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The Best Episodes of When the Boat Comes In

Every episode of When the Boat Comes In ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of When the Boat Comes In!

When the Boat Comes In is a British television period drama produced by the BBC between 8 January 1976 and 21 April 1981. Taking place between 1919 to 1937, Jack Ford is a First World

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  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    When the Boat Comes In Season 1 Episode 1 - A Land Fit for Heroes and Idiots
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    #1 - A Land Fit for Heroes and Idiots

    S1:E1

    1919: Jack Ford returns to Gallowshields on Tyneside after service in the Great War. He befriends the Seaton family—parents Bill and Bella, and their children: Jessie, attractive schoolteacher Jessie, Socialist medical student Billy, and black sheep Tom. Billy and Jessie try to involve Jack in the local Labour Party against the Liberal candidate and magistrate, former Major Pinner, who is against votes for women. Pinner not only wins, but makes himself unpopular by trying a shell-shocked war hero who got into a fight whilst confused and scared.

    Director:Ronald Wilson
    Writer:James Mitchell

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  2. When the Boat Comes In Season 1 Episode 2 - Say Hello... Say Tirra
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    #2 - Say Hello... Say Tirra

    S1:E2

    Billy, Tom and old army buddy Matt try to involve Jack in the Labour movement but he seems disinterested. Bella takes in Harry, a young orphan. Father Keenley, the local priest, tells Bella that she could adopt but this would put a strain on resources and it might be better if she allows the boy to be sent on an emigration scheme to Australia.

    Director:Gilchrist Calder
    Writer:Tom Hadaway

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  3. When the Boat Comes In Season 1 Episode 3 - Fish in Woolly Jumpers
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    #3 - Fish in Woolly Jumpers

    S1:E3

    Times are hard as the miners strike over a pay claim and Tom, now married with a son to keep as well as Mary, who has tuberculosis, borrows money from the seemingly flush Jack. Jack meets Matt's sister Dolly Mather, a war widow with whom he has an affair. Aware that Jack is involved in some sort of scam, Tom threatens to expose them unless Jack counts him in so Jack and Matt take Tom on their nocturnal 'fishing trip', in reality stealing sheep. They have a narrow escape after a run-in with a policeman but Jessie, against Jack's expectations, condones his activities.

    Director:Paul Ciappessoni
    Writer:James Mitchell

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  4. When the Boat Comes In Season 1 Episode 4 - Swords and Pick Handles
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    #4 - Swords and Pick Handles

    S1:E4

    Jack visits Sir Horatio Manners, father of his late commanding officer, to gift him a sword. Manners knows this is a ploy for Jack to ingratiate himself but is regardless impressed by his guile and offers him a job at his new factory, supervising non-Union workers. This angers Jessie, who sees Jack as betraying his kind but they reconcile after Jack rescues Tom, in need of money and working as a 'black-leg', from being beaten up by his striking colleagues.

    Director:Gilchrist Calder
    Writer:James Mitchell

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  5. When the Boat Comes In Season 1 Episode 5 - Coal Comfort
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    #5 - Coal Comfort

    S1:E5

    As the strike continues, Bill approaches an old friend, regarding the location of a mine shut down fifty years earlier. Tom pursues two children who have stolen leeks from his allotment but, on discovering that their mother is a war widow with no pension, makes a gift of leeks to them. Billy decides to quit his studies and, while Bill initially offers no opposition, he belittles the lad in the hopes that he will change his mind. The three Seaton men work on the shallow pit that Bill begins to dig under the floorboards — and eventually, Tom holds up a lump of coal in triumph.

    Director:Ronald Wilson
    Writer:Alex Glasgow

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  6. When the Boat Comes In Season 1 Episode 6 - Empire Day on the Slag Heap
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    #6 - Empire Day on the Slag Heap

    S1:E6

    The strike ends with no concessions won by the colliers. Jack triumphs at the factory and Manners suggests that he could do better than Jessie. Jessie goes on a date with the older, formal Arthur Ashton, who proposes, though she turns him down. Matt tells Jack that Dolly is pregnant and so he agrees to marry her. Bill, injured at the pit, is offered a payment by the mining company but at the expense of admitting his own liability. Jack bitterly opposes this and holds out for a better settlement, winning Jessie's admiration.

