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Life in Ambridge: Comments week of 6/April/2019
Life in Ambridge: Comments week of 6/April/2019
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Life in Ambridge
THIS POST IS CLOSED "longer off topic comments" - Episode 14 Life Outside Ambridge Have a seat and let's chat.
I would so love to hear "Perfect Day" sung by Lou Read, playing in the background somewhere in TA tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteWill Robin F. make an appearance and be heard from, as after all, he started this farce - which I still think Pip has doubts about.
Ruthy. I just love this photo of Rosie Ruth Grace Archer - a real treasure.
ReplyDeleteA return of a favourite picture of mine Ruthy 🤗
DeleteTalk about laying it on with a trowel S/Ws!
ReplyDeletePip hadn't got the bottle to tell her beloved grandmother all of the offspring's names.
Toby reverted to default position and lied by omission that he hadn't told Jill.
Now the day that Jill is really looking forward to is going to be ruined (seeing we are now supposed to believe that she is 'haunted' by her husband's love for his first wife!)
Could they have sign posted the drama more?
I just hope that now Jill is so happy + content with Leonard, she will not react in the way imagined....but will have to wait and see.
DeleteI hope Jill will understand as to the middle name of Grace - as after all it his her paternal Grandmother's name, and is a tradional trend these days.
Grace Archer sadly died in 1955(?), so why such a long lingering grudge - 64 years on. Jill should just embrace the situiation, embrace it + enjoy.
DeleteMiriam - Jill's supposed 'grudge' against Grace is a fairly recent innovation in the most recent editors' (more than one!) minds I'm afraid. There was one instance when she doubted Phil's committment to her (Jill) when she found a photo of Grace in Phil's desk whilst looking for something. However when she spoke to old Walter Gabriel about it he reassured her that Grace was in the past and she and the children were everything in Phil's life. That was many, many years ago.
DeleteDuring the past decade this manufacted antipathy towards Grace has appeared to 'spice up' the life of what was the centre of TA i.e. Brookfield.
What was more obvious, to me at least, was that Jill's definite dislike to Toby and Rex could have been portrayed as stemming, not from anything to do with Grace but the way their father had treated Elizabeth. Instead the editor went down the more sensational line.
Robin Fairbrother led Elizabeth, who was quite young, to believe that he was free and available but turned out to be only temporarily separated from his wife to whom he returned, thus 'breaking Elizabeth's heart!'
However this 'tame' explanation has been turned into a drama (true soap style) by changing the history and character of Jill and the nature of her relationship with Phil Archer.
This is how I view the dynamics of this storyline and which is why it makes me cross that this was the first of several personality and character changes to facilitate under researched, bordering upon the preposterous, storylines which frankly are sometimes just about worthy of a A level Creative Writing class!
Now we have Peggy, who was so concerned for Elona's (short term and a stranger to Ambridge) well-being that she offered her more money/hours to help her. Yet we are supposed to believe that she (Peggy) would dismiss Emma Grundy (nee Carter,) a regular and reliable cleaner, with no notice or compensation? Unbelievable imho. 😒
I too endorse all you have written Spiceycushion.
DeleteI would cut the scriptwriters some slack. They must feel under an obligation to find storylines for a mid-80s actor playing a character of the same age, and finding it tricky, even though they have endowed the character with the ability of a woman 10 years younger. The anti-Fairbrother story didn’t work,and all the flapjack throwing stuff fizzled out. Better luck with Leonard the Lamp Post!
DeleteI am with Jill on this one, she does not bear a grudge, it is an emotion, even if irrational, that she finds difficult to deal with. I am prepared to wait until tomorrow but agree with Spicycushion.
ReplyDeletePip knew the situation.
ReplyDeleteShe should have told her grandmother about Rosie’s middle name but what I can’t understand is why Jill hasn’t asked if Rosie is to have a middle name.OK Jill is besottedwith Leonard at the moment but she does live with Ruth and David so surely there would have been some mention.
Maybe Jill will be fine butI still think there will.be a point where we hear Jill in her tearful breathless way say something like.
“Oh no!
I always wanted a middle name but really, unless you are called John Smith or similar , is one really necessary unless it is a family name- like Grace perhaps.
Good point LJ.
DeleteJill hasn't asked about Rosie's middle names - I hadn't thought about that. Well Done.
I have a lovely middle name, but not many know it.
....and its not my nom-de-plume on this site.
DeleteThe first of Rosie’s middle names is Ruth (unless Rosie Ruth was intended to be hyphenated?)
DeleteThat was a neat little reference to Emma’s position on the Parish Council in Friday’s episode, paving the way for another factor in the moral dilemma in which he’s shortly to going to find himself (if I’ve read the runes correctly).
ReplyDeleteHe = Ed
DeleteI think baby Archer should be Christened
ReplyDeleteROSIE RUTHY GRACE
In honour if our saviour Ruthy who rescued us from the clutches of the BBC’s blog slayers.
Thank you so much Ruthy!
I love it!
DeleteI agree it's funny that Jill hasn't asked if there is to be a middle name but I really don't see why she should object to Grace. It was such a long time ago and she enjoyed a very happy, long marriage to Phil. Plus now has her new man friend. If she does object tomorrow I would say to her Get over it.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeletePerhaps it might have been better had Pip and Toby spoken to Jill and said that because it is a lovely name they would like Grace to be one of Rosie’s middle names and they hoped she wouldn’t mind.
ReplyDeleteShe could hardly have said “no “ .
Wasn’t Grace Fairbrother senior’s half brother ?
It isn’t as if the original Grace had been Toby’s grandmother so there is no reason for Rosie to have been named after her.
I think that Toby is doing this to please his father and is thinking of his inheritance.
or even half sister!
DeleteI think T❤️O❤️B❤️Y wanted his surname somewhere on his daughter’s birth certificate as well as her co-parent’s surname (sounds fair enough to me) and suggested Grace as a compromise when Pip was adamant Rosie’s certificate should not bear her father’s name.
