Archers thread #194: Bottled on the Bridle Path! Discuss 75 years of 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 wishthat we'd heard the Reverend Shula preach over the festive period, 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/4636789-the-archers-spoilers-thread-7-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.)

I am all Archered out after the excitement of the 75th anniversary yesterday, the special drama (Truth and Lies), the podcast, you name it. Now it looks as if George is going to pull through, the hype seems a bit overdone. So it's over to you!

No I don't suspect Chris either but he isn't himself for some reason. Maybe just more red herrings.

Obviously my message was supposed to read "Trinity don". I'm a Highland Park fan myself.

Clive makes my skin crawl.

I’ve had a mind blank thing bout Clive, I have a vague recollection he was in a storyline a couple of years ago, and remember all the pseudo spiritual chat, but not the storyline, can anyone remind me please

In prison, he apparently learnt about meditation and stuff to become a bit new agey. But it still doesn't remove his history of arson of George and Christine Barford's cottage and holding up the post office with various Aldridges and others inside, plus Susan went to prison for trying to hide him, so Chrisand Emma were motherless for a bit. He had quite an effect on a lot of people in the village, and they quite rightly don't trust him.

Cloive said that Bert rang him on NYD and told him, and Susan sarcastically said 'and it took you two weeks to get here?'.

I don't remember much about Clive but hearing him tonight made my skin crawl - excellently creepy acting.

Another character that the others give head space to. Why don't they all say just eff off Clive instead of letting him wind them up. I find all this and the George stuff where everyone listens to their crap really frustrating. In real life nobody would put up with these people. 🙄 Eye roll.
How have Ruth and David got time to sit and discuss heritage when Esmy needs help. Surely any spare time they have should be spent helping her out, how can they be so selfish.!!! (Sarcasm).

Iirc Clive came back not that long ago when he got out of prison, wrought havoc generally (though didn’t quite ‘unleash hell’), put everybody at sixes and sevens, and, having created a satisfactory degree of upset, melted away.

He's just a device to try and create ever more pointless division between various Horrobins and associated faaaamily. Personally my heart sinks at the prospect of more Eastenders-style angsting. Haven’t they got enough drama to be going on with?

Another character that the others give head space to. Why don't they all say just eff off Clive instead of letting him wind them up

Yes - Susan should have just ignored him instead of storming out of the shop and making a fool of herself. Clive was hardly going to say "ok, Sis, I'll be on me way."

I don’t really know Cloive as I have only been listening for about 10-12 years but he really demonstrated how siblings have a brilliant ability to infuriate and enrage one within about 10 seconds of a reunion. It’s amazing how they can fast-track a reaction. It was very convincing to hear Susan losing it with Cloive when if it was anyone else, then the ice-maiden in her would have risen to the surface.

Yes exactly, it's different with family.
And to be fair to Chris, Clive was invading his workspace so it wasn't as simple as just walk away, he was kind of cornered.

Didn’t George run off to Clive’s after he thought he was going to get charged for framing Alice?

I thought he was claiming to be a reformed character now? I am an episode behind so I don’t know whether this links in with Truth & Lies spy-cam interview.

Presumably Susan and Clive were once quite close if she went to prison for hiding him?
Or did she do it because she was trying to avoid shame being brought on the family name (which I can well imagine)?
It was all before I started listening.

I don't think they were particularly close but she felt pressured (blood thicker than water blah blah) and the idea of the shame must have come into it too.

I meant Inheritance not heritage early morning.🤪

I recall Clive was threatening to Susan, and forced her into it. She really didn’t have any choice.

I don't know why Ruth and David don't just get together with a solicitor and financial adviser to help sort out the succession. What with the trust and the tax changes, I would want to make sure I was completely on top of the legal situation before making any decisions.

I agree @JudyCoolibar and it would be interesting to hear the options and professional recommendations.

More relevant and educational than the who-bopped-George story.

Felt it was a bit off of them to dismiss Josh because of his egg business...never really got the impression that's what he plans to do for the rest of his life! But then, they've never liked him much have they 😆

Yes would be nice to see David and Ruth deal with it properly and intelligently. Plenty of specialist agricultural solicitors about who are expert in dealing with family succession.

The fact they weren’t discussing the farm inheritance with professionals has already inclined me to put my fingers in my ears.

They don't need no advice! They're quite capable of leaving the lot to Pip without that.

Wasn't there some complex arrangement when Phil retired involving everyone else - Lizzie, Shula and Kenton - getting something or other? Has that been sorted out or (more likely) forgotten?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/webarchive/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.co.uk%2Fblogs%2Fthearchers%2Fentries%2F05f5cdc6-d5c2-34b1-ad8d-a2784debf828

(Only works with the second, boxed BBC link, not the long one.)

Thanks @TottersBlankly I was in forrin parts from 2000 until late 2013, so I missed quite a lot. I was aware that Elizabeth kicked up a stink, what with living in such straitened circumstances.

So, as long as they don't sell the place they can keep passing Dayveed's "special" shares down the Brookfield family tree ... provided none of them go to anyone except Pip, obviously!

This isn’t a spoiler ( I hope - feel free to tell me off if I’ve misjudged) but Ive just read a future synopsis that makes me fear another misleading “shocker” storyline is coming our way.