The Archers #110: Game(keeping)'s up for Will. Game on for Lillian & Vince, Tracy & Oliver? Game over for Joe? Stay ahead of the game with all things Archers here.

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

Thank you, @PseudoBadger, for kicking off this long, long series of Archers threads.

All views on The Archers welcome here! New blood welcomed. We don't all agree on all points and most of us are posting tongue in cheek a lot of the time, so don't worry about revealing that you'd like to be Susan's best friend or other unusual views.

Spoilers: not on this thread, please. We don't wait for the omnibus to discuss the weeknight episodes, but we do try our best to avoid cross-contamination from www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/3439443-keep-it-to-yourself-the-archers-spoilers-thread-4, where spoilers are positively welcomed!

For newer listeners, lurkers or those who just have no idea what we're talking about, @DadDadDad has created this useful thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/3557323-For-Archers-fans-a-guide-to-acronyms-on-the-long-running-discussion-threads-and-any-other-meta-thread-questions-you-may-have BOOP point for him! (See thread for explanation.)

Thanks to LillianGish for the title idea. Very tempted to go with MrsGrindah's suggestion of It’s all a bit crap and boring at the moment but let's be positive, maybe things will look up in the coming days ... Also very taken with Lexi's Midnight Runners - Burpers, maybe? - from Madcats.

Not at all happy about Lily not going to university. Yet another bright Ambridge woman not fulfilling her potential. Why do they do this?

I thought Joe's death was handled quite sensitively, apart from being signalled so hard it could be seen from outside our solar system. RIP Joe Grundy. And thank you Edward Kelsey for this sometimes curmudgeonly character.

Poor old Joe. How he will be missed. So glad he had one final Cider Club night.

I was wondering, does he have any other grandchildren apart from George, Keira and Poppy?

Just caught up. Very nicely done, I thought. I will miss Joe.

QuaterMiss, as far as I know Alf has no children. I don't think we've ever heard about his family or lack of it. I suppose he'll have to come for the funeral, if he's not in prison again.

Yes, we all knew it was coming, but that last minute of the episode gave me goosebumps. At least they avoided some ridiculous dramatic death (crushed by cider press?)

Not surprised because of his age yes but it must have come more of a shock than that. He didn’t even gasp.

Not surprised because of his age yes but it must have come more of a shock than that. He didn’t even gasp.

I suspect that they tried it with a gasp, but it sounded to fake, so went without.

I haven't experienced it yet, but I suspect if you have a parent living with you who's well up in the 90s and getting increasingly frail, every time you go to check on them it's at the back of your mind that they might have 'slipped away'.

Yep. My mum lived on her own until she was nearly 90. Every time I opened her door there was a brief “what if?” moment followed by a “phew”.....

Just listened. I thought it was very nice, just enough to be clear what has happened but not too emotional. It takes time for the emotional reaction to something like a death to rise, so I think Eddie’s calm reaction was quite convincing and moving. I have something in my eye.

Really good episode. Loved R opening up to Elizabeth. That alone has made me well up. I think you could have misunderstood the final scene, as surely he’d just look like he was asleep, but no doubt it will be crystal clear in this evening’s episode.

Odd that it seemed that the 'wake' happened before the death with Lilian's sandwiches probably sending him off (sorry a bit of black humour but the actor has been dead for quite a long time )

BOOP for conversation between Ruarhi and Lizzie about his mum (note that he had been looking for stuff in one of the Home Farm storage places used by Jenny and Brian) . He's also started at the local state school now.

it seemed that the 'wake' happened before the death

An excellent observation!

Thanks Quater

it seemed that the 'wake' happened before the death
Yes. A lovely thought.

Lizzie is thinking of doing some 'history of cidermaking' thing at LL which involved filming of ye olde yokels. She has just missed her chance with Joe going so I wonder if that lost opportunity will give her extra impetus to pass on the 'history' of Siobahn to Ruairi.

I liked the contrast with Siobhan's untimely death. Joe's was definitely a life well lived - and he died in the bedroom at his beloved Grange Farm.

Ruari isn't at the State school - but at the private Cathedral school.
But yes I'm glad he has found someone to talk to.
A lovely episode.

What a good episode! So noticeable amongst the recent dross. RIP Joe - how nice that he had cider club with Eddie, and saw William and Edward getting along well too.

Also thought the Elizabeth / Ruari chat was done well. The actor playing R had a very believable wobble to his voice - on the edge of tears but not wanting to let go.

Oh thanks Molly I thought that Brian didn't have the money now. They did discuss him going to the state school though didn't they? I must have missed the conclusion.

Nope they discussed moving him from his £13K a term Public school (Ampleforth? I know it was Catholic) to go to the local private at about £6000 or less a term.

I like the actor who plays Ruarhi he's good.

Very nicely done, but Eddie's reaction and choice of words just seemed a bit odd to me.

Not altogether sure why.....

I think it was perfect. He would have known what he was going to find when he saw the light was still on. No surprise. Just sadness.

I thought the ending wasn't quite right at the time and still feel so after listening again. It should have ended at Eddie asking "are you alright? ..." and not carried on to his short monologue. It will be better tonight when we have characters interacting; conversing and sharing reminiscences.

I'm glad that it was Eddie who found him.

I thought the ending was fine. Everyone reacts to death differently, and with a 90 year old increasingly frail parent, it's not going to be that much of a shock.

It’s interesting how people are reacting to this. Did you want Eddie to sound more shocked, or more grief stricken? I don’t- I think that tone of quiet sadness was perfect.