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!

They can’t even kill off the old characters, I hope they they won’t kill off a young one….plus that’s gap that would be odd to fill, unless we are going to have more input from markie or other ‘extras’ in the nasty nick category. Maybe an aborted or found in time attempt though…

Didn't happen. He has been present twice when someone has died in an accident.

Jethro Larkin refused to wear safety gear including a helmet when David instructed him to, on the grounds that he was older than David and knew what he was doing, and was struck on the head by a falling branch while a tree was being trimmed. it killed him. There was an enquiry and David was sent on a safety course, which was ironic because he had just been on one and that was why he'd tried to get Jethro to wear the protective clothing.

Nigel, drunk, insisted on going out onto the Lower Loxley roof in poor weather conditions and in spite of David trying to stop him once he saw what it was actually like out there (they had previously been egging each other on), and fell to his death.

I don't count killing a badger (even if it was in fact two badgers on two different occasions) because if I did I'd have to include every cow or sheep we have heard sent to the slaughterhouse from Brookfield, and it gets a bit silly.

Unexpected …

Never thought I’d see the day Eddie turned on George but I suppose even he has a limit. Wonder what Susan and Clarrie will make of George being cast out.

I thought Emma slapped him and was surprised to realise it was Amber. I hope she doesn’t end up sleeping with Brad but think it’s heading that way..

That intervention went as well as could have been expected I thought

It's ramping up.

I can see the SL needs a climax to push George over the edge but did not find the Grundy intervention its beginning convincing at all,, e.g whoever it was sneering at George's counselling was not in character. The way it spun out was better.
Really really hated Brad's stage direction: close the bedroom door. Jesus. Shit writing.
I don't want George to get dedded because the actor is so good, but the chucking out says George can't be around. Looks like Amber will end up in Brad's bed - cue huge fight. Oh, and Brad not completing his course because working class people must not excel academically in TA.

George may try to kill himself on NYE, but his recent behaviour doesn’t make me think they are going to suddenly have the village feeling sorry for him and welcoming him the Bull if he recovers and it would be difficult to write it that he was still barred etc. It seems more likely that he will hurt someone else. Probably either Ed, Harrison or even Kiera. He will go back to prison and Brad will wrestle with his conscience about getting together with Amber.

Or George will attempt to attack someone and Joy will break away from making Yorkshire puddings to intervene and save them, with an explanation that she was in the SAS.

surely it will have to be something extra dramatic though? more than a failed suicide attempt?

He's going to leave poor Brad for dead. Then he'll have Tracy and Chelsea to deal with .... I almost feel sorry for him 😁

Late in the day, I know, but Amber's sudden conscience about George's violence sits ill with her writing to him in prison, presumably knowing what he did in a calculating fashion to Alice.

Listening now. The penny dropping with Eddie is so sad

I think Brad will be deaded by George when he finds out Amber is sleeping with him.

George will probably turn up at his pal's looking for a billet there - cue the fireworks.

It wasn’t that long ago that Eddie declared he was fine with Alice going to prison in order to protect George. The way he treated Neil and Susan because they did the right thing in calling the police and saw George for who is really is (well Neil does at least) was appalling.

He bleats on about the rich getting away with everything and the poor old Grundy’s always suffering whilst living free of charge in Oliver’s house. Many of the village’s residents have gone out of the way to help his family but it’s never enough for him, he’s always the victim.

If George had been physically abusing someone outside of the Grundy family Eddie would have been making excuses for him. He is not a nice person and I didn’t feel sad for him all.

echt
Brad not completing his course because working class people must not excel academically in TA.

Brenda and Roy both got degrees, and I think Mike and Betty counted as working class?

Before those two, the person who got one was Adam; Debbie dropped out, and after them there was Alice, and then Phoebe. Aldridges. I don't think any of the Archers did until Pip, and then Ben.

Point taken. But I think Brad is more up against it.

Than Brenda? with her father?

Her mother died in the middle of her degree and she had to pack it in and come home to look after Mike; she transferred from Portsmouth to Felpersham and finished a degree in a different subject.

Bournemouth, I think. I believe they have an excellent course in radio journalism and that was what Brenda was studying, which was a natural progression from working at BBC Radio Borchester for several years. Studying Marketing at Felpersham was not, but she wouldn't have found an equivalent course there.

You're absolutely right: Bournemouth it was. That'll teach me to check in the reference texts before posting!

I think the Grundys do pay Oliver rent, @Eastie77Returns? Weren’t they quite worried when Will decided to move into his own house, as there would be fewer people contributing to the rent? (It’s possible I’m mistaken but they definitely have worried over it in the past.)

Late to this by @SheCharter but I must say, I think I'd pay actual money to listen to
07:00 Today with guest editor Tracey Horrobin

I think the writing to George was a sign of her immaturity because it was almost certainly to annoy her parents. She’s painted herself into a corner with George and her mum and dad.

I don’t want Brad dragged into this. He’s one of my favourites.

That was very unconvincing, I thought.
Apart from Amber being a stupid little tart, that is. Boo hoo, cuddle me, Brad.

So where is jobless, penniless George supposed to go? It's 3° outside.