We never thought we’d feel sorry for Will. Although of course it should have been Pip! Discuss The Archers here (Titled edited by MNHQ)

[PseudoBadger]

Welcome all! I was really touched by the potential for Ed and Will to reconcile. But wonder if Will can accept Ed’s support.

As ever, no spoilers here (there’s a thread for that) - discussion permitted as soon as the pm episode is broadcast.

I thought the dinner party was to contrast Fallon and Harrison who are all loved up and arguing playfully, but not falling out with Emma and Chris where things seemed decidedly frosty. Things have already been set for tension between those two because he wants a baby and she doesn’t. I’m not sure why she’s not drinking - her having possibly slept with a work colleague has totally passed me by (mind you I didn’t pay much attention to Nic’s scratch and looked what happened there). It did illustrate how difficult it can be to ease off drinking when it is almost expected in some social situations and people think they are being kind by trying to force you off the wagon. I thought the fact she was trying to cut down illustrated an awareness that she has a tendency to drink too much rather than marking her down as an alcoholic who can’t stop. If it was connected to her having mown down Matt I think she’d have tried to stop sooner.

The more I think about it the more I think she must have had some fling with work colleague. All that 'working from home' rather than going in to face him, for instance. And entirely possible that she's pregnant and isn't sure if the father is Chris or mysterious colleague. Or just that she's fretting about her drinking given that it got her into such a compromising position. Either way - they are being awfully heavy-handed about the signalling of her drink problem

Oh savagehk You must have missed the moment when Matt's suitcases went with him in the taxi to the airport!

I hope it’s not a ‘Chris wants baby, she is upduffed, but has to abort secretly as it isn’t his.’ scenario

I don't think it was bad manners to the cook, and the scene was to show how Alice was behaving out of character - surely she'd have laughed along with the comments usually.

Wasn't the office party that Alice went to 2 weeks or so ago? Bit early to know she's pregnant!

Yes she would have laughed along with FallHarri because she's generally a bit pissed. Betty Coming off the booze makes some people depressed.

The guy at work Alice is always moaning about is Aaron. But to start with she was praising him a lot and seemed to want to impress him.
So I wonder if they got "close" (not sure if they DTD or just flirted), he either dumped/rejected her or she drew back, but after the works do she got plastered and woke up at his. Hence being so upset with work, considering quitting and trying to cut back on drinking.

Lurker de-lurks 👋

There’s a lot of trouble in paradise brewing in Ambridge isn’t there?

Alice and Chris (possible cheating / something’s up)
Fallon and Harrison seem to be bickering a bit
Will is Nic-less
Shula and Alastair - big trouble there
Briiiine and Jennifer - when the kids find out about the poisoning will cause a rift (one brewing already)
It’s a possibility that Nic may end up getting close to Will again (possibly?!)

That was a beautifully acted scene at the end with Will and his grandad, wasn’t it?

I’m glad they made up

calmandbright - you forgot:

Justin has something dodgy up his sleeve.
Pip and the pregnancy - if she goes on the glider ride will it be the answer to MN's prayers?!
Kirsty and the slightly tedious Phil romance.

Strange we've seen lots of grief and guilt over Nic's death but nothing from Jolene. Why isn't she beating herself up? Everyone else is.

Someone asked upthread how old Alice and Chris were. I've not googled to check but I'm pretty sure Alice has always been (!) about my age and I'm 36. So not still twenty somethings by quite a way she sobbed

Alice and Chris will be 30 this year (him June, her September)

He will apologise in time I’m sure I knew he’d apologise and sure enough he has. Great scene there between Will and Joe - lots of love and support in the Grundy family and reassurance that they’ll all look after Poppy. Contrast with the Aldridges at the moment lots of secrets and lies -it’s not going to end well.

Yes, very moving. Will actor played it well, as did Edward Kelsey (I think that's Joe actor's name?)

The pip / glider thing is driving me nuts. On one hand, Roof etc are all about the ‘oh noooo! Don’t even LOOK at a lamb’ because of the risks, and yet no-one has pointed out that a glider might not be a great idea during pregnancy?! It just seems a bit daft. Especially since Roof had a miscarriage recently - you’d think she’d be all about being cautious!

I that is why we have the two big storylines at present. Compare and contrast two families in crisis times.
It reminds me of a talk at 2017 Academic Archers.

It’s a possibility that Nic may end up getting close to Will again (possibly?!)
!!
Do you mean Alice?

I think that the death of a young member of the Grundy family can't really compare with the bickering and lying going on in the Aldridges'. Also they're all adults.

Jenny certainly has changed her more compliant attitude to Brine, there's possibly trouble brewing with their relationship.

tamara It's probably Jolene's holiday at the moment .

I want Jennifer to leave Brian. But she won't. I hope they carry this sl through, I have a horrible feeling it will all die a slow death and never be mentioned again.

The Grundies have already been brought low by life - they lost the tenancy on their farm, their housing situation is precarious (relying on Oliver’s good will) Ed and Emma are too poor to afford a home of their own despite working all hours and now Will’s wife has died. But there’s a lot of love there - they feel close and strong, all the generations support each other. There’s something rather enviable about that and this becomes even more apparent in times of crisis. The Aldridge’s in contrast have a charmed existence - pots of cash, their own land, plenty of spare property to house their children, Kate can dabble in the confidence that daddy has provided her with her own cottage and will bank roll her business efforts (compare with Emma and Ed). Debbie and Adam are set up for life in the business. But Kate’s children live on the other side of the world, Jenny is bringing up her husband’s love child, Alice has a drink problem and now they are faced with this huge scandal of their land being contaminated - which Brian himself is apparently to blame for. True noone’s died - but it’s fair to say that crisis is not bringing the Aldridges closer together and this will be even more evident when the rest of the family find out Brian’s role in the scandal. Grundy or Aldridge - which one would you rather be?

That's true, Lillian, the Ambridge Death Fairy has been giving the Aldridges a wide swerve thus far...

Grundy or Aldridge - which one would you rather be?

Grundy! No, Aldri-. Grundidge, Aldry. Aldi - I'd rather shop in Aldi. Sorry, what was the question again?

I would rather be an Aldridge. There is no romance in poverty. I know you are not suggesting that but I think the writers are very happy with the grundys where they are.

Felicity Finch’s natural speaking voice is a long way from Ruth’s:

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09tc5z6#play