DeleteSo Toby worked in the city for an equity firm? I can only imagine he was the office boy and did the sandwich run for the big boys! Was he there as an 'intern' on work experience, and was given the heave ho for spending too much time doing nothing?
ReplyDeletePoor Emma, also give the heave ho by Peggy. I can't see Kate being so in-dust-rious or thorough in keeping the house clean. She will most certainly have cleared out the cleaning materials, no bees wax, etc.
I would love to be a fly on the wall, or a cockroach in the kitchen listening to Peggy giving instructions. At least Kate wouldn't kill me!!
Sorry for rant above about the standard of storylines! I remember only too well trying to get pupils to think through their planning when writing 'stories.' Yet they now see people getting paid for doing the things they were warned against and marked down! (Big sigh!)
ReplyDeleteThank goodness I now just mark Literature and 'Comprehension' type GCSEs with a minimal 'Creative' input! 😃
Spicycushion, I loved your rant! Long may they continue.
DeleteAnd, of course, you're right, Spicy, about Peggy ( thanks for the reminder about the other cleaner) + the reason for Jill's antipathy towards Foulbrorher as Stasia wittily styles him. She's also quite reconciled to the 2 sons, even Toby.
DeleteI liked it so much that i wish i had ranted it!
DeleteWe found out last week that Patrick, the wild life man, is also a regular organist at St Stephen's.
ReplyDeleteOn Woman's Hour tomorrow there'll be a discussion about women in the Archers, prompted perhaps by some nonsense (I think) study heard on BH last Sunday, that they only talk about men, all I would say is that men in the Archers talk only of women.
I was interested to hear about Patrick too. I didn’t realise he was following in Phil’s footsteps as organist as well as pianist for village shows. Maybe he and Jakob will become friends through their shared interest in organ-playing. I think Patrick has had a voice in the past.
DeleteRuthy - further to Archerphile's comment above, on 9 April 2018 blog Old Fogey called you our own Grace Darling who rescued shipwrecked mariners.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the new vet will be “drawn out” by Shula - oh no please not! Have to say actress Judy Bennett has retained her young voice, she used to play children as an adult I believe and still sounds a young 76 this year (?) too.
ReplyDeleteVoices are fascinating when the public phone in to live radio discussions and at some point reveal their age it can be a shock either way - someone in the 50 - 60 age group I would have sworn to be in much later years, then again two nights ago at 12.40am a lady of 94 yrs rang LBC with her views and comments among them the current B word topic and was mesmerising on all levels her voice was bright, bouncy and dripping with enthusiasm for her beliefs. Had she divulged that she was in her 60’s I would not have been at all surprised. Equally a week ago same subject a man phoned who sounded so informed and mature I believed him to be in his 30’s at least and turned out he was 16yrs - shades or Rauari actor.... the presenter was stunned as he was just about to have a go at the caller after he mentioned he had not voted why he asked!! Then found out 🤭
current B word
Oops what is that at the end 😕
DeleteJust fully caught up on Ambridge doings... Looking forward to tonight's charade - here's hoping Shula goes off on one from the pulpit like a possessed mad thing, foaming at the mouth and speaking in tongues!
ReplyDeleteJakob seems entirely normal to me. I don't understand why people think he may need drawing out in any way. Everyone in The Archers over-shares to an entirely unbelievable degree! In reality, who on earth would feel comfortable around most of the 2 dimensional caricatures that people the village? Leave the poor man alone. He's there to do a job, not to be your new friend Alistair! Lonely much?
Thanks Gary, that comment about Shula in the pulpit made me laugh.
DeleteSpot on as usual G.G.
DeleteGG. Well said and I so totally agree with your post. You have put my thoughts far more eloquently than my own efforts.
DeleteAs someone who worked as a retail Pharmacist/Manager, I used to change premises quite a lot. When taking over a different Pharmacy, I always stood back, was a bit aloof and just watched + asessed my new work colleagues, for a week or two, before showing my true self. I wonder if Jakob is doing something similar, after all why should he tell Alistair + Susan his life story in the first week. He has already been employed by Lovell James for 3 years, so they must know him well, unlike Alistair.
Unlike the culture today, in my time as a younger person, one wasn't expected to be fulsome when first in a new job.
DeleteI saw that change over decades, but like Miriam I always deliberately held back when in a new job, and did not allow my natural personality to wriggle through my mask, nor did I allow myself to show any likelihood of invitations being accepted. Therefore they were not made.
As I grew older, in years and experience I took this further and did not make close friendships at all within my working environment.
The one exception being my oldest friend, student nurses together in the late fifties.
So, although I found Jakob to be rather cold, I also felt that Alistair was being presumptuous in his expectations of his new colleague.
Just catching up on a few days' worth of blog!
ReplyDeleteMiriam, yes, Freddie *might* make a good Easter bunny. But I doubt parent would be happyy to have a convicted drug dealer on license entertaining their children ...
Meanwhile, ADHD (attention deficiet hyperactivity disorder) is a real condition, as is ASD (autistic spectrum disorder). Not everyone's brain is wired the same. Our society is largely set up for neuro-typical ('normal') people. If your brain is constantly whirling (ADHD) or unable to filter out irrelevant details and sensory experiences (ASD) then the world can be a tiring and confusing place. Meltdowns can occur because of sensory overload - stuff that most of us can ignore (like bright lights and supermarket musak) just becomes overpowering and inescapable ...
My shoe-dwellers aren't angels. But the one who struggles to pay attention to her work, gets easily distracted from tasks and can't manage time-keeping for toffee is not simply 'naughty'. She can develop strategies to mitigate this but school will remains a daily challenge. Sadly, her exam results will reflect these difficulties, not her intelligence.
Miriam 'I realistically can't see Kate dusting Peggy's ornaments without re-arranging them.'
ReplyDeleteShe didn't re-arrange them. Hilda jumped up at them while she was dusting and they fell on the floor. It would have been far too time consuming to glue them and, frankly, they weren't all that nice to start with. Besides, their chakras were all wrong.
