Archers thread #199: Kaboom! The Aldridges are self-destructing, and it's GLORIOUS. 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 drop everything to help Helen create a new cheese on national minimum wage, 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.)

If you haven't heard last night's episode (Friday 22nd May) you really must. It's episodes like that that keep me addicted. Funny how often they involve the Aldridges, the most dysfunctional and also by far the most interesting family in Ambridge. Also very well acted on the whole. How lovely to hear Tamsin Greig in TA, but I wonder if we ever will again.

Some cracking posts towards the end of the last thread, which is here: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/radio_addicts/5518503-archers-thread-198-josh-sent-to-patagonia-pip-stays-put-wrong-way-round-discuss-the-archers-here

Over to you!

hearing the Grundies larking about was lovely, an antidote to all the strife and dissension. Although I also loved Rex standing up to Brian, which must have taken some courage, something Imdidn,t think he had. .go Rex!

I was thinking that Ed's sheep speech with Eddie's and Will's snarky commentary would make a far better SM post than if George edits all of it out. He should edit out the awkward/angry bits, but the piss-taking was very funny.

I’m certain that’s what he’ll do!

It was so lovely I stayed awake then had to listen again. Brian and Rex airing their views on the disjointed and troubled Aldridge’s and the Grundy’s being a happy family.

🤔 Compare and contrast. Again.

Compare and contrast. Again.
They're both quite complicated families. Will we have Brine charged for perverting the course of justice or Ruairi being sent down for GBH?

I just wish someone would poison Adam and get away with it.

And dump him in the Am! Mind you, that would definitely incriminate Brian!

I'm hoping that Rex's bonking barge sinks with him and Adam on board.

Both hopefully.

I loved Rex telling Brian what he thought of him. It takes someone with a controlling father to recognise another one.

I’ve asked a friend of a friend about the accidental episode thing - apparently the magical system they use to create the podcast defaults to starting it when you are doing it, so possibly some Ambridge lackey was sorting tonight’s episode after a long lunch and accidentally forgot to change it to 7.15 or whatever the usual one is?

I think Rex is a bit thick to take on Brian and expect Alice to be pleased, though all that rugby has probably left him brain-damaged.

Helen, Natasha and Tom all spending the Angus money twice over.

Botanicals?

Everything about Bridge Farm is now ridiculous. See also Home Farm and Brookfield.

Never mind that, are we going to hear the dulcet tones of Robin Fairbrother?

I thought not more artisanal gin.

Goodness, I'm sure no-one's ever thought of botanical skin care before. What could possibly go wrong?

More seriously, I know fuck all about it, but isn't going into that sort of product line fantastically expensive? Once they've invented the wonder skin cream, they've got to get it thoroughly tested for safety, allergies, compliance with all sorts of regulatory stuff, then buy in the machinery for making and bottling it, then have a mahoosive marketing campaign. I'd love to hear Natasha pitch this one in Dragons' Den and get their views on it.

Also isn't the market flooded with Botanicals. Sir Alan Sugar will put Natasha right, he knows about these things.

Or anyone on Dragons Den.

My mind also went straight to gin.

What Helen is doing is expanding an existing business, The new cows will immediately start earning their keep. What Natasha is proposing would surely require huge start up costs - research and development, production, marketing, packaging. How is she going to oversee all that at the same time as running the tea room?

And she’s finding the admin on Orchard Fruits too much. Where is that produced? I always imagine botanical skin care type stuff to be produced in laboratory conditions, not in a shed round the back of the muck heap. But maybe I’m being naive.

I think a lot of these things start out as kitchen businesses, then expand slowly.

They will have labelling equipment already and may even have old bottling equipment about the place that was previously used in the dairy. In a way it is a bit like cheese making but with different ingredients I would think.

She's pie in the sky about it making enough to fund the twins through private education though!

If Borchester has a small business park suitable for start-up enterprises, we haven't been told about it. But it's just the sort of place I'd expect find somewhere off the bypass.