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!

@stilldumdedumming Will it be Chelsea who discovers Ambers social media?

More likely to be Keira or Popeye.

Farming! SWs we need farming!

I’m old and I’ve been listening my whole life. There have always been ‘gritty’ and topical storylines - but the crucial difference was they involved characters who were integrated, well established and believable and the storylines were well thought out and consistent. And yes, we had lots of farming and countryside and gentle humour. I miss Walter and Nelson and Marjorie Antrobus and Mrs P and of course Nigel - his pointless death was the beginning of this long slide into stupid, ill thought out storylines.

Oh bog off Eddie.

Amber is already more irritating than Lillian.

But possibly not in the Tom league?

Actually looking back - Brad and Emma have checked Amber out online but I think I’d be snooping. Perhaps I’m a terrible/ nosey person.

I'd probably be finding out where her parents live and just casually dropping by to say how absolutely delighted I was at the marriage plans. and what a pleasure it was to meet them. But I am officially evil.

Delurking to add a wish for more farming. There is SO MUCH they could be writing about with IHT and wheat at £160t.

They should have mentions of Clarksons Farm or James Pecks open day. Stories about Josh going off to do a Nuffield. Stella doing a WCF course.

Then add in some day to day trivia like shearing, getting the combine ready. A Red tractor audit at Grange farm would go well.

Just anything vaguely agricultural that doesn’t include flipping Joy or Justin.

How hard is it to mention farming when it seems to be set in the bull so often? Someone comes in and mentions how tiring x farming was - small chat and then move on to Joy making a pavlova

they can’t even be arsed to do that

Also…showing my allegiances here.. its the Great Yorkshire Show week here..couldn't someone be showcasing their stock here ?!

That’s where Harrison is working undercover - dressed as a cow

@Bruisername Bloody hell , you have nailed it! I did see a cow chuntering about cricket and wanting a bebeh !

🤣

belated thanks for the new thread. I’d thought this morning I was going to attempt to keep track of numbers of days between mentions of farming and/ or seasonal indicators. Then I caught up and the only mentions were at board level which, frankly, doesn’t count.

RIP Dross.

Yes, that makes a lot of sense. Mia will have known Amber from school and seems a lot sharper than Brad.

My money is on Amber being a boy.

I don’t think they have had a trans character on the Archers yet and the SW will no doubt be feeling the need to include one.

Sorry but there is no way Amber was a boy based on everything we’ve heard

if that turns out to be the case I will certainly switch off for good

I don't think she was a boy. Nothing suggests that.

Amber in any sex is enough for me to fast forward any scene she's in.

I thought it was possible but as Ed and Emma have now seen her without make up, it seems unlikely.

We were talking about this a few days ago, probably on the last thread. I'll repeat what I said before - I don't think the SWs will do this. The actor portraying Amber is female and I can't see the BBC casting a female actor to portray a trans-identifying male. A long time ago Coronation Street did that, but it wouldn't be accepted by the activists now. They'd insist on a trans character being played by a trans actor, and in that case we would already know because the voice is usually a giveaway.

I got the impression that Amber has been very overweight at school, and looks very different now.

If she was trans they wouldn’t have a woman playing her as they would have been pilloried by the TRAs

I note that the National seem to be playing Algernon in the importance of being earnest as a bit of a gay icon which I found bit puzzling!

I know it's against the rules but here are some spoilers for you:

Guide to the farming calendar: a year in the life of a British farmer | Countryfile.com

Yes, it's a joke. None of that nonsense happens in Ambridge.

Bruisername
If she was trans they wouldn’t have a woman playing her as they would have been pilloried by the TRAs

and they wouldn't be portraying her as so utterly odious, either.