However, to fill the gap, Kate very kindly spent her own money on a couple of ethnic sculptures and some incense. Well, OK, the incense was half a packet from the charity shop. And the sculptures were knocking around at Spriritual Home. But she must have spent money on them at some stage. Or did she just 'borrow' them from Lucas?
I am looking forward to hearing Kate fail to clean to Peggy’s standards. It is totally unrealistic that Peggy would have let Emma go without some sort of payoff.
ReplyDeleteEven if Jakob is on the autistic spectrum, as someone who is intelligent enough to qualify as a vet he would most likely have learnt the basic social mores required to move through the neuro-typical world, albeit at some personal cost. I am also certain he would not have picked up the business phone with a barked “Hello “ and no further greeting.
Like others have commented I was brought up understanding it was 3 godparents, 2 same gender as baby & one of opposite gender, and that baptism is about welcoming the child to the church. Home grown ceremony or party to welcome child to family if not intending to bring child up within a religion. Mine were not baptised as Mr Nuts opposed, both now atheists. I think Toby is looking to curry favour with his Dad, and maybe touch him for some cash.
I wonder if Kate volunteered or if Peggy has said - this is what you do if you stay with me?
DeleteIs Peggy still paying for Christine at The Laurels - not sure - but this could explain why she suddenly agteed to Kate along with the rental income + no longer paying for Emma, Could this become an new SL - Peggy's finances have dramatically dwindled, but too proud to admit so doing the best she can.
Must add that the name of Hazel Woolley has suddenly cropped up again - is this just a coincidence or is my wierd imagination going into overdrive again?
DeleteThe possibility that Peggy’s finances have been depleted is one I hadn’t really considered, but I think Jack left more to Hazel than the family expected and Peggy may need to be a little less generous than previously. That said I still don’t think she’d have dismissed Emma without payment like that.
DeleteTrend of increasing number of godparents seems to date from late 20th century if Anglican church in my home village is typical. It may be connected with fall in birth rate - more potential godparents per child in a family and not wanting to offend people. 4 seems to be the norm now. That's inflation for you.
DeleteCatholics economise and make do with 2. Only 1 is strictly necessary. They are supposed to be over 16, confirmed and be practising Catholics. (In reality they may be like Josh.) If parents can come up with only one who fits the bill, or if they have a particular reason, they can choose a practising Christian from another denomination. The other Christian person is called a witness, not godparent or sponsor.
Imo Bert has the best credentials to be Rosie's godfather. His age is no impediment as Ambridge residents are long-lived.
maryellen. Leonard the Lampost. 🤗 I haven't heard him light up, yet! 💡Maybe he requires switching on, perhaps at Christmas time? 🔛has he had Jill's flapjacks yet, that might work.
ReplyDeleteLeonard to me, is just what Jill needs - a companion with similar interests and ideas, who both just enjoy each others company. What is wrong with that.
DeleteAfter all, the SW's seem to have lost Carole T. and Chris into the ether and Peggy seems to be keeping herself to herself, now depending on Kate...
To add - he is male, but that shouldn't make any difference, well to my thoughts.
Delete.......if this wasn't The Archers, I could swear Jill had a touch of ''The Fatal Attraction' element about her!!...........Rosie run (crawl) for the hills...........Granny sounds weird. Mind you Auntie Shula is probably digging out her sackcloth and ashes and going to join her.....🙄....Loved the bit about Rosie looking like something from the Antiques Road Show though!
DeleteWell done Jill for taking it so well, at 88 you're having the last laugh at the daft SWs.
ReplyDeleteDid Jill say that 'Chris' gave her an unpleasant look as she left the church? I really can't believe that. She remarried after her first husband's death. Why on earth would she expect her sister-in-law to remain single?
ReplyDeleteNot sure what Robin is up to? I think I remember him telling Toby (I do wish Pip would stop emphasising the second syllable!) to 'get his feet under the table' because of the farm that Pip will inherit. According to Toby Rosie's Baptism was a party (in the church.) Whose friend is Xanthe the Godmother?
Hopefully Shula's definitely thinking about her own behaviour of a few months back. I'm surprised that Jim didn't add, when telling her some home truths, that she compounded her dishonesty by telling all and sundry that their separation and divorce was a mutual decision.
Someone mentioned, either here or Mustardland about the name 'Rosie' and it was Pip's second name. It was after her Godmother. Was that Clarrie's sister Rosie? I know Phil was very close to the Larkin family having been at Brookfield for two generations. I have a feeling it was Rosie Larkin or am I imagining things?
I assumed it was because Chris had developed a penchant for Mr B herself during the time he spent helping out at The Laurels. Very shallow-minded of me. Wonder if he has stopped visiting there now he spends so much time with Jill.
DeleteMight it have been Alice's Chris.
DeleteProbably not !
I hadn't thought of that and that The Laurels was a common factor! I assumed Chris was annoyed because of Phil! 🤦♀️
DeleteYes, I'd have thought because of Phil, something about judging others with a different yardstick than applied to self.
DeleteI had the same thought as Maryellen. Several ladies at The Laurels may be feeling a bit peeved at Jill.
Delete13 minutes of people bottling it : Toby, as usual then lying, Pip as well, as it would have been far more appropriate for her to tell Grandma the name. Shula, publically, Jim having touched a raw nerve.
ReplyDeleteLeonard would like to bottle it about the horse painting but probably won't, but, more importantly, was so understanding towards Jill & it did the trick - she's lucky to have his friendship & support. Maybe a touch sentimental but I found the way she spoke to Rosie genuinely touching.
Oh, Freddie half bottled it but at least he turned up at the church. How ghastly Kate is - the last person to cast stones, to be biblical
I suppose we will continue to be subjected to inarticulate Shula angst & guilt.
