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The Best Episodes of As Time Goes By

Every episode of As Time Goes By ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of As Time Goes By!

Binge this in 1d 9h•Peaking at 8.7/10

Two lovers are reunited after decades apart following a mutual misunderstanding.

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    As Time Goes By Season 6 Episode 7 - A Surprise for Jean
    8.7/10(119 votes)

    S6:E7

    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

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  2. As Time Goes By Season 4 Episode 8 - Wedding Day Nerves
    8.5/10(132 votes)

    S4:E8

    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

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  3. As Time Goes By Season 2 Episode 3 - Visiting Rocky
    8.4/10(150 votes)

    S2:E3

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

    Director:Sydney Lotterby
    Writer:Bob Larbey

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  4. As Time Goes By Season 4 Episode 6 - The Anniversary Party
    8.4/10(132 votes)

    S4:E6

    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

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  5. As Time Goes By Season 7 Episode 1 - Pardon?
    8.4/10(127 votes)

    S7:E1

    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

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  6. As Time Goes By Season 1 Episode 3 - The Copper Kettle
    8.3/10(165 votes)

    S1:E3

    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

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of As Time Goes By

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  7. As Time Goes By Season 2 Episode 5 - Misunderstandings
    8.3/10(146 votes)

    S2:E5

    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

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  8. As Time Goes By Season 3 Episode 2 - Rocky's Wedding Day
    8.3/10(146 votes)

    S3:E2

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

    Director:Sydney Lotterby
    Writer:Bob Larbey

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  9. As Time Goes By Season 4 Episode 7 - Wedding Preparations
    8.3/10(124 votes)

    S4:E7

    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

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  10. As Time Goes By Season 9 Episode 3 - The World Will Always Welcome Lovers (a.k.a The Wedding)
    8.3/10(120 votes)

    S9:E3

    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

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  11. As Time Goes By Season 10 Episode 1 - Christmas Special Part One
    8.3/10(142 votes)

    S10:E1

    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:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. As Time Goes By Season 1 Episode 1 - You Must Remember This
    8.2/10(210 votes)

    S1:E1

    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

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  13. As Time Goes By Season 4 Episode 3 - Getting Rid of Gwen
    8.2/10(132 votes)

    S4:E3

    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

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  14. As Time Goes By Season 5 Episode 7 - Showered with Gifts
    8.2/10(118 votes)

    S5:E7

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

    Director:Sydney Lotterby
    Writer:Bob Larbey

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  15. As Time Goes By Season 6 Episode 5 - Alistair's Engagement
    8.2/10(118 votes)

    S6:E5

    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

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  16. As Time Goes By Season 6 Episode 6 - The House Next Door
    8.2/10(108 votes)

    S6:E6

    While spending an evening at home everyone is startled by noises coming from the empty house next door. Jean calls the police but, its just the ex owner getting some boxes he had left. The young police officer who shows up to investigate takes a liking to Sandy and asks her out. Jean gets news that Penny and Stephen are looking to buy the house next door. Alistair has a plan to buy the house so they don't have to deal with Penny and Stephen as neighbors.

    Director:Sydney Lotterby
    Writer:Bob Larbey

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  17. As Time Goes By Season 1 Episode 2 - Getting to Know You --- Again
    8.1/10(182 votes)

    S1:E2

    Jean and Lionel look no closer to renewing their relationship when Lionel checks out of his hotel without telling Jean. However, Lionel's publisher, Alistair, convinces him to go to a party tonight to meet some 'faces', people who can help in the sale of his book. He checks back in, and, after a walk in the park, Lionel asks Jean to go to the party with him.

    Director:Sydney Lotterby
    Writer:Bob Larbey

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  18. As Time Goes By Season 1 Episode 4 - Surprise, Surprise
    8.1/10(172 votes)

    S1:E4

    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

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  19. As Time Goes By Season 1 Episode 6 - The Picnic
    8.1/10(162 votes)

    S1:E6

    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

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  20. As Time Goes By Season 2 Episode 7 - The Book Signing
    8.1/10(138 votes)

    S2:E7

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

    Director:Sydney Lotterby
    Writer:Bob Larbey

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  21. As Time Goes By Season 3 Episode 1 - We'll Always Have Paris
    8.1/10(157 votes)

    S3:E1

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

    Director:Sydney Lotterby
    Writer:Bob Larbey

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  22. As Time Goes By Season 3 Episode 9 - Dealing with Sally
    8.1/10(142 votes)

    S3:E9

    Jean comes back from the states to find that the new branch manager she hired isn't working out. So she decides to handle it but, makes things worse.

    Director:Sydney Lotterby
    Writer:Bob Larbey

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  23. As Time Goes By Season 4 Episode 4 - The Affair
    8.1/10(124 votes)

    S4:E4

    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

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  24. As Time Goes By Season 4 Episode 5 - Welcome News
    8.1/10(129 votes)

    S4:E5

    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

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  25. As Time Goes By Season 4 Episode 9 - Judith's New Romance
    8.1/10(122 votes)

    S4:E9

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

    Director:Sydney Lotterby
    Writer:Bob Larbey

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Best Episodes Summary

"A Surprise for Jean" is the best rated episode of "As Time Goes By". It scored 8.7/10 based on 119 votes. Directed by Sydney Lotterby and written by Bob Larbey, it aired on 6/29/1997. This episode scored 0.2 points higher than the second highest rated, "Wedding Day Nerves".