The Archers 2nd Jan 2011: What Shook Ambridge to the Core, the 60th anniversary episode of The Archers

• As it happened
• Nigel …
• Helen … and now also Henry Ian
• Did it shake our core?
• Twitterverse

As it happened

(whereas I normally give an overview, with opinion, for each instalment – I think this deserves a relatively clean version)

Lower Loxley

David and Ruth arrived to be greeted by Elizabeth and Nigel at Lower Loxley. Kenton had taken Josh and Ben off to play games, and even Pip had shunned her studying to be at the party.

[Elizabeth] “Once I could pry him lose from his harem at the Panto, he was a star” (at New Year)

[David] “You’ve both looking very relaxed”

[Nigel] “It’s been a lovely Christmas”

Ruth then made mention of how lovely Elizabeth’s brooch was – which was the one Nigel had gifted at New Year (it was his mum, Julia’s, found in a crack in the floor)

[Nigel] “We’ve got our second wind”

David then made a (red herring) mention of wanting to help Tony with his yard tractor.

And Nigel asked David to take down the banner tomorrow, as Kenton was busy at Jaxx.


Pat and Tony’s car

[Tony] “I’m not going to stay long”

[Pat] “Oh Tony, we’re not even there yet … it’ll be a good chance to see everyone”

[Tony] “I’ve got the tractor fixed now. There are things I could be getting on with.”

[Pat] “It’s a new start … can’t you make one with Helen?”

Lower Loxley

Crucially, Amy is at the party.

Ruth is up for a cup of tea as she doesn’t know who is going to be driving. Then David is spied drinking wine. I had a thought that maybe Pip would have to drive if Ruth then succumbed (Pip being a learner driver who is known to drive too fast).

All agree that Helen is looking well. Amy agrees, and mentions that she’s off duty.

[Pat] “It’s so lovely to see you”

[Helen] “You too mum. You too”

All predictions of Jolene getting into trouble (selling the bull or topping herself) are cast out by Brenda’s assertion that she was coping well at New Year. In fact, it was Fallon who had problems:

[Tom] “Harry and Jazzer circling her like predatory lions”

[Brenda] “Jazzer’s still recovering from happened last new year’s eve”

And Brenda then broke Fallon’s confidence by saying there was nothing in Fallon and Harry. Cause she’d heard it from the “lion’s mouth”

Tom then had a chat with a rather gloomy Tony:

[Tony] “John’s birthday (1st jan) … never an easy da … he would have been 35 … so one child dead, and another one not speaking to me. Not doing very well, am I. Not much of a father … failed both of them.”

Trying to gee Tony up, Tom said it would all change between with Helen soon enough …

Over to Helen and Pat – Helen had her feet up because of her swollen ankles. Which Pat thought looked particularly bad. Amy was then asked to have a look:

[Amy] “They are quite swollen ... you feeling alright otherwise?”

[Helen] “I have a bit of a headache … a few spots in front of my eyes”

[Amy] “I think you should see a doctor about this … this afternoon … I think you should go to the hospital … you need to be checked out properly”

Pat then asks Tony to drive them to the hospital.

[Tony] “Oh lord, has the baby started?”

While the folks at Lower Loxley sit tight, worried about Helen, Pat, Helen, Tom, Amy head off to the hospital, driven by Tony:

[Tom] “That light’s on red dad … you might want to slow down a bit then”

[Tony] “We’ll get them there, even if I have to jump a few of these”

Amy explained to Helen what would happen next – lots of tests, but a quick result.


Back at Lower Loxley:

[Elizabeth] “We can all wait for news of Helen together”

Brenda’s still at Lower Loxley, and gets the news that Helen has preeclampsia, which is dangerous for both Helen and her baby.


At the hospital

The doctor explains to Helen that there are high levels protein in her urine. Substances from her placenta are getting into her blood stream, leading to high blood pressure and a serious risk of damage to Helen’s kidney and liver.