Who hasn't heard of a christening gown? And let's an almost complete stranger take charge of their child's big day? Is Pip a strong, opinionated, independent, intelligent, capable woman or is she a weak, easily ordered about, ignorant servant of Toby's dad? She can tell the son EXACTLY what she thinks but meekly kowtows to the father? Come off it scriptwriters - show some consistency in the characters! And was that "coughing fit" at the crucial moment by Toby supposed to be taken seriously? Or was it meant to be funny? Either way, I inwardly cringed with embarrassment at the ham-fisted writing...
ReplyDeleteWhat with Josh with tears in his eyes (why? WHY?) & The Blessed Shula's crisis of faith (not to mention Great Granny Creepy) it all just made me furious!
Calm down dear, calm down !
Delete🤣🤣🤣
DeleteAgree with every word Gary. Some preposterous events tonight, especially Toby’s coughing fit.
DeleteA very badly constructed and written episode, especially Shula’s non-sermon and the christening gown fiasco.
Oh well, it’s another week tomorrow, perhaps things will improve?
I agree it was a poorly conceived, constructed and written episode. Too much Jill and not enough of other people there. I assume the whole anti-Grace thing has now been clumsily laid to rest. I’ve no iidea what’s brought on Shula’s crisis of confidence or where it’s leading. And for me, Jill’s line in baby talk to Rosie at the end was the yuckiest ever heard on The Archers!
DeleteShula said because she had Jim and Alistair looking at her, why she wanted to talk about faith is beyond me, it'll take more to repent than a horse painting.
DeleteThe daftest thing I heard -and I may have got thins wrong- was that Robin had insisted onRosie wearing the family Christening gown.
ReplyDeleteI can’t remember when Rosie was born but my two were Christened at about 3months old and I think that may have been the norm and the same applied to my grandsons so I can’t see that the Christening gown would have fitted Rosie.
Pip should have stood her ground .
There is only one reason why they are cowtowing to Robin.
I take it that it was Toby doing the coughing when the name Grace was mentioned.
At first I thought it was Josh
As for Leonard being expected to paint a picture of a horse...... How many hours will that take?
It's a pity it didn't rip as she was manhandled into it.
DeleteOr perhaps she could have been sick all down the front ....
Lanjan you're right - Pip told Lily that Rosie was past fitting into the Archers' gown.
DeleteOne has to take into account that Rex and Toby are strapping lads and were probably big babies so their christening gown would have been big enough. Past Archer babies, belonging to a family who were stalwarts of the church and who didn't have any relatives or godparents to invite from elsewhere, may have been baptised at a younger age.
DeleteI was typing at the same time as you were Gary but I take longer .
ReplyDeleteHowever I agree with everything you say.
I thought it was bad scriptwriting too.
Gary I don’t know anything about art !!! but I do know that it would take a long time to paint a picture of a particular horse that actually looked like that horse or was Leonard just painting a picture of any old horse?
The Lent Appeal has gone silly.
It was surely meant to be a bit like the Scouts bob a job or nowadays a few pounds a job perhaps ,not hundreds.
I can draw a horse's head facing left...
DeleteA great party game once everyone is a bit tipsy is to ask everybody to draw a horse! I have seen some of the funniest looking creatures I have ever seen playing that game in the past. Mine included!
DeleteMaybe Mr B could ask Russ for help?
DeleteGary, I don't drink. But my drawing skills are such that that wouldn't give me much of an advantage in your equine artistry contest: )
DeleteOh, it's FAR better if no-one can actually draw!
DeleteRobin played such a big part in directing the christening, but we didn't hear a word from him ... Anthony Head obviously too expensive.
ReplyDeleteOr perhaps too grand for just a one liner !
DeleteShades of dear Phil in Leonard I thought, memories of the old days! Overall quite an interesting episode. In Shula’s case intriguing - what is her faltering leading up to....
ReplyDeleteNo grandparents of any kind heard ex Londoner, but we did get GG Jill!
Oh yes, you are right Lady R - nothing heard from Grandma Ruth or Grandpa David!
DeleteI assume they were at their first grandchild’s Christening, you’d think we’d hear a word from each of them, especially David, going on about how wonderful Pip had been to produce little Rosie.
All down to finances I suppose and Lanjans 5 week rule, How unrealistic, but inevitable I suppose.
No mention of Grandma Fairbrother. She appears not to have shown any interest in Rosie.
DeleteDavid was parking the car while Jill & Leonard went into church. Jill saved seats.
Ruth wasn't going to have Pip christened; then she decided she would but she wanted Usha for godmother.
Why was Shula preaching? Is it so she can deputise for Allan?
I enjoyed the christening. Rosie behaved perfectly.
Shula lost her tongue, I was relieved. Josh wasn't crying, he was holding back laughter at the silliness of saying words he didn't believe. He was only doing a favour, "when is this thing going to end" an important farm machinery auction was waiting.
ReplyDeletemaryellen, I agree, Grace (the never ending storyline)has bee laid to rest, can we now send The Foulbrother family back to London, lock, stock and wine barrels. Or wherever Pater lives along with the silly christening gown.
My partner who is not an archer fan was in the room and her response at the the end, was "what a load of toss". I replied it certainly was and used a stronger word. B.ll..ks. The whole episode was mostly cringe worthy, except for don't call me Mr. Stubbs. I can't paint a horse, never said I could, support for Jill. I might warm to him, now the light has been switched on
Sunday culminated in a week of rubbish script writing.
I
Pip was so annoying - no end to complaining about everything even on just a happy day. Glad that Jill finally putting "Grace" behind her. Leonard is very kind to her and she is very lucky to have him.
ReplyDeleteI still think that this wasn't what she really wanted - but was overtaken by peer pressure, so it was just easier to nod + agree.
DeleteI envisaged a non-religious naming ceremony, on Lakey Hill, or in a similar site.
Pip envisaged herself marrying at St. Stephen's. Apart from strong family tradition, both Pip and Lily have played active parts at the church during their teens - Pip played the organ and Lily joined the bell-ringing team. Nigel was a bell-ringer. I thought that Pip would have considered whether she was going to have Rosie baptised or a family member might have mentioned it. Her "taken-abackness" at Alan's visit didn't ring true to me.
