Archers thread #203: It's Affair Cop! 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 would love to attend Pip's wedding with Natasha and the starry twins, 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-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.)

Starting the new thread a bit early as I'm not sure I'll have much internet access for the next few days. Fill up the old one first. And then - over to you!

(Credit for the thread title goes to @TripleSulko.)

Late DH said he'd sorted his paperwork. Goodness knows what it was like before as I shrank a shelf of stuffed box files into four slim ringbinders. Shredder held up well. It's almost four months now.

Could have been worse - she could have paid it into the account of the local vicar and he wouldn't have even noticed!

That struck a chord with me - we had exactly this with my dad too - it was heartbreaking to see him get agitated when he couldn't explain things properly.

(Even so, I'm not entirely convinced by Anna's extreme reaction. She's a barrister - shouldn't she be able to control her feelings at least enough to keep her brain ticking over! Shouting out during the service was awful. Though how Alan could think he'd be welcome in those circumstances is beyond me as well)

Sympathies to those dealing with bereavements, or the aftermath. Anna T’s behaviour feels unlikely, given her background.

Alan was an accountant. Maybe he didn’t qualify or stopped paying his membership fees (that nowadays require ethics CPD, amongst ither stuff) but, goodness me, he was dense. It would be great to hear an Usha rant at him for being so stupid (I am guessing they are both planning to go “silent” so they need a dramatic exit).

How do I have no memory of this??!! Oh well, at least I have that sorted in my mind now.

100% @Emilesgranas much as I’m annoyed with Carol for creating this situation I don’t think Anna’s leaping to conclusions is fair at all even allowing for the grief.

for all that need them.

I really liked Carol when she was played by Eleanor Bron, but this latest incarnation was deeply annoying - although quite realistically scripted. I really liked her service and the touches with the herbs, and the celebrant did a lovely job apart from his wildly swerving accent. I was wondering if he was attempting a Gloucester accent, Gloucestershire's supposed to be quite pagan isn't it?

I would like Kirsty to have a healthy baby with no complications and then a moratorium on births for a few years, they're coming way too often for my liking.

I care not for Harrison or Lily but am finding it very entertaining.

I have a really horrible feeling about Keira doing something awful but I don't know why.

This is so interesting, I had no idea, I’ve watched once but will watch again with this understanding. Thanks!

This is what I listen on BBC sounds. I skipped an entire episode again. A whole funeral is so tedious. Been a lot of skipping lately with a blow by blow of birth and death.

@Madcats , thanks. It catches you unaware sometimes. I was reading the paper and a travel article set me off. Not so much grief as the sense of nostalgia for that being a child and what your parents did for you. I hope they realised it was appreciated.

I don't think I suffered grief as such, because there was a sense of having said goodbye, if that makes sense, but we're all different.

and 🙏to anyone suffering from grief or bereavement.

@Gooseinthewood , we've had the hatch and despatch, and we've got an unconvincing match coming up.

I'm an omnibus listener so I don't often read the thread as I have to wait until it (Omnibus) has dropped on BBC Sounds.
I've enjoyed your arguments this week about ageism perception (I didn't read it as ageist) you're an adversarial lot 😂.

I used to post under a different username but I remember Boop (bit out of practice) and dad dad dad who I believe may have been an actuary. Are these still around?

Dad dad dad posts occasionally with random stats about the thread.

@JoelenesParrot Hope you're on the mend.

I listened to the funeral and ignored most of the rest of the week. Thanks to the thread I know what's happening!

you're an adversarial lot Not half! <channelling Alan Freeman there>

Thanks for this. I agree. The FBI thought it was Communist propaganda! Era of Reds under the bed and McCarthyism, of course.

Aaargh! Thanks for the vet anecdotes too, but I meant to quote your It's a Wonderful Life post.

I see BOOP on other threads

@thecatdidit , BOOP and DadDadDad are still around.

The 'ageism' was me objecting to the comment that Kirsty was being silly for 'contraception failure' when the pregnancy wasn't due to contraception failure, and I thought objection to a woman deliberately getting pregnant with the consent of her partner wasn't silly, especially given her age. Many in her position might have gone for a ONS or AID.

The word 'ageism' was probably not quite right. My bad, as they say.
I have no intention of being adversarial but I do defend the characters I like (most of them, it seems ).

Anyway, we've moved on since then. I don't like Anna much and I didn't like Carol. Not enjoying those bits. I expect there's more Anna to come.

I didn't like Carol and I don't like Anna either.

Great.

Pink Pony Club is dead to me now.

I howled when Brian asked, waspishly but reasonably, if Alistair had knocked the stag out with a gold ingot!

I love Brian. Awful but funny.

I LOVED all the farming - it felt as if the SWs had saved it all up and shoved it into one episode. It actually felt like we were on the farms today - Home Farm, Bridge Farm and Brookfield - with pointed reminders of the differences between them. Thanks again to all the PPs who explained the vet price hikes - no figures were mentioned tonight, but as soon as Alastair mentioned tranquilising the stag I could see the costs rocketing. I couldn’t really care less about Pip and Stella’s wedding, but I can see that dynastically it’s important. I’m wondering if the wandering Josh will return to be the spectre at the feast and try to claim his rightful inheritance.

Brian was on top, i.e dreadful, form.

Completely by the by but I listen from Australia after the broadcast so have to pay for the pleasure by enduring Aussie ads at top volume before the programme. It's usually Bluey World or bowel cancer.

Judge of my astonishment at Love Honey being advertised this morning.

For quite a while, the ads I got (EU) were always about Shopify. Seems to have changed to one about protection from some sort of fraud, now.