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!

It wasn't entirely successful then.

I've lived too long in Australia. The first reference to wattle had me thinking of the plant straight away, wondering why the hell they had it as part of Christmas foliage. Then the penny dropped...
I also spluttered on my morning cuppa and had to re-wind when Tony said he was standing there with his tools out.

It's a cold and blustery Christmas day here in Melbourne, a max of 17 so very unseasonal. I had to break out the woollies and throws.

Merry Christmas to the Antipodeans (and those following before I have to get up tomorrow).

17 degrees; that has to be better news for the underwhelming England cricketers on Boxing Day.

It was 1C in London today, IIRC, and felt very cold because of the wind. No chance of snow, though. Merry Christmas to one and all!

I enjoyed the tractor run more than I expected to. Hannah is probably about to have a miserable Christmas because of her Mum. Does she have dementia or has her illness not been specified?

Hannah’s mum has Dementia. I think Hannah’s stepdad is her carer.

Thinking about George…I wonder how differently things would look for him now if he’d been allowed to volunteer at the church shop, if someone in the village gave him even a temporary job, if he wasn’t barred from the Bull. I know he’s horrible and doesn’t necessarily deserve opportunities but not allowing him to reintegrate into the community at all has served no-one.

nobody is obliged to help George, though. Especially with his "i was wronged" attitude.

And yes, he did help Kenton out, but there was a motive there.

Or if he'd actually made a bit of an effort about getting a job. He seems to discount automatically anything outside Ambridge because of the driving issue, but can't be bothered to cycle. Where's the chicken factory? It sounds like they'll take roughly anyone who turns up.

Merry Christmas fellow Archer family.

I think Tony was lying about his tractor problems and that Alan deliberately mixed up the donations.

Such larks!

Merry Christmas 🎄

No idea what today's episode will bring (no spoilers please!) but would love to hear an Archers gathering at LL with Freddie announcing his plan to take over in 2026.

And Russ tapdancing and into the dining room announcing "I'm baaaack!"

I rather like the mental vision of Russ tap-dancing, but wouldn't it be a bit beneath his dignity?

I have just listened to the repeat. I'm sure there was a muffled snigger from Jazza when Tony said he'd got his tools out.

Fingers crossed that it's the ubiquitous J#y whom George does in.

So what’s Harrison going to do, I wonder. George was being George but he didn’t do anything criminal, so if he ends up going back inside it’s going to have to be fisticuffs with PC Plod

I think grabbing a woman by the arm and not letting go when she asks you to is wrong, whether it is criminal or not. Fallon should not have had to ask him twice.

As usual, when going unpleasantly for a woman George did it where there were no witnesses, just as when he lay in wait for Lilian outside the pub and had a go at her when she was on her own.

Thank you! That’s helpful to know!

Thanks @AskingQuestionsAllTheTimethat makes sense. I shall let Hannah off this one!

Four hours on and not a single comment about tonight's episode? Not surprised. 12.5 minutes of filler.

It was rather dull.

Although I’m assuming Fallon and Harrison’s gift to her mother and stepfather is the first step in a significant change.

Happy Boxing Day to all!

I enjoyed it! Nice nod to people on their own at Christmas & people who are working without being too downbeat. I've worked a lot of Christmases (?sp) and I appreciated that. Could have been Jakob having to put down a cow in the middle of nowhere and coming home to a stone cold lunch.

Although I’m assuming Fallon and Harrison’s gift to her mother and stepfather is the first step in a significant change

I'd be up for them taking over The Bull if it meant less moi darlin'. Though it would probably mean more awww luvs.

I find Harrison’s delivery almost as irritating as Joy’s these days (DH overheard the Christmas Eve episode and asked: “Why does it only ever seem to be that annoying Geordie woman whenever I tune in?”) I much prefer Fallon when Harrison is not there. I don’t think he always used to be this irritating - he seems to have ramped up the northerness.

Harrison's delivery reminds me of the farmer's saying, that a sheep is always surprised to find itself alive in the morning. He sounds so gormless.

Kenton and Jolene eating pot noodle in bed?

They're depraved

And I bet they won't even have been decent pot noodles from the Chinese supermarket.

Pot Noodle is Pot Noodle Instant Snack Bombay Bad Boy 90g | Iceland Foods
Accept no substitutes.

The Original Curry one is also good.
Last year they did a Pot Noel one.

Sorry, but I go to a Chinese supermarket where there are probably as many as fifty different sorts of "just add boiling water" noodle bowls in many flavours, suitable for taking to hotels where the food is expensive and the nearest other catering is a long way off, and not one calls itself "Pot Noodle". They are generally labelled in Chinese.... Some may be in Korean. Doesn't matter; they will also say "beef" or "fish" in text I can read.