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 killed off the wrong character for the 60th.

I liked Justin Beaver 🦫

@AskingQuestionsAllTheTime , they shouldn't have dedded Nigel but if you mean what I think you mean, I wish someone else had gone up on the roof. Kenton maybe.

Since Kenton hung the banner there, yes, he should have.

I am hoping for the combined forces of Joy, Lynda, the Maliks, the Gills and all remaining silent characters to stage a mime intervention to wipe out the chattering villagers who can’t retain an appropriate accent.

Looking at you Esme

and Drain.

Yep

When she started the eulogy at Mr Mulligan’s funeral I thought she was Welsh

Sorry that was

quite large

Amber is one of those girls who craves drama and being at the center of it all...she's very lacking in self esteem with some deep rooted childhood issues.

Translation: vain as a monkey and shallow as a puddle.

This is not a spoiler. For those interested, Radio 4 Extra is repeating Patricia Greene's, i.e. Jill's, Desert Island Discs on Sunday. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06sfh14

Esme’s changing accent confused me so much I genuinely thought the character was played by multiple actresses

I’ve also never understood why characters within the same family, e.g. Eddie, Will and Ed, have such different accents they all sound as if they are from different parts of the country.

In other news I really like Rex, and always have. TA needs more of him

Agreed. And I wish Toby would come back.

Like pp, I would have preferred Amber to be the making of George. For her to have a core of steel underneath all that Insta fluff. Helped him make something of himself and be a successful Grundy. Break the mold.

Maybe Amber and Brad will be the making of each other (unless one of them is dedded).

It could certainly be an intriguing next couple of decades if they go forward as a couple, bringing up George’s child.

(Though it would scupper my preferred future for Brad, as an MIT professor and eventual, reluctant tech bro.)

But too similar to the generation up.

I think Brad and Amber could be a good couple. She would bring him out of his shell, he would give her confidence to be herself. Intellectually they are both quite bright so could fit well.

But beautifully ironic similarity, @TeenToTwenties? George couldn’t fail to appreciate it, whether from earth or heaven.

They're definitely ramping up the trailers for tonight's episode

Beyond Ed and Kenton, to me it feels like George is mainly targeting women - Keira, Fallon, Lillian, Emma, Amber - so I would expect the Big Crime to be misogynist too. Preferably killing Joy.

I'd add Alice and Martha to the list of potential victims, as George might feel Alice was the catalyst for all his troubles.

I agree.

No Amber would drag him down. He needs a nice nerdy gf

Hmph …

I’m a millennial Archers fan — it’s taught me so much about life

https://www.thetimes.com/article/076cd3f6-205b-4747-a8bb-3235e44ec8d4?shareToken=36a8730bc1b8c0ab8235f5d36e11797c

From that:

"There’s nothing more joyful than when Archers stuff spills over into real life because, for us devotees, it feels real. I can’t think of another drama that plays out in real time. Childhood trauma can come back to haunt a character 15 years on (hello, George Grundy) and you’ve actually had to listen for 15 years to hear it. There are no quick resolutions. That means it’s not just escapism, it’s the closest thing to a window on to other people’s lives — even if those people are, allegedly, fictional."

Sorry I've obviously not been following exactly what trauma that is

Amber was top sets at school. I think she is cleverer than she lets on. She is certainly focused on her influencer stuff and making a go of it. S\o has some level of brains and determination.

I must preface my comments by stressing that Im not blaming Emmur for George’s behaviour but I do think he is showing an extreme version of some of her traits.

He has grown up listening to her constant narrative of “it’s not fair” and how people like them are never given a chance.