The upshot of which is that Helen’s baby will have to be delivered early – 6 weeks early – if either have a chance of survival.

[Helen] “My poor baby … is there really else nothing else you can do … but I won’t see the baby when it’s first born”

[Doctor] “We can operate using a spinal anaesthetic … Helen will be awake the whole time”

On checking that Helen can have someone else with her, Tony very quickly states that it should be Pat. So, off Helen is sped off for an emergency caesarean.

[Tom] “Oh lord … I didn’t say … it was so quick”

Back at Lower Loxley

All are worried about Helen (while sitting around the fire), with the kids packed off to watch a film in another room.

The ever dependable Lewis is in the kitchen clearing up, and Brenda heads off to join him in making some snacks (for the kids).

Nigel then suggests they take the banner off now, to save David having to come over tomorrow.

[Elizabeth] “It’s dark … the wind is getting up”

And she tells David and Nigel to go and help Lewis. Even though Nigel reckons it’d be fine to take the banner down as they can have the floodlights on …


Back at the hospital:

[Tony] “I didn’t say anything to her … What I wanted to say, I didn’t say it … she might die … and she won’t know … she won’t know how sorry I am … I haven’t supported her … I’ve been against this every step of the way … I don’t know why now … when I think this I might lose both of them”

Just as Tom is telling Tony that everything will be okay, Pat comes out of theatre:

[Pat] “She’s fine … She’s had the baby and she’s fine … It’s a boy … A beautiful baby boy … Tony, we’ve got a grandson … He’s fine …”

[Tony] “Oh Amy … thank you … what we owe to you …”

[Amy] “Congratulations granddad and uncle tom!”

[Tony] “I’m a grandfather, I really am!”

[Amy] “How you finding it?”

[Tony] “It’s wonderful. I love it!”

Back at lower Loxley

As everyone is clearing up in the kitchen, Brenda breaks the good news that Helen and baby are fine. Nigel wants to crack open the bubbly (making me worried about what damage the cork could inflict).

[Brenda] “I’m just glad it had such a happy ending”

[Ruth] “All’s well that ends well”

[Elizabeth] “what a relief”

As Elizabeth and Ruth head through to tell the rest of the family, Nigel starts to head to the cellar for the champagne.

But, David suggest they head in the opposite direction. To the roof.

[David] “They’re going to be ages chewing the fat about this”

[Nigel] “But Lizzie said we shouldn’t”

[David] “Come on – are you a man or a mouse … I really would rather do it today while I’m here … better to do it before we start knocking that back!”

[Nigel] “Lizzie will never know. I shall present her with a fait accompli in the morning”

Back at the hospital

Tony is allowed in to see his grandson – even though the poor man said he’d be fine with still being barred.

[Helen] “Dad … come and look at him”

[Tony] “Oh Helen. Are you alright?”

[Helen] “Come and meet Henry … Henry Ian”

(and I have to mention the lovely moment of Helen confirming Henry is perfect. In typical Helen fashion, she even counted his toes. Probably twice…)

Tony melts when he meets his grandson. And Helen shushes him when he tries to apologise for previous behaviour.

[Tony] “My beautiful daughter., and now you’ve given me this beautiful grandchild. I am so happy”

Back at Lower Loxley

(David and Nigel, on the roof, trying to take down the banner)

[David] “I didn’t realise we’d be this high up”

[Nigel] “Roofs do tend to be ontop of things”

[David] “Your gutters need cleaning out …”

[Nigel] “Careful. It’s frosty. It’s so much easier in the light”

(as David nearly slips)

[Nigel] “Maybe lizzie wasn’t right. Maybe this Wasn’t such a good idea after all.”

[Nigel] “I have been clamouring over these roofs since I was a child … it was mine and daddies little secret .. all the footholds … secret Pargetter knowledge, passed down from father and son …”

[David] “And I just learned how to milk!”

