List of One Foot in the Grave episodes

This is a list of episodes of the British sitcom One Foot in the Grave, written by David Renwick. The show ran for six series of six episodes each. There were also nine specials including two shorts for Comic Relief, first screened from 4 January 1990 to 20 November 2000 on BBC 1 and subsequently repeated both on the BBC and thereafter on satellite channels such as GOLD.^[1] Some of the early episodes were made in 1989.

The series features the exploits of Victor Meldrew, played by Richard Wilson, and his wife, Margaret Meldrew, played by Annette Crosbie, in their battle against the trials of modern life.^[2] Most episodes were 30 minutes long, though some were several minutes longer. Christmas editions and other specials were generally longer, whereas there were two short specials (under ten minutes in length) for Comic Relief, one of which featured Richard Wilson (Victor Meldrew) alone, though it included at one point the voice of Paul Merton. Jean Warboys played by Doreen Mantle starred in over three quarters of all the episodes and Patrick and Pippa Trench played by Angus Deayton and Janine Duvitski starred in at least two thirds of episodes though the couple were not in Series 1, nor were they in the final episode of the final series. The Comic Relief special in 2001 was set after Victor's death. Though starring Richard Wilson, Margaret did not interact with Victor's ghost, being unaware of his presence, although she briefly complains about "cold air" beside her.

Series 1 (1990)

#	Title	Original Airdate	Director	Duration	Viewers
1	Alive and Buried	4 January 1990	Susan Belbin	30 minutes	9.28 million.
At the age of 60, Victor Meldrew is retired from his job as a security guard to be replaced by a box and a recorded message. As he contemplates his future, he gets a visit from Nick Swainey's charity for the elderly and decides to go for a job interview. NOTE: First appearances of Victor Meldrew, Margaret Meldrew, Mrs Warboys and Nick Swainey.
2	The Big Sleep	11 January 1990	Susan Belbin	30 minutes	7.25 million.
Victor's cousin Geoffrey, who had also just taken early retirement at the age of 60, dies. The Meldrews attend his atheist funeral and receive a visit from what Victor calls "the Jehovah's Witness police". Victor looks after a small bird that regularly perches in his garden. As fog descends on suburbia, Victor wakes up thinking he's dead.
3	The Valley of Fear	18 January 1990	Susan Belbin	30 minutes	9.2 million.
While photographing a sunset, Victor is mugged and graffiti is sprayed on the Meldrews' house, so he decides to head a Neighbourhood Watch meeting. Meanwhile: there's a strange smell by the sideboard, a problem with the central heating, an old woman in the loft, and a cat in the freezer.
4	I'll Retire to Bedlam	25 January 1990	Susan Belbin	30 minutes	8.92 million.
Victor is trapped in his shed for 3 hours thanks to a swarm of belligerent bees, stuck in the optician's for a day with his eyes shut, then stuck babysitting some unpleasant children.
5	The Eternal Quadrangle	1 February 1990	Susan Belbin	30 minutes	9.5 million.
Margaret is pleased when Victor takes up painting--until she discovers that he has been painting a nude model, Doreen, and driving her home afterwards.
6	The Return of the Speckled Band	8 February 1990	Susan Belbin	30 minutes	8.98 million.
Before the Meldrews can leave for their holiday in Athens, they must cope with Victor's fear of flying, Mrs Warboys' food poisoning, having their electricity meter read, and an escaped snake.

Series 2 (1990)

