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!

I buy Old Tom tomato juice @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g . It's spicy - a bloody mary without the booze. Delicious!

My late mother loved tomato juice with a dash of Worcestershire sauce.

Starters now are often bigger than the main courses were back in the day.

Talking of Lidl, the face cream from there is fine. It's about £2. I wouldn't be forking out £75 for a 50 ml pot of fancy of 'farmaceutical' stuff.

As a soft drink, elderflower with sparkling water is refreshing. It amazes me when I go to the supermarket that people buy trolleyfulls of bottled water. I asked a shopper why and she said her DC wouldn't drink tap water.

Lots of fig friendly peanut butter available. Mine would have it on a lickimat whisky I eat supper except he’s eaten the lickimat 🙄.

What has fig-friendliness and lickimat whisky to do with peanut butter?

(Is it the dog posting?)

Has @ExitPursuedByABare been on the lickimat whisky?!

I'm not keen on whisky but I prefer my spirits in a straight glass. One served on a lickimat would definitely be a step too far.

The kind of customers who pay £70 for face cream aren't likely to be the type who get their hair done in a horse trailer, or buy it from a hairdresser I wouldn't have thought. Chelsea isn't trained in beauty or does any beauty treatments as far as I'm aware.

I use Estée Lauder which is more than that and certainly wouldn't buy it from my hairdresser,let alone a hairdresser whose salon is a horse box!

Oh don’t!

I use Lidl moisturiser they even do an SPF 30 one. I dont believe the expensive ones have magic properties.

I dont believe the expensive ones have magic properties. Neither do I.
'Never mind the lipstick, feel the lifestyle'.

Natasha batted back Helen’s suggestion of hair care very quickly, that was weird. I wonder if any of the Summer Orchard bottling / labelling machinery could be repurposed.

Helen: "I hope we never have a big bust-up like the Aldridges."
Tom: "We won't. Of course we won't."
Of course they will. Give it time.

I swear my auto correct hates me. I used to volunteer in dog rescue so typed ‘dog’ hundreds of times a day. Every single time my iPad would change it to fog. Fig is a new one 🤷‍♀️

Give it time …?

😂

Didn’t take long!

Entertaining episode - though Akram remains quite … inconceivable.

Glad you are ok, @ExitPursuedByABare .

Told you, didn't I. Could Akram find a caring farm somewhere far far away please.

Akram was a pain tonight. Talk about the tail trying to wag the dog.

I feel quite relieved Helen bought the extra cows - not so much for her, but I didn't like to think of the 4 left behind separated from their mates!

Shades of ‘Lonely Cow’!

Apologies if it has already been asked, but who milks the Montbeliards?

Also, did Tom/Tash’s house spring an extra bedroom? Whilst Helen was packing up Jack’s stuff she referred to all the organised boxes that Henry had packed in his room. I felt sure that Henry was miffed when they first moved in because he would be sharing a room with Gideon.

Apologies if it has already been asked, but who milks the Montbeliards?
The retired Tony.

I seem (as so often in life) to be completely in disagreement with everyone about Akram ... and indeed about the Maliks in general. I like them! They seem like a normal family, gently squabbling without ever actually falling out. How very unlike pretty much every branch of the Archer family, eh? And I'm entirely on Akram's side against Helen re the working in the dairy nonsense. That's not what he was hired to do, he's not interested and when (inevitably) Helen tells Clarrie that there are some hours available, I hope Clarrie laughs in her face.

I liked the way Akram spoke to Helen. And I hope Clary tells her where to stick her extra hours after making her redundant in such a partisan way.

No, you’re not in disagreement with everyone. I find them a perfectly pleasant, if not perfect (who is?) and quite relatable family. Most of the Ambridge clans are less likeable, IMO.

They seem like a normal family, gently squabbling without ever actually falling out. I agree but there's probably a reason for it.

And I'm entirely on Akram's side against Helen re the working in the dairy nonsense. I agree about this too but he's not that good on the veg is he.

It's the caring PSA and the strange wish to farm that's annoying.

Helen and Tom would not be easy to work for.