Archers thread #193: Christmas in Ambridge! Don't expect any wise men (or women). 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 love a couple of acquaintances to clean and tidy your house without your permission, 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/5457344-the-archers-spoilers-thread-11-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.)

What do we think - best Christmas ever followed by a nice quiet New Year? No, me neither. We have the tractor run to look forward to , and then whatever they've got lined up for the 75th anniversary of the first ever episode - New Year's Day 1951. I can't imagine that anybody involved with the programme then expected it would still be on the air 75 years later. I wonder what they would make of the current direction. The lack of farming content would be a surprise, given that was the whole reason for devising the programme in the first place.

Over to you!

I wasn't clear; sorry! It wasn't on The Archers; it was in the queue for a till in Waitrose (I went in to look at their cheese. Then I came away again with a very small piece of brie. The prices! Argh!) I managed to make no comment, and turned aside so my expression wouldn't give me away.

Well done. My face would give me away too.

There is this to be said: at least the two people were in the right order....

Interesting how people can react so differently. I was cheering her on, especially when she was telling him to get real about claiming all that selfless heroism around saving her life when he was the one who put it at risk in the first place. Fallon was the one in control throughout that interaction.

Joy’s observations on Bethlehem were just bizarre. She sounded about five years old. I can see what the SWs were trying to do but I am very happy not to have the Middle East conflict referenced in TAs.

George really is spiralling now. Anything could happen. I think he will turn on Emma over Christmas- possibly even raise a fist to her. Ed will have to intervene then…

I thought exactly that - Is she five?!

I thought Fallon did a good job of extricating herself from a potentially nasty situation, but the demonstration that George is not just the gormless boy she used to know, but a strong young man with a lot of misogynist rage just below the surface was scary.

I wonder how he would react if Amber came back?

Fallon certainly externalises my internalised misogyny. She deserves a damn’ good slap for being such an idiotic Pollyanna.

I can do without TA’s pathetic and inept take on the Middle East.

I felt that last evening, but really, she's known him since he was a small child and like anyone who works in a pub has had experience with getting drunk and inappropriate customers to calm down and go home, and that might have given her false confidence in being able to control the situation.

Pretty stupid though, I hope they aren't going to kill her off, I (mostly) like Fallon.

Fallon went to talk to George to pass on information about a possible job, which was a perfectly reasonable thing to do. At the one point where he showed signs of getting physical, she was 100% in control, probably due to several years' experience of handling aggressive drunks in the pub. And she pointed out a truth to him that he needed to hear, to which his only response was that sulky small boy expression of a wish that he hadn't saved her.

I just wish she'd pointed out to him that there are such things as bicycles when he trotted out his favourite excuse for not applying for the job.

It's easy enough to be in control when the writer is on your side; but in real life, confronting and having an altercation with a potentially violent young man who may well be drunk, in a place where he won't be seen if he knocks you to the ground and breaks your jaw to shut you up, is a silly thing to do.

By the time she did the confronting bit she already knew the mood he was in. And when she's easing drunks out of the pub there are witnesses present.

Especially when that man is the reason you nearly drowned.

Thanks for the new thread Gasp. Miles behind but will use the holiday to catch up.

The Pirate's incessant cackling whilst Joy droned on made her sound unhinged.

Why stress about a tractor run?

It shouldn't be anything to do with Joy. I can't remember what happened last night - another rubbish episode.

I thought that about Jolene, so bloody false. Joy's such a pain and she is once again in every episode, why can't the S W seen nobody wants to hear her every time TA is on.

Almost like they think the listeners are also rolling on the fooor with hilarity at all the side-splitting tractor japes. Eddie! In a sheet! I may die laughing!!

it was utterly cringe worthy. yuk

I have a very bad feeling about the sheet. It's not going to stay in place, is it? How we will laugh. Brilliant radio.

It was good to hear Kenton. I was starting to wonder if the actor was ill. It feels like ages since he was last heard.

When Harrison hears what George said to Fallon, there will be ructions.

I couldn’t bear Jolene’s laughter and had to turn the sound down. I wondered if she was drunk on the Amaretto because there wasn’t anything remotely funny about what Joy was saying.

What kind of marriage does Fallon have when she is so terrified of her husband’s reaction to finding out about the incident with George? The frantic whispering with Kenton was ridiculous but laid bare the dysfunction in her relationship with Harrison.

I understand Fallons reluctance to say anything. It'll open a load of questions and feelings she probably doesn't want to have to deal with. George was particularly nasty at the end and those words will hurt to relive.

Gosh. Government waters down farm inheritance tax plan
The government has now said it will lift the intended threshold from £1m to £2.5m.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8e9n3y28g1o

I like Joy but she does seem to be omnipresent. Jolene and her moi darlings can FOTTOSOTBASFOFE.

'Arrison will go ape won't he.

Indeed, @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g - how will they squeeze that into the Christmas script?

I could suggest but the last time tropical inserts were mentioned my posts were deleted.
Note to self that HMRC-related puns are verboten.