DeleteI was annoyed about Pip expressing annoyance at the christening gown. There are times when one just has to please the grandparents. She can dress her daughter as she wants every other day. Rosie may be pleased that she wore the Fairbrother gown and will enjoy looking at Robin's photos one day.
I wonder if Sunday was the first occasion that Toby and Rex had been inside the church and if they saw Grace's window. Robin would have been baptised there too.
DeleteArcherphile ,I once read that 5 weeks of episodes were recorded in 8days.
ReplyDeleteIe 30 episodes
I thought that possibly that meant that they would record from Monday to Thursday and do roughly four episodes each day
I then thought that the episodes did not need to be recorded concurrently so if they brought in say 12 actors (or whatever number) on day one,they could record four episodes which may in fact be weeks apart on the radio.
There are usually six or seven actors heard each evening so there would be four episodes in the five weeks where only those 12 actors were heard.
Someone like the actress playing Peggy Woolley for example would only need to turn up on one day in the two weeks of recording but be heard four times in five weeks of the programme.
Are you with me so far.?
If my theory is correct ,in a five week stint you are unlikely to hear certain characters.
At the moment it is Lynda,Robert ,Fallon and Harrison for example.
I tried to test it out in 2017 but the problem was I didn’t know when the five weeks began.
I assumed it would start on a Sunday and tested it out for five weeks and it did seem to work (well sort of )
It was when we heard Lilian and Justin almost daily and a lot of Jennifer and Brian.
I don’t know what I have written makes sense.
I have probably got it all wrong.
When Elizabeth,Lily ,Freddie and Russ vanish for a while I will assume that the next five week stint will begin.
I understand what you mean.
Deleteesp. if the likes of Lynda, Lilian, Justin were doing Panto performances in Jan/Feb and then had a months exotic Holiday. By your idea, they will be returning very soon.
DeleteReference to the scriptwriter for this week starting yesterday until Friday 12th. He is a 'newbie' - Nick Warburton. I have not come across his name before regarding TA so I looked him up. He has written for Doctors, Holby City and (of course) Eastenders. He has also written some afternoon dramas for BBC Radio 4, was a teacher for ten years and has written a manual about screenwriting with Sue Teddern who is also a S/W for TA.
ReplyDeleteInteresting, and I will listen slightly differently to see (or should be hear) a difference. I have to add that I had expected to hear Robin F. last night, making his prescence felt again. It is perhaps better that he didn't appear.
DeletePS Where did you find this info? Just curious.
DeleteMiriam- Firstly I looked at BBC blog on the Catch up tab where it gives tag lines for all the episodes coming up in the next two weeks and synopses for those already broadcast.
DeleteOn the Friday episodes it gives the cast list for the week as well as writer, director and editor.
I then googled his name and read his Wiki entry and the Imdb entry (International movie database) IMDB gives all careers of actors, writers etc.
You can see I would much rather be sitting in my armchair 'surfing' than doing housework! 😁
Just a very silly thought, relating to the surname, in that whilst writing does he/she have a breadmaker going? 🍞
DeleteWow SpicyC. That is true TA research. I can only applaud you and your learned knowledge. Well Done
Delete5.22 pm 😄
Delete5.28 pm I realy should have been a detective! 😃
Surfing not house working - here’s to you (and me 😂 ) Spicy !
Delete👍
DeleteHave just listened on the Iplayer to this mornings Women's Hour. Two Archers academics discussing a new academic book about various themes, such as class, feminism and various characters. I'm not biased really, but I think we do a much better academic job on this blog.
ReplyDeleteGosh, seem to be the only one who wasn't nauseated by Jill's closing words to Rosie ! It's not that a word of it meant anything to the under one yr. old, though the warmth of feeling might have penetrated, but it showed how Jill had overcome one of her demons, largely thanks to Leonard. I do hope she doesn't let Shula bully him into doing the painting, in her passive aggressive way. On the other hand, when faced with the challenge, the artist in him might just go for it....
ReplyDeleteI agree Carolyn, this was Jill's private moment with her great granddaughter and Rosie is the only one who matters now.
DeleteI also agree with you Caroline.
DeleteI hope Leonard is here to stay. He is such a support to Jill, as he understands her and has made her laugh again, at long last.
I also note that flapjacks + lemon drizzle cake, haven't been mentioned for a while - says it all.
I agree with all 3 of you.
DeleteWell Spicy-C's revelation as to a new script writer was spot on.
ReplyDeleteI noticed a difference, but was listening for it.
As a result, I am predicting major problems + discussions, between Helen + Natasha, when Tom gives up his pig/sausage enterprise to concentrate on the still very young fruit tree saplings (when will they be productive to give a profit).
Suddenly Natasha is dictating to Johnny - why? He is the herd manager for the M cows to provide milk for Helens cheese- something Natasha has no right to interfere with, nor knows nothing about.
It was Jazzer, not Johnny. His parting remark, uttered quietly as she walked away was "Aye, teach yer granny tae sook eggs".
DeleteOhh..temper, temper tonight : Tom, Jazzer & Freddie flouncing off when Johnny was listening to him patiently as ever.
ReplyDeleteShula's not great on practising what she preaches, is she. First, as Jim pointed out, tetchily, & now telling Freddie to get out there whilst chickening out to Alan on a phone message. Yes, sigh, we are going to have a Crisis of Faith moment with her. Patience, Alan, patience.
Interesting about the SW being Nick Warburton. I seemed to instantly recognise that name. I’m certain I have heard several plays by him on Radio 4 or 4 extra over the past few months. I listen to a play either live or via catch- up most afternoons and his name seems to come up quite often. Perhaps he will become a regular TA SW.
ReplyDeleteIncidentally I was taken to task the other day for blaming the SWs for having Peggy sack Emma in such an unconvincing way. It was pointed out to
me that it was not the SWs fault, but that of the Editor who dictates the storylines. Any other opinions out there?
