Archers thread #188: New Order, please! 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'd love to spend time with Martyn Gibson, 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.)

In some haste as we are going out for the day. I was asked weeks ago to put I've Killed the Vicar in as the new title but I agree with more recent comments that Peggy's funeral feels like old news now. Great line, though. Sorry not to have used Markie Malarkey, though. I've settled on something that will only make sense to people who were also youngish in the late 1970s or early 1980s. Here's a clue. If a certain person appears in tomorrow's episode the title will be relevant.

Over to you!

Almost my exact words about Joy. Thought Emma was going to tell her to: a) mind her own bloody business, and b) bog off back to the kitchen. Another one that needs to grow a pair!

Considering the horribly rude behaviour of Amber, giving her phone constant priority over the people feeding her, and how Emma clearly felt about that, I think Emma was in sympathy with Joy thinking that being constantly on the phone when in company is poor behaviour.

I was referring to Joy going on and on about it and how virtuous she and mick are

glad she’s not going to help with the fete (please don’t let her change her mind!!!)

Bruisername
glad she’s not going to help with the fete (please don’t let her change her mind!!!)

Yes, won't it be refreshing if they manage two whole consecutive weeks this year without Joy in them!

As I was and, I suspect, so were you.

I thought Joy was just saying what they did.

Well I will admit to being a bit biased and if another character had said it it probably wouldn’t have irritated so much

It was poor Emma taking a work call that set Joy off on the primrose path of how she and Muck put their 'phones down, when they go in the house, and leave them. So smug. Emma sounded distracted by her warbling on, rather than recalling Appalling Amber's behaviour.

Blue Sunday, I see. Good grief. Woe Division.

😂

Well, George and Amber are both over the age of consent, so I hope they don’t fall into a bizarre love triangle - G + A + A’s phone - and end up with nothing but regret …

She will.

Yeah - and it will be a great success and end with her being hoisted onto shoulders and carried around the village green with everyone cheering ‘hurrah for Joy, saviour of Ambridge’

and then take her up to the top of Lakey Hill where they've build a large wicker man...

🤞🙏

I don't get the hate for Joy in a cast which includes a character as stupid, selfish, self- regarding amoral and generally loathsome as Fagash Lil.

Nobody likes an ever present Pollyanna

But we’ve known Fagash for years. She fits in with the complicated jigsaw that is the Archers.

Joy is a blow in with no connection.

Ambridge can't exist only with members of the original family. I'd be happy never to hear from Fagash again.

I don't have to like the characters to enjoy listening to them, but they do need to have depth, nuance, interest and an actual personality to make me interested in them. Lilian has all that, plus she's an Archer and has been around forever, we know about her life, her story and she's intertwined with so many people in Ambridge.

Compared to her, Joy is like a cardboard cutout. She has no personality, is dreary, there's nothing of interest about her, she coos blandly at everything, she has no spark whatsoever. She is bland and blank and that's why I can't stand her. There's no depth to her character at all. We hardly know anything about her life before Ambridge, or even the reason she ended up there. She has no connection with the village and as she isn't local some explanation should have been given why she is there.
Having been through a divorce and with no discernable career she is able to afford an "executive home" yet no explanation has been given for how she affords that or what she lives on.
It's just not believable that everyone would like her so much or that she would be able to turn her hand to so many things. Plus she is simply in too many episodes, it's an unusual day if joy doesn't pop up somewhere, so I'm just plain sick of hearing her voice.

Second millionded!

I dont think anyone is saying we only want Archers. New characters are needed but they dont need to appear in almost every episode, have ridiculous backstories, have unexplained wealth of talents etc which is how the SWs have written the character of Joy.

If I were drowning characters in slurry I'd start with everyone of Archer heritage (sorry Henry ... but not that sorry that I'd make an exception) and ditto Grundy. I'd probably spare the Horrobins, apart from Susan and Emma.

why would the alternative to being on your phone be mixing with strangers?

had to turn the volume down when Amber came in. Sad we are stuck with her even more. It’s so pathetic.

its all ok Emma - ambers parents are desperate for their middle aged daughter to leave their granny annex. They’re probably popping open the champagne.

tequilas empty - they probably need to keep an eye on Joy taking some free shots during the working day (seems odd that a village pub would go through a lot of tequila)

and why do they tolerate Eddie

I'm going to have to say it again - OH FOR FUCK'S SAKE.