The Archers / Ambridge Extra Thread!

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Well as the second series of Radio 4 Extra Archers spin-off series Ambridge Extra has started this week and a face from the past we'd all rather forget has returned to the village, time for a specially devoted thread to the goings on in Ambridge!

This thread may contain spoilers for broadcast episodes so don't read on if you've not been listening this week or you're a sunday omnibus listener!

[Si Hunt]

My Mum still listens to this every Sunday, always has done. The idea of a radio soap today seems curiously anachronistic yet it seems like one tradition that just endures. I've no idea how Mum even started listening to it, she doesn't listen to anything else on the radio! But The Archers, she just won't miss!

Si.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

So Ambridge Extra Series 2 begins with the return to Ambridge of possibly the nastiest character in the history of soap - Clive Horrobin!

Interesting scene with him talking to Ambridge's other recent former jailbird Matt Crawford.

Ooh! Ivy Horrobin's no longer a silent character.

Daniel Hebden-Lloyd has a crush and Alistair is worried after Clive's previous form for attacking horses!

Oh and I've missed the Bellowhead version of the theme.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

My Mum still listens to this every Sunday, always has done. The idea of a radio soap today seems curiously anachronistic yet it seems like one tradition that just endures. I've no idea how Mum even started listening to it, she doesn't listen to anything else on the radio! But The Archers, she just won't miss!

Si.

My Mum listens faithfully every sunday as well except when she's on holiday and listens during the week. I've no idea when she started either. My Dad got into it when he was out of work quite a few years ago and I kind of got sucked in around the time I stopped going to church regularly in mid-noughties. I've been really into it again this year following the shocking fallout (or rather fall-off!) of the 60th anniversary episode in January.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Back on the main programme a really good episode last night, in which Rhys the barman is filled on on Clive's past misdeeds and inadvertently puts his foot in it with Mike "Davros" Tucker, whose late first wife was held up along with several others in the village shop raid of 1993, and David Archer, whose Mother and Aunt were almost killed in the 2004 arson attack.

More details here: Clive Horrobin

[stuartdg]

Ambridge Extra Series 2 got off to a much better start then series 1 and the monolgues actually helped the plot,not to mention decent actors....


I'm a big fan of the parent show having listened since 1996,one thing The Archers always does well is comedy and it does have plenty of characters with comic potential(Lynda and Lillian notably.) The Sixtieth anniversary year has been intense with the Bridge Farm crisis,the death of Nigel and subsequent Elizabeth/David feud and now of course the return of Clive Horrobin and if anything the quality of writing has improved

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Episode 3 of AmEx is on Radio 4 Extra shortly...

Loved the scene with Will and Nic laughing at Emma last night. I actually laughed quite loudly when Emma repeated verbatim what Nic had said she'd say, much to the amusement of my office colleagues.

[stuartdg]

As per my request for more comedy Lynda is casting for the panto which is often a highlight in Ambridge

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Brian is back to behaving like a complete **** towards Adam again. Just when I'd finally gotten to like him. Feel sorry for Debbie being stuck in the middle of it.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

OK, Daniel enough of the AmEx teen angst already. You like Erin, we get it! (I'm normally more sympathetic to teen characters but he's stretching my patience a bit...)

Brian is back to behaving like a complete **** towards Adam again. Just when I'd finally gotten to like him. Feel sorry for Debbie being stuck in the middle of it.

Meanwhile on the main programme, the ****'s hit the fan at Home Farm.

Great to hear Debbie and Adam together again though.

[stuartdg]

The trouble is we never hear enough of Debbie!

Characters go through a phase of not appearing for months on end one example being Christine(in the late 90s when I first listened regularly) who I had to wait 18months to hear and then she only appeared twice in that year!

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

The trouble is we never hear enough of Debbie!

Characters go through a phase of not appearing for months on end one example being Christine(in the late 90s when I first listened regularly) who I had to wait 18months to hear and then she only appeared twice in that year!

I take your point although we're lucky they haven't done a Hayley Tucker and recast her considering how successful Tamsin Grieg is these days (loved her scenes in The Long Game back in 2005).
I was amused by the suggestion in the interview with Grieg on tonight's Front Row that she might go the same way as Nigel...

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Loved last night's confrontation between Tony and Jennifer. I don't know if Tony was entirely in the right but the satisfaction of hearing Jennifer get taken down a couple of pegs was wonderful. Truly great radio drama.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Great to hear an Adam and Ian scene for the first time in ages last night. Ian is great.

[stuartdg]

Of more interest to me is the potential trouble for Matt that Clive could stir up as hinted at in Ambridge Extra yesterday

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Of more interest to me is the potential trouble for Matt that Clive could stir up as hinted at in Ambridge Extra yesterday

I heard it this morning. Matt turning on Clive was a nice twist and I await the consequences with an equal mix of pleasure and fear. Just hope that Lillian or any other family members don't get caught in the cross-fire like Christine and Jill did last time!

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Loved tonight's episode. Gloriously heartwarming and sentimental old sausage that I am I almost had something in my eye at the ending.

[stuartdg]

Im preferring the Clive storyline,its good to see his presence having potential far reaching repercussions,the Archers is at its best when it does long storylines

He's the best villain the show has had since Simon Pemberton and his presence was felt for many years!

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Loved Neil's confrontation with Clive in yesterday's Extra.

And just listening to last night's Archers and Jim just had an Ian Chesterton in The Romans moment: Oh tempora o mores!

[stuartdg]

With regards to Ambridge Extra It's a major improvement over series 1 theres far less young characters making it more identifiable,looks like Clive is going nowhere!

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

It seems not. Although when he does can he please take his stupid niece with him.

[stuartdg]

Was it really worth giving Ivy Horrobin a voice if they are gonna do "that"?

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Was it really worth giving Ivy Horrobin a voice if they are gonna do "that"?

Presumably at some point Susan will find out about what Clive said to her about not being allowed access to his great nephew and niece. Another death he's responsible for if we consider the possibility her heart failure may have been brought on by shock.

Also since when did everyone in Ambridge think Ivy was lovely? I thought the Horrobin family were generally thought badly of. She didn't sound that nice a couple of weeks ago when she was going on about how George Barford had been unfair to Clive.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Oh blimey, The Archers is making me want to cry again

Very good episode of Extra yesterday though.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Hmm, "someone" deliberately opened a gate so that Ed's cows got out onto the road by Waterley Cross... what a scumbag.