Well I thought the same as you Archerphile SWs.
DeleteAh well.
Yes I recognise Nick Warburton, the name.
I don't listen to the afternoon drama as much as in the past, many dramas too modern/ futuristic for me, but often hear his name at credits.
So, an experienced pair of hands then !
We shall see.
Nick Warburton is a familiar name to me also. Having goggled him, I noticed that he won the Sandford St. Martin prize for religious/ethical broadcasting one year and that he did a series of plays based on St. Luke's Gospel. Perhaps he's been tasked with Shula's dark night of the soul.
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ReplyDeletePhew .
ReplyDeleteI have been trying for ages to get back .
I had a session online with Apple earlier and loads of things had vanished.
It is way past my bedtime but zi wanted to sort this out
No bootgums on the anniversary blog, alas!
ReplyDeleteAnd no FOSO either, very sadly
DeleteOr Hamburg Gardener / Lady Vicar two more that come to mind!
DeleteOh thank goodness! I’ve got back! Finally, after months of indecision, I upgraded my little old ipod. (which I use at night when unable to sleep) to the new iOS system and therefore lost ability to post here. Half an hour later, after downloading Chrome and fiddling about I am safe again!
ReplyDeleteHooray!
👏🏻🤗😂🤗
DeleteCrying with laughter face snuck in ther should have been another hand clap. A prog on tv tonight re (celebrity?seniors who do not usually do so) trying to use technology.....
DeleteI had the same problem yesterday and can’t post the usual way and finally found that if I click on the google symbol and go in that way I can post! Was desperate to post on the anniversary blog too! Sorry some were missing but maybe they had a problem too or doing other things. Think it is still open so hope they will add to it. It’s always good to hear from everyone.
ReplyDeleteHmm, the system playing up for some on our anniversary. What's App?
ReplyDelete😂✔️
Deletei had a panic this morning after discovering that I was signed out of Google. I had 2 step verification set up which normally works but didn't today and I was going round in circles with my phone asking me to change my password which I didn't want to do. I eventually managed to turn off the 2 step verification and was able to sign back in with just my normal password. Back to normal now thank goodness!
ReplyDeleteYes - thank goodness you are signed in again!
DeleteI so wonder what Natasha's master plan is? She will find though, that Bridge Farm is not going to be the walk over, that she thinks it will be.
ReplyDeleteTom has stood his ground so far as to their accomodation, but he is fast becoming Natasha's Puppet, with Jazzer taking the brunt.
I noticed the first comment from Tom about getting rid of the pigs, or words to that effect. Natasha having a bit more influence, dropping little pearls of anti-piggery in his ear?
ReplyDeleteIt seems a bit daft to me. The pigs bring in a steady income whereas the fruit trees are going to take a few years to be profitable I should have thought. And the pigs were supposed to be grazing underneath them, weren't they?
It looks as though Jazzer might be out of a job soon, what else might he do I wonder? Go back to full time milk deliveries or perhaps help Rex with his pig business?
I am sure Neil will take him on, working alongside Hannah, who knows what might happen.
DeletePS Where is Hannah going to live?
Both Lily and Elizabeth are under his spell Freddie, so you're up against it all.
ReplyDeleteA bit much of Kate to criticise Freddie when she fed her parents cake laced with cannabis.
ReplyDeleteThere is a very amusing Ambridge Observer this week, all about The Archers Academic Conference held last weekend (I take it none of us went - I’m sure you would have mentioned it)
ReplyDeleteOne of the items that was discussed purported that the WI hold an exhibition in the Village Hall entitled “Ambridge in 100 Objects”.
It got me wondering what I should contribute and I decided on Jill’s Lemon Squeezer , the one she uses to make her famous Lemon Drizzle Cake - as a nod to all the excellent cakes made in the village, especially by members of the WI.
What objects would the rest of you suggest?
(Do read this week’s Am Ob if you can, it’s really very funny)
Some bunting...?
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DeleteMy choice depends on whether it's 100 objects through time as in Neil McGregor's British Museum programmes or 100 objects relating to present-day Ambridge.
DeleteThe former - Dan Archer's mobile outdoor milking-machine c.1930s.
The latter - a yurt.
A pint of Shires ale
DeleteA bottle of T❤️O❤️B❤️Y’s unique-to-Ambridge Scruff gin.
DeleteBlue cheese triangle with photo background of one of the new cows ?
ReplyDeleteA few credit cards!
ReplyDeleteMarthas re defined Telephone kiosk.
DeleteIt was part of a national drive to find new ways of using defunct T boxes
I second Martha's phone box. What has happened to it since Martha's passing? I heard about one as a mini library. A mobile library used to visit Ambridge.
DeleteWe have one here as a library. I got three M Bragg books last week.
DeleteAlso glad that the twins had an honest talk, as far as both are able, & that Freddie made his stand against the interloper. He still has that whingey pout in his voice, but that's him. Well realized characterisation, I reckon. On the other hand, he seems not to be tempted by his old life & does want a job. Don't see why he turns up his nose at mucking out stables, except to help out Auntie, he loves horses, why shouldn't he fingers an opening there, & a training ? Ideal for him, however declasse it might be for a Pargetter of Lower Loxley. He's done with any academic qualifications. Shame he was so obnoxious with Johnny, who's always been such a loyal friend.
ReplyDelete'fingers'? Find !
DeleteYes carolyn, I should have thought it was the perfect opening for him. Lots of 'posh' country people in the horsey world, and he would be in a good position to become an instructor (we've seen how well he got on with helping Mia with her maths), and possibly take over the stables altogether when Auntie Shula retires. I'm just itching to point out the advantages to him. Something that his family don't seem to be interested in doing!
DeleteAnd it would give him easy access to ketamine which he could then sell down The Bull next time that Harrison has a party there. Sorted! 🐎💊🚓
DeleteI thought it was Ruari who heped with the maths. Freddy was a duffer at maths.
