The Archers #2

[MistyWindows]

Hey lovely lot! (Lurker here, over a decade of love hating Ambridge on a weekly/daily basis)

Got to say I’m a bit conflicted, I was engaging with the Rochelle and Joy storyline as I think a complex, absent mother and daughter relationship isn’t something I see a lot of in most media, I related to it and believed Rochelle straight away when she talked about her childhood.
I have a very complicated relationship with my mother as well, who was also flighty/unpredictable/neglectful like Joy for my childhood, but considered a wholesome saint to other people.

So I got invested despite finding both of them a bit grating

The way everything went down doesn’t make much sense, for a start are radical Vegan communes common? For picking up wayward teenagers in the North East?

I’m not sure where they’re going with it, but poor Rex!
The eternal nice guy of Ambridge, head over heels for Pip (god knows why) only for his dickhead brother to have an unhealthy ‘relationship’ then fling with her and get her up the duff, Anisha seemed promising (I miss her) then pissed off (when the actor was too busy) and then he was Kristy’s Ma’s fantasy partner. Poor bastard can’t catch a break.

Then Freddie is screwed over too, along with half the farmers in the town, is Joy going to defend her? I love the drama, but can’t see how this will realistically resolve itself

Also, I know the Maliks are being heavily featured but I like it a lot, we have to hear about the same Christian festivals being hashed to hell every year, hearing about Ramadan alongside Lent for once was a nice change M for me, in a very unsubtle Radio 4 way of being multicultural, but we can’t expect miracles.

 

[Marilyn345]

Good episode last night, firstly well done Clarrie for letting Helen know it was pretty shameful to make this all about herself (Helen).

Otherwise I’m veering towards Rochelle here, I don’t want to and obviously there are holes in her story and I don’t like her but she was very articulate when she told Mick all, also it couldn’t have been rehearsed on this occasion as it was Mick who initiated the conversation about Joy leaving Rochelle home alone. Joy, like people with a guilty conscience will always have and stick to their own version of what happened, I know we could say the same about Rochelle but Joy spontaneously just leaving home leaving behind an almighty mess indicates a pattern of behaviour.

I have to say I’ve never been much of a fan of Joy, yes she’s shown kindness and is a good neighbour but I’ve always thought there was a mind of steel behind the simpering.

 

[Jelly Bean]

Good episode last night, firstly well done Clarrie for letting Helen know it was pretty shameful to make this all about herself (Helen).

Otherwise I’m veering towards Rochelle here, I don’t want to and obviously there are holes in her story and I don’t like her but she was very articulate when she told Mick all, also it couldn’t have been rehearsed on this occasion as it was Mick who initiated the conversation about Joy leaving Rochelle home alone. Joy, like people with a guilty conscience will always have and stick to their own version of what happened, I know we could say the same about Rochelle but Joy spontaneously just leaving home leaving behind an almighty mess indicates a pattern of behaviour.

I have to say I’ve never been much of a fan of Joy, yes she’s shown kindness and is a good neighbour but I’ve always thought there was a mind of steel behind the simpering.

Yes I was pleased Clarrie didn't fall for Helen's self serving crocodile tears. Her parents have let her get away with that behaviour for far too long. Good that others stand up to her. I hope Clarrie gets a job at The Bull with Fallon - another one treated terribly by the Bridge Poo Farm lot.

And I'm starting to believe Rochelle now too. Joy doesn't sound convincing.

 

[Love_hate_small_town]

Welcome!
I’ve been listening for 20 years and there is still the odd character they refer to and I think -who Is that??

favourite storylines of all time for me have been
- Helen and Rob (abusive ex who she almost killed)
- Alice’s alcoholism when it was all coming out. Really incredible episodes and overall think they are handling the topic quite well even if I find Alice annoying from time to time (now).
- who’s George’s daddy - this was in my earlier days of listening but remember liking it
- pips terrible boyfriend ‘Jude’. Not a long running story but loved how much of a twat he was.
- the modern slavery storyline

Love - affairs, unrequited love and DRAMA

hate - bloody Christmas plays, the older grundies and find Jill archer annoying. Basically an ageist. Also irritated by David, Ruth, pips inhales and Rochelle’s whining.

Current storylines i want to develop: Harrison’s absence. Hoping he is starting a second family. Fingers crossed.

the archers family holiday - excellent idea and cannot wait for all the drama mick!

 

[JodieGreen123]

Oh good, Rochelle is back… said no one. I liked her much better when we didn’t know if she existed or not!

 

[Love_hate_small_town]

I’ve realised all I really care about is romantic relationships. Preferably affairs or strong unrequited love. There aren’t too many free agents of interest.
Rex (always wanted him to get with pip and then dump her lol)
Rochelle (boring and annoying)
Freddie (quite like but is getting posher by the day)
Lily - loves a pretentious older man… Justin???

I’d even take a storyline where Chris and Alice get back together.
give us something!

 

[Jelly Bean]

So on FB the thinking is Rochelle is a vegan terrorist (if that's the word) infiltrating Casey Meats for sabotage purposes. Hence all the questions about where the animals are kept. Plus at some point Joy had asked her 'are you still in that group?'

And lucky old Clarrie. Some knitting as her leaving gift. And as Pat so tactfully put it 'now you'll have all this spare time on your hands'.

