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.

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 be delighted to have your wedding reception across the lawn from the local Flower & Produce Show, or other unusual views.

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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!

That’s a good point actually Tom and Helen don’t seem to have to consult Johnny on anything to do with the farm do they? Do they not have a partnership type thing? You’re right they will think it’s unfair that the farm isn’t “Tom and Helen’s” but actually “Tom and Helen and Johnny’s” as I’m sure Tony and Pat wouldn’t disinherit poor John’s child.

The whole inheritance thing is why Polyandry is traditionally practiced in Tibet. I thought the Grundies were going for similar but they backtracked on it 🤣

That’s a good point actually Tom and Helen don’t seem to have to consult Johnny on anything to do with the farm do they?

Why would they? He's a grandson, not one of their children. I don't know how much contact they had with Johnny when he was growing up but he showed up one day, worked on the farm for a while then disappeared to a non farming life without much thought as to whether he was inconveniencing his family.. He's not part of the day to day running of the farm and might never return.

It's ridiculous but it's how the SW have chosen to mess with his story.

Well Tony and Pat are still in control aren’t they? They don’t have to consult Tom or helen either do they?

it is bizarre that we’ve heard nothing from the overstuffed house

I assume Helen is rarely in these days, being too busy gallivanting with Dane. I do hope she has picked up his roving accent. Meanwhile Henry is busy goat-wrangling and Jack - now aged what, 9? - is left on guard, protecting their possessions from the rampaging twins. The twins naturally speak only Welsh at home, which complicates matters as nobody but Natasha can understand them and she isn't listening.

Tom has disappeared under a pile of broken toys, ornaments and clicky-heeled shoes. Nobody has noticed.

so help me, if you have sent out the J-signal i will find you... 😂

@BeatriceBatchelor , they didn't. They found out about him from his half-sister Kylie, who is a Horrobin.

@Bruisername , Well Tony and Pat are still in control aren’t they? They don’t have to consult Tom or helen either do they?
Helen and Tom are partners in Bridge Farm.

@Gonners , The twins naturally speak only Welsh at home
I like that idea. It would piss Helen off.

Hang on, hang on … Did we just hear the introduction of Alastair’s Exit Plan? (Presumably once Jim has died.) Just caught the end of him explaining to Ian that he is or was meeting a fellow vet who lives … somewhere not Ambridge and has a nice little practice. Dunno - but it sounded a bit specific to be a throwaway line.

i wonder if Helen is seeing Tom and Tash as free babysitting on tap and spending loads of time with Dane to the ire of all.

That would be the obvious flashpoint as when they first moved in Tom and tash were pleased that they had a babysitter on tap - so now finding they are the babysitter would cause resentment!!

Unfortunately Pat and Tony went for a ten-day holiday shortly after they were talked into mortgaging themselves to buy their farm from BL, and while they were away a feed bill came and Tom and Helen couldn't pay it. So instead of asking Borchester Mills to hold off for a few days until the signatories to the farm account came back into the country after their first holiday for several years, Tom and Helen panicked, and then insisted on both being signatories on the account and being made full partners.

So they do have to be consulted. Even more so because in spite of working on the farm all the hours god sends and babysitting for Helen too, Pat and Tony have officially retired and Tom and Helen are now in charge.

@AskingQuestionsAllTheTime ... and Tom and Helen are now in charge ...

Words to strike fear into any heart!

Yes; I have been expecting Bridge Farm to go the way of The Grundys At Grange Farm any day this past five years, if I am honest. Bankruptcy definitely beckons now that Tom can no longer rely on the bank of Gran to bail him out.

That was my fault! Don’t blame @BeatriceBatchelor !

Ire coming your way if The Worst happens 😂

<hides , changes username, chemically removes fingerprints>

😂

Gawd, but Emma is an idiot. It's So Unfair! You can see where George gets it from.

I am now feeling a bit weird: I swear the continuity announcer said that tomorrow Nic smells a rat, and Nic has been dead for several years.

Yes, I heard the same and thought "Well, at least that will take the Grundy minds off George's woes."

I'm so glad I wasn't the only one; it was a very strange moment.

Sadly Sounds tell me it’s Mick.

I'm still bitter about nics stupid death bed scene but a return of Mick is not welcome

I thought he sounded a bit disparaging about the friend's practice. He said something about him making lots of money looking after pampered pets, as if he's not a real vet (like Alistair). Would De-knees ever leave Ambridge and her precious Paul..

I do think Kenton skipping off to spend two weeks with Shula seems a bit excessive. And no staff replacement planned at The Bull?

Hmm …

maybe Jolene, left to her own devices, will see off any intruders with an upturned bar stool

I think it’s more than time for Alistair to move on - and he’ll have no real reason to be in Ambridge if Jim isn’t around. (The SWs have forgotten Denise - apart from Paul’s Muuuuum! as he raced off to rescue Ruairi - so she’s probably conveniently portable.)