In the “final week” of Neighbours in 2022, so many storylines were neatly tied up, giving every character their own happy ending. One of the most impactful parts of that momentous week was the surprise revisiting of the relationship between Jane Harris and Mike Young.
Mike hadn’t been seen in Erinsborough since 1989, but his return immediately saw him linked to current characters. It was revealed that Chloe’s PA, Sam, was actually Mike’s daughter and as we now know, it didn’t take long for the long-standing spark between Mike and Jane to be reignited. While most other returnees in the build up to the final moments were relegated to a few quick lines or even a non-speaking cameo, Guy Pearce returned and gave Ramsay Street everything he had. His appearance was universally applauded by fans and critics alike.
Despite now being best known as a major Hollywood star, Guy made us believe he was, once again, Mike Young. Having him back on Ramsay Street just felt right. As we saw him fall in love with “Plain Jane” all over again, it brought new and old fans together. Mike and Jane had always played second fiddle to Scott and Charlene back in the 1980’s, but this was their turn to shine. The finale ended with Mike and Jane getting back together and Mike revealing he was planning to buy 24 Ramsay Street as a potential new home for himself, Sam and Jane. It really was the perfect end.
9 months on, we are in the wonderful and unexpected position of the cameras being ready to roll and once again capture the happenings on Ramsay Street. So, how do you solve a problem like Mike Young? We know that Annie Jones is returning as Jane, but what part will Mike have in the future of Ramsay Street, given the actor’s busy career? What could the Neighbours producers do with the character following their ‘perfect’ happy ending? We take a look at a few of the options…
IT JUST DIDN’T WORK OUT
Mike arrived in like a whirlwind and he and Jane got caught up in youthful love. But maybe, after the confetti and initial excitement was swept away, there wasn’t any substance to their relationship and they decided to go their separate ways. It seems unlikely as we all wanted them to be end game, but it would be the easiest option for the writers.
REST IN PEACE MIKE
It wouldn’t be the first time that Neighbours had killed someone off moments after finding true love. Could Mike have died in the time we have been away from Ramsay Street? Motorbikes can be rather dangerous after all… This is the option that pretty much no fan wants to see, however.
HAS ANYONE SEEN LEN MANGEL?
Any Neighbours viewer from the 80’s will remember Mrs Mangel’s husband, Len. Or, rather, they won’t. Much like Tracy Barlow in Coronation Street eternally being upstairs with a colouring book or playing her cassettes, Len was always in the other room, never seen on screen. It almost became an in-joke that Len was never around.
Jane, as Mrs Mangel’s granddaughter, would be the perfect person to replicate this story. When people ask where Mike is, the script could always refer to him being at work, at the pub or the gym or just in the other room doing a bit of reading. This would also leave the door open for Guy Pearce to pop back into the show whenever he is in Melbourne and has a day or two to spare. This would be the easiest way to give Jane her happy ending.
CHANGE THE WORLD, ONE STUDENT AT A TIME
As a teacher, Mike could take a job overseas. This would mean he could stay in a relationship with Jane, but conveniently not be in Erinsborough. After all, in 2014 Libby Kennedy left Australia to teach in China. Aside from a little video message to Toadie and Melanie in 2022, she hasn’t been seen since. This option also leaves the door open for Guy Pearce to make the occasional guest appearance.
IT WAS ALL A DREAM
When Neighbours restarts later this year, they could choose to totally ignore the events of the 2022 finale. No one references Mike or Sam as if the big reunion just never happened. That would be the biggest cop out ever and I imagine this retcon would leave fans in uproar, but we have seen stranger things happen in Erinsborough!
FINAL THOUGHTS
So, what will happen to Mike? We know that Guy Pearce has a lot of affection for the show and the way he threw himself back into being Mike was delightful. I’m sure that Guy would be up for the occasional reappearance in Erinsborough, but the reality is that he is very much in demand for acting roles around the world so the opportunities to lure him back to Ramsay Street, even temporarily, may be few and far between.
With all of that Amazon money I suppose there is the smallest chance that Guy Pearce could swap Hollywood for Eden Hills and, 34 years after riding off into the sunset, become a Neighbours regular once again.
[…] With Guy Pearce’s busy schedule, and the face he now lives in Europe, it was clear that there was never the opportunity for Mike to return as a full-time character with fans speculating how the show would explain his absence and a few months ago, we came up with a number of possible different scenarios on how they would solve the Mike Young prob…. […]