Discuss The Archers - yes, this really is Thread 103. Are you going to vote for feet, stations of the cross, or a hologram? Will Natasha ever return? Will Russ ever leave?

[DadDadDad]

Exciting times - this thread will witness our 100,000th post in this long-running unbroken chain of threads.

New and old posters welcome. Don't spoil with any future plotlines.

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Carry on...

Hello - I think you might be right about Will heading for a breakdown. I wonder if social services might get involved (maybe something happening at school ?). I hope it turns out alright - he is so horrible right now (and before) but I couldn't bear it if he lost Poppy.

Also good point about how was Will able to let Pete go as it wouldn't have been his decision surely?

Will is a complicated character which is why I like him (not the same as liking him as a person). He has in many ways been the more fortunate brother - rich Godmother, freak inheritance denied to his brother, steady job etc - but has also lost the love of his life to his undeserving (in his eyes) brother and then had to watch his son go and live with that brother (even having George's paternity called into question). He eventually found a new love in Nic only to watch her die in the most shocking way - still one of (if not the) most heartbreaking scenes ever. He is an out and out chauvinist - but he genuinely can't help himself, he looks at his own family dynamic and thinks he is doing better than his dad by being a provider. He booked a rubbish holiday because (honeymoons aside) that's what Grundies do - usually staying with that Aunt whose name I forget. I don't think he will have breakdown however because the Grundies will pick him up - Clarrie and Emma will step into the breach to help him with Poppy. Whatever their faults they always have each others backs. Dreading the death of Joe, but one thing's for sure - it will only bind them together more closely.

Yes I agree lilian Some posters and Will with his over reaction, are forgetting that Mia said she'll go to her dad's for the holiday and she'll come back every day to see Poppy.

Do you really think she'll be back now though? I thought he'd blown it.

I mean if you had a choice between living with Will and not living with Will which would you choose?

I'd likely choose the former as I'm prone to a bit of cheerful martyrdom but I didn't think it sounded like Mia would be back without some very convincing coaxing. I also don't think she should return. Mia and Poppy should maintain and continue their half sisterhood relationship elsewhere so it can be a healthy one, not that of carer and dependent.

Definite BOOP for the actor who plays Will, he is always so convincing. He makes me rage.

thislido Ouch!

As they say round these here parts, did you mean to be so rude?

There is no doubt that Will has been through alot - I always liked that him and Ed were at loggerheads for so long unlike other soaps where everything is forgotten so quickly. But he was so horrible to Mia - said some unforgivable things to a 13 year old who is still grieving and has helped him so much.

Yes boop to Mia and Will writing and acting.

Just caught up. (Listening not reading the thread). It’s so difficult for Mia, and Will guilt tripping her about Poppy doesn’t really help.
Has she even had any counselling?

5000 been chuckling to myself about how odd it must all have sounded if you thought it was Nigel. I've forgotten his funeral completely, what did they do with him?

thislido it was when Lizzie said 'Godspeed, old boy' that I thought 'uh, hang on.....'

The aunt is Aunt Rosie and she runs a guest house in Great Yarmouth.

£15 !!! And Elizabeth thinks pricing is so tricky. £15 is ridiculous on top of the main entry fee. £15 would be steep for the main house.

I seem to recall Nigel was in a bamboo coffin and got plonked in the family crypt. Somewhere not Ambridge. A horse might have been involved too, to pull a wagon. Presumably the horse whose ashes were being buried a few days ago.

PS I might have made some of this up eg the bamboo coffin. Now off to listen to tonight’s before you chatty folk get chatting!

I agree. If I’d paid anything like £15 to get into the house and grounds, I don’t think I’d pay it all over again to see a specific bit.

Thanks Jazz. Unlikely to have been Topper as it would be unusual for hunter to also be harness trained, but I can imagine Nigel having a horse drawn coffin.

I actually felt sorry for Freddie for the first time ever. It was a good idea- just 15 quid was way too much when you’d already paid to see the house.

I felt sorry for him too. I was actually a bit shocked by what Clarrie said!

Mind you if I was George’s grandma I’d probably want him away from any negative influences......

I was more shocked by what Will did (and didn't) say.

Clarrie was overreacting although does Elizabeth really think Freddy is so dim he would not have realised it was a freebie? There's no way the Grundys have money to spare to pay for this.

What on Earth is Mia and the Grundys' accent supposed to be? I have never heard it before. It's like a cross between midlands and West Country. Have they invented a borsetshire accent or is it a real accent?

Most of the Grundies are not too far from Vale of Evesham which is pretty well Borsetshire - being half way between Birmingham and Somerset it's not too surprising that it sounds somewhere between Midlands and West Country. Will's is more problematical but has a twang of Borsetshire/Herefordshire border - though why he should have acquired that I don't know

Well, quite. I'm well behind in the thread and trying to catch up but felt compelled to comment here. As a former resident of both the West Midlands and Somerset I certainly don't recognise any of the accents! And could someone please explain why Susan Carter and Tracy Horrobin, though sisters, don't share the same (or even a similar) regional accent?

Is it a case of the producers just shrugging and saying "Do what you can?"

I missed Friday's episode - please could someone fill me on what happened between Will & Mia? Thanks.

Sorry, should have said, I recognise the twang of course but not the accent, it doesn't belong anywhere along the M5.

Yes, probably. The old Tom actor was from Nottingham and used his own accent. The Will actor is the son of the Mike Tucker actor. I don't know where he grew up but he's always had the most uber-yokel accent on the programme since Walter Gabriel turned up his toes.