The Best Episodes of Heartbeat Season 7

Episode Rankings

1. #1 Fan Favorite
   

   8.4/10(42 votes)

   #1 - Bad Apple

   S7:E18/31/1997

   Claude is persuaded to stand bail for a burglar purely as a business arrangement, for which he does finally get his payment from the man's wealthy wife to be. Nick buys Jo an engagement ring, which she shows off down the pub! The engagement celebrations are ruined when Jo breaks the news to her parents. Her Mother strongly objects to the marriage, and makes no secret of how much she disapproves of her daughter marrying a ‘village bobby'.

   Director:Ken Horn

   Writer:Peter Gibbs

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   Director:Ken Horn

   Writer:Peter Gibbs
2. 

   8.3/10(41 votes)

   #2 - Pig in the Middle

   S7:E29/7/1997

   A long lost friend of Claude's comes to stay called Ellen Highwater, she moves in with him for a brief period. At first Claude takes full advantage of her cooking and cleaning but eventually she takes things too far, especially when she takes some of his money for the shopping and she even suggests Alfred should have a kennel! ‘Sweaty Betty' has a vendetta against Special Constable Cowley, who mysteriously goes missing. Betty is the suspected of having something to do with it but Nick is surprised when she tells him that she has an alibi, in that she was with her ‘boyfriend' on the night in question. Jo has to move out of her cottage when her dad can't renew the lease, but luckily Maggie offers her, her spare room.

   Director:Tom Cotter

   Writer:Brian Finch

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   Director:Tom Cotter

   Writer:Brian Finch
3. 

   8.2/10(35 votes)

   #3 - Small Beer

   S7:E39/14/1997

   An elderly gentleman who has a job involving the security of a company's money but he believes that he won't have the job for much longer, Therefore he tries to fake the theft of the weeks wages to convince his employer that his job is still needed. A young boy is looking after his sick mother almost full time but her condition worsens and she dies. The boy runs away as he'' scared of having to go into a children's home. He ends up at Claude's place who does his best to try and help him. There is a search on for the boy and Maggie convinces Claude to tell Nick where his whereabouts. Unfortunately the boy runs away once more but Nick does manage to catch him. It is then discovered that his mother was actually his Gran, who had brought him up since his real mother was only young when she had him. The police find hi mother and he is happy to go and live with her.

   Director:Gerry Mill

   Writer:Bill Lyons

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   Director:Gerry Mill

   Writer:Bill Lyons
4. 

   8.4/10(40 votes)

   #4 - Closing Ranks

   S7:E49/21/1997

   There is an out break of handbag snatches in the area, the police know who the perpetrators are but can't prove anything. Phil decides to take matters into his own hands when his Gran is the next victim. To ensure a conviction he plants her purse on the suspect, and asks Nick to go along with it, he does, but in court the suspect's solicitor finds holes in the evidence and Blaketon realises what's happened. The case is dropped. Blaketon is angry and threatens to report Phil and Nick for the incident but informs them the next day, that just this once he would let the matter drop. Blaketon then turns to Alf for help with the case, and they set up a successful identity parade, which provides enough evidence to make the charges stand up in court. Meanwhile Jo is having problems with her mother disapproving of Nick and Claude is told there's more to a stuffed ram than meets the eye!

   Director:Tom Cotter

   Writer:Jane Hollowood

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   Director:Tom Cotter

   Writer:Jane Hollowood
5. 

   7.7/10(35 votes)

   #5 - Leaving Home

   S7:E59/28/1997

   Claude is in trouble when two dangerous villains dump a batch of stolen cigarettes on him. Luckily he helps the police and sets the thieves up to be caught. Jo's mother's illness isn't improving and she goes into hospital for tests but later Jo receives the tragic news that her mother has died. A girl and her dad are staying in Aidensfield. She befriends a local boy who turns out to be her brother.

   Director:Ken Horn

   Writer:David Lane

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   Director:Ken Horn

   Writer:David Lane
6. 

   7.8/10(37 votes)

   #6 - Fool for Love

   S7:E610/5/1997

   Nick discovers a complicated history behind an aristocratic woman and her former romance with a member of the community. Claude ties to help an Australian couple discover their ancestry.

   Director:Tim Dowd

   Writer:James Stevenson

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   Director:Tim Dowd

   Writer:James Stevenson
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7. 

