Archers storyline

The scriptwriters can get a bit silly at times when they try do do these odd campaigning bits.
They introduce social reality themes which stick out like a sore thumb in terms of the plot and are quickly forgotten.

Someone ?Caroline and hubby did some fostering a while back, (probably a very long while the way time goes past.)
The first child was fostered, as parents had to go over to the USA to see a sick relative. Well there is no way Children's social care would pick up the cost of that or accomodate the child. The Ambridge fosterers had about one more child and there has been no mention since.

I am sure Emma's mum Susan being a Horrobin with those awful Horrobin brothers should know all about state benefits.

I suspect a Gransnet forum could probably do justice to it own Ambridge thread.

Er Nelliemoser did you mean to link claiming state benefits with being awful?

This story line has had me gnashing me teeth. Are we to assume that they have all the benefits available and STILL can't manage. I do miss bits so are they maxed out on their credit cards or do they not have them? As a story line re country folk, a lot of country folk are in strive as there are fewer farm labouring jobs going, what there is is poorly paid. I'm not too fond of these characters and I detest the Will Grundy character. As for Lillian and Jennifer. These 2 ladies act like country gentry, with awful accents to match who hasn't crinnged at Jennifer's 'Braaan', whereas their father ran a pub and Mum had been a maid in the past. Lilian used to be a nice character in the far past not a gin ridden old soak that she is now. Some of us have long memories you know,
OMG how sad am I discussing the Archers at length.

dorsetpennt so glad it is not just me and I know I am sad to listen to the omnibus edition on Sunday mornings BUT I grew up with the archers and they had sort of stuck.
there is rural poverty
but there is help there for those that need it - which is why we all pay our taxes
so why not highlight the facts (or would that get in the way of a good story)

Dorset, I like 'in strive' - is it a Dorsetshire saying?
Having listened for over fifty years, and watched Coronation Street and Emmerdale from their first episodes, I have found that some new, young writers do not appear to have done their research properly. I went out with a scriptwriter on Emmerdale once, and he told me that there was some enmity between writers and it was not unknown for one to sabotage a plot that a rival had started! Some storylines go on too long, so we get bored, although we know that in real life a murder charge could easily take a year to come to court, and the conveyancing on a house sale is unlikely to be achieved in a couple of days!
I just have to remind myself that it is fiction!

Another Archers listener here! I don't watch any of the TV soaps.

I really enjoy having a bit of a tut and eybrow raising at some of the characters. One can also get sidetracked into thngs such as counting the number of times that Jennifer says "darling", wondering why Matt doesn't seem able to just say "yeah" once, it's always "yeah yeah", and stangest of all why Bert Fry always seemso go "whirr" before he says anything. And don't even get me started on the laboured pronounciationd employed by both Jennifer and Peggy when talking about "Ruurry" !

petallus No absolutely not. I would not do that.

I don't know if you are an Archers follower and know the background to this line.

It's just that a number of the Horrobin brothers, (Emma's maternal uncles) are criminals. Susan's brother Clive did an armed robbery and got Susan in prison for ?harbouring him when he was on the run. Another one has just been done for witness intimidation of David & Ruth Archer. Susan's whole family were socially disadvantaged. Susan has managed to get out and make something of her life despite this.

I suspect that Susan who is now very socially pretentious might be reluctant to suggest that her daughter and son go on "benefit".

Its a virtual world I have been following for too long. When you know the background history of the characters it all makes more sense.

Well sort of makes sense. A bit at least.

Am I alone in finding that the actress who plays Jill has a strange way of saying her sentences? And, of course, Pip's ridiculous childish voice is vastly annoying. I do find it amusing how the 'gentlemen' farmers, ie. landowners, all have RADA accents and the peasants all speak in various shades of Borsetshire.
There have been some good storylines though - such as Vicky's pregnancy and Jennifer's acceptance of Rory. I find the actual agricultural stuff quite boring, but I suppose it is informative.

Does anyone remember the 'Silent Archers' strip cartoon in The Listener? That was brilliant! The lives of characters who were mentioned but never appeared, like Ken Ton, the Chinese Archer. I understand there is an alternative Archers on 4 extra. Do the Silent Archers appear? What's happened to Ruairi? Greatnan I don't know which is more annoying, the wholly unlikely plot lines thought up by urban chatterers or the agricultural plots that are suddenly featured out of nowhere. I lost it with the Archers when they pushed Nigel off the roof. My DH counts all the slurping drinks, crunching toast and talking with mouths apparently full. He thinks they have a quota for each episode.

Greatnan , I always think that Jill sounds as if she has just been goosed!

haha Greatnan I meant in strife not strive. For a real Dorset saying 'where's he/she/it to?' is pure Dorset though

I like strife as well!

Ah Greatnan I think it is Ruiari

Nelliemoser thanks for the clarification.

I think I might start following the Archers again if only to see if Pusscat starts up an affair with Tiger's brother

It is petallus but the over pronounciation used by Jennifer dahhling and Peggy is awful!

And as for Will accent well, I have a real "prarblem" with it!

Although the fact that Bert goes "whirr" before he says anything is a bit odd, I must say that his accent sounds like many that I heard when growing up in Worcestershire, especially some of my Grandfathers friends.

I think Lilian (Pusscat) should start up an affair with Matt's brother. He sounds a much nicer guy than Matt!

Hopefully the scriptwriters will send Emma and Ed off to the CAB soon for some sound advice. But, benefits or not, there really are many families who use the community larders.

What will happen with Fallon (what a weird name) and the Welsh boy? About time for some action there I think.

I think that may wll be on the cards, Nellie , I would also put money on Fallon & Rees falling into each others arms.

I remember feeling heartened when Pip went off the rails with the unsuitable boyfriend. However, at the time I remarked to my big Archer fan friend 'don't worry she'll soon revert to type and start being a pride and joy to her parents' and, hey bingo!

In all fairness to the writers and editors, some of the story lines have been very well done, one that stood out was Jack's decline into dementia and the effect it had on Peggy.

what happened to the vicars daughter who had an affair with a married man then blamed her stepmum?

Oooh yes, Amy, I'd forgotten about her!

The best story line in years for me was when Alice Aldridge; daughter of Jennifer and Brian Aldridge; married Chris Carter son of Susan Carter nee Horrobin and Neil Carter.
(As it is Chris Carter is a qualified Farrier and can probably earn a very good salary.)
Jennifer, to her horror, became related by marriage to the Horrobins.

There was some wonderfully funny social comedy made out of that situation. Jennifer's mother Peggy had to remind her, in no uncertain terms, that Peggy's own East End of London background was anything but posh.

Amy found out the truth and finished with the love rat and made friends with Usher.
I can still hear Phil's anguished cry of 'Graaaaaaace' when the stables burnt down - it was planned to scupper the opening night of commercial TV.
It is the world's oldest soap opera in any form and has a regular viewing figure of five million.