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!

he promised the land.
Then went back on it prior to the meeting.

Yes, but it's really odd that Adam didn't mention that in the meeting. When he talked about Brian leaving him the land it seemed even more entitled because it must have seemed to come out of the blue, especially for Alice (I can't remember if Adam told Debbie about it when he visited). If he'd said '"ook, not so long ago you said you were going to leave the land to me, and then you went back on that, and now none of us know where we are", he would have sounded a millimetre or two less demanding.

I'm not massively keen on any of them but I think Brian is absolutely despicable.

Thanks @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g . I have just listened to Fridays episode. I thought it was well acted and scripted ( finally!). But I cannot stand Adam. He displayed his true colours and then had the cheek to act all hurt when Brian said they weren’t his children. Adam has sneered at everything Brian has done re the farm but would have been quite happy to benefit from it in the long run. He’ll go snivelling to Ian now.

Need to go listen!

It's interesting how divisive Adam is. I'd hate to see him leave!

I think Adam is a good character but an annoying person.
It will be interesting how this plays with Iain, given he was clearly unimpressed with Adam using the dementia argument after finding out about Ruairi.

I could not agree more with this Gasp.

I reckon they should re-cast Dan if “old” Dan is no longer available.

There are a lot of “children” in their 20’s/30’s who deserve more coverage/prep.

Freddie/Lily/Johnnie/Josh/Dan/Toby…..

Yes, getting Dan back would be a good call. I can't remember when he joined the army but from my extremely limited knowledge of the military officers have commissions for a certain number of years and then often leave to do other thigns, so it's perfectly plausible that he might return to Ambridge and (for instance) insist on taking over the Stables, as it does still belong to his mother. Or he might do something novel, such as being a commuter who lives in Ambridge, works in Birmingham or London but also takes part in village life and is allowed to speak on air!

I can't remember what the original Dan sounded like so I wouldn't even notice if it was a different actor.

DH joined the Royal Marines at 16 and got his green beret. Then he worked his way up rapidly and got commissioned and was an officer for 20 years. Friends joined as officers and did 30+ years. Short career commissions are usually 5 years and these days I think you can sign on for further periods of five years. So Dan is mid-career, I would think. He should retire from the army at 50 or do an extra five years if it's offered.

Dan had a girlfriend called Dorothy at one point, wonder if he's still with her. He's the right age to be marrying and having children but we haven't heard anything of that sort, I wonder if we ever will. His aunts, uncles, cousins and grandma would surely go or at least talk about a wedding one would hope, even if the character never returns.

What a great episode, makes up for the rest of the drivel about Carole and Bert and the shoehorned PSAs.

What’s happened to Joy? A few moths ago she was in practically every scene!!

Do we think Helen will actually end up as Tracey’s neighbour?

Dan and Dorothy broke up, iirc.

Do not even ask about J!!! We don’t care and hopefully the SWs have forgotten about her

Tonight's episode made me think that perhaps Brian should leave absolutely everything to Kate, but with Jakob as trustee. Jakob is sane and intelligent, if a little odd at times, and would not take any shit from the rest of them. And it would be fun listening to the court case claiming that Brian didn't have capacity to do this, when he very clearly does.

But then I used to work in probate, and this sort of nonsense is meat and drink to me.

Alice and Rex can have it.
It could be a riding centre with all the bits they don’t need for horse care and activities turned over to rewilding.
Spiritual Home could stay and expand to incorporate equine assisted learning.

Gosh this is moving fast. I too loathe Debbie's voice

I like this ep, with Kate talking to her father. It's one of the rare occasions when she hasn't been employing her honking voice of outrage.
I'd wondered about the absences from the board meeting, but now get that it enables more viewpoints and the hammering home of Brian's past and present behaviour for the context.

What I didn't get was why Kate didn't say WTAF about Brian's describing of Debbie and Adam as not his children. I know they're not, but that so beside the point.

I liked the Kate/Brian exchange today. Brian doesn't have dementia. Not even a hint. Tbf, I've never thought he has shown any signs. Is completely on top of his short-term memory, and very quick following arguments. The only reason his kids, other than Ruairi, have to think so, is because of his behaviour WRT Ruairi. Which they don't have the details of. The caravan storage and other farm stuff is arguable, and well within "Home Farm Context" territory.

Kate, in turn, seems very consistent. She's always been oblivious as to how she herself comes across, but quite sensitive as to other people. Personally, I want to slap her with a wet fish, but she's true to type, of the person where the main blind spot is...herself...

Since that particular blind spot wasn't so relevant today, she did rather well!

I like this ep, with Kate talking to her father. It's one of the rare occasions when she hasn't been employing her honking voice of outrage

Perfect description of Kate's usual voice!