   8.1/10(31 votes)

   #7 - The Family Way

   S7:E710/12/1997

   A little boy is injured in a car accident. The driver becomes involved with the police but Blaketon finds that not everything's straight forward.. Jo's Dad is extremely distresses about the death of his wife. His cap is found by a railway line and is handed in to the police. Nick asks him about it, and he admits he considered taking his life, but the thought of what it would do to Jo brings him back to his senses. Nick is understanding as he knows how terrible was when he lost Kate. It is this conversation that seems to break some barriers between them and he now approves of Nick's relationship with Jo. Claude's brother Cyril is in the area looking for property.

   Director:Ken Horn

   Writer:Brian Finch

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   Director:Ken Horn

   Writer:Brian Finch
8. 

   7.8/10(31 votes)

   #8 - Friendly Fire

   S7:E810/19/1997

   Nick is suspicious when a lay preacher is injured in a shooting accident but eventually uncovers the truth behind the incident. Claude is doing his utmost to make money out of the famous Aidensfield bun for which he has been given what he thinks is the secret recipe to look after! Gina's relationship with Steve is developing but she also receives the bad news that George will never be well enough to come back to the pub.

   Director:Tom Cotter

   Writer:Peter Gibbs

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   Director:Tom Cotter

   Writer:Peter Gibbs
9. 

   8.0/10(31 votes)

   #9 - Sons and Lovers

   S7:E910/26/1997

   Lord Ashfordly's sister is in the area but is causing Nick havoc with her drink driving. He handles it tactfully at first until she nearly causes an accident. Patricia is outraged when he brings her into the station, but after Lord Ashfordly had a quiet word with Blaketon he lets her go without charge. Nick is angry at the special treatment she received and later has a row with Jo when she tells him she'd rather go riding with Patricia than spend Saturday with him. Patricia's problems come to a head and she tries to kill herself but is rescued in time. Nick and Jo make up and have an exchanging of apologies and all is well by the end of the episode.

   Director:Gerry Mill

   Writer:Susan Wilkins

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   Director:Gerry Mill

   Writer:Susan Wilkins
10. 

    8.1/10(32 votes)

    #10 - Playing with Trains

    S7:E1011/2/1997

    Blaketon is worried about his up coming retirement, he discusses it with Alf and tells him he has decided to apply for an extension of service. There are major thefts from a fur factory which leads to a police chase aboard a train, but only two out of the three men are caught. The other is found later when his son reluctantly leads the police to him. Claude has a metal detector and thinks he's struck gold!

    Director:Gerry Poulson

    Writer:James Stevenson

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    Director:Gerry Poulson

    Writer:James Stevenson
11. 

    8.3/10(35 votes)

    #11 - What the Butler Saw

    S7:E1111/9/1997

    A man has been shot on the moors. A man named Ruxby was in the vicinity when the incident occurred, so he becomes a suspect. It turns out that he was only shooting rabbits at the time. One of Maggie's patients gets a new butler, but Eileen becomes suspicious when a few items go missing. Other thefts have occurred including a stolen pool table that is sold on to Claude. Gina is also thrilled to learn that she is now the licensee of the pub, but she feels Steve is trying to take over. Greengrass arranges to take bets on a pool game.It turns out that the butler had been going under a number of false identities and had been responsible for the shooting and burglaries. Nick tells Claude the pool table is stolen and its taken away. Claude has to find a replacement, and he does, but its a snooker table he later realises the balls are too big for the pockets! Maggie is surprised when her husband turns up in Ashfordly.

    Director:Tim Dowd

    Writer:Garry Lyons

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    Director:Tim Dowd

    Writer:Garry Lyons
12. 

    8.8/10(42 votes)

    #12 - Affairs of the Heart

    S7:E1211/16/1997

    It's Nick and Jo's wedding day! The episode starts with Nick's stag night, where he receives several bottles of very potent wine from Claude and a suspect garden ornament from Blaketon! The next day Nick goes for a drive but has to stop for a road accident, involving a man who's girlfriend had driven a car at him when he told her he was married. She panics and drives off in Nick's car. Stranded, Nick has to run for help and finds someone to take the injured man to hospital. Back at the police house Phil and Alf are getting worried about Nick's absence. Nick phones Phil to tell him what's happening and then its a mad dash to the church. Meanwhile Blaketon is devastated to discover that he has failed his medical and will have to retire. The ceremony is lovely and Katie and Maggie are bride's maids. Nick's Granddad is annoyed that Greengrass is selling off his jellied eels to his own family, Phil is nervous about his speech and Nick tells Jo he's taking her to Spain for their honeymoon. I

    Director:John Anderson

    Writer:Jane Hollowood

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    Director:John Anderson

    Writer:Jane Hollowood
13. 