DeleteYes, it was Ruarie who helped Mia with her maths, not sure what his motive is there?
DeleteIt was Ruairi. He & young Mia get on famously well. (aah...childhood sweethearts in the making...)
DeleteIdeal, then, GG ! But I somehow think he's not going to capitalize on past failures !
Because he knows that Brian values Will as gamekeeper.
DeleteI do think that the actor responsible for Freddie is doing very well indeed in creating a messed up but trying ( in all ways) young man.
DeleteThe voice irritates, but when softened gives a different picture of this youth and the characterisation is growing by the day.
I look forward to further growth.
I am having a "niggle" about something which is, didn't Russ know about Freddie's drug dealing at the college - but didn't tell the police.
ReplyDeleteIF I am rememebering this correctly, I am thinking that Russ will use this as a type of emotional blackmail against Freddie. Not sure if right or not
Yes, he did, but did a deal - ' you keep quiet about affair with Lily & I'll keep shtum about your drug dealing'.
DeleteSO, Russ stands to be in as much trouble if not much more, if this gets uncovered.
DeleteLily told Freddie to stop or she'd tell mum, but when he mentioned Russ she didn't.
DeleteFreddie’s voice still irritates me.
ReplyDeleteWhenever he speaks he seems to whine.
Do young men really speak like that ?
I don’t think he is going to turn into a pleasant young man at all.
He is still the spoilt little rich boy and seems to think that in gaol he was not like other prisoners and and they he did not deserve be there .
I think Elizabeth feels that way too.
Why is Jim suddenly talking to Shula?
ReplyDeleteHe was awful to her throughout the divorce from Alistair, almost blaming her totally. I thought that he had no interest in her ever again, apart from being Dan's Mum.
I am finding Jims attitude, not only confusing, but troubling and possibly manipulative.
I must listen to that again because I thought that Jim came out of that conversation very well.
ReplyDeleteHe doesn’t like Shula because of the way she treated his son and I don’t blame him for that
However I thought their conversation was quite touching and although Shula initially was a little brusque I think she was surprised and pleased in the end by what Jim said to her.
I may have got that wrong and perhaps I will change my mind if I listen again.
LJ, we were posting at the same time. I agree.
DeleteLanJan, we heard it in the same spirit. Agree.
DeleteI thought it was a nice exchange between Jim and Shula. Jim recognising that her inability to give the sermon was likely to have stemmed from him calling her a hypocrite. I think Shula was relieved to voice it, even though she now wants time to think things through.
ReplyDeleteAgree with you both, Lanjan & Zoetrope, his Frankness & perception were helpful to her. He is rather full.of himself, outspoken to a fault, but intelligent & quite astute. Can you imagine anyone on her family getting the point so quickly ?
DeleteI think he admires her for having the guts to wind up her sermon and walk out. Maybe too he feels he was a bit harsh in their previous conversation.
DeleteAgree with Ev and Carolyn
DeleteWas anyone else surprised Leonard can’t paint? What fib will they come up with now to cover up?
ReplyDeleteI expected it. Leonard should 'fess up to Shula and Alan. L could do a Picasso-style horse. Did you notice Leonard likened his snowdrop efforts to lamp-posts. He isn't a lamp-post, he just paints them.
DeleteThere's a lot of art in TA currently - Russ, Leonard, Shula.
I bet Gary sussed Leonard out ages ago regarding his painting.
DeleteI can’t think why he bothered to lie about it though
(Leonard not Gary)
Jill mustn’t have had any idea of how long it would take to paint a horse or she surely wouldn’t have mentioned it to Leonard
I thought she was very nice about it all and was probably pleased that he did it to impress her
Don’t tempt me!! I think Paul Copley is doing his best not to sound like Tom Wrigglesworth’s Dad, and succeeding.
ReplyDeleteWell done Jim, for seeing behind Shula’s breakdown in church and having the determination to talk it through with her. It couldn’t have been easy after their last encounter. I hope that they both will have more understanding of each other’s point of view and that Jim’s timely intervention will give Shula the space to explore her own feelings further.
ReplyDeleteUnlike some recent scripts, I thought their conversation was very well written, and acted.
It's given her the space all right but since when has Shula made good use of space ? At any rate, it was surely good for her speak out. We are also meant to see this as a crisis of Faith but it's not that metaphysical with her ( as it would be with, say, Alan if he started to suffer doubts) more a life crisis - divorced, directionless, someone unused to being reflective, forced to reassess what she's doing, where she's going.
Delete✔️✔️
DeleteVery human moments between Jill & Leonard, all treated with humour. I'm sure Alan will understand & laugh as well. Shula ? Not important, she was only using him & the new vet to shore up her feelings of inadequacy, to have some kind of purpose, a project.
ReplyDeleteDid like the way Jill uttered ' Just grass ? No horse yet ?' & the way he came up with some artist jargon in his desperation ( & rather more convincingly than Russ did in Manchester, saying he couldn't work without his muse ..)
Objective: Russ can paint, Leonard cannot.
DeleteSubjective: I don't like Jill and Leonard's relationship being portrayed as a joke, to most, except Christine who holds it against them for having sex.
Basia, I don't like it either, but do think it's probably realistic.
DeleteBut .... do we know that their friendship is sexual rather than affectionate, so far ?
I didn’t realise Jill and Mr B had had sex. I’m impressed.
DeleteTO SET THE RECORD not so straight: I don't want to insinuate anything, so I listened again and Peggy said that Christine disapproved of J&L because they were more than fond of each other, Kate asked if she actually said so and Peggy replied, that Chris did more or less, with her looks etc. So that's all we know and I don't care, for what it's worth I don't think they do, have sex.
DeleteI agree with Ev, that Jim realised he had been a bit harsh the other day, probably in defence of his son. His conversation was his way of an apology.