    Director:Paul Ciappessoni
    Writer:James Mitchell

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of When the Boat Comes In

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  7. When the Boat Comes In Season 1 Episode 7 - A First Time for Everything
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    #7 - A First Time for Everything

    S1:E7

    Encouraged by French onion seller Pierre, Bella turns the front of the house into a shop, using some of Bill's compensation. Bill, still bound to a wheelchair, is initially hostile but sees the need for income. Jessie is impressed by the intelligence of 14-year-old pupil Ronnie and tries to dissuade him from working in the mine but his mother is a widow and he wants to earn 'man's money'. He goes to work in the pit and is killed, causing Tom, who was looking after him, to quit. Jessie gets engaged to Ashton whilst Jack weds Dolly at the registry office.

    Director:Gilchrist Calder
    Writer:Alex Glasgow

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  8. When the Boat Comes In Season 1 Episode 8 - Paddy Boyle's Discharge
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    #8 - Paddy Boyle's Discharge

    S1:E8

    Mary dies. Jack is in a pub when he meets old army colleague Sid Hepburn, still a professional soldier who suggests that Jack reenlist as soldier's pay is very good. Paddy Boyle, an Irish member of Jack's sheep-stealing gang, is convinced that Hepburn and his friend Bartram are the two British soldiers responsible for rape and murder back in Cork. Jack realises that Paddy is a member of Sinn Fein. Having considered Hepburn's offer, Jack declines rejoining the army but is too late to stop carnage when Bartram and Hepburn are shot by Paddy and his Sinn Fein comrade Lynch. Despite a warning cry from Jack, Paddy is also shot by a British soldier.

    Director:Leonard Lewis
    Writer:James Mitchell

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  9. When the Boat Comes In Season 1 Episode 9 - Angel on Horseback
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    #9 - Angel on Horseback

    S1:E9

    Nurse Rosie Trotter returns to Gallowshields and is mutually attracted to Tom, though, out of respect for Mary, they agree to postpone their nuptials for a year. Meanwhile, Bella's uncle Mick dies in hospital, having first placed a bet on a horse in Bella's name. To compensate for his funeral, Bella does cleaning work and is pleased to feel independent, which Bill resents. Mick's funeral is well-attended and the horse he backed won but unfortunately, the bet was never formally placed as the bookie was operating illegally.

    Director:Bill Hays
    Writer:Sid Chaplin

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  10. When the Boat Comes In Season 1 Episode 10 - King for a Day
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    #10 - King for a Day

    S1:E10

    Dolly is pregnant and Jack jobless so he agrees to a proposition from Manners, who wants to buy a house from Lord Calderbeck. Jack, posing as a parvenu car parts tycoon, will act as front man. At the house, he meets Freddy, Calderbeck's nephew and heir, though his Lordship resents him as he survived the war, unlike Calderbeck's sons. Freddy is suspicious of Jack but the merry widow Jane Cromer, Freddy's fiancée, is partial to a bit of rough and climbs into Jack's bed. Ultimately, Jack persuades her to marry Freddy and, thanks to inside information from Billy, working on his Lordship's land, gets a good sale for the house with a healthy commission for himself.

    Director:Paul Ciappessoni
    Writer:James Mitchell

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  11. When the Boat Comes In Season 1 Episode 11 - Happy New Year, Some Say
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    #11 - Happy New Year, Some Say

    S1:E11

    It is New Year's Eve and Glaswegian socialist lecturer Sandy Lewis joins Jack, whom he tells that the Labour party is in the ascendancy, at the George Hotel, where Billy is bartending and Tom avoids capture, having stolen from the cloak-room. They join Bill and Bella at a party given by Jessie and Ashton, to whom she is now married. The next day, the Seatons are summoned for allowing their shop to remain open in the evening. Bill suspects they were grassed up by rival shopkeeper Davidson.

    Director:Bill Hays
    Writer:Alex Glasgow

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  12. When the Boat Comes In Season 1 Episode 12 - Heads You Win, Tails I Lose
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    #12 - Heads You Win, Tails I Lose

    S1:E12

    To the annoyance of her husband, Jessie has been nominated for the Labour Party executive and Jack antagonizes Dolly – who senses an ulterior motive in backing her. Jessie's nomination is successful. She has a bright pupil, Robert Armstrong, for whom she is seeking a scholarship and romance seems to be in the air between Matt and Robert's mother Lizzie. However, Lizzie is independent and rejects Matt after securing a well-paid cleaning job. Meanwhile, Tom is on the run, wanted for theft and illegal gambling, and Jack, having patched things up with Dolly, plans to help him escape to London.