    8.8/10(47 votes)

    #13 - Peace and Quiet

    S7:E1311/23/1997

    Mike Bradley arrives in Aidensfield and his first encounter with Blaketon is when he stops Mike for speeding. Mike was expecting a quite country beat, but his first experience in Aidensfield turned out to be anything but that. A local construction site is raided by armed robbers, Gina and Claude get caught up in the process and Alfred gets shot. Mike arrives on the scene and is also injured, but luckily he attends to Alfred. Claude and Gina help chase the robbers, but Blaketon catches them first when their car crashed down an embankment. Blaketon runs to help but ends up having a heart attack. Funnily enough it is Claude who saves him, which he asks Blaketon to remember in the future!

    Director:Tim Dowd

    Writer:Peter Barwood

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    Director:Tim Dowd

    Writer:Peter Barwood
14. 

    8.1/10(36 votes)

    #14 - Substitute

    S7:E1411/30/1997

    Alf has to deal with a group of travellers who have a grudge against him. Alf is determined to catch them at whatever crime they're about to commit. He feels guilty for not convicting them of a crime they committed in the past during which one of his old colleagues was crippled. Alf spends time observing them and making notes, but unfortunately he is spotted and they take him and tie him up in a horse box. It is a race horse that they intend to steal, but during the process Alf makes his escape and drives off in the horse box. They follow him but road blocks have been set up and the thieves are caught. Greengrass lets some guides camp on his land but it proves more hassle than he bargained for.

    Director:Gerry Mill

    Writer:Ron Rose

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    Director:Gerry Mill

    Writer:Ron Rose
15. 

    8.3/10(33 votes)

    #15 - In on the Act

    S7:E1512/7/1997

    he has been made acting Sergeant at Ashfordly. A girl, Tracy, gets involved with two bikers from the fair who perform the ‘wheel of death'. Tracy's dad is depressed and her sister Belinda is seriously worried about him. Tracy's dad is seen threatening Dirk (one of the bikers) to leave his daughter alone. Consequently he becomes a suspect when oil is poured down the ‘wheel of death' causing Dirk to fall. It turns out Tracy was responsible but she intended to harm his partner so she could join Dirk in his act. Trevor Lamus becomes the target of a hate campaign. Soap powder is put in his beer and a grave stone put up in his name. Nick asks Mike to investigate. He finds that most of the locals including Alf had all chipped in to buy the stone. Nick realises that its awkward and when Mike points out the paper work involved he lets them all go. But he wants a word with Alf about his involvement!

    Director:Gerry Mill

    Writer:Veronica Henry

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    Director:Gerry Mill

    Writer:Veronica Henry
16. 

    8.2/10(35 votes)

    #16 - The Queen's Message

    S7:E1612/21/1997

    Rex Hawkins the TV repair man is being threatened by Lol Baxter, because he owes him money. Rex is the lead tenor in the choir to whom the leader of the choir, Miriam has taken a fancy. Rex asks her to sack Alf from the choir, and she does, but soon asks him back when she sees Rex with someone else. Rex is beaten up outside the pub and his mother tells Nick that she thinks it was Alf who did it. Nick doesn't believe it but he has to find out what really happened. Rex eventually agrees to talk to the police and tells them it was Baxter. He got a lot of TV sets half price from Baxter (which were stolen), but they were faulty, so the customers wouldn't pay and he couldn't pay Baxter the money he owed him. Greengrass has trouble with a piece of Royal Dolton that Gina ordered for a Christmas present. Gina invites Mike to Christmas dinner, and Katie and Nick enjoy watching Jo perform in the choir.

    Director:John Anderson

    Writer:Peter Gibbs

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    Director:John Anderson

    Writer:Peter Gibbs
17. 

    8.0/10(34 votes)

    #17 - Brainstorm

    S7:E171/4/1998

    Mike is under investigation when a man (Russel Palmer) dies in the cells when he is on duty. Russell's cousin, Hibbut, claims he heard Mike beat Hibbut up. Nick warns Mike that he must tell him everything that happened that night. Mike says that he pushed Hibbut back into the cell when he tried to escape and that he was shouting ‘Quin'. Mike is suspended, and is brought in later when the post-mortem reveals that the death was partly due to a blow to the back of his head. Nick asks Neil if Hibbut could have been ill and mentions he was calling for ‘Quin'. Neil realises that Hibbut must have had Malaria and Harlequin is the drug supplied for the condition. Phil and Nick go to check Hibbut's room and discover a tablet bottle. Nick is hostile towards the cousin and tells him he let his cousin die. Mike is off the hook. Greengrass has a go at running a taxi business - but it doesn't prove profitable. Greengrass also informs the press about the death in custody, which could have put Mike in

    Director:Garth Tucker

    Writer:Peter Barwood

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    Director:Garth Tucker

    Writer:Peter Barwood
18. 

