Archers thread #190: Carry on, Cleo! Best new character for ages. Discuss The Archers here.

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

Thank you, @PseudoBadger, for kicking off this long, long series of Archers threads.

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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.)

Charlotte Smith must have been delighted to get back to Countryfile and Farming Today. What a pile of piffle tonight. Ah well.

When is George expected back? It can't be long now, surely. It occurs to me that I can't recall whether he's ever spoken on air to Ruairi. As their actors are currently the best (IMO) amongst the younger members of the cast, I hope they will cross swords in some way.

And finally, I can't mention Carry on Cleo without squeezing in one of the best lines ever written (Denis Norden and Frank Muir have the credit): Infamy, infamy! They've all got it in for me! Currently, Lily probably feels this way.

https://youtube.com/shorts/eRnd48yTC5A?si=N05njp3uLfpSjAmI

Over to you!

The ‘inflection point’ in Home Farm management?
Indeed …

Ruarhi had no problem instructing Ed and asking him if he was able to fulfil his ‘trailer duties’.

That should have been worth an eye-roll at least but Ed is so obtuse there wasn’t a flicker of irony as he tugged his forelock and kept the Ambridge social structure fully intact…

I must say at that point I wondered what must be going through Ed’s mind - there must have been some unbroadcast-able expletives regarding inherited privilege? It’s a shame Ruairi couldn’t have spoken more respectfully, but then - George has thrown the Grundys right back into the rubbish heap they’d been climbing out of …

After the Grundy brothers fall out I just can’t be bothered with a Brad/George fallout

I thought that was a good episode. Some long story arcs at play.

Brad said he would miss one lecture to go see Bartleby.

Can anyone remember what subject Ruari is meant to have studied?

But maybe Brad's role (in the plot) is to stop her wearing loads of make up, stop being an 'Influencer' and get a proper job. If it's the other way round and she leads him astray then it's a big NO.

Home Farm is (I think) over 1700 acres, so much larger than Jeremy Clarkson’s. They will definitely need a farm manager, and plenty of people to drive tractors etc at harvest time. I’m not sure what the relationship is with Borchester Land, but I thought some sort of contracting, so they must employ people to do that. In reality it’s a far bigger operation than the impression given by the storylines.

I don't think you can compare a fictional large farm to JC's hobby farm.

You can compare anything with anything (as in "comparing apples with oranges") but the comparison may not be particularly useful.

My favourite story along these lines was from a friend (who ended up a senior editor at a large publishing house) faced, early in her career, with the need to produce a "puff" for the cover of a fantasy book she considered to be a right turkey. She came up with the words "comparable with Tolkien at his best", which duly appeared on the cover. The book sank without a trace. In her defence, when we all howled at her, she explained "I never said the comparison would be favourable!"

I don't think we've ever been told. They didn't specify which higher education institution in London he was attending either. My money would be on either King's or LSE, studying Finance or Economics. If he'd studied Law I'd have expected some mention of deciding not to progress to a professional qualification. The mysterious placements and internships that Julianne was supposed to be helping him with appeared to be business-related. I assume his unsuccessful job was in the City and he failed to make the grade.

Industry!?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000pb85

Maybe he went into the city and made so MUCH money he'll never have to work again, and is setting himself up as a gentleman farmer.

I know that is supposedly not something that happens any more, but who knows?

On another note, I imagine this will be on the creative team’s pinboard:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/oct/02/brewdog-sells-scottish-rewilding-estate-it-bought-only-five-years-ago

I have not RTFTs. I just need to get this off my chest.

I DON'T CARE ABOUT STELLA

What's that @RuttleTuttle ? She's going to rock both the Home Farm and Brookfield boats.

Brilliant, please could you give me a summary. All I keep hearing is about the blasted dog and

I don't care

It hasn't happened yet. Cleo is currently the best silent in Ambridge, after Bess, of course.

Cleo did a whole lot of yapping when she was first introduced, but they have now lost the "dog barking" effects tape.

I like Stella, apart from her being unaccountably involved with Piiii--uuuup. And Cleo has the potential to Kill Jill, which can only be a good thing. Shame she's now going to work with Stella, which will reduce her opportunities.

We used to hear about the stags being dangerous in the olden days and I'm sure at least one person got injured. I think Ruairi would probably not have been quite so rash, but I suppose it gave Paul a chance to show himself off to best advantage, and if yesterday gave us two kind ways to kill off an elderly dodderer, today gave us two ways for rutting males to show off. Who is this weeks script writer?

Keri Davies, I think.

I wonder if Paul has been absent for so long because he's been on a course to turn him into a normal human being? He seems quite unobjectionable now.

I assume Denise is a slower learner.

I didn't mind that! As usual, I don't really believe the Stella-Pip liaison, nor do I really believe that a farmer would be so shy about asking if a farming-based job would allow her to bring her dog. But now that Paul is not being played so much as more camp than a row of tents, the scenes with him and Ruari were actually quite sweet, and they seem one of the more believable couples in the village. But what are the odds that both Brian's son and stepson would be in a gay relationship? I seem to remember Brian had a wobble when Ruari came out as bi...wonder if he'll have another wobble?

I'm not sure Ruairi came out as bi to Brian. I don't remember it if he did.

I'm pretty sure he did and it was (quite properly) treated as a non-issue.