Indeed.

And it's a bit of a shame really because the storyline could have been better if they hadn't dragged it on for so long and turned Rob and Ursula into panto baddies. Now, whatever happens, its legacy has been damaged.

Whenever I look back on this storyline I won't think "wasn't that exciting?" I'll just think "I cracked open the champers when it was finally over".

Mind you, I feel the same about the dull will they/won't they leave Brookfield storyline, because the outcome was so obvious. See ya, SOC - don't let the door hit your arse on your way out.

I've just listened to the latest episode and I still cannot believe how Rob manages to twist EVERYTHING!

I think the root cause is his mother, dripping controlling poison into his ear all his life. He needs psychiatric help far more than Helen ever will.

I'm intrigued to see how this storyline is going to play out and horrible though it is, I am more hooked on The Archers than I have been for a long time, because of this storyline. So it is doing its job of keeping listeners listening!!!

I think he's very like his mother, but his evil is purely his own. He was awful before his mother arrrived, she's just brought her own version to the family.

I sometimes feel a bit sorry for the writers of soaps. If they speed events up in a storyline they get stick for being unrealistic or not giving it enough depth and if they give it a more realistic time line - bearing in mind that domestic abuse can go on for years - people get bored with it.

Having said that, I found myself quite glad that Rob had hit Helen because it implies an escalation that might bring the sl to an end, although it won't be quite yet, I don't think as Helen is going to be riddled with guilt and Rob will be doing the contrite abuser thing.

I think bringing Ursula in has turned out to be a mistake, it's undermined the sl somehow for me. An abuser doesn't need his mum along to help and Ursula's acting has been increasingly shading into melodrama and she's taking Rob's acting with her.

Hey fellow Archerites!
Just touching base . Still not listening and shan't until the whole distasteful Rob/Helen saga is over. Anything else happening I should know about, or is it bread-and-butter stuff?

Has one of the Fairbrother boys succeeded with Pipkin?!

Yes it's kind of given Rob a way out in that she is taking a lot of the stick for the controlling moves that are going on.

I find it confuses the story line too in that Rob seemed to dislike his mum in the beginning and wanted to keep her away so the sense was that she was someone who could keep him in check but she now it appears that she is a driving force in his controlling ways. When his first wife (forgotten her name ) was pregnant and it was thought to be Rob's it was said that she spent a lot of time with Rob's mum and family but why would she if his mum has always been like this

I think she's a brilliant baddie but just not necessary or helpful at this point.

Hi Welsh Lad

Pip is truly smitten with the wandering dairyman, and is always on about missing him, so no joy there for the Fairbrother boys.

The village hall is either open or about to open, and it has fab new curtains and Jenny's old kitchen.

Lilian has a part time job - she's Justin's way in to Borsetshire society in return for a clothes allowance. He's moved into her old house and she's permanently at Home Farm, as is Kate who's letting out her cottage to finance her retreat thing. Brian isn't too pleased about this

I think Phoebe's going to Oxford.

There might be a romance developing between Doc Locke and Elizabeth.

Lynda and Eddie are going to come to blows over the level of finish on the shepherd's hut for Resurgam! La Snell is expecting a woodburner on Minton tiles and she's not convinced that the panel gaps are really to allow the wood to expand....it's clear Eddie thinks that shepherds live basic lives and not in Versaille.

I am with you there but, I switch off as soon as I hear Rob or his vile Mother.The thought of sending Henry to boarding school really upsets me.
But heho as my friend keeps telling me .......it's not real.

We're suffering so you don't have to.

When I was living abroad years ago the British Consul sent his daughter away to boarding school in the UK as soon as she reached school age

Why doesn't Helen tell Pat that it was Rob and Ursula's idea that she should have the baby at home.? I know Rob twists everything but it is really very strange that both Tony and Pat didn't have much time for him at the beginning but now think he is the best thing since sliced bread. Also Tom doesn't like Rob much, surely he can see what is going on. I find the whole storyline really frustrating as there are so many holes in it.

I'd say that Helen is quite a stubborn person who likes to be in control, under normal circumstances, and the last thing she wants is for anyone, especially her parents, to know she's being influenced and manipulated. So once she's agreed to one of Rob's suggestions she feels committed to acting as if it's what she wants too. If she once said she didn't agree with one of his plans, it would all come out, and she's not ready for that.

As far as Tom goes, there's a huge difference between not liking someone and accusing them of abuse. If Helen is pretending everything is fine, there's no way in for him.

Thanks everyone

The village hall still trundling on then. Perhaps on the opening day Borsetshire council will discover it is made of 80% asbestos and needs imminent demolition
Wow looks like Lilian is onto a winner - hope there's lots of her naughty giggles!
Poor Brian!

Hahahaha Great!

All I hear is the Radio 4 announcers' unremitting 'nudge nudge' introductions:
"Now we're off to Ambridge, where Rob is encouraging Helen to....... 'take it easy'.

"Now it's time to head off to Ambridge where Henry has upset.... 'his daddy'

Oh puhlease.

Martyrs to the cause

The announcer made Helen having 'an appointment' tomorrow sound very sinister

I really could see him getting her sectioned.

I almost had to stop listening the other night (Friday?) when she had a go at Pat. she treated Pat as though she was the villain of the piece, not Rob.

The number of people getting suspicious is increasing. Carol Tregorran has picked up on it now, so that makes at least 3, with Kirsty and Tom.

I suppose she feels she needs to lash out at someone, but she can't do it to Rob because the repercusssions would be too severe, so she's lashing out at her mum, knowing that her mum will always be there for her no matter what, especially when it all comes out.

I think this is all subconscious on her part though. Eventually she'll be able to confide in someone.

I do agree with all of this. Whatever the ending it won't be satisfactory for me unless Rob gets some sort of evil comeuppance together with the awful Mother. I always believed that children learned from their parents' mistakes and tried to do better, but here we have Rob repeating a pattern and being allowed by the scriptwriters to show Helen being slowly driven mad, and Rob getting others to believe just that. The sooner this dire storyline comes to its conclusion, the better for me.

Yes, Carol has picked up on Rob not being very nice instinctively. Maybe she's known someone controlling before and recognises some of the signs. I hope she pokes her nose in good and proper - I can't imagine either Rob or Ursula being able to fob her off

I really like Carol Tregorran. There's something slightly witchy about her, and with a bit of luck, she'll put a spell on Rob and Ursula.

Carol's great - she is witchy. I'm really glad she's back.

Rob was horrendous this evening. Has Helen forgotten that he hit her? I suppose, even though her consultation with the psychiatrist was confidential, Helen didn't stray from the story Rob had given her. He didn't sound to keen for her to have the cognitive therapy, but I wonder if he'll google the anti-depressants before he decides whether she's to have them.

Eddie and Joe were on good form tonight

He's managed to make Helen think it was all her fault. He always twists things to make himself look better. Remember the hunt sab who he hit, but he even persuaded Shula to believe that he was the innocent party. I do wonder if he actually believes what he says?

He was particularly evil tonight when he lied to Helen about what she'd said to Henry when she was sleepwalking He'll probably enjoy having her on anti-depressants as it's a bit of a chemical cosh.

He reminds me of Richard Hillman in Coronation Street. He was trying to make out that Gail's mum was going gaga.

Worse than that, Shula knowingly lied to save his skin. TBH of the two of them her twin brother Kenton is the better person, which is not saying much.

Lol, the fold-out bed in chez Resurgam is a decorating table.