to believe almost never contacted Joy over the years

I imagine the ‘family holiday’ will form part of the fun and games of the 75th anniversary of TA.

What fun!

The SWs have all year to position the players, establish relationships, and then smash everything just as the suitcases are being loaded into car boots.

James and Leonie and Mungo … So surely Robert and Lynda as Mungo’s other grandparents?

Ruairi and his current ménage … Paul, I hope.

Alice and Chris as a couple …

All Kate’s children. And perhaps by then Kate might be a grandmother?

Adam’s eye will have strayed - so Ian will refuse to go, preferring to sit at home, crying.

Lilian of course may need a retinue of carers by then …

But in the meantime - absolutely, @IHaveAlwaysLivedintheCastle- there’s no way the Dower House residents buy single bottles of wine from the village shop. It really is a problem having writers with no idea how other people live …

The family holiday sounds like Hell on Earth.

But the glorious thing about the holiday is that we won’t get joy or Rochelle!!

lillian has the right call - a chateau in France that’s big enough so people aren’t crammed together

I think it’s really funny that Peggy left them all money for a holiday in 2026 specifically. What if she’d been alive then? 🤣

Or do you reckon Crispin broke it to her in her final weeks that she’s been unwittingly starring in a radio drama that has a 75th anniversary next year?

That would explain her leaving them at least three plot lines in her will (holiday, artwork, money mystery).

Joy will be one of Lilian’s carers, @Bruisername. Crucial to the success of the holiday …

You’re probably right 😬

on the holiday - the will probably stipulated the summer a year after death or something. I doubt she was updating her will annually!

How on earth can you stipulate from beyond the grave that everyone goes on a holiday? What if some people don't want to go? Quite a few of Peggy's family have their own lives and jobs and obligations AWAY from Ambridge. Why are the SWs so keen to stage a big away-day gathering? Just bringing back the missing voices of those still living in the village would make a nice change instead of the dross we've been forced to listen to with Joy, Mick, Rochelle and Saskia. The drip, drip, drip of details from Peggy's will and the subtle reordering of the family with the loss of its domineering matriarch is enough to provide months of fly-on-the-wall drama without the necessity for some theatrical set piece. Just having some of the familiar voices back this week has been such a refreshing change, making the Rex/Rochelle nonsense feel more stilted and scripted than ever. I love the the snubbing of poor Alan for instance - entirely believable in view of everything we know about the baptism of Rob, the starry window etc It's the subtext that's interesting, not the exposition that's required for invented dramas like the animal rights activists.

And while we're on really stupid ideas why is Fagash buying booze from the village shop? I don't believe there isn't a stockpile of good stuff chez Justin.

Justin would obviously be a member of the Wine Society or have a wine merchant in London who is on speed dial and regularly sends him a case of something ‘rather special’. Also, if L was really short on booze she could get a bottle of something from the Bull which given she part-owns probably has a fairly decent wine list.

I nearly fell off my chair when I heard R and J were back on air after a break of about three days - ffs why can’t they give it a rest?

AIBU is full of threads about people going on disastrous family holidays. I actually think it would be the quickest way to hell on earth and would refuse to go- esp if the relative who has arranged it is dead and won’t ever know…

The drip of will is irritating and I would have preferred an episode dedicated to the reading of the will Agatha Christie style!

the family holiday is something i would be saying "nope" to. What are the parameters? all grandchildren including the ones abroad? Johnny?????

and leaving money to cover locum farmers? REALLY? she must be really pissed off with them. No wonder Tony wanted Lilian to tell Tom and Helen. Also did we previously have any indication of Lilian's complete involvement in Peggy's life? I simply cannot imagine it. Also what are Cat Lolipops?

Still no mention of Alice. We need one of those counters: 0 days since Alice namechecked

All the grandchildren including the ones abroad? Johnny, Phoebe, Nolli, Sipho, Debbie, James and Mungo??? Ruari is not a blood relative so would he be included?

I've never heard of cat lollipops and I have a cat. I think you would have to hold it for the cat to lick, but who would get near enough to Hilda to do it.
Disappointed that they had to spoil a good week by putting Joy and Rochelle in Fridays episode. Everytime I hear them I tut and roll my eyes. They are so boring. 🙄 ⬅️ me.

I think Brian and Joy will get together. Meaning Joy will be on The Holiday. I’m not feeling enthused by the Peggy’s will storyline - I wish she’d left it all to Hilda. Hopefully, the sniping and grouching between Helen and Tom will mean that Helen and ‘the boys’ actually do the sensible thing and move into the enormous farmhouse with Pat n Tone.

I’d say we did know that Peggy’s daughters in particular were very involved in her life. Ever since she had her mini-stroke and had to stop driving (years and years ago) Jenny and Lilian had taken over driving her to whatever she needed - medical appointments, hairdressing, the supermarket on the bypass, etc. Tony did much less of this because he was busy on the farm. (And also because Peggy was mean to him.) Obviously after Jenny’s death more of this fell to Lilian - and Peggy herself ‘lost ground’ after the premature death of her daughter, so needed more attention. I’m less clear (oddly enough) about how much support Kate actively provided once she moved in with her grandmother.