Archers thread #191: Mulligan: stew made from odds and ends; second chance after poor shot. Both fit the bill. 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 like George you like your steak very well done, 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.)

Mulligan mostly makes me think of John Finnemore's Souvenir Show. This is good, and tenuously connected to a recent TA storyline

Over to you!

Will's seen the last of his £500, hasn't he? I have a nasty feeling George is going to blow it all on some pointless gesture like hiring a plane to fly past with a banner saying "I love U Amber" with the O in love replaced with a heart.

Does the Underwoods EV store also have more customer-friendly opening hours? 7am to 11pm would be reasonable for commuters and people coming home for various activities.

He should know his son better.

Sorting out some working hours that would earn the £500 would have been more beneficial to George in so many ways.

Because the illness resulted in the behaviour mentioned! I don’t think she should be ostracised, of course, but alcoholism impacts those around the addict in many ways.

I would be surprised if Will intended to hold George to repaying the ‘loan’. What parent would, if they could afford to simply give the money? I assumed he posited it as a loan to spare George’s pride.

I too enjoyed last night’s episode. I love Jakob.

Amber and Brad are clearly in contact outwith George.

gosh i love Jakob so much. I just laugh at Kate now. And Lilian and Justin are too stupid if they just say "oh yeah we're going in a cramped people carrier.

My guess, because there must be drama around births, is that the baby will be born in the people carrier, if not in the yurt before they leave.

ETA: extra points if Jakob delivers the baby.

I would definitely be shopping at Underwoods at the EV charging station by now. A visit to the village shop has way too many social implications for me. If I want a pint of milk, then I want a pint of milk- not to have to navigate endless social tensions while I buy it

💯

Engagement ring?

Rightly or not, most people view addictions to alcohol and drugs as self inflicted, entirely avoidable illnesses.

Rightly or not, most people judge women who continue to abuse alcohol and drugs during pregnancy, thus directly harming the foetus. Some people see this as a form of child abuse.

Alice’s alcoholism (like anyone’s) has a terrible impact on family, friends and anyone else caught up in the wake. I know many here do not share this view - but if she had not been hopelessly drunk in charge of a motor vehicle none of this would have happened. George made a series of unjustifiable bad decisions but so did she - with none of the mitigations. that youth and a lack of education can bring up.

Puts on hard hat!

I think that IRL it would be nuanced with Alice.

I can see, for EG, why someone like Susan would "forgive her" if they really do believe the rehabilitation, the remorse and of course want to see their grandchild.

Other people? not so much. I am NC with the alcoholic who was in my life because of the absolute shit-show they caused me (and i was one of their supporters to get help for a long long time. Too long) and i get no end of criticism from some other family members for it. I don't care, i am better off out of it all. But if someone ever asked - i would give them the unvarnished truth about what happened.

Which is why i am always giving a disclaimer when i talk about Alice - because her actions, and the reactions to her actions, are so very very far from my experience.

Ít has also taken people a long time to realise and acknowledge that alcoholism (or any addiction) is an illness. There is still a long way to go in that respect, and i would expect people not directly in Alice's circle to be more circumspect.

I think the problem with alcoholism is that it explains why they drink but I don’t think it can excuse a nasty drunk

the only alcoholic I’ve known was lovely when drunk!!

Absolutely! I quite expect the baby to be delivered in a Yurt.

I’m sure Tom/Helen mentioned that Will couldn’t do any extra hours because he was too busy beating. Couldn’t George earn some money helping with the shoot? TBF I now get confused as to whether I am remembering the Archers or “Danny, Champion of the World” (R Dahl).

Has Auntie Cardboard died yet, or did Peggy’s will not specify that her SiL should go on the family holiday?

It's a soap baby, it will be a dramatic delivery. More than that, it will be an Aldridge.

Why did Phoebe come down from Scotland to drive back up? I know most women who are that pregnant would definitely not want to be 8 hours in a silent, very full people carrier.
Back to George, I am surprised that Alice hasn't told Lillian and Brian to get over it assessment doesn't seem that bothered by his release.

It won't be silent.

An addiction doesn't excuse her behaviour. Some of it - damage to property - was criminal. George, on the other hand, has spent time in prison but isn't allowed to pick up the pieces - unlike the very privileged Alice who has had chance after chance.

I meant no music! Jakob is going to get very stressed from all the noise of chitter-chatter

I don’t remember whether Home Farm still runs the shoot or if it’s been absorbed into Borchester Land - but either way the driving forces behind it; Brian / Justin / etc are hostile to George, so he’d be on a hiding to nothing there.

Why did Phoebe come down from Scotland to drive back up?

According to Kate, wanted to spend some time with Kate before the trip to Scotland.

I know!

Jakob is such a careful driver... that's the MPV that will crash or break down.
Phoebe will either be airlifted to the nearest hospital or little Cromarty Aldridge will be delivered by Jakob in a passing place.

Is Phoebe Aldridge or Tucker? I’d never really thought about it!

Aldridge but she did once refer to herself as 'Me, Phoebe Tucker...' in the car with Roy.
I can't read that without seeing Toebe Phucker

And is she going to go off to "find herself" when sproglet is about a year old, returning some years later?
Roy and Hayley did the hard yards but they're never mentioned. So she should be a Tucker but I believe she's Aldridge.

Roy Tucker and Kate Aldridge (as she was) were never married, so I'd expect Phoebe to be called Aldridge or at most Aldridge-Tucker.

I would like Kate to be an Aldridge again to make things less confusing long term, though I suppose that's not an consideration when none of her children are likely to settle in Ambridge. I suspect Kate is only hanging on to the Madikane surname as a business decision... Probably sounds more Exotic (🤢) to her clientele. (As you can tell I am not into gong baths, ear candles, reiki etc though I'd probably attend goat yoga.)