    8.3/10(38 votes)

    #18 - Bad Penny

    S7:E181/11/1998

    No description available

    Director:Garth Tucker

    Writer:Peter Barwood

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    Director:Garth Tucker

    Writer:Peter Barwood
19. 

    8.3/10(31 votes)

    #19 - Appearances

    S7:E191/18/1998

    A couple of thieves are looking at the ‘wanted' adverts in the paper then robbing these items from houses in the area and selling them on. During one burglary a young girl is hurt. Greengrass and Bernie take up an interest in sculpture. Nick and Jo make a life changing decision - they have decided to emigrate to Canada.

    Director:Brian Farnham

    Writer:Carolyn Sally Jones

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    Director:Brian Farnham

    Writer:Carolyn Sally Jones
20. 

    8.0/10(37 votes)

    #20 - Local Knowledge

    S7:E201/25/1998

    A villain known to Blaketon comes to Aidensfield, and he turns out to be the instigator of a plan that resulted in a raid at Blaketon's Post Office. Greengrass gives tourist tour around his house which he is making out is haunted - until his charade is rumbled! Nick and Jo have a leaving party at the Aidensfield Arms where Nick wins a goat in a raffle - which he offers to Claude! Nick and Jo's friends turn up at the station to say their goodbyes before they leave for Canada. Even Greengrass and Alfred are there to wave goodbye!

    Director:Gerry Mill

    Writer:Brian Finch

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    Director:Gerry Mill

    Writer:Brian Finch
21. 

    8.2/10(33 votes)

    #21 - The Enemy Within

    S7:E212/1/1998

    Mike and a college student become friendly. She has a Japanese camera, which causes friction between her and an old army friend of Blaketon's who's been having flash backs from the war. He causes a disturbance in the pub and Mike arrests him. Blaketon's friend is mixing up the past with the present and ends up making an attack on Mike and abducting Blaketon and abandoning him on the moors. Mike is then allowed two weeks off work so he takes the student way on holiday with him.

    Director:Garth Tucker

    Writer:Susan Wilkins

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    Director:Garth Tucker

    Writer:Susan Wilkins
22. 

    8.0/10(31 votes)

    #22 - Unconsidered Trifles

    S7:E222/8/1998

    Blaketon's car is stolen later is involved in a hit and run accident. Blaketon is acting very secretive and gives a misleading statement about when the car was stolen. Mike thinks that he is guilty but Alf knows otherwise. Blaketon finally confides in Alf and tells him the reason he couldn't say where the car was stolen from was because he was with a married woman at the time. A woman who is married to a senior police officer. Alf sympathises and acts quickly to get the case tied up before CID get involved. Greengrass tries to deal in classic motor bikes but is unsuccessful.

    Director:Gerry Mill

    Writer:Jonathan Critchley

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    Director:Gerry Mill

    Writer:Jonathan Critchley
23. 

    8.0/10(32 votes)

    #23 - Heroes and Villains

    S7:E232/15/1998

    A war heroes home is broken into by two local children, nothing is really taken but the youngest boy finds himself becoming interested in the various army items he finds. He ends up befriending the war hero and asks him many questions about his life in the army. The same two boys are pinching golf balls and selling them to Greengrass - but his scheme is discovered when, in the pub he drops golf balls everywhere, right in front of Blaketon!

    Director:Brian Farnham

    Writer:Peter Gibbs

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    Director:Brian Farnham

    Writer:Peter Gibbs
24. 

    8.1/10(34 votes)

    #24 - Love Me Do

    S7:E242/22/1998

    The new Sergeant arrives and that puts Phil, Mike and Alf on their guard. He seems very pedantic over things like uniform, and takes exception to Alf's little habits such as smoking on duty. There is a dance at the village hall, everyone's there and Mike is keen to spend time dancing with Maggie. Unfortunately Sgt Cradock beats him to it! A young girl is at the dance and spends time unsuccessfully trying to get Mike's attention. Later she goes missing and a full search of the woods is mounted. Cradock doesn't have much time for Blaketon's advice, and eventually the girl is found, and her kidnapper arrested.

    Director:Sue Dunderdale

    Writer:Jane Hollowood

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    Director:Sue Dunderdale

    Writer:Jane Hollowood