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How are we going to cope without The Archers?

(205 Posts)
Kate54 Fri 01-May-20 19:01:41

Maybe it’s the lockdown but The Archers has become very important to me! The news that we’ll be ‘treated’ to re-runs of past storylines for the next three weeks or so is very bad news indeed, particularly as the inevitable disaster of the Philip/Kirsty nuptials has yet to unfold.
Except there won’t be any nuptials, will there?!
I think I know Philip’s true (evil, obviously) character will be revealed - as it surely must, please God - but do any of you have any ideas? I know a lot of you couldn’t care less but humour those of us who do!

vegansrock Fri 17-Jul-20 22:45:50

Beyond dreadful.

Chewbacca Fri 17-Jul-20 21:03:55

The 75 minutes Archers omnibus on a Sunday morning has been "my time" for the last 40 years but I think I'm about done with it now. In an age where we can remotely connect with others on the other side of the world, I'm at a loss as to why the BBC have been unable to do anything better than this omnishambles. The monologues are dreary, uninteresting and tedious. Even Kathy Perks was more interesting than this.

Greeneyedgirl Fri 17-Jul-20 20:48:47

Oh dear! My evening meal used to be timed around the 7 o’clock slot, but alas no more.

I wonder if there is any audience left for these tedious monologues?

shysal Tue 14-Jul-20 08:33:38

grin

merlotgran Mon 13-Jul-20 19:31:58

How much more tedious can these episodes get?

There's a thread on Gransnet where some bloke has hacked back a poster's hedge without permission that's way more exciting than Harrison's boring monologue. grin

shysal Sat 04-Jul-20 14:04:11

I am another who has given up, having heard the omnibus for many years.

starbird Sat 04-Jul-20 13:15:47

I haven’t been listening but caught it the other day by chance - Kirsty was talking about Phil and Susan was doing a local radio show, but not for much longer I suspect. It was better than when I last heard it with only one character talking. There were 5 different people I think. Might try the omnibus tomorrow.

NotSpaghetti Tue 30-Jun-20 23:43:40

Good idea.
Even the "back issues" which weren't really that old were better than this.

Lexisgranny Tue 30-Jun-20 20:00:21

I remember being devastated when the Archers replaced my favourite programme, Dick Barton Special Agent but 69 years on I was still listening to the Sunday omnibus. I’m getting irritated with the younger cast members, but remembering the whinging Jennifer and Lillian, and their little brother Anthony William Daniel, perhaps they are not too bad. I think Joe Grundy was very reminiscent of Walter Gabriel, and I’m sure Peggy (nee) Perkins and her mother Mrs P started off with cockney accents. Maybe they could have dug deep and found recordings of the original cast to broadcast instead to show how the dynasties started.

NotSpaghetti Tue 30-Jun-20 19:32:09

No, Merlotgran, YouTube hasn’t got to Ambridge yet.
Sigh!
?

merlotgran Tue 30-Jun-20 19:27:06

Will somebody please tell Freddy that you can find instructions for just about every DIY plumbing problem he's ever likely to encounter on You Tube?

NotSpaghetti Tue 23-Jun-20 10:16:43

Yes. It’s arguably the worst writing on radio.
I use avoid it now.
Very sad.

vegansrock Tue 23-Jun-20 04:15:34

I can’t understand why they haven’t stuck to the normal script. Surely they can record remotely!

AllotmentLil Mon 22-Jun-20 20:58:27

I’ve listened forever but enough of this current drivel is enough.

Franbern Sun 21-Jun-20 19:33:28

Must say I think it is dire. Cannot understand why they have decided to do it like this. Technology today can give them far more choices for something approaching normal. I sometimes it on, no idea what story lines are. Will probably not even bother continuing tuning in whilst it is in this format.

Sillymoo Fri 19-Jun-20 12:14:55

Hopefully Feedback on radio 4 this afternoon will tell us how much longer we have to endure it as it is!

NotSpaghetti Thu 18-Jun-20 20:03:52

I find the whole think truly tedious.
I switch it off whenever I accidentally stumble on it.

Complete waste of time and effort - and the writing is terrible.

merlotgran Thu 18-Jun-20 19:31:16

Ruby's constantly yapping presence is the most annoying part of what has been a totally dull and pointless week.

Kate and Jakob need to be together for any entertainment value.

LullyDully Thu 18-Jun-20 17:47:13

I have an awful feeling they may be softening us up to have only 4 evenings of Archers post Covid.

It is pretty dire so far. The problem there is no story to follow just mumbling about trivia.

silverlining48 Thu 18-Jun-20 14:17:53

It’s as dull as the rest. All talking to themselves, just doesn’t work. Why don’t they zoom or something tech and have a conversation instead of separate rather tedious monologues.
I enjoyed Alan Bennett monologues but these are dire.

silverlining48 Thu 18-Jun-20 14:05:36

Really not enjoying what has been a regular listen for years. Surely they can do better. I don’t even bother to listen now. It’s truly dreadful.
I am sitting here and the tum te tums have started so will give it just one more chance.

Sillymoo Thu 18-Jun-20 11:33:12

Hope it's soon. Wonder if Friday's "Feedback" on radio4 will cover this topic?

Kate54 Thu 18-Jun-20 10:17:57

Does anyone know when the proper Archers is due to return? Surely recordings could be managed with an imaginative combination of technology and social distancing measures?

eGJ Thu 18-Jun-20 09:30:40

Susan has been amusing. - have you heard her attempt at zoom on DumTeedum? Hint in next week's RT that all may not be well with Kirsty/ Philip, so I will continue to listen. The Jakob/Kate episode was cringeworthy!!

NotSpaghetti Sun 14-Jun-20 10:36:11

These new Archers are terrible - I do wish they hadn’t bothered. The new format is cringeworthy and SO badly written.
Couldn’t be worse if it tried.