Archers thread #189: Brian reaps what he sows, in spite of himself. 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 want to hear more from Markey, 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.)

Over to you!

Good luck with that, @BeatriceBatchelor!

@AskingQuestionsAllTheTime I’d be hoping Stella’s next employer either already owns the equipment or she makes purchase of it a condition of her employment. (Taking advantage of her high profile post podcast?)

Ruth … misses a harvest at Brookfield … 🤔🤔🤔

So now Brian needs to get the HF harvest in. Adam is surely too knackered to help...

And that whole bit about being surprised David let her do that!! god he needed a swift jab to the Adam's Apple for that.

Thanks for the new thread @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g ; great title!

I agree with you all, what a wonderful episode. I found the bit with the hare really affecting. I came within a whisker of running over my neighbour’s dog last night. He was walking her on the pavement (on a lead) and she darted into the road just as I drove past. Thankfully I’d slowed right down to turn into our lane so was able to slam the brakes on as he yanked her back, but it really shook me up! Poor Weaver ☹️

Rochelle on the other hand was a total misfire. A disappointing resolution to the story of someone who doesn’t matter in Ambridge, but somehow manages to insert herself into everything; an inconceivable love interest for someone who ought to matter; and a surly and miserable presence all round. Never want to hear from her again!

I wish I thought the story was resolved, but I fear there is more pain to come. We are going to hear plenty more from her when it comes to her trial. I just hope she doesn't return to her mother's house after that.

Well I’ll start praying now that the rest of Rochelle’s life happens off-screen, with at most the odd comment or reaction from Joyless. And that Rex is quickly distracted by some new and more credible playmate.

Just checking in.

Cmon Stella ride off into the sunset with ruth
hang the lot of em
you'd both manage and have a hoot

Justin aka Simon Williams on yer Alan Titchmarsh weekend show with Katie Derham, a floral display and a herd of Alpacas 🦬 🦙
(That's the closet emoji I could get).

Although the Programme Guide practising #ArchersErasure by naming him as Captain Bellamy from Upstairs Downstairs instead

Yeah, Stella has way more character than Deervid.

Amber's perfect smile? Discounted fillers etc and it goes horribly wrong. Wonky lips .

Why has no one murdered La Snell?

What a terrible episode, La Snell, Fagash and Pa Malik.

OldRobert would never have done it, but I'd quite like NewRobert to murder LaSnell ... and get away with it. Or not get away with it, because who cares about him?

I rather like PaMalik.

Pa Malik seems a bit pointless other than to be in awe of La Snell.

I thought Dane was just a temporary manager, did I miss something?

Well at least there won't be anymore talk of the village fete unless young Miss Malilk has a go at Lynda which I hope she does.
After Fridays brilliant episode this last one was so boring. It just goes to show that the SW s have it in them to write good story lines but are too lazy to carry it on. Brain's going to have a heart attack if his not careful.

Would children and parents in England really get excited about the teddy bear zip wire? Given the competition from actual animals, food, active things to do, and the general meeting up with friends? It seems over-contrived and a bit creepy.

I suppose 3-year-olds might. That would cover the mental age of many Ambridge residents. (Yes, Pip, this means you!) They used to run a summer fete-worse-than-death where I live. It invariably featured a Punch & Judy show, conveniently next to a beer tent and watched only by a couple of frightened-looking toddlers. Then one year it just stopped (the fete, that is) and nobody noticed so that was the end of the tat stalls run by DFLs (people "Down From London"). Goodness how tragic.

I turned off before the end, it was utter drivel.

Fascinating … Lynda has gone all out on excoriating Lawrence for his racism - while still failing to recognise her own. The Maliks completely wiped from fete history!

I’m assuming the SW did this deliberately?

My thoughts too. It was awful of Lynda. Zainab seemed pretty determined to take it further.

I am listening to The Archers Podcast for the first time ever - and now I get it. It’s a way to show new listeners just how extraordinary TA used to be, and can still be. (And to make long time listeners weep with nostalgia and fury over the Joy-nonsense it’s mostly descended into.)

They’re talking to Felicity Finch about Ruth’s cancer diagnosis 30 years ago - and they played firstly a clip from Ruth and David’s immediate reactions to the diagnosis - and then the passage where, with then best friend Usha’s gentle support, Ruth was finally able to look at her mastectomy scar. The latter was outstanding.

They’re obviously also rejoicing in Stella and Ruth v Brian. 💪

I must say I’m pleasantly surprised. My previous experience of podcasts has been awful, awful pacing and time filling and bloody waffle. This has been brisk and thankfully full of content - and Ms Freud hasn’t annoyed me once!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0lmfpg1

@TottersBlankly , I like the podcast too. I find the one I was recommended too long and I'm distracted by the choice of books on the bookcases, and not in a good way. I usually catch up with them weeks after they occur, when the Radio 4 offerings are not to my taste.
As with all podcasts, I find the music annoying.

I guess the explanation may be that Lynda felt she should butter up Dane for the sake of future favours - particularly given the way she was squashing him at the beginning by going on about how wonderful Ambridge people are at organising fetes and fete activities. It wouldn't really wash, however, because she could at least have thanked Pa Malik as well as Dane.

When I had children at primary school it baffled me that so much time and effort was put into organising events that raised quite small sums. Another mother and I once agreed that we would much prefer a straightforward request for money. I suppose fundraisers have evidence that they do extract money at Christmas fairs and the like that wouldn't be forthcoming otherwise. I used to run the tombola stall and a good chunk of the money that generated was from children and adults who kept buying more tickets in the hope of getting one specific prize. Early signs of addiction, in fact, so a bit questionable.

Of course, some people claim to enjoy things like this.

I don't think ours (by which I mean "theirs" as I'm not from these parts) was even a fundraiser. There used to be a couple of fairground rides which I reckon must have lost the owners money by the time they'd got them here, and lots of rather unappetising food(-poisoning) vans, also not local. I reckon by the time they'd cleaned up afterwards, they were probably run at a loss at the council tax payers' expense.

I don't mind a tombola stall - you can always give them back the bottle of Lucozade to put back in the loot pile and re-raffle. 😉