The Best Episodes of As Time Goes By

Jean tells Lionel that she wants him to surprise her more. So Alistair suggests Lionel surprise Jean with a trip. However it turns out not to be the easiest thing to do.

Director: Sydney Lotterby

Writer: Bob Larbey

Lionel takes Jean to see his eccentric father Rocky, the complete opposite of Lionel's gruff self.

Director: Sydney Lotterby

Writer: Bob Larbey

Lionel and Jean's wedding day arrives. Lionel has to deal with a case of nerves while Jean has to deal with her sister-in-laws meddling.

Director: Sydney Lotterby

Writer: Bob Larbey

Lionel is about to go on a lecture circuit, so he invites Jean for a day out. The revisit some old haunts, only to discover that a lot has changed. However, after a trek through an overgrown field, they find 'The Copper Kettle', an old place which Lionel and Jean were quite fond of.

Director: Sydney Lotterby

Writer: Bob Larbey

Stephen plans a surprise anniversary party for Penny but, mixes up the dates. While Jean and Lionel argue about being ""engaged"".

Director: Sydney Lotterby

Writer: Bob Larbey

Jean suspects that Lionel is going deaf. But despite the fact that he clearly can't hear very much, Lionel resists going to a doctor. Meanwhile, he becomes convinced that Jean is having problems with her eyes, and sets about solving this dilemma.

Director: Sydney Lotterby

Writer: Bob Larbey

During a weekend at Jean's sister-in-law's house, Jean and Lionel invent more and more ridiculous claims to cover-up their romance thirty-eight years ago.

Director: Sydney Lotterby

Writer: Bob Larbey

It's Rocky and Madge's wedding day but, things don't go quite as planned.

Director: Sydney Lotterby

Writer: Bob Larbey

Jean trys to help Lionel come up with a plan to get rid of Ms. Flack. While Ms. Flack decides to move away to her sister's.

Director: Sydney Lotterby

Writer: Bob Larbey

Jean and Lionel finally set a date for the wedding. While the women are planning the wedding, Lionel finally finishes his script for the miniseries.

Director: Sydney Lotterby

Writer: Bob Larbey

Judy gets a new boyfriend and Jean decides to ""help"" out her daughter.

Director: Sydney Lotterby

Writer: Bob Larbey

Lionel and Jean befriend the villagers who shower the couple with gifts.

Director: Sydney Lotterby

Writer: Bob Larbey

Jean ropes everyone into helping at a party for the oldies ... bottoms are pinched, Alastair excels as a DJ, and Jean and Lionel hope to be treated as well in their old age. Madge and Rocky spice things up with booze.

Director: Sydney Lotterby

Writer: Bob Larbey

Rocky comes to the rescue when there is a problem with the best man at Alistair and Judith's wedding. Lol's wedding outfit does not go quite according to plan. The family is introduced to an unusual wedding custom. And Jean is still trying to matchmake between Harry and Sandy.

Director: Sydney Lotterby

Writer: Bob Larbey

Jean feathers the nest for grandchildren, even though Lionel points out that neither Judy nor Sandy have gotten pregnant yet. It turns out that Judy and Alistair have been trying, with no results, and Judy suspects the problem may be Alistair--who is wildly overcompensating to prove his virility. Meanwhile, Sandy is upset because Harry seeks a promotion that may put him in harm's way. And in the middle of all this, Lionel gets a very unexpected visitor from Africa.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

We meet the two main characters: Lionel and Jean. In the pilot episode, Lionel is in a hotel cafe giving a waitress a hard time. He is scathingly sarcastic. Jean is, similarly, seen being brittle and unbending. Lionel is working on his book "My Life in Kenya" about his life in Kenya. (This joke comes up in numerous episodes.) He requires a secretary to help with the revisions. That's where Jean's secretary service ""...Type for You"" comes in. Judith, Jean's daughter, meets Lionel at his hotel to apologize for the terrible secretary. Lionel asks Judith out. When he arrives to pick her up he is introduced to Jean. After about two seconds Jean and Lionel both independently figure out who they each suspect the other person to be: a lover last seen in 1953.

Director: Sydney Lotterby

Writer: Bob Larbey

Judith persuades Jean to surprise Lionel by going along to his lecture in Nowrich. However, it is Jean who gets the surprise when she finds that Lionel already has a lady friend to stay with. While Lionel attempts to deal with the embarrasing position he is in, as well as his new found reputation as an elephant killer (thanks to Alistair's hyped-up blurb), Jean faces the romantic advances of Alistair.

Director: Sydney Lotterby

Writer: Bob Larbey

Jean and Lionel are both flattered by the romantic attentions of Alistair and Judith, but decide that things cannot continue as they are. Jean bets that if all four of them go on a picnic together, Judith and Alistair will hit it off. But perhaps it will be Jean and Lionel who grow closer...

Director: Sydney Lotterby

Writer: Bob Larbey

The book is finally published, and Lionel begins a nationwide book-signing tour.

Director: Sydney Lotterby

Writer: Bob Larbey

While on a romantic holiday in paris Jean and Lionel must help a young couple who are fighting.

Director: Sydney Lotterby

Writer: Bob Larbey

Jean's sister-in-law decides to move in with her and Lionel after she finds out her husband is having an affair. Actually he being so secretive because he is planning a surprise anniversary party for her.

Director: Sydney Lotterby

Writer: Bob Larbey

Rocky decides to give Lionel his country house in-which the film crew for the miniseries has decided to shoot. Jean and Lionel get engaged.

Director: Sydney Lotterby

Writer: Bob Larbey

Lionel's ex-wife, Margaret, asks him out for a drink, and he asks Jean to go with him. When Margaret arrives she isn't at all like Jean anticipated. Turns out she has changed a lot since the divorce and is now rich with a very young boyfriend.

Director: Sydney Lotterby

Writer: Bob Larbey

Jean and Lionel visit the country house and find Mrs. Bale in an odd mood. After Jean suggests Lionel talk to Mrs. Bale to find out what is wrong he becomes ill. When the doctor shows to treat Lionel it is revealed that it's the doctor that Mrs. Bale has a problem with.

Director: Sydney Lotterby

Writer: Bob Larbey

Alistair surprises everyone by announcing his engagement to someone he just met named Mercury. Judy's new boyfriend Paul lies to her and she breaks up with him. Jean wishes Alistair and Judy would get back together.

Director: Sydney Lotterby

Writer: Bob Larbey