The Archers / Ambridge Extra Thread!

[stuartdg]

Amy is doing my tree in she needs to get a grip! I do like how they are upping the stakes with the storylines however,Sunday's episode was compulsive listening

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Well hopefully the scales falling from her eyes in last night's episode was the much awaited turning point in that particular storyline.

As you say the witness intimidation plotline is exceptionally compelling although shame on Jill Archer of all people for suggesting David should seriously consider withdrawing his evidence.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Series 3 of Ambridge Extra begins tomorrow at 2.15pm on Radio 4 Extra!

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Well Ambridge or rather Jo'burg Extra as it seems to have become is bubbling along nicely... meanwhile tonight's rather intense Archers episode will have evoked memories of a certain infamous episode from September 1955!

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

As the fallout from the Brookfield barn fire (in which thankfully and conveniently no one died unlike in 1955 when the soap's leading lady Grace Archer was killed!) rages on, all the real action is going in Jo'burg where Phoebe Aldridge has got herself into real trouble... will she get home to Ambridge alive?

[stuartdg]

As much as i'm enjoying Extra it is called Ambridge Extra not Jo'burg Extra lol

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Tracey Horrobin is turning into such a vile character. I'm starting to wish someone would set fire to her...

Coming up this afternoon I believe we may be off to Edinburgh with Harry, Jazzer and Fallon for Ambridge Extra

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

So the latest twist is that Adam Macey has been unfaithful to Ian Craig, his civil partner of several years after getting drunk and at the start of last night's episode waking up with Pawel the Polish fruit picker.

I know these things happen but I really thought that Adam and Ian were meant to go the distance... of course they still might.

This is after all The Archers-verse where farmer's wives forgive their husbands' affairs and raise their illegitimate step-children when the mistresses have died.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

So as the gay love triangle rumbles on in the main programme, Ambridge Extra ups the anti with the road trip foursome conveniently arriving at a remote cottage which just happens to be inhabited by Harry the milkman's former best friend Grant.

It's time like these when people start talking about going swimming in the buff and playing spin the bottle that you wish it wasn't a radio soap...

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Today's episode of Extra was a very strange affair (I might have to go out when my parents get round to listening to it!) with one of the more enigmatic of the Archers regulars outed as a bisexual ("I'm sixty-forty") and then suddenly being written out to stay in Yorkshire with his ex boyfriend.
Personally I hope we'll see him return to Ambridge in due course with the ex in tow!!

[stuartdg]

Thankfully itunes are now offering Extra as a podcast which means I can play catch up

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Not sure I like the way Harry's departure has been simplified in the main programme to imply he was gay all along despite having a Polish girl friend last summer.

Meanwhile Matt Crawford is once again a complete w@***r!

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

I'm not sure I like the direction the Tucker pregnancy plotline has gone in.

Meanwhile coming up this afternoon in Extra, choppy seas are ahead for Kenton and Jolene following Mel's revelation on Tuesday...

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

With regard to this afternoon's episode of Ambridge Extra... OMFG!

The final episode of AmEx series 3 airs on Thursday at 2.15pm.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

The final episode of AmEx series 3 airs on Thursday at 2.15pm.

And it was exciting stuff too! Although anyone who thought for a minute they were really going to write out another main character from the parent show will have been disappointed!

Meanwhile last night's encounter between Ian and Pawel made for uncomfortable listening. Surely the truth about what happened between Pawel and Adam will soon emerge? Also Terry Molloy is being fabulous as the Tucker pregnancy plotline rumbles on

[stuartdg]

I'm a week behind on both shows but the pregnancy storyline is fantastic and sensitively handled,something the show has always excelled at when it comes to "topical" issues

[stuartdg]

Finally caught up with Extra and it certainly delivered in terms of a miniseries the show actually works very well,even if the Ambridge part of the title is stretching it a bit to include the likes Johannesburg and Australia

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Or even New Zealand

Back at home and I have to offer major plaudits for Friday's two-hander episode between Terry Molloy and Rachel Atkins as Mike and Vicky struggled over the issues surrounding their pregnancy.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Major news....!!

Rosalind Adams to step down from playing Clarrie Grundy in The Archers after 25 years

However, I hadn't realised until reading the article that Rosalind is in fact the third actress to have played Eddie Grundy's long suffering wife!
Listeners will be relieved to learn that the character is once more to be recast!
Thank goodness for that.

Ambridge without Clarrie doesn't bear thinking about... *shiver*

[stuartdg]

I'm not sure what it is with The Archers and its female cast,a lot of the younger members certainly sound familiar,at least the likes of Lynda,Vicky and Lillian are distinctive! Clarrie Grundy is in many ways the heart and soul of Ambridge so here's hoping they recast well

[stuartdg]

Ambridge Extra returns on Dec 4th apparantly

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Ah, they did confirm that there would be 2 more series this year. Of course of the question is whether series 3 (& 4 when it comes) will have been well enough received for it to return in 2013?
I'm glad the next series is going to be leading up to Christmas again. Although hopefully it won't turn into "Much Ado about nothing" extra.

[Nyder]

My boss said today he's been an Archers fan for yonks, and first listened to it on the Home Service!

This is probably my one and only contribution to this thread :-)

[stuartdg]

There's a great interview on the bbc site with June Spencer who plays Peggy,the only original cast member left and still going strong at 92

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Thanks I'll look that up. Just about to listen to Peggy's birthday episode from last night.

There's lots of interesting stuff going on at the moment although any time Matt wants to pull an insurance scam by setting fire to the Dower House and inadvertently killing James and Leoni would suit me fine.

I want to give Rhys the barman a big hug!