[Nigel, on trying to free his end of the banner] “Kenton seems to have tied it on with one of his sailor knots”

[Nigel] “Dear daddy, we had so much fun together … I wonder if Freddie and lily are too young to come out here.”

[David] “I’d imagine Elizabeth would have something to say about that”

[Nigel] “I imagine she would … she’s rather like mummy in some ways … I’ve been very lucky to have two such fantastic women in my life”

[Nigel] ….oh, blast. Stupid thing has got itself tangled up. I just need to be a bit higher. I’m alright. I’ve got it now. I’ll just ….”

(Nigel slips)

[David] “Nigel!”

[Nigel] “David!”

[David] “Nigel hang on …”

[stomach churning scream from Nigel as he loses grip and falls]

…

Nigel …

I sincerely hope this won’t be the last time I’ll be able to blog about Nigel as an alive resident of Ambridge.

It was hard to tell who was for the chop today – lots of red herrings, and lots of (what could have been) final words of love from numerous couples and parents.

But alas. The chop did fall, and it fell on one of our consistently nice Ambridge fellows.

As I mentioned on previous days, the brooch was a very odd one. That it was found,. That Nigel was hell-bent on giving it as a New Year’s gift (does anyone ever give more than booze at New Year?). And that it was him mother’s.

Seems that it was always destined to be a parting token of Nigel’s love.

Still. We don’t know whether Nigel has survived that fall. It could just be a nasty bump on the head. It’s maybe more appropriate to wait to hear more over the next few days.

Either way, that scream will stay with me for a very long time …



Helen … and now also Henry Ian

All I have to say is HURRAH!

Helen survived the cull. Her and Tony have stopped arguing. And all seems well.

If you wanted Helen to die … shame on you indeed!



Did it shake our core?

Well, it could have been worse.

There was no en masse Ambridge resident deaths. No fires. Aeroplane crashes. Or Tram crashes(!).

But that scream …

It was enough to shake me, and that it happened to the (mainly) adored Nigel was horrific in itself.

If Nigel has died, it was a nasty end to a thoroughly decent chap.

Kenton will feel guilty for that knot – David will feel guilty for getting Nigel up there tonight, and not getting to him in time before he fell. And Elizabeth will feel guilty that Nigel was just trying to do a nice thing.

As a quick aside – wasn’t David also unable to help Jethro when he died???




Twitterverse

Here’s an abridged account of my reactions just before, during and just after this instalment, on Twitter (as @thearchersfan)

Pre-7pm

• Attempt to get Helen, Peggy, Nigel, Lynda & Jazzer to St Stephens for safety has failed. You're on your own!
• Helen. I'm here for you. No matter what.
• Goodness I adore us #archers eavesdroppers. BBC cloud shows 'wine' as well as 'tea' trending ;)
• @vencut2 We're all in it together ;)

At 7pm (and then during)

• EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK
• Brooch of death makes an early entrance
• There it is! The #sattc is revealed at last. Helen's ankles are swollen. Phew
• Told you - Helen's ankles. Amy says so
• "Helen has swollen ankles and a headache shocker!"
• Come on Helen. Shut up and let them save you and the bairn
• [half way through] I only have the usual length of #archers stamina. Not sure I can go this extended length
• No David - not the dishwasher!
• It's a Boy!
• @millietomos This is too much. Stopped breathing at 17 mins!
•  Hang on. Doesn't Uncle Tom refer to something else ....
• No Nigel. Not the bubbly! The cork man - the cork!
• For feuck sake - not - the - feucking - banner!
• Yay! Helen lives! With Baby boy. Henry Ian.
• @UncannyVal It's a New Year banner ontop of Lower Loxely's roof. Dangerous ...
• Yup. Nigel. They surely couldn't do David???
• I respect all of my fellow #archers eavesdroppers - but one in yer eye if you wanted Helen to die ;)
• My giddy aunt. Got the sweats at 'frosty'
• [After the scream] I'm in tears
• Going offline for a wee bit to sob in a corner. That scream .....