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 read somewhere that badgers mainly eat earthworms. <This information is brought to you courtesy of my ability to remember useful stuff, while not knowing what day of the week it is.>

. Badgers are actually quite vicious. I’ve seen two young males fighting one another and had to move quickly because my young terrier was in their way and they were so aggressive I thought they might go for her in their hyped-up state. Unbelievably, this was 3pm on a May afternoon.

Ok then, badger bites cow and cow tramples Pip and Fat Rosie.

Or large group of earthworms runs away from badger, causing Pip (and Rosie) to slip and fall down a previously unmentioned disused mine-shaft. As long as they get trampled, run over or otherwise squished, it's all good. If Ruth could then utter one of her famous Oooow Nooows before falling under cow, there would be glee all round.

Isn't there a sink hole on Lakey Hill?

Philip Moss must be out on licence now. Couldn’t we get him to do some work in the events barn and cause another explosion?

I was only thinking today that Pip is my least favourite character.

Surely someone else feels sad for Hannah?

Pip blethering on about how the strain of Not Knowing was killing her and Stella, next minute saying she'll ignore all that until after the wedding. Ridiculous. I don’t understand the logic of this either. Could Hannah move into Rickyard Cottage? And what has happened to Clarrie - made redundant from the dairy and yet suddenly there is a new full time job to be filled?

Hannah always feels like an afterthought. She doesn’t feel properly knitted in to the fabric of Ambridge. Compared to Kirsty, for instance, who is equally an incomer, but who has been properly inserted with good friends, an almost-wedding to an Archer, not to mention an almost-baby. I can easily forget about Hannah, I could never forget Kirsty.

Could there be a small but very precisely-targeted meteor? Bonus points if it takes out Helen too. But I'd be happy with just Pip disappearing in a puff of smoke.

Is Stella renting a Brookfield property? So it would become rent free, as I assume Rickyard is to Pip? (I have slightly list track, but them Ambridge housing is often flexible in ways my house definitely isn't.)

Yes like the houses in Eastenders. They have always got extra rooms when new characters arrive. Those homes must be like The Tardis.
And when something happens and a stall owner would say to some random, keep an eye on me stall. What if someone wants to buy something? How would the random know the price. Ive always laughed at that. Sorry going off track!.

Presumably you mean if Ruth is carrying but not Pip?
One of my extended family who has it is a son of a carrier.

No, because if Pip has it and Ruth doesn't Pip has inherited it from David.

Have David and Ruth addressed what will happen if Pip inherits the farm and predeceases Stella? Or, more likely, Stella divorces Pip?

I used to volunteer on a working farm which also had an education department (Registered charity). Badgers popped up in the potato field and ate all the potatoes one year. There was a large badger sett which was obviously treasured by the Educators not so much by the farmers.

I think Clarrie was offered some hours in the dairy and turned them down.

I know Im in a minority but I really like Hannah. She’s very forthright and level headed .She works in a male dominated field ( no pun intended) and can stand up for herself. She had a healthy attitude towards her sexual relationship with Tom and she was emotionally intelligent to recognise that a relationship with Chris wasn’t a good idea.

But being kicked out of her home because the SWs want Stella and Pip and FR to be shacked up pre-wedding?

Why not move to Rickyard?

But why should she have to?

Stella and Hannah are both Brookfield tenants. I really don’t see why Stella should be able to throw her out on a whim. (Even if they’re going to say Stella is sub-letting.)

Where does this fit with the new Renters Rights Act? Mmm?

I doubt it, considering they made the whole inheritance decision in about ten minutes.

Anyway the SW are able to change whatever they like even when we know what should have been the true outcome of previous inheritance ( e.g. Glebe Cottage) so they'll just make it up at the time.

I am SO BORED of Pip.

Pip will NOT have the gene - the SWs won't want to be bothered with writing any long-running health story. Bethany - moved to Brum, Dan's arthritis - mysteriously cleared up, Brian's epilepsy - never mentioned again, those are just three I can think of off the top of my head. This will be a PSA pure and simple.