Archers thread #200: Trouble in Ambridge! (All 200 threads could have had this title.) 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 love to be Brian's child or stepchild, 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.)

Over to you!

Yup. The SWs want a rural soap with no land ownership and no inequality … 🤔

I keep seeing that point. Is that an official line?

No, I don't think so. Totters believes this is their line, but they've not said so on the record, as far as I know. It explains various plot developments but makes no sense if they are trying to reflect real life.

Sorry! I’ll try not to mention it again on this thread! 😂

But Miranda will be doing NMW job before the end of the year.

Mark my words …

Don't stop on my account!

I don't think @TottersBlankly is wrong. The refusal to move on with Freddie's inheritance, the fudge with Peggy's will leaving her unspecified fortune to charity, moving Oliver in with the Grundys and now this latest Home Farm nonsense with Brian determined to destroy the business instead of doing some proper inheritance planning. What other explanation is there?

I agree, but it's all so silly and unrealistic.

It really is almost suspiciously odd.

Like they’re being paid to dismantle the story in front of our eyes.

Agree that some storylines are odd, but shouldn’t we be just a little careful about attributing reasons? Remember when we were all decrying Roy’s absence from Grey Gables storylines? As it turned out, there was a very sad reason for that (Ian Pepperell’s illness and death).

I am however absolutely loving the notion that all these years, Lilian, who must be close to 100 now (in her 70s?) and pretty much a full time slop worker at The Bull, has been running Amside Properties single handed since Anthea left. (The same Amside that had Matt, Lilian and Brenda run off their feet 24 hours a day. 🧐)

And now an eager intern has reminded the SWs it exists - and Keira is going to do work experience there?

How does Lilian balance her time between the stables, Bull and Amside, alongside imbibing copious quantities of gin?

I’d forgotten her Stables management!

I wonder if anyone from the creative team ever sits down and really thinks about what they’ve created?

I mean … 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

Ruth is such a self important twit. She's gagging to stick her nose in and mediate between the Aldridges. Hope we get to hear it!

@beatricebatcheloryou are so right 🤣

Lilian is 80 next year. I don’t want to be ageist but how many people are still regularly pulling pints at 80…? Especially when it isn’t driven by financial necessity.

I'm sure Peggy would still have been pulling pints at 90 if she hadn't succeeded in driving her first husband to drink.

And especially when they have at least two other jobs!

It is her pub, though - well, half of it.

Yes, but she’s owned that half for twenty years. And as far as I recall, for most of that time, apart from the odd business meeting, she generally found her way there to cry on Jolene’s shoulder over the latest disaster in her love life. Or for a drink with others of her clan.

It’s only relatively recently that she turned to collecting dirty plates and used glasses.

@TottersBlankly ... well, I suppose it gets her away from Justin!

It would be horrible if this happens. George's sincere love for and trust in Brad, not to mention for Amber too, is something rather good and would be a real shame if it was sacrificed on the SWs' thirst for conflict.

The way Amber’s mum spoke when she was with George reminded me of Miss Babs in Acorn Antiques

Miss Babs is Josh's Mum. <trivial post alert>

Yes, unless she walks everywhere in Ambridge, there must be a fair amount of driving involved. I wonder what her blood alcohol levels are first thing in the morning.

It is very odd that Lilian is simultaneously running three businesses at her age. I have to assume that the SWs are now very constrained in the number of actors they can deploy for recording sessions and Lilian is a useful multi-purpose member of the cast because she has so many connections and locations they can make use of. She runs businesses, she's Justin's partner and she's an Archer with strong connections to everyone else in the clan. Kenton and Jolene have lost out because the Brookfield Archers, to whom they're most strongly connected, are now featuring less than the Home Farm and Bridge Farm families - who, to be fair, are a lot more interesting.

I suspect Lilian's blood alcohol level is higher after breakfast than when she first gets up. I picture her pouring a White Russian over her Shreddies. And why not? You only live once, Dahling!