    Director:Leonard Lewis
    Writer:Sid Chaplin

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  13. When the Boat Comes In Season 1 Episode 13 - Kind-Hearted Rat with a Lifebelt
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    #13 - Kind-Hearted Rat with a Lifebelt

    S1:E13

    Tom is caught and remanded. Jack becomes the deputy branch secretary of the Union, getting the miners on side to dissuade them from strike action. The widow Downey – who actually informed on Tom – faces eviction as she is unable pay the rent and is locked out by the landlord. When Jack and Tom appear in court, Tom is sentenced to three months' incarceration and Jack to one, but Jack is released to a hero's welcome.

    Director:Paul Ciappessoni
    Writer:James Mitchell

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  14. When the Boat Comes In Season 2 Episode 1 - Ask for Tuppence, Take a Penny
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    #14 - Ask for Tuppence, Take a Penny

    S2:E1

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    Director:Terence Williams
    Writer:James Mitchell

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  15. When the Boat Comes In Season 2 Episode 2 - Tram Ride to the Bluebell
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    #15 - Tram Ride to the Bluebell

    S2:E2

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    Director:Bill Hays
    Writer:James Mitchell

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  16. When the Boat Comes In Season 2 Episode 3 - A Pillowful of Buttercups
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    #16 - A Pillowful of Buttercups

    S2:E3

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    Director:Michael Hayes
    Writer:James Mitchell

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  17. When the Boat Comes In Season 2 Episode 4 - Roubles for the Promised Land
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    #17 - Roubles for the Promised Land

    S2:E4

    Billy is unable to get medical work due to his socialist principles and moves back to help his parents. Tom, who finds it hard to cope with shop work, moves into a hostel. Here he befriends Kaganovich, a Russian Jew from Archangel, hoping to travel to Palestine and looking for Jack, whom he says can help him. When the two meet Kaganovich accuses Jack of stealing money from his late father during the Russian revolution though Jack claims he was given the money as a bribe in exchange for helping the old man escape. In any case it is 'Kerensky money', old currency which is out of date and worthless, though Kaganovich is still determined to go to Palestine. Jack does however persuade Tom to go home to his mother.

    Director:Michael Hayes
    Writer:James Mitchell

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  18. When the Boat Comes In Season 2 Episode 5 - Some Bulbs to Keep the Garden Bright
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    #18 - Some Bulbs to Keep the Garden Bright

    S2:E5

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    Director:Bill Hays
    Writer:James Mitchell

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  19. When the Boat Comes In Season 2 Episode 6 - God & Love & Wellesley Street
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    #19 - God & Love & Wellesley Street

    S2:E6

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    Director:Terence Williams
    Writer:James Mitchell

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  20. When the Boat Comes In Season 2 Episode 7 - Whatever Made You Think the War Was Over
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    #20 - Whatever Made You Think the War Was Over

    S2:E7

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    Director:Michael Hayes
    Writer:James Mitchell

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  21. When the Boat Comes In Season 2 Episode 8 - Ladies, Women, Sweethearts & Wives
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    #21 - Ladies, Women, Sweethearts & Wives

    S2:E8

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    Director:Terence Williams
    Writer:James Mitchell

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  22. When the Boat Comes In Season 2 Episode 9 - After the Bonfire
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    #22 - After the Bonfire

    S2:E9

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    Director:Gilchrist Calder
    Writer:James Mitchell

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  23. When the Boat Comes In Season 2 Episode 10 - A Wreath with Our Names On
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    #23 - A Wreath with Our Names On

    S2:E10

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    Director:Michael Hayes
    Writer:James Mitchell

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  24. When the Boat Comes In Season 2 Episode 11 - The Way It Was in Murmansk
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    #24 - The Way It Was in Murmansk

    S2:E11

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    Director:Terence Williams
    Writer:James Mitchell

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  25. When the Boat Comes In Season 2 Episode 12 - In the Front Line You Get Shot At
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    #25 - In the Front Line You Get Shot At

    S2:E12

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    Director:Gilchrist Calder
    Writer:James Mitchell

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Best Episodes Summary

"A Land Fit for Heroes and Idiots" is the best rated episode of "When the Boat Comes In". It scored /10 based on 0 votes. Directed by Ronald Wilson and written by James Mitchell, it aired on 1/8/1976. This episode scored 0.0 points higher than the second highest rated, "Say Hello... Say Tirra".