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The Archers

(918 Posts)
Farzanah Thu 20-Jul-23 19:30:39

Is anyone still listening or have you given up?

Scribbles Wed 25-Oct-23 13:23:03

I've been asking myself for ages, are there no psychotherapists in Borsetshire?
I've never had much sympathy with Helen whose problems are largely self-inflicted but her latest tirade against Lee has made me want to slap her.
Horrible, self-centred diva.
(I stopped listening a few months ago but a friend persuaded me the dreary stuff about Lower Loxley and slaving was over and it was worth starting again. Bah!)

Iam64 Wed 25-Oct-23 19:52:40

Scribbles, helen isn’t the most sympathetic character. However, she almost certainly has complex ptsd and yes, would benefit from psychotherapy.
Wanting to slap someone isn’t a particularly good place from which to recommend therapy

NotSpaghetti Wed 25-Oct-23 21:04:15

Ha ha Iam - no of course not!

.... however I do have some sympathy with Scribbles 🙊 (but then she's not a real person of course)...

Iam64 Thu 26-Oct-23 08:57:55

NotSpaghetti - I’ve been working on trying not to shout at the radio when the news is on. Not always successfully I confess and I’ve resorted to switching it off.

I’ve never been a smacker and I’m more interested than irritated by the way Helen’s long standing psychological problems are being written in TA. I suspect a diagnosis of complex ptsd if the Ambridge psychotherapist ever arrives. Being an irritating individual - well that’s different.
TA groups are full of angry comments about Helen ditching Lee. A minority say he’s a whingey, whiney, child like figure. The Archers is my only soap these days. I like the way things play out in real time

NotSpaghetti Thu 26-Oct-23 09:53:31

I agree Iam64 - but I confess I do "shout" in my head at Helen and those around her who don't suggest counselling.

This week Kirsty suggested "couples counselling" immediately she heard the relationship with Lee wasn't working - so why has nobody helped Helen in all these years!

It's hard to believe the GP, prison medics, her friends, parents, wider family etc have not suggested counselling.

I too have ^ been working on trying not to shout at the radio when the news is on. Not always successfully I confess and I’ve resorted to switching it off.^

Galaxy Thu 26-Oct-23 10:42:59

I think that why the story line worked so well because Helen is not always a sympathetic character, most of the characters in the archers are flawed, lots of people hate Emma for example but I love her, she is flawed of course but so is everyone.
Helen and Lee have always been utterly mismatched in my view, I think she found 'not Rob' rather than a man she was suited to.

Scribbles Thu 26-Oct-23 23:23:48

.... however I do have some sympathy with Scribbles 🙊 (but then she's not a real person of course)...

On the contrary, NotSpaghetti, I am very real. I know I am because I just pinched myself and it hurt!

Iam, you are quite right and, of course I wouldn't really slap anyone in Horrible Helen's situation - no matter how aggravating.

Galaxy makes a good point about Lee being "not Rob". I think, because he was accepting of her not wanting physical consummation, she saw him as "safe". Again, one can't help feeling that in RL a loving partner would urge counselling or therapy.

Iam64 Fri 27-Oct-23 08:23:55

Galaxy, that’s one of the reasons TA endures, the characters are flawed, just like their audience.
Good points about Lee as ‘not Rob’. I never saw Helen and Lee as a forever couple. Their personalities weren’t an ideal match and they’ve grown apart, rather than together

eGJ Thu 02-Nov-23 19:29:46

As Harrison Burns says”Where do we go from here?”

Iam64 Thu 02-Nov-23 19:44:34

I haven’t heard tonight’s episode but caught up with last nights Baptism at 2pm today
What a cracker, great radio drama, well written, great acting.n the best of The Archers

eGJ Thu 02-Nov-23 19:51:21

Well Iam catch up on tonight’s!

Iam64 Thu 02-Nov-23 19:54:40

I will. Tomorrow at 2pm - slot reserved in my day

eGJ Thu 02-Nov-23 20:23:58

Looking forward to your post Iam !

merlotgran Fri 03-Nov-23 19:34:03

Typical Peggy using her cheque book as a weapon as usual. She’s probably still smarting because Alan stood up to her over the window.

Maybe he should remind her of Matthew 19:24

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!

She has always been my least favourite character.

NotSpaghetti Thu 09-Nov-23 01:07:05

What's going on with the Grundys?
So rude!

eGJ Thu 09-Nov-23 22:40:58

And what’s George up to now?

eGJ Thu 16-Nov-23 20:13:40

Well folks, how long can they drag this storyline out?

merlotgran Thu 16-Nov-23 20:22:02

If Helen is so stupid as to do what Rob has asked her I don’t think I’ll be listening again- at least for a long time.

Delila Thu 16-Nov-23 20:38:24

Really grim……😟

eGJ Fri 17-Nov-23 17:14:28

But tonight we are promised it is “the end of the line
The Archers
Radio 4, 7pm

The horrific relationship between Helen Archer and Rob Titchener has proved to be one of the greatest, and most disturbing, storylines in British soap. It could have all ended back in 2016 when Helen stabbed Rob as a last resort after his long and abusive campaign of intimidation and control over her, and she stood trial for attempted murder before eventually being acquitted. But Rob came back into the frame earlier this year, complete with an apparent brain tumour, exploding Helen’s relatively settled world once more. Tonight, however, we are assured that their story will reach “the end of the line”.

silverlining48 Fri 17-Nov-23 17:40:33

Heard last night’s episode this afternoon…. I don’t understand why Alice is allowing herself to be involved in anything to do with Rob. Now she’s at the house alone with the card to give him personally, I know that post is a big hit and miss these days but a first class stamp would have solved the problem.
As for pillows….will have to wait see tonight.
As to therapy, yes that might help.

RosiesMaw Fri 17-Nov-23 17:44:37

Alice?

Helen, surely.

silverlining48 Fri 17-Nov-23 17:56:10

Bit hit and miss….

silverlining48 Fri 17-Nov-23 17:56:36

Ooops, yes Helen of course

eGJ Fri 17-Nov-23 19:16:31

Well, not quite the end of the line, but well done Helen!