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!

*Yes not dyes

Unless it is Markie…? We know he is a threatening individual who isn’t afraid to return to the scene of the crime to deal out more intimidation.

I can see why the other characters have reason to dislike him but a premeditated murder doesn’t seem very believable. We’ve had three prison stories in the past 10 years, another villager being sent to the clink feels like overplaying the storyline.

I’m also waiting!

Unexpectedly I’ve caught them all. For those who can’t hear they aren’t much more than trailers and others have said they seem to be exerts from the 7.15 feature length special.

So now we are left wondering who might have intuitively known George was going to head for his mother's house at a time when she was almost certain not to be there, and been able to predict both that and the time that he would do this accurately enough to be prepared to lie in wait for him on a frosty night just in case he happened by; or alternatively which one of his family was angry enough with him to clonk him over the head with a brick or a bottle or whatever else they had with them to use as a weapon while they were out looking for Keira.

In either case this would have had to be premeditated to a ridiculous degree, I feel.

It needn’t have been premeditated. As we’ve heard, people had been drinking in the pub, or maybe loitering around with a bottle of Chardonnay to hand. Maybe one of his enemies just happened to see him - and drink weakened their impulse control.

In the end, we know they’re not great at resolving whodunnits - the running down of Matt reached a very unsatisfactory conclusion.

I can just about imagine some of the 'suspects ' killing George in a fit of anger,(e.g Harrison) but can't see any of them following him down a dark lane and doing him in.

Well, yes, that was my feeling.

I agree . Im hoping they have another twist up their sleeves but Im more likely to be disappointed and frustrated again.

George’s 12 year old dog, Holly, sounded like a newly qualified police dog the other day. Wouldn’t she have deterred any trespassers?

My Radio Times reckons we should have had “Lillian” at 5pm. Oh well!

Insert on now!

on now!!! (For those catching up, 17:25 in PM)

Lilian now.

Oh my …

Why did she associate with Matt Crawford! Now that one should be on the upload of PM, around 1725. There will be a short delay before PM is available, I think.

Loved Lilian. And to bring up Matt Crawford. Excellent!

Loved Lilian trying Do you know who I am? …

They brought up Matt Crawford lol

I did think that Lilian would have had a solicitor with her, even for an informal chat .

Evan Davies, after the snippet, said something like, “Was it Lillian Bellamy, with a bottle of Chardonnay, in The Bull car park?”

I don't think it's Evan Davies, but yes, good line. The next one is supposed to be at 1815 sandwiched between the news and an Ian Hislop programme.

It would be pointless if it was Markie unless it leads to something else major.

Markie is entirely pointless anyway. Might as well be Tilly Button.

Yes, Tilly Button finally snapping over all George's sexual innuendo about her and her sister Molly.

Although she’d probably not whack him over the head, but strangle him with the missing bunting instead.

Just a minute why are the People police not interviewing Alice who is the last known person to see him?!