Archers Addicts 2

Agree with merlotgran - slightly bonkers and more than slightly Eastenders-ish episode.

I had hoped to preserve my sanity that instead of cooking his dinner she would take the opportunity to leave whilst he was elsewhere . I listened to the whole episode with my heart in my mouth when he started to shout I felt threatened and terrified. As for the custard ........I hope he is alive and lives to get everything he deserves but I don't think it's over for Helen yet.

An everyday story of country folk? Really?

Can't listen to The Archers anymore. It lost its way long ago.

Why hasn't she told Pat about the abuse. She would always have been the woman to sort it out. #gutsforgarters

Merlotgran I think Rob had already thrown a tantrum over having been served a tuna bake. Maybe that was Helen's point.
I shall have to leave for choir a few minutes earlier tonight so I can be in the car before it starts.

I shall listen on catch up when I get in from choir.
The suspense is killing me!
Is he dead. . . . .or isn't he?
Ooh this could run and run!
I do hope not. I want this to have a good ending-for alL those poor abused women out there.

If Rob is dead, Helen's options were discussed on World at One today. You can find it on iPlayer.

The Archers is not billed as "an everyday story of country folk " any more, that went a while back, it's a " contemporary drama in a rural setting ". That's it, a drama, which means it's not a real life story, it's meant to get everyone biting their nails and talking about it. Which they are. (In real life it would be much more likely that an abusive man would use violence against the abused partner.) I thought the writing and acting was terrific, I will be tuning in tonight and not waiting for the repeat!

It's amazing how you can get drawn into these fictional situations isn''t it?
Years ago when Clarrie was sent to prison over Christmas for harbouring her brother who had escaped from police custody I had a colleague who listened too. We were just discussing this when another solicitor came into the room and said "you DO know this is fiction don't you"?
I told her I had just read in The Times a firm of barristers were willing to act for Clarrie free of charge to get her released for Christmas! Lol!
I think she rolled her eyes. . . . .

I think the scene was well acted but agree with Merlot that it was unrealistic. If Helen so afraid of Rob why did she put Henry at risk and act so provocatively instead of buggering off leaving, but it of course wouldn't have been so exciting and melodramatic. Hope Kirsty has recorded on her phone.

Perhaps she wanted to leave defiantly with some pride intact?

Clarrie in prison? Wasn't it Susan?

Newquay - that was Susan Carter (nee Horrobin) not Clarrie. It was her brother Clive that she sheltered

I don't think we can know how realistic the scene is unless we have some across the board experience of this sort of coercion. However, when those who run the services for women in this situation have been interviewed they seem to be saying it is just the sort of reaction someone like Rob would have because he would feel he is loosing control. After all it was him who handed Helen the knife - with very unpleasant suggestions as to what she should do with it as that was the only way she would be "free". He only died (?) because he attacked Henry and Helen leapt to her son's defence - very believable - and there was a knife there.

I'm just glad he's gone, suppose the horrible Ursula will be back. No one knows how they would behave in such a situation, Helens fear was for Henry, she just knew that somehow she had to get out, she wasn't to know he would produce a knife. Whatever happens she is better of without him.

Well I hope they haven't wasted all that lovely custard. That would be unforgiveable. Perhaps they could offer it to the police and the paramedics.

Yes you're quite right it WAS Susan-it was a while ago! Lol
Love the post about not wasting the custard

I did suggest to my OH that we have tuna bake tonight. He was not amused.

It's in character and also consistent with the poor decisions made by victims of this kind of abuse, for Helen to have provocatively cooked a tuna bake (it worked, he denied ever having said he disliked it and suggested again that she was crackers) and to have had the unrealistic notion she could tell him she was leaving and why then walk off into the sunset with Henry. She wanted a semblance of belief that she had a semblance of control over her life. She'd finally found him out and wanted to leave with some dignity.

Here we go......

More than one stab wound?? Puts a different completion on things? Helen,s getting on my t..s now.

So Rob is only injured after all that. Helen is really getting on my nerves,. Let them all get on with it.

Completion oh, blimey can't spell it!

NOT very satisfactory. Is this really how the police etc would deal with a woman who is heavily pregnant, hysterical and with a little boy in the house?

And he's not dead

More's the pity.