Charlotte Higgins on The Archers: an open relationship in Ambridge at last!

[Serena Blanchflower]

Not just one but two ‘outre’ notions hit Borsetshire courtesy of vet
nurse Paul and his boyfriend, Dull Etienne. Plus, Alice pleads not
guilty to dangerous driving.

<https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/article/2024/jul/09/charlotte-higgins-on-the-archers-an-open-relationship-in-ambridge-at-last>,
aka <https://tinyl.io/B6XQ>.

[Kosmo]

Post by Serena Blanchflower
Not just one but two ‘outre’ notions hit Borsetshire courtesy of vet
nurse Paul and his boyfriend, Dull Etienne. Plus, Alice pleads not
guilty to dangerous driving.
<https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/article/2024/jul/09/charlotte-higgins-on-the-archers-an-open-relationship-in-ambridge-at-last>, aka <https://tinyl.io/B6XQ>.

I feel for the kitchen table.

[Nick Odell]

Post by Kosmo

Not just one but two ‘outre’ notions hit Borsetshire courtesy of vet
nurse Paul and his boyfriend, Dull Etienne. Plus, Alice pleads not
guilty to dangerous driving.
<https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/article/2024/jul/09/charlotte-higgins-on-the-archers-an-open-relationship-in-ambridge-at-last>, aka <https://tinyl.io/B6XQ>.

I feel for the kitchen table.

Well said! I also feel for Charlotte Higgins. Sometimes A Month in
Ambridge just fizzes with enthusiasm and wit but I felt this episode
was hard for her to invest with humour.

Nick

[Kosmo]

Post by Nick Odell

Post by Kosmo

Post by Serena Blanchflower
Not just one but two ‘outre’ notions hit Borsetshire courtesy of vet
nurse Paul and his boyfriend, Dull Etienne. Plus, Alice pleads not
guilty to dangerous driving.
<https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/article/2024/jul/09/charlotte-higgins-on-the-archers-an-open-relationship-in-ambridge-at-last>, aka <https://tinyl.io/B6XQ>.

I feel for the kitchen table.

Well said! I also feel for Charlotte Higgins. Sometimes A Month in
Ambridge just fizzes with enthusiasm and wit but I felt this episode
was hard for her to invest with humour.
Nick

Agreed. But then we are supposed to be invested in Alice's troubles and
to be absolutely honest it feels like they are stringing out something
which works in an urban setting but I struggle to believe works that way
in the country. I accept alcoholics live anywhere - and no doubt the
loneliness of the countryside makes it worse - but given that she has
not been a "likeable" character at any point I struggle to care.
Particularly as we all know that she has has been duped.

[john ashby]

Particularly as we all know that [Alice] has has been duped.

This is what is wrong with much of The Archers these days, the
prolongation of dramatic irony to a ridiculous extent. I first became
acutely aware of it in the Tichener Travesty and it is currently
manifest in at keast two current storylines, Alice And The Crash (as you
identify) and Let's Play Vets and Nurses.

john

[Kosmo]

Post by john ashby
Let's Play Vets and Nurses.

I assume this has returned in the current week and I am still behind.

[Kosmo]

Post by Kosmo

Post by john ashby
Let's Play Vets and Nurses.

I assume this has returned in the current week and I am still behind.

Having finally caught up for once I can see that the vet and nurse story
has returned in full colour. I still fail to see how such a story needs
a "rural" setting and the haymaking story feels as though they are using
the equipment we had in the sixties - I am surprised no-one has talked
about building hayricks!

The BL stories are never great. If Stella is there to do something she
would not be doing it at her first meeting. At the first meeting she
would merely meet the Board and discuss her induction - visiting the BL
sites (which include Berrow, Borchester Market and other non-farming
activities if I remember correctly) and listen to what the Board is
planning - no new appointment would jump in with a huge presentation and
tell them what to do. Board members in any business always prefer
evolution to revolution (although at the Post Office the pre-historic,
sub-human approach to those thieving, evil sub-postmasters has to be
inbred before appointment).

And I know kittens rule the internet - so how come George has not used
them before. Neil should have given him a pork pie (or was it a sausage
roll?) to be washed down by the fruit cider.

[J. P. Gilliver]

In message <v6liv9$1rk18$***@dont-email.me> at Wed, 10 Jul 2024 10:06:50,
Kosmo <***@whitnet.uk> writes
[]

Post by Kosmo
Agreed. But then we are supposed to be invested in Alice's troubles
and to be absolutely honest it feels like they are stringing out
something which works in an urban setting but I struggle to believe
works that way in the country. I accept alcoholics live anywhere - and
no doubt the loneliness of the countryside makes it worse - but given
that she has not been a "likeable" character at any point I struggle to

I liked Alice before she became a "party girl" - struck me as both
intelligent and vivacious; I found the party behaviour somewhat shocking
and out of character, which is probably correct for someone becoming an
alcoholic. I liked the WISE aspect of her character (as I would almost
any WISE).

Post by Kosmo
care. Particularly as we all know that she has has been duped.

As John Ashby says, that _is_ being prolonged. But it's probably no
worse than many soaps.