Archers thread #197: Runs, Ambridge, runs! 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 find it credible that Kate, who changed continents twice to get away from her own children, has now morphed into Grandmother of the Year, 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.)

Well, Finlay may have made good his escape, but we're all still stuck inside the Borsetshire forcefield. The cricket team is rising phoenix-like from the ashes but will now be The Bull's team, not Ambridge's. Will Alice and Rex make a go of things? Will George cope with a month off the booze? Will the real Brian Aldridge re-appear? Will we hear a bit more about farming? We did get a lambing scene the other night, which was good.

Over to you!

P. S. The pointless new AI title generator MN has introduced in spite of absolutely nobody ever asking for it wanted to call this thread something like Discuss The Archers here, no spoilers. I won't be following its suggestions.

Why? Queen is the correct title for the wife of a reigning monarch of this country. The change happened when she and her husband were crowned, not before, as is also proper.

I'm not saying it isn't correct, in a legal sense. I'm quite sure that it is.

QEII reigned for SO long. Her husband was of course known as Prince Phillip and not King, so we don't have the mental map in living memory in this region for a monarch's partner being called King or Queen. We have had years of getting used to the idea of a King after QEII died, followed by another King. We have not had the same preparation for there being another Queen so quickly.

At Charles' coronation we were told (by the presenters, admittedly) that Camilla would be known as Queen Consort in deference to the fact that QEII had only recently passed and "Queen" was too big a pair of shoes to fill. We were told that Camilla wasn't planning on adopting "Queen" (without the consort) and it was only what felt like a very short time after that she was being referred to as the Queen.

I just find it quite distasteful. If Charles had decided to call her Princess, or keep her as a Duchess or whatever other title may have been possible, I wouldn't have had a problem with that. All my life I've had not just A Queen, but The Queen. It just doesn't sit right with me for Camilla to inherit that same title. It's just my sentiment, I'm aware it may not be a widely held one :)

Brian insinuated that Adam would be majority shareholder.
I do believe George felt guilty - every time someone praised him.
And Lilian has been a dreadful and indulgent mother to her own son, a huge contrast to Jennifer.

Adam is about 40 years older than Rhuari, he's going to be actively farming for less than 20 years probably. What's going to happen after that? Will Rhuari have it or will Xander become the next farmer? A child born from a surrogate who may not even be biologically Adam's anyway, so potentially absolutely no relation to Brian at all. Maybe Martha will become a farmer. Lots off potential for lots of problems and drama.

Bert Horrobin is a repulsive old man in every way.
I really hope we're not supposed to feel sympathy with his attempted scam to help Chelsea. Unlike most on here I dislike her too.

Queen Elizabeth's mother was the Queen before her husband the King died and she became Elizabeth the Queen Mother so it seems normal to me. I'm not actually old enough to remember that though.

Adam is 59, he should be doing his own succession planning with a view to stepping down if not retiring at 70.

But I suppose if 72 year old Clarrie is still doing several jobs and 76 year old Eddie has yet to mention a pension there is no reason to expect any sense from the SWs.

QEII's mum became Queen 90 years ago this year, apparently!

I'm not old enough to remember that, either ;) In fact for my sins I hadn't known she had been known as Queen at all.

Is Adam really nearly 60?! How old is Xander? I had assumed they were in their 30s when they... made arrangements to have him.

Born in 1967.

When Xander was born on 23rd September, 2019, Adam (born on 22nd June, 1967) was a stripling of 52. Ian, born on 4th September, 1970, was a mere 49.

MollyButton
I do believe George felt guilty - every time someone praised him.

Oh, I read his utterances as a mixture of embarrassed and afraid he was going to get caught out. As indeed he eventually was, and well-deserved it was too.

Of course he should, anyone normal would have.

I assumed that Clarrie still working is supposed to somehow indicate how hard it is to manage on the state pension alone, and that's what happens if you don't make proper provision for the future.
But as their pension situation has never been mentioned maybe we're not even supposed to question it.

If Ruairi does inherit the farm, I really hope he marries Miranda in order to inherit the house!

Clarrie has worked almost all her life, she should have a nice occupational top-up even if Eddie hasn't. Between them they should be fine.

But if that's the case why isn't she drawing on it now instead of still working? They both receive state pension.

Clarrie worked at the Bull and the dairy, so very small businesses. I thought it was only about 10 years ago when businesses with a few employees were required to set up occupational pension schemes for employees, prior to that there was no such obligation. So I think it's likely she has no other pension than the state one.

Xander is Adam’s they used his sperm to fertilise a donor egg (not Ian as his sperm count was too low).

Ah yes, thanks, I'd completely forgotten all that.

Tonight’s episode was like an assignment for GCSE English. ‘Write an episode that reflects the current pressures people with illnesses face when trying to access healthcare’. So boring.

Issues tackled:
*trying to get an appt at the surgery

• accessibility of surgery for people with mobility issues
• trying to get help for a parent with possible dementia
• worrying about transport and parking when going to a hospital appt
• highlighting how friends and family of people with suspected cancer need support too Honestly- the list is endless. Astonishingly dull. Such bad writing…

I must say, that conversation between Ruth and Stella went on for about a couple of weeks. I was almost weeping with boredom by the end.

But even still, Xander is not biologically related to Brian because Brian is not Adam’s biological father.

Xander is an Archer!

I totally agree. She is not my Queen.

As for Ruairi being more principled than George, are we forgetting that an innocent man has been charged with the bottling crime? Admittedly the man charged is a wrong un from Markie's (sp?) gang, but he didn't do this. So Ruairi's sense of guilt isn't stretching that far.

Agree with PPs about the woefulness of latest episodes, esp the patronisingly- and insultingly-drawn character of Bert H - but am I imagining it or has some of the actual delivery of lines been snappier, eg when Khalil speaking with Lynda, lots of speaking over each other?

Come to think of it, I've been complaining about the woefulness of TA for years, yet here I am.

The "Not my Queen" meme in relation to Camilla always amuses me. I'm perfectly aware that the RF neither know nor care whether I exist, let alone whether I regard either of them as "my" king or queen. What does it achieve proclaiming that on social media? No-one asked us if we accepted Queen Elizabeth as our queen when we were born, or indeed if we were notionally prepared to accept Diana as a future queen had she stayed married to Charles, it's just a constitutional fact.

Yes, this not "Not My Queen" nonsense always makes me laugh. Get rid of the monarchy or suck it up, chaps.

Yep. Same for the late Queen's mum, Queen Mary also.

If you are a royalist you have to accept it. You can't pick and choose.