#	Title	Original Airdate	Director	Duration	Viewers
7	In Luton Airport, No One Can Hear You Scream	4 October 1990	Susan Belbin	30 minutes.	8.86 million.
The Meldrews return from their holiday to find that their baggage has been sent to the other side of the world. Their house has also been demolished following a terrible fire but somebody has still managed to aim free-sample packets of HP Spicy Sauce through the letterbox. 6 months later they move into a new house and try to hold a housewarming party.
8	We Have Put Her Living in the Tomb	11 October 1990	Susan Belbin	30 minutes.	8.1 million.
While beginning to organise their new house, the Meldrews are entrusted to look after Margaret's goddaughter's tortoise, who might be in danger when Victor decides to burn some garden rubbish. Meanwhile, someone has been using TCP in the Meldrews' new house, so their wallpaper has to be stripped.
9	Dramatic Fever	18 October 1990	Susan Belbin	30 minutes.	10.2 million.
Victor writes a script for a new situation comedy, but nobody else finds it very funny. Margaret also catches dramatic fever: she joins an amateur dramatic society and gets invited to local thespian Desiree Gibson's Bergerac party. Meanwhile, Victor feuds with a litterbug.
10	Who Will Buy?	25 October 1990	Susan Belbin	30 minutes.	10.66 million.
Victor and Margaret meet their new neighbours, Patrick and Pippa, for the first time. Also: Victor has problems with a toy dinosaur salesman; and Margaret befriends Albert, a lonely elderly blind man (Jimmy Jewel). A charity concert gives Victor the chance to share his ventriloquist skills, only to realise his act is part of a rock and death metal variety concert, before being scourned on by the crowd and fellow performers. NOTE: First appearances of Patrick and Pippa
11	Love and Death	1 November 1990	Susan Belbin and Sydney Lotterby	30 minutes.	10.24 million.
The Meldrews are on holiday, staying with old friends Vince (Stephen Lewis) and April (Georgina Hale) in their boarding house on the south coast. During the weekend a set of unfortunate coincidences leave each member of the couple thinking the other is being unfaithful, and Victor ends up with a glass of beer super-glued to his head.
12	Timeless Time	8 November 1990	Susan Belbin	30 minutes.	10.7 million.
Victor is unable to sleep, so Margaret cannot either. Victor gets desperate enough to open last year's Christmas present from Ronnie and Mildred. This episode is set entirely in the Meldrews' bedroom

Christmas Special (1990)

#	Title	Original Airdate	Director	Duration	Viewers
13	Who's Listening?	27 December 1990	Susan Belbin	60 minutes.	10 million.
Victor's wrong-number entry in a catalogue's order column results in the accidental delivery of 263 3-foot-tall garden gnomes. The Meldrews become acquainted with a vicar who thinks he has lost his faith, and Victor learns more about a video-store worker with whom he had a conflict.

Christmas Special (1991)

#	Title	Original Airdate	Director	Duration	Viewers
14	The Man in the Long Black Coat	30 December 1991	Susan Belbin	55 minutes.	10.84 million.
As Victor's feud with Patrick--now an expectant father--continues, they communicate via post-it notes. Victor learns that the horse manure he bought for his allotment is radioactive. Pregnant Pippa attends an office party.

Series 3 (1992)

#	Title	Original Airdate	Director	Duration	Viewers
15	Monday Morning Will Be Fine	2 February 1992	Susan Belbin	30 minutes.	14.75 million.
Victor and Margaret return from a shopping trip to discover that the house has been burgled—and the neighbours helped. Victor decides not to replace the television to give them more opportunity to get out of the house. However, an evening trip to the pub results in a disconcerting experience with an old friend.
16	Dreamland	9 February 1992	Susan Belbin	30 minutes.	14.5 million.
In a coffee shop, Mrs. Warboys tells the story of how Margaret went missing following a series of haunting dreams in which she murders someone who looks exactly like Victor. Mr. Swainey evades Victor's attempts to nail the fence closed and invites the Meldrews round to see his pigeons.
17	The Broken Reflection	16 February 1992	Susan Belbin	30 minutes.	14.5 million.
Patrick and Pippa fear the worst when they ask Victor and Margaret to look after their house while they're on holiday. They're right to worry, because Victor's absent-minded brother Alfred is visiting, so Victor's nerves are on edge more than usual.
18	The Beast in the Cage	23 February 1992	Susan Belbin	30 minutes.	15.6 million.
A day out turns into a nightmare for the Meldrews and Mrs. Warboys when the Bank Holiday traffic comes to a standstill on the motorway and they spend 4 hours trapped in their car staring at a horse's backside. Attempting to lighten the mood with some music, Victor makes an unpleasant discovery about his car mechanics. This summer-set episode was actually filmed in winter near Luton--when, ironically, real cars were driving past the Meldrews' when filming.[3] This episode is real time and is entirely set in the Meldrews' car on the motorway.
19	Beware the Trickster on the Roof	1 March 1992	Susan Belbin	30 minutes.	16.16 million.
Mr. Swainey returns from holiday with an evil gift in the form of a paperweight. The thieves who burgled the Meldrews' house ring up asking for help in programming their video recorder. Patrick and Pippa attempt to sell their house, but prospective buyers are put off when they encounter Victor.
20	The Worst Horror of All	8 March 1992	Susan Belbin	30 minutes.	16.2 million.
Victor is delighted when he finally gets a decent job as the doorman at an expensive hotel--until he is insulted by a rich snob in an obvious toupee and can't resist firing back. Meanwhile, Mrs. Warboys organises a trip to the BBC, and the Meldrews try to fend off a visit from Ronnie and Mildred. NOTE: First appearances of Cousin Wilfred and Ronnie and Mildred.

