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!

She’s a relative of a friend of mine, and lives in a v nice care home nearby, and presumably someone goes to record the occasional few lines.

Yes, he was very excited about that, and when Emma visited him in prison he had lots of plans for when he got out.

Perhaps the SW do not expect George to be staying with us long.

Leonard has a house to sell. Say £300,000. That's a good spell in a care home.

There is that.

Today’s episode was a bit dull. Will Alice invite Chris to spend Christmas ‘with Martha’?

I’m very pleased that the way has now been cleared for a reunion between Alice and Chris now nice but dull Carly is off

Thank you @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g
I’m a bit behind thread wise. But did any one think that in Sunday’s episode there was a bit of Pat foreshadowing. Loss of appetite, talk of the farming community pulling together, esme (was it?) saying her dad said she was a formidable woman or some such? All seemed a bit retrospective and nostalgic?

I thought that too, @stilldumdedumming.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjwyzl07x8zo
Tractor Christmas parade. So we can visualise Ambridge!

We have one in our village on Friday!

We went to see ours at the weekend, organised by the local young farmers club.

I liked the scene with Tracy was talking about having a cheaper frozen turkey this year. Very real for so many families to be having to cut back on things they used to be able to afford.

I wonder how much a Grundy turkey costs these days? They start at least £70 at our butchers.

Hmm... i thought he would remain at Fallon's and Harrison's leave would be cancelled at the last minute. Martha would be with Alice and Fallon and Chris would take comfort (euphemism) in each other's arms.

Much prefer the thought of an Alice and Chrus reunion!

Is Christopher really that stupid?

I think it will be an Alice and Rex fling next.

I thought it was only a couple of weeks ago that Tracey made Brad go shopping with her and they had two overflowing trolleys. Even if she is using the cash and carry surely somebody on their uppers can't afford to be buying so much in bulk.

They do have a five (or six?) person household of adults to feed - but I have imagine everyone contributes as they can. Even Bert from his pension.

Our tractor parade is Saturday but i'm out at a gig so I'll miss it unfortunately.

That ep was. Meh. Infuriating.
I reckon that Chris will go to Alice's for present opening and ... fade to black.

I was worried about Pat too @echt @stilldumdedumming

Would the SWs do anything dreadful to Pat - given Bridge Farm has already lost John?

@TottersBlatantlyTowardsTheBaileys they’ve lost Johnny too - although that seems more like forgetfulness rather than strategy or storyboarding

Also I love your xmassy name change @TottersBlatantlyTowardsTheBaileys 😄

Pat is of an age where becoming ill is unfortunately not unlikely. She's nearly 74. Both my parents-in-law were dead by that age - 30+ years ago, admittedly, and they were lifelong smokers, but at the time it didn't seem unduly early. It would now. Subsequent generations are living longer. A man we knew died very suddenly recently aged 71 and that was a shock.

I thought I was mostly close enough to the radio to hear recent episodes, but did Shula actually arrive in Ambridge? I don’t think I have heard anybody mention her since Leonard and Joy left the Stables? Is Kenton still with her?

It might have been fun for Carly and Chris to get together, inherit a share of Oliver's estate and agonise over evicting the Grundys, but never mind.

Is Ruari the only Ambridge character under 40 in a blossoming relationship at present? I am not sure even that one has much promise TBH.

I'm sad that Carly and Chris are no more. I hope he doesn't get back with Alice, he deserves better, and i can't stand her breathless voice emoting over everything, me me me. I liked Carly.

I think Shula was going to come down from Sunderland on Saturday, but whether that was to stay for Christmas or just to check up on her tenants seemed unclear.

Thanks @Yardbird!

(I’m probably the most shameful poster on the ‘Christmas food already eaten and replaced’ thread.)