 

[Jelly Bean]

Sounds like Finlay's on his way to Ambridge though

Played by the lovely Mark Bonnar too. Quite a big name for TA.

 

[Love_hate_small_town]

I’m so confused by the amber change of direction coinciding with the change of actor. It really is hard to get over the completely different voice. Alas the voice is so similar to phoebe, Lilly and Alice I don’t know what’s going on. Pip is similar too but with a touch more winge. I feel sorry for new listeners. Thank god they say each others names in every scene.

Hello Tracey
Hello my son Brad. How are you and my daughter Chelsea today?
Any sign of my partner jazzer?

 

[Jelly Bean]

So it’s a “who attacked George” week judging by the promo advert I just heard

…it all feels a bit late now to me, I have moved on from it like the writers have

I know - I'm more interested in the fallout from Dopey Dave and Ruth giving their favourite child Pip the farm.

I don't know how long Ruth has been in it - decades now I think - but she's still one of the few actors on there who I can almost hear reading the script. And her false laugh too. She's hopeless. It's annoying as she often takes me out of the programme as she's so obviously acting.

 

[Love_hate_small_town]

what accent is Esme supposed to have? Her voice is so weird.

She’s from generic countryside. Have you been there? It’s lovely. Full of simple farming folk and harvest festivals.

 

[Marilyn345]

OK folks .. time for a debrief.

Brian knows, obviously as he was there.

Ian knows. We knew that.

George has been told but doesn't believe. We knew that.

Now Brian knows that Ian knows.

We now know that Ian has threatened to tell George.

Ian doesn't think George knows and doesn't know he has been told and doesn't believe.

An important point: Brian also doesn't know that George has already been told and doesn't believe.

No-one except Brian knows that Ian has threatened to tell George.

No-one except Brian and Ian knows that Brian knows that Ian knows.

Now, I think I've got that right.

 

[Love_hate_small_town]

Chelsea's over enthusiasm over everything is wierd and tiring.
'Bomber Command omg that's well lush. Wait til I tell Brad he'll think it's well lush too'.

It’s the writers getting all hot and bothered about the prospect of a ‘common chav’ pulling herself up by the ruddy bootstraps and educating herself. First lark rise to candleford and now the bomber command. Back home in time for sausage and bean pie with a side of finders crispy pancakes and a cuppa tea with 8 sugars.

 

[Jelly Bean]

Tom and Helen are leaving it a bit late to ask George to mind the farm while they're away. He needs this redemption arc quick as Amber is getting bored
I presume Esme will then ask him to help her on the farm.

 

[TravellingPants]

.

Rogues Gallery/Usual Suspects.. you choose.

View attachment 3841394

Ahhh the wonders of an AI error - not sure who George Archer is or when Emma was married to him…?!

 

[JodieGreen123]

I’m still optimistic that Stella will have an affair with Ruth to spice that storyline up!

 

[Love_hate_small_town]

I would like to take full credit for Tracy’s sudden move towards healthy food. After many years of finders crispy pancakes, pasties, sausages and chips etc etc because they are poor and eat poor people food, she not only unpacked LENTILS from the big shop but suggested Brad (my son Brad who is my son) eat a banana as a snack. Clearly the writers read here and took note. You’re welcome. Now as a repayment, an affair please.

 

[Jelly Bean]

It’s v boring at the moment. The only storyline I’m vaguely interested in is Helen and Tom’s wrestle for money/ control.

Devastated Bert is back. He’s so negative and rude.

I wish they would go a bit deeper with the succession stuff. It’s such a juicy area when it comes to farming. I liked it back in the day when Natasha tried to edge into the main house and turf pat and Tony out.

I know several farming families where it is still very much - the farm goes to the oldest son - and then the oldest son gets married and the new wife is delighted at her good fortune only to be essentially waiting forever. Then when they do get into the main homestead, it’s never really theirs. Good old mother in law disapproving of everything. I love it

It's like how Ruth and David managed to alienate Josh so much he's fecked off thousands of miles away.
Of course sainted brat Pip would get 99.9% of the farm. And then dense Ruth 'do you think we've upset him?'
I'm hoping at some point he'll sell his 30 acres for a large housing estate or industrial complex just to piss off his smug sister.

 

[Merpedy]

I agree that it’s odd. There’s something about her that doesn’t add up, she ‘found’ George on social media and just fell in love with him?
I’m sure George was a nasty git at school too, Brad had an odd reaction meeting Amber for the first time.
I think Chelsea probably was a bully though, often they don’t realise (or want to) what an effect they’ve had on someone, I like Chelsea a lot but she’s had a lot of character development over the past years.
Anyway, Amber’s backstory doesn’t really add up to me and her parents completely disowning her out of the blue is extreme and odd.

I wish they kept up with her weird back story and the fact that she basically stalked George and began a relationship that way, it’s some interesting commentary on prison wives or generally starting relationships with prisoners but I suspect that the older Archers audiences may not be interested in it

It’s not like they’ve expanded much on her influencing career either. How many followers does she have? You mean to tell me no one in Ambridge has seen her on TikTok or looked her up to see the content she was creating and has opinions on it?

I still find her to be one of the most interesting characters but it feels like her potential is being wasted and I’m not sure if they’ll ever fully explore it

 

[Love_hate_small_town]

Gross David getting frisky. Shudder.