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%.

we once fitted two sofas into a small kitchen diner, for lack of other option!

I will miss the Maliks if they go. They maybe dull, but at least they are not annoying.

Th SW seem to have forgotten about Meadow farm and Esme … as has Josh unfortunately !

I entirely forgot about the shiner! Between the wrist injury, black eye, and anger management concerns, surely your suspicions would be aroused?!

Actually @ThreshAcre I don't care!

@Maggiebell , I heard it and thought 'There'll be a reason that was in the script'.

i will miss the Malik’s if they go. I think it’s highly unlikely the Malik’s will be going anywhere having been so thoroughly introduced. Apart from anything else it would smack if the worst form of tokenism - introduce an Asian family, have them celebrate Eid in great detail, then move them back to Pakistan. Meadow Farm has been conjured up from nowhere for this very purpose - we were almost fooled into thinking it was so Josh could move in with Esme, but in fact it’s more likely for Akram and Khalil (who has been portrayed as Ambridge answer to a young Gerald Durrel ever since he appeared on the scene). I’m not sure how they’ll be able to afford the herd of Guernseys, but I’m sure the Ambridge money fairy will manage to free up some mysterious Pakistan investments.

Maybe Azra will wake up at 3am and think ‘hang on a moment….’.

I’ve not thought Lily would make Australia for a while now. A recycled passport would definitely put paid to it.

Do it could be that Alan was purely at the surgery to mention use of village hall to Azra whilst Mosque roof is fixed but I'm wonder g if he will be I'll ? Perhaps a prostate cancer storyline to coincide with all the media on this /high profile recent cases/testing issue.

Erm ... did someone mention Lawrence in connection with Lottie above? Yes I did!

I think Alan was there so we could be told he has a BMI of 19.9. As pointed out elseboard, it's a Keri Davies week, and ever since his son played a character who was called "fat Dan" on the BBC board, Keri has been slightly inclined to get cross about weightism among the listeners.

Alan was also there to express shock that a known racist had been being racist.

Though in fact his BMI on the figures we heard is 24.6, which still isn't obese, nor even overweight.

Yes!

Laurence must find it extraordinary difficult to function in everyday life if he refuses to be served by someone with a different skin colour. Lord only knows how he negotiates travel.

I guess he’ll never need a hospital …

His character is such an irritating, clunky cliche.

Alan’s exchange with Lottie was dreadfully inept on so many levels …

If he - a vicar - heard another patient making racist comments or behaving aggressively to a GP receptionist, the thing to do would be to confront the aggressor. What’s the use of waiting till they’re safely out of the way, and then buttonholing the receptionist?

And no one in real life uses the vocabulary he did, surely? Nor would a man of his age, education, and personal / professional experience have expressed such naive surprise.

It’s also very strange that Lawrence persists in expressing his views without like-minded mates to encourage him. Where are they? Having just one racist baddie in the story makes him rather a silly caricature.

It was all extremely cringy.

Agreed, @TottersBlankly . The Laurence character is a ridiculous caricature, put there for some kind of Public Service Announcement interractions.

I was also surprised at Lottie’s weary “welcome to my world” as if having someone refuse to interact you because you are mixed race is a daily experience in Britain in 2025.

Possibly it’s not Keri Davies’ specialist subject. (Though I’m sure they would all claim to have undertaken appropriate research when addressing matters outside their own experience.)

Alan had a black wife and extended in-laws, has a mixed-race daughter, and an Asian wife who has suffered racist abuse in Ambridge. He should be aware.

Has Amy produced any grandchildren that we've heard of?

Indeed …

Was she engaged last time we heard? (Not sure.)

I had white family in Kenya who said they had to fo a mental adjustment when they came here, because they weren't at all used to being served by white people in shops.

Amy moved away after the Chris debacle and Alan eventually mentioned she was seeing someone. I don't think there has been any mention of grandchildren.

I haven't listened this week but it sounds as if Lottie's character has been brought onboard solely as part of a PSA which is quite silly. We could have just as easily heard secondhand from an outraged Alistair or Paul that Laurence visited the vet's and refused to interact with Denise.

How did they feel about it, @EBearhug?

It would have to be Denise, wouldn't it.

The trouble with him refusing to interact with Paul would be that it might be because Paul is mixed race, or it might be because he's OTT camp, or it might be simply because he is such a ghastly little tick. It would be hard to be sure which was motivating Lawrence.