Archers thread #204: Is Vince mince? 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 have liked to hear more of Pip's and Stella's wedding vows, 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.)

Several people on the previous thread, and probably the spoilers thread, have rhymed Vince with mince, so credit to all of you! As I start this thread, we don't know what's going to happen to Vince, and it's looking as if Sunday night is going to last all week, or a good chunk of it. Ah well. We have to put up with this kind of thing every few years. I cling to my belief that the SWs aren't going to kill off another of Elizabeth's partners in a horrific accident - but of course they could be toying with us!

Josh has returned from Patagonia sounding strangely changed by his time abroad. (Angus Imrie is presumably too busy, or perhaps fed up with the limited storylines given to Josh up to now, so the part has been re-cast.)

Will the Brookfield inheritance row start up again now? I do hope so. Josh has been very badly short-changed by his parents' decision to leave the farm to Pip (and Stella). Surely they could have taken the same approach as Pat and Tony and involved both children (with separate provision for Ben, who's not interested in a farming career)?

Over to you!

And I wonder what Freddie’s call was about: I thought, when she went for her tea, that there’d been a Freddie-related disaster that he’d called back about in her absence.

Next time, perhaps!

I wonder why Elizabeth got a Penguin. They no longer qualify as a chocolate biscuit, apparently. Kitkats are sooo good!

Josh has been dallying in penguin land, it was probably a reference to that - like the 'you look quite different'. Nod and wink at listeners.

Dodging away from the issue of Lizzie not being next of kin (thought the govt was trying to do something about common law vs married?), I think an observant girlfriend might have noticed a spot of paralysis in their partner after 5 days.

Partially minced Vince sounded hale and hearty throughout the episode. I missed the first few minutes, so I assumed he was back in LL, catching up on business stuff.

I love the fact that maybe an hour in Chelsea’s company has Josh questioning his entire future …

Don't have any medical knowledge about these things so may be talking rubbish, but wouldn't Vince know if he couldn't feel or control his legs, or if his back was broken. Wouldn't he have some inkling there was a major problem?

It actually could make an interesting long term storyline, I don't recall any other characters in a wheelchair, all the physical and psychological issues lasting for years, complete change of lifestyle and Elizabeth becoming a carer.

But knowing the SW, if he is paralysed one visit from the multi-talented Joy will have him rising like Lazarus and the whole thing will be done in a week.

I’m surprised, but then perhaps not, that in Archer land after 5 days it was suddenly you may not walk again - surely being trapped under the tree was a slight indication that there could be a serious problem ?

I hope they do the storyline correctly rather than in 2 weeks time he’s off to his ballroom evening class but with TA these days you never know

I think it would be more likely for a hospital canteen/coffee shop to sell kitkats than penguins ….

Have we ever found out whether Josh has/ had a potentially serious relationship with a woman in Patagonia who is the reason for him planning to return - a plan he now seems much less sure about?

I thought Vince was going to die while Lizzie was out of the room too.

I can't believe Lily had never heard of a Penguin biscuit.

I think Josh's girlfriend had gone home to Australia so probably not a long term thing.

Agree Kit Kats seem more likely, but do remember that at the university I was at some ten years ago (mature student) Kit Kats weren’t available. They had been cancelled because of some offence by their parent company - on lines of pushing sales of powdered baby milk in developing countries, I think. (Of course they may be owned by a completely different company now.)
Sorry to derail - I also agree it seems very unlikely medically for being unable to walk again not having even been raised as a possibility until some days after Vince’s accident.

There’s another, younger brat too. Shelley, I think.

They are Nestlé.

Dodging away from the issue of Lizzie not being next of kin (thought the govt was trying to do something about common law vs married?),
She's not living with him and there's no such thing as a common law spouse.

@ExOptimist , it wasn't Lazarus. John 5:8-9

Wasn't the 'girl' from NZ?

The daft suspense of Vince not saying what’s wrong is well, daft, if only because Elizabeth would absolutely not be able to bottle it up. She’d be doing a Tregorran as it’s known in the trade, demanding heads on spikes.

Loved the bit where Pip?remarked that Josh looked different.

Years ago we went to Iceland during the October half term, so much the same time as the honeymooners. It will be bogging freezing. And very very expensive.

If Vince has been conscious the whole time why is Lizard not asking him what the docs have said?

I dont understand why she needed to be written this week as upset by the lack of info, rather than upset by his general condition? It was a bit pointless plotwise.

Interesting, despite Alice doing her best attempt at harming Martha in utero and us hearing an entire view of villagers, there is few if none disabled people ( possible Brad and Jakob being high functioning Autistic ) but I'd expect a few more needs across the village, so maybe a wheelchair user might be realistic?

Bit biased as I'm neurodivergent, I have a child with a physical and Neurodevelopment needs , a disabled sister and Dad so I think it's nice to hear of the less typical.

yes it was a shame about Bethany not growing up in Ambridge - a missed opportunity

There was Bethany who had Downs but she went away with Mike so we have no idea what has happened to her. But I don't recall any other disabled people.

Hope I get a crystal ball award for predicting Vince’s loss of mobility. I can’t see how it’ll really change how he runs the abattoir but it’s bound to mean he needs a lot more help in the short term anyway and Lizzie will move in with him or move them both somewhere on the estate meaning Freddie and/or Lily returning to the fold.

They were indeed Nestle then - seems they still are. So cancellation would be understandable - but that’s for another thread really.

What an odd episode. The winks to the fourth wall (Josh looking different and Lizzie not knowing what day of the week it is) and several brand mentions.

I find it utterly baffling that ‘Vince will never walk again’ has come out of nowhere. It would have been the talk of the village that he’d broken his back/crushed his legs/whatever. To just go from Lizzie gnashing her teeth at not knowing anything to this is just bizarre.

Is a Penguin a cake now or biscuit? Like the Jaffa cake arguement?.
Perhaps Joy will be Vinces Physiotherapist and have him up and about in no time.
She did an online ' Learn to be a Physio in two weeks' course and has past with flying colours.
I thought Vince was going to die whilst Lizzie was ppppppicking up a Penquin too.
If Lily and Freddie do run LL together, because Lizzie will retire to tend to Vince, and Lily marries Harrison. Will Harrison be Fallons boss by marriage, or will Freddie sack Fallon because they dont need her or her silly made up job.

@Gooseinthewood
You probably know this.
Mike Tucker lost an eye in a farming accident.
Bethany Tucker his daughter via second wife has Downs Syndrome. But they moved away for better SEN support and seem to be forgotten, especially since Roy Tucker (her much older half sibling) moved away too.

Perhaps Vince was planned to die but SW chickened out. Lots of debate about a believable “mystery prognosis” then finally gave up and just went with an undefined leg problem. Definitely no sign of anyone from Vince’s family yet..

hello-ive only just started listening to the Archers after 20 years off-could anyone give me a potted reason for Lizzie’s memory loss etc?
Also am I alone in finding Freddie irritating?