ReplyDeleteShula made her big decision to leave Alastair and now is floundering in the aftermath. Will she potter on towards retirement or make a radical change. I still think she should go off somewhere to “find” herself. She wanted Alastair to go abroad with her on a working project and he said no. Why can’t she go alone, instead of tinkering about pulling weeds out of the grave yard? Be brave, Shula. Go on retreat, at least, even if only for a few days.
I don't think Leonard sounded like a silly old fool.
ReplyDeleteA bit confused when at the start of a new relationship particularly when so late in life, does not make him a S old F.
And eventually owning up and explaining shows his emotional maturity.
Seasider, I agree, but given the TA teams recent foray into religious orthodoxy, do you think they might know about retreats, the different forms, and how numerous they are ?
ReplyDeleteI doubt that, although the representation of people’s attitudes to the Christening may have a ring of truth about it. Not sure the vicar’s approach is believable.
DeleteI do remember Marjorie Antrobus taking a bishop’s certificate at the suggestion of the incumbent at the time.
There are retreats that are not “religious “ or Shula could take some time away to do voluntary work of some kind, as she suggested to Alastair last year.
Come on now Stasia, explain clever Natasha's modus operandi for us all and give us the proper name of what she is up to.
ReplyDeleteTwisting it all around to make Tom believe he is responsible.
We've all seen it in life of course.
Manipulative woman, she doesn't like the pigs, so they must fly. Tom keeps them in memory of his brother, who was Pat's son too, simple.
DeleteAs for the other pair, I'm glad Will broke them up, because I found them irritating.
Yes, but for the wrong, and suspicious reasons.
DeleteWe’ve had Russ there, there-ing Elizabeth, Mr B there, there-ing Jill, and now Tony there, there-ing Pat. Is this becoming a trend and what does it tell us about gender relationships in Ambridge?
ReplyDeleteMrsP. Not sure what comment you are referring to, I have been absent for some days. Don't remember making reference to Natasha's modus operandi. Although she is a cunning vixen, but not in a nice furry animal way.
ReplyDeleteNo no Stasia, was not suggesting you had, rather wanting you to give us your professional opinion.
DeleteA bit tongue in cheek of me.
Cunning vixen more than good enough.
She's certainly that.
I don’t know that Natasha is a cunning little vixen but I think Pat is certainly still mentally disturbed about John’s death 20 years ago.Tom’s description of her as a little sensitive was putting it mildly! It reminded me of her obsessive search for Johnny to the point of stalking the boy. I don’t know if she had professional help during her mental crisis at the time of John’s death, possibly not, as the effects are still so evident, even though Tony does his best to reason her out of them. I think Natasha’s point about the complicated family she has unknowingly married into is entirely understandable. Bridge Farm is not whereI would want to be!
DeleteIt seems to me that Pat has far more insight into her daughter-in-law than Tony.
ReplyDeleteNatasha is not pulling any wool over Pats eyes.
I guessed the other day that she would persuade Tom to get rid of the pigs (daft idea buying in pork to make his sausages) and ditch poor Jazzer.
Can’t see Jazzer being content with picking leeks and bagging potatoes- complete waste of his swine-herding skills.
Bad decision Tom, another very bad decision. How many more will he make?
Tom will keep making bad decisions until Natasha divorces him, because he hasn't go one brain cell in that head of his to be able to make any sound decisions.
Delete✔️ 👏🏻 ✔️ 👏🏻
DeleteSo shades of Rob / Helen coercive control in reverse - Natasha / Tom? If so at least this time Pat has an inkling but not soTony. Rauari did a good mind mapping job for Mia re her maths block, shame he got caught out playing the ( innocent on this occasion ) fool to lighten Mia’s tense mood.
ReplyDeleteTom didn't give a sound reason to give ride of the pigs - did he? Don't remember. What is the big deal keeping them? Do they not make any profit of off them?
ReplyDeleteAesop2 re comment (finally) posted on Anniversary blog you will indeed now be purchasing Tom’s pigs 👏🏻 😂
ReplyDeleteCharles Collingwood (Brian) on “Springwatch on the Farm” last night with -🐖 🐖, he was pleased that at least one was a Hampshire pig as his home County. Petersfield I believe.
He also commented that being a farmer in a radio studio was a lot warmer 😉
Will Aesop be employing Jazzer to look after them? Aesop could sell them back to Tom for sausages, although it be may be too many food miles.
DeleteI thought pigs were a core part of Bridge farm business.
Exactly Hedgehog. They always have been and it took a lot of work to get the herd registered as being organic. What a sheer waste getting rid of them. They have a good herdsman looking after them and do not require the amount of work and expensive équipent that those new cows do.
DeletePigs are relatively easy to look after (I know, having been pig farmers in the past) and pork prices are rising rapidly at the moment due to high demand from China. So, if he were more astute, Tom could make a bigger profit from exporting his pork than using it to make his sausages.
But I strongly suspect that this whole storyline is to point up the influence Natasha is having on Tom and the problems she is stirring up in the family.
I don’t think the current agricultural adviser is doing a very good job!
Aesop, lovely to hear from you, well done for persevering, now that you have made, it keep posting.
ReplyDeleteAesop2. Welcome, I hear that Ambridge has a herd of pigs needing a new home, they come with their own pig man. Some are waving flags with the words, HELP, SAVE OUR BACON. 🐷🐷🐷SOB.
ReplyDeleteAnd HELP, SAVE OUR JAZZER 😰
DeleteTom won’t listen to the agricultural advisor unless Natasha takes on the role.
DeleteRuthy, you mentioned Natasha divorcing Tom. Do you predict that soon? She seems pretty dissatisfied with him. And despite her show of remorse about offending Pat, she shows no awareness that she hasn’t the right to interfere in farm business. Wouldn’t a family farm make a formal arrangement, or is it implicit/ legally her right because she’s married into the family?
I think if she doesn’t get her own way she’ll soon be off to find another project. Hopefully. Just sad that a marriage ceremony was involved. Marriage, baptism, divorce. Is there another theme about how and why some people still perform these rituals?