Archers thread #192: Village of the Dammed. Discuss the beavers here. Throw in the odd word about the Archers if you must.

[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 have Kate present as you give birth, 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.)

I'm more excited about the arrival of the beavers than anything else going on in Ambridge at the moment. I hope there will be a webcam.

Bets on how much of next week is set in the castle or on the way there/back? I'm bracing myself for at least 50%.

Talk about history repeating itself (except Brad and George are cousins (once removed/second/I always get it wrong) not brothers. Do you think the Brad-Amber-George story is going to unfold with Amber going back and forth between the two for the next few decades?

Incidentally I don’t think Hannah was winding up Joy about the space-themed tractor. I can believe that would make quite a good spectacle at the parade. What I can’t believe is Hannah being remotely interested in being involved in dressing up the tractor. I can imagine her saying she had enough to do with her job and looking after her mum and would rather stick pins in her eyes than talk to Joy and be involved in the parade.

Old Amber would have eaten Brad alive. New Amber sounds far too old for him.

I find myself unduly exercised by the Amber character change. To pick just one example: the new version wouldn’t have given Emma teeth whitening vouchers for her birthday.

Amber is supposed to have been in tne same year at school as Chelsea wasn't she? So a year or two older than Brad?

They've left the age very vague, I think. It would work if Chelsea and her friends were a year or two above and had some heartless fun at the expense of a shy, insecure Year 7, which Amber perceived as bullying. By her account, she wasn't able to give as good as she got, which is probably all it would have taken to get the older kids to move on to someone else, or just stop. I don't see Chelsea as a really nasty bully, such as the boy who made my daughter's life a misery at primary school by being ringleader of a group who constantly picked on kids who were a bit isolated for various reasons. My daughter is on the autistic spectrum. Their other victim in her class had learning difficulties. He was a real piece of work and I hope at some point in life he got a taste of his own medicine and developed some empathy. (I doubt it, though.)

I thought that ep was really good. BOOP for no snogging.

My money is on George finding out Emma gave Amber advice that (possibly) led to her going away, and beating up his mum. She would be in an absolutely terrible dilemma of take it or put him in prison again /lead to suicidal thoughts in George.

I was slowly abandoning the Archers but this story has drawn me back in. It's realistic and compares and contrasts with the Will, Ed, Emma triangle so is based on history. It's a pity about the prison relationship/influencer nonsense but I expect they needed it to get to this point. I agree that Emma will be the one to bear the brunt of George's anger but I think her advice to Amber was good.

I don't want George beating anyone up. I want him to have a period of quiet reflection.

I am hopeful that Amber and Brad's (wobbly rather than firm) "this can never happen" is going to persist here and that we won't have to go through it all. Because it is tedious and lazy bloody writing. Really cross with the SW about this.

I'd rather he didn't beat anyone up in real life but this is drama and would be the consequence of his parents (all 3 of them) making excuses for him all the time. Emma will be on the receiving end of it because he's not going to tackle a man is he? The love triangle is not unrealistic imo.

George wrote his own story that day he viciously excoriated his parents and stepfather/uncle …

but then i want it to be Brad (much as i love him) or Will or Ed or a man.

I am heartily heartily sick of violence against women as "entertainment" (see literally all procedural cop shows, FBI and the like)

@Brefugee I agree with you on the one hand, but on the other you don't often see the portrayal of violence by a son towards his mother and all the ensuing complications, so it might be an interesting way to go.

@JoelenesParrot , first cousins once-removed.

Emma and Brad are first cousins.

George and Babybramber (assuming Brad survives long enough to DTD with Amber) will be second cousins.

I don't want George beating anyone up. I want him to have a period of quiet reflection.

I would, too, but it's not like we've seen much evidence that George is prone to self-reflection or accepting he's ever at fault. He wouldn't even listen when Amber was trying to talk to him, let alone talk to himself.

well no, but i am just sick up to the back teeth - unless they are going to tie it in to the 16 Days campaign (to end male violence against women and girls) then i'm not interested.

It is very lazy writing. I am sick to the back teeth of it.

Oh dear oh dear this is not going to end well at all. Interesting how Brad’s first thought was that George had been physical with Amber. For all his ‘mate mate mate’ schtick Brad knows exactly who George is.

My mind made a leap and I wonder if Henry is going to come into this SL somehow. He has that whole Protector of Women thing going on and has had a brush with George’s misogyny in the past if memory serves.

Not to be confused with the Misterhood. At least the WI is the No Men's Institute.

For all his ‘mate mate mate’ schtick Brad knows exactly who George is.

Brad knows that if he tries hard he, with George's family, can help him rehabilitate. He calls George out when he thinks it is necessary.

Although, after the bench thing, i am aghast that he still considers George a friend at all

I often struggle to find a drama to watch as the majority feature a young girl or woman being terrified and brutalised.

It’s a perfect storm for George - he has attacked his step-father/ uncle, his mother has sided with Amber against him and now his best friend is potentially getting together with his fiancé. That’s everyone who should be team George. He can’t get a job in the village, he’s banned from the pub - he has nothing left to lose. As the parent of a 22-year-old DS, I’m finding it quite a hard listen. He didn’t steal Eddie’s money and he was playing very sweetly with his little cousin who was genuinely delighted to see him. I wanted him to come out of prison, find some work - paid or voluntary. I’ve always found the Amber relationship a bit far-fetched, but I’d have like to see him being helped to understand that first love doesn’t always endure. What’s great about this story is those things could have been possible - it’s not entirely black and white, just as it wasn’t with the accident. There’s a bit of us that’s still rooting for George - we’ve known him since he was a baby. He needs to reconcile with Neil and I want to hear Neil’s thoughts on the matter, but I fear we’re heading for a cataclysmic conclusion.

@JoelenesParrot , George and Martha are first cousins too.
Brad and Martha are first cousins once removed.

@LillianGish , no part of me is rooting for George. I like the actor, and don't want him to leave, but he's always been a wrong 'un.

Has WI changed its stance, as it was insisting that TWAW?

@muddyford , Women’s Institute expresses ‘deep regret’ as it bans trans women after Supreme Court ruling | The Independent
Women's Institute to ban transgender members

Thank you! About time.

Ha! Read the announcement. Weasel Institute. I resigned in 2019 and I don't think I'll be rejoining any time soon.

It's more likely though, sadly.