Archers thread #201: Tempting fête in Ambridge? Free entry to 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 administer Bert's mucus medicine, 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/5538836-the-archers-spoilers-thread-12-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.)

There's a fair amount of stuff going on at the moment but I don't feel inspired to say anything more about any of it for now. Over to you - I hope you all have more enthusiasm than I do!

I just cannot fathom the connection between New-Amber and George. I’ve tried - but the backstory and dialogue they gave her at the start: geeky, unpopular kid, in need of a bad boy boyfriend, just doesn’t chime with what we hear. And the young woman we hear wouldn’t have touched George with someone else’s bargepole. She’s far, far too sensible.

In Bristol, people complained to the local press when the floating harbour bridge was swung during the rush-hour to let a ship through. You'd think they might have noticed, if they commuted through the Cumberland Basin and out along the Avon every day, that sometimes the river was full of water and sometimes it was mostly mud, but apparently they hadn't.

Some people must go through life in their own little bubble noticing nothing around them.

Yup. The really strange thing about that one was that (before the flood-sluices were added) sometimes the Portway road flooded immediately under Mr Brunel's suspension bridge at Clifton during a high tide, and had to be closed, so not to have noticed that the tide happened, if that was a route you used every day, was seriously unobservant of them.

I'll admit that when I was living inland I wasn't as aware of what the state of the tide was on an everyday basis, but surely to goodness if you live in a place where the tides matter and change how you can travel about you can't ignore them? But it seems that some can.

I completely agree. Nothing about Amber has ever rung true to me. I just don't believe in her. Inconsistently written, she is literally a different person to the one who first visited George in prison and whatever happened to Emma and the Turkey teeth story? I can't even be bothered to work it out.

I agree.

I guess (a) George must be pretty 'fit', and (b) she was trying to annoy her parents initially.

I do think the Grundy strong sense of family appeals to her - they have taken her under their wing, plus George is trying very hard at the moment.

I agree that neither of the Ambers’ relationships with George seemed plausible, but I’ve aged them well into their mid-20’s and overlooked how they met.

I’m still worried about George’s temper (though if he has been seeing the same shrink as Elizabeth and Ben they do seem to have worked miracles).

What the hell with Harrison and lily!

yuk

That was horrible wasn’t it! Ewwww

Fnaa, fnaa, as Viz used to say!

My goodness, Lily's a quick worker (was going to write fast). But more chemistry than with Fallon.

Welll well well

@BoreOfWhabylon · 17/08/2026 19:52
The 🔮 agrees with you . It says this will drive Fallon into a jealous frenzy and J'lene will start warbling that Joni Mitchell song about not knowing what you've got till it's gone.

Mystic us.
I know Harrison is older than Lilly but I thought it was 14 years or so.
Same as my parents and it turned out well for them - they got me 😄

Doubt it'll last really.

Revolting.
Presumably we are supposed to believe Lily only likes men practically old enough to be her father. What Harrison is doing is horrible, he's only just separated and now getting it on on the rebound with lily, the daughter of Fallon's employer.
The phrase" don't shit on your own doorstep" comes to mind.

Think you could be right Totters !!!

Lily
Past editing slot.

I expect Lily will immediately become pregnant. With luck she will tell Harrison, who will be thrilled until she adds that she has already booked a termination. He will then chain her in a cellar before being unexpectedly and immediately sent back Oop North. Lily will die, Harrison will get life. He will be murdered in prison and Fallon will inherit the house and receive a police widow's pension.

Elizabeth, driven insane by grief, will be sectioned and the trustees (finally free of her influence) will hand over LL to Freddie. Freddie will live happily ever after, ideally with Chelsea as Mistress of LL.

Happy endings all round, I think?

I honestly can't believe Lily would fancy Harrison, or if she did, not bide her time more decently
urgh

I can't believe anyone would fancy Harrison. On the other hand, an awful lot of men would probably say the same of Lily!

Oh yuk. Why did I not read the comments on tonight's episode before listening. I'll catch up on them now.
I'd prefer sheep savaging to that.

You have a warped mind, @Gonners, and I for one am very grateful for it!

I prefer to think of myself as a practical woman, when it comes to problem-solving.

@Gonners I do think you might be right about the pregnancy, ( maybe not the rest though!). Hardly any pregnancy in Ambridge is planned and neither does anyone appear to have heard of contraception either.

Could be an interesting story if Lily rashly decided to keep it, compare and contrast with Fallon and Elizabeth etc. Very unfortunately it would mean Harrison staying in Ambridge though.

Lily's taste in men is shocking.

@slughater , my mind sees your username as a typo for slaughter. How come my as dry as the Sahara garden still has slugs and snails?

I think Lily has found men of her own age to be a bit of a disappointment - especially her twin - and losing her father so young may mean she is looking for a father figure. I can see her finding Harrison attractive - he’s doing a job which requires him to be pretty solid, even if we - as listeners - might see another side of him.

He's the one who caught Freddie dealing, so I can imagine that coming up - awkwardly - at some point if Lily and Harrison become an item. But I don’t think Lily is minded to care what Freddie thinks at the moment.

I find Elizabeth’s attitude to Lily a bit odd. I never understood her letting Russ get so comfortable. I found it a bit icky that she gave him a job and let him move in, when he was obviously so wrong for her.