Archers thread #198: Josh sent to Patagonia, Pip stays put. Wrong way round! Discuss The Archers here.

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Not feeling greatly enthused about what's going on in Ambridge at the moment, tbh. I'm annoyed at Brian's hypocrisy about Ruairi given the furore over George's attempt to frame Alice as the cause of the accident. I do hope we don't have a slow drip drip drip now as one after another the members of the Aldridge/Archer clan find out what really happened and endlessly agonise over what to do. Frankly I don't care. There! I've said it.

Pip's OK. Well, good, but what was the point of that story, I wonder?

I suspect I'm in a minority of one in rather enjoying hearing (a) from Bert Horobin and (b) about Fletcher. I surmise Bert is here to stay for a while because the BBC has (amazingly) updated his character page: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/1wQP3mKR6yr9LVs05jddxcY/bert-horrobin (prominent actor photo warning). Given how out of date a lot of the other character pages are, this seems odd, but there we are.

That's all I can be bothered to say! Over to you.

Wasn’t Ruairi brought up in the Catholic faith? Why doesn’t Brian pop Ruairi on the ferry to visit Siobhan’s sister in order to deal with his guilt abroad (well out of the way from Harrison).

Asking Ian to be hotel manager is daft (I fear that the SWs will have some comedic scenes planned).

Again - as if Brian, living with Ruairi, wouldn’t employ a cleaner!

Really, What Is Wrong with the SWs these days??

Asking Ian to be hotel manager is daft (I fear that the SWs will have some comedic scenes planned)

Does he actually want to be a hotel manager? Why is he Head of Food instead of Head Chef? What's happening with his pizza van? How will the PTA cope without him?

Fletch is the Maliks' budgie. Khan was Azra's maiden name.

I hate Pip.

Pip needs to see a counsellor

I don't think Duke of Burgundy butterflies are found in the area supposed to be round Ambridge. But the amount of rubbish being spouted about wildlife in TA is getting to me. Small tortoiseshells aren't about yet and no dragonflies. And the way Rex said "early purple orchid" a few weeks ago made my toes curl. It isn't a purple orchid that happens to be flowering early, it's a species called EPO. The countryside editor must be on gardening leave, if s/he knew what a garden was.

Pip needs dedding.

I hear some clicketty clacketty heels just racing towards the PTA vacuum about to be created by Ian’s promotion …

I thought Siobhán's sister (Niamh I think) lives in London so no ferry needed unless the Am is up to its tricks again.

I saw a Small tortoiseshell the other day (also have Speckled wood, Orange tip, Holly blue, and a Red admiral active in the garden) and found a dragonfly sitting on washing I pegged out to dry. It was a bit chilly and sorry for itself.

On air, please.

Blimey Pip is excelling herself

Pip is something else.

How has Stella not given her a shake? (I mean in a 'give your head a wobble' verbal shake, not actual shake).

Thanks for that. I stand corrected! I have had several painted ladies, one very tatty and obviously overwintered and one pristine. A ringlet yesterday which seems early.

P:ip needs shaking by the throat.

No she needs to be shaken by the throat by a savage giant badger.
Or Cleo.

As long as it's fatal I don't mind.

The fat fairchild too.

Eek. Brian not Briann.
I love most some of the characters but Pip is ghastly. She has no redeeming features whatsoever.

@RuairiDonovan I'm amused that I hate Rosie without ever hearing her speak.

Ha ha ha...
She's bound to be obnoxious.

I'm fond of Poppy. I'm not too hopeful about Marthyr.

Maybe Keira will be brighter and harder working than George, but she probably has Emma's looks and Ed's brains.

The WI PSA was painful to listen to.

Just caught up with this week so far. Good Lord. Pip is fine. Ruth is fine. Ruth’s mum lived to a good old age before dying of service station. I’ve never heard of any aunties or uncles or cousins hopping the twig. She’s either got health anxiety or merely Complete Twat Syndrome.

Perhaps Rory should be yelling in a carpark since his mum actually DIED young of cancer?

It's not a syndrome. She is a Complete Twat.

Am I missing something? Why does Pip have to wait for Ruth to take a test? Surely she could just go ahead and get tested herself?

That's just what I was wondering.

I don't think Keira has Ed's brains. Didn't Brad say she was quite good at maths when he was tutoring her the other day?

Thank you thank you thank you.

So what was the purpose of Dane? Did the creative team change their minds, or was he just a holding position while Lily went on her eventually truncated and pointless and unreported long weekend in Australia and Ian decided he was unfulfilled as a SAHD with a Grey Gables name badge? Because he surely can’t have been invented purely as an uncommitted shag for Helen? Surely?

God, I’m confused …