- Shula breaks the news about Nigel
- “It was so sudden”
- Tony tries to protect Helen
- Jill’s a mum again
- Elizabeth is in “another place”
- Inheritance row? Ellen and Camilla …
- Shula and Mark
- As an aside …
Shula breaks the news about Nigel
I think we can all remember a time when someone has told us devastating news. And how this sudden awareness seemed to instantaneously rip away the world we know, even if it had been a happy one.
I am often cynical about Ambridge, but it was heart-breaking to hear Tony so happy and proud when Shula was standing there, waiting for a moment to tell Tony about Nigel’s death.
Indeed, Shula was the first person to tell us all about Nigel’s death. While there had been some rumours that he may have survived, Shula dashed all of those:
[Shula] “Tony, I’ve got something to tell you first. Oh … I’m so sorry. Especially at this time. I’ve got some dreadful news … it’s Nigel … he’s dead …”
“It was so sudden”
Explaining to Tony and Pat (between crying) what had happened to Nigel, Shula recounted:
[Tony] “I don’t understand. What was he doing on the roof? … David saw him fall?”
[Shula] “Yes. He tried to get to him but it was so sudden”
After Nigel had fallen, David ran downstairs to tell everyone there had been an accident, on his way to actually get to Nigel.
So David not only had to watch Nigel fall and hear that scream, he was also the one who found him.
[Shula] “But the terrible thing is … it all happened so fast … we couldn’t stop Elizabeth going out there … and then we couldn’t get her away from him”
(which, for me, is one of the most poignant images of Elizabeth in her grief)
Tony tries to protect Helen
Shula was very aware that she was a bearer of horrific news, to the side of the Archers clan that was in a state of utter joy.
[Shula] “I’m so sorry to bring such terrible news when you’re so happy”
Of course dismissing her apologies, Pat and Tony had to then break the news to Helen.
[Pat] “Oh Tony … what a tragedy … Peggy is going to be so upset … whatever are we going to say to Helen? … she’s so happy … I can’t bear of ruining that”Tony did try hard to find a way of prolonging Helen’s ignorance of Nigel’s death, but Pat was right that she needed to be told before someone else (mistakenly) mentioned it.
[Helen, on why she doesn’t hurt too much after her operation] “Maybe it’s because I’m so happy … and you are too, aren’t you? You just seem so subdued …”
[Tony] “I’m afraid we’d got some rather sad news … it’s Nigel, he’s had an accident …”
[Pat] “I’m afraid, he’s dead, Helen”
[Helen] “Nigel – he’s dead??? I can’t believe it … poor Elizabeth … and the children … they must be devastated”
[Tony] “It’s terrible spoiling your happiness …”
[Helen] “No. I’m so lucky. It just doesn’t seem fair.”
[Tony] “No. You deserve to be happy. It’s wonderful to see”
[Helen] “Oh dad. Could you, very carefully, give me a hug please …”
I know it’s always cat amongst pigeons time to talk about Helen and say anything other than she’s a self-obsessed, controlling horror BUT the above exchange was, for me, Helen at her most sensitive.
Genuinely upset. Feeling guilty that she’s happy while others are suffering. And also looking out for her dad.
I don’t think that hug was just for her own benefit.
Jill’s a mum again
Just as Helen becomes a mum for the first time, Jill becomes the central point for her shattered family.
Between trying to get David to eat, forcing Shula out of the kitchen, and keeping a close watch over Elizabeth, Jill reminded me of why she’s quite rightly always been seen as the Archers matriarch (following on from Doris).
And never was it more apparent than when an extremely traumatised David come out to speak to her after a long session with the Police:
[David] “I was the one who saw him mum. I know why it happened …”
[David] “… well it was hard to remember what happened before ... why we went up there … I just keep seeing the moment he fell … I just try to save him mummy … I didn’t … it happened so fast, I couldn’t stop him … do you think Elizabeth’s ever going to forgive me …?”
It probably looks odd seeing the word ‘mummy’ typed. If you haven’t already – just listen to David saying it himself.
Elizabeth is in “another place”
Elizabeth is being seen to cope, but Jill’s not convinced.
[Jill] “She’s being very calm. Factual. I think that’s worse, really”
Avoiding all talk of the post-mortem (this Wednesday), inquest (again Wednesday, but likely to be adjourned) and funerals. Elizabeth is focusing on her children (when she’s not just sitting, staring into space)
[Jill] “The twins don’t really understand – all they can see that something really terrible has happened to their mother”
[Jill] “Frankly David, I don’t think she notices who is with her. Unless it’s the children. She’s in another place”
David’s obviously feeling incredibly uncomfortable about being around Elizabeth, as he’s obviously worried she blames him and doesn’t feel he can be of any use to her. Not that she’s actually said such. As yet.
Inheritance row? Ellen and Camilla …
… are on their way.
Ellen is Nigel’s aunt (Julia’s sister, of ‘she’s no lady’ fame) and Camilla is Nigel’s sister.
Camilla got most of the Pargetter hard cash last time – will she now want the bricks and mortar?
Shula and Mark
As the residents rally round to support each other - Eddie, Bert and Pip are looking after Ruth – and Alan is expected to be of particular support to Elizabeth (as his wife Catherine dies of cancer when Amy was young), Shula briefly touches on her own pain.
[Shula] “I remember when I found out when I was pregnant after Mark died … that baby, it seemed like it was all I had left to hold onto”
This too, shall pass.
As an aside …
After having pondered this since yesterday’s ‘shocker’, I must admit to feeling a bit foolish for falling for the hype.
After all – man falls off a roof, woman has a baby – is hardly of tram proportions.
But, that is the joy of The Archers.
Nigel’s death won’t be forgotten with a few days. Weeks. Months. Or even years. That’s just not Ambridge works.
So, although yesterday didn’t exactly ‘shake the core’ as one would expect of soap operas (which of course, The Archers is not), the core has indeed been changed forever. And it was all perfectly in-tune with the Ambridge ambiance.
I cried yesterday. I cried today. But, I would have done so even without the weeks of build-up from the BBC, and speculation from us eavesdroppers.
So while the hype has left a few of us feeling a bit “used and dirty” (@jamspangle), and while it may have attracted more listeners to The Archers (which is superb), the actual eavesdropping session was very Ambridge.
Now, if we can just stop the BBC from pretending they ‘make’ The Archers …
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