Series 4 (1993)

#	Title	Original airdate	Director	Duration	Viewers
21	The Pit and the Pendulum	31 January 1993	Susan Belbin	30 minutes	17.3 million
Victor decides that Patrick's cherry tree is the cause of his garden being dry and enlists a Neanderthal gardener to cultivate the stray roots. An argument with the gardener then alerts him to an alternate use for the pit. Meanwhile: Patrick adopts a dachshund puppy, and Margaret is stunned by tragic news.
22	Descent into the Maelstrom	7 February 1993	Susan Belbin	30 minutes.	16.67 million.
Margaret collapses from nervous exhaustion, which has been building up for the past 35 years. After a few days under Victor's "care," she decides that going to work would be more restful. Mrs. Warboys visits, bringing Andrea Temple (Helen Lederer), whom Margaret knew as a girl, and Andrea's baby, who has a mysterious fondness for garden gnomes. Victor uncovers the disturbing truth about her, but decides not to tell Margaret.
23	Hearts of Darkness	14 February 1993	Susan Belbin	30 minutes.	17.48 million.
The Meldrews, Mrs. Warboys, and Mr. Swainey take a trip into the countryside, where they end up stranded in a river and play Trivial Pursuit, Mrs. Warboys ends up concreted to Victor. While going for help, Victor stumbles upon an old people's home where the staff are abusing the residents; he hatches a plot to liberate them. NOTE: This episode was edited after broadcast due to complaints over the elderly abuse scene.
24	Warm Champagne	21 February 1993	Susan Belbin	30 minutes.	17 million.
The Meldrews have returned from another "holiday." Victor already has sunburnt feet, and at home he finds a lamppost light through their bedroom window. Margaret's annoyance at his incessant grumbling lures her into considering an affair with Ben, a holiday acquaintance. She meets him for drinks...and returns home to find another woman in her bed.
25	The Trial	28 February 1993	Susan Belbin	30 minutes.	18.39 million.
While on call for jury service, Victor spends a whole day home alone. He receives a letter from a disgruntled Jehovah's Witness, tackles a difficult crossword, struggles to save himself from an account of Mrs Warboys' holiday in Cork, and contemplates his various ailments. NOTE: Victor Meldrew is the only character to appear; only episode not to feature Margaret Meldrew.
26	Secret of the Seven Sorcerers	7 March 1993	Susan Belbin	30 minutes.	17.99 million.
The Meldrews invite Patrick and Pippa round for a friendly meal, but Patrick is distinctly worried about what horrors might befall them. Meanwhile, Victor has a new job as a lollipop man, and hoax calls from the fire brigade slow down his preparations for hosting the next meeting of his magicians' club.

Comic Relief Special (1993)

#	Title	Original Airdate	Duration
27	Victor in the Bath	12 March 1993	8 minutes.
Victor muses about life while in the bath. NOTE:this special contains original footage from the episode 'The Trial' but the production thought that this made the episode too long so they cut it out

Christmas Special (1993)

#	Title	Original Airdate	Director	Duration	Viewers
28	One Foot in the Algarve	26 December 1993	Susan Belbin	90 minutes.	20.01 million.
The Meldrews and Mrs. Warboys embark upon a hellish holiday to Portugal. After an entanglement with the police, they finally arrive at their unpleasant villa. Meanwhile, Mrs Warboys finds love, Victor thinks Mrs Warboys has fallen off a cliff, leading to many mishaps with a young couple and father in the neighbouring villa.

Series 5 (1994 & 1995)

#	Title	Original Airdate	Director	Duration	Viewers
29	The Man Who Blew Away	25 December 1994	Susan Belbin	40 minutes.	15.14 million.
The Meldrews get a surprise visit from Mr. Foskett (Brian Murphy), whom they know only because they stayed in the same guesthouse 17 years ago. Meanwhile, someone has been tampering with Victor's Christmas crackers, and the Meldrews are annoyed when their unreliable stolen car is returned. NOTE: This episode is considered to be the 1994 Christmas special.
30	Only a Story	1 January 1995	Susan Belbin	30 minutes.	16.34 million.
Mrs. Warboys stays with the Meldrews while her flat dries out after a flood. Victor tries reflexology and has a run-in with a chimney sweep.
31	The Affair of the Hollow Lady	8 January 1995	Susan Belbin	30 minutes.	11.17 million.
Mrs. Warboys has a wax model of herself made as the prize from a competition. Meanwhile, local greengrocer Millicent (Barbara Windsor) takes a fancy to Victor and attempts to lure him to her house when he misses a football match.
32	Rearranging the Dust	15 January 1995	Susan Belbin	30 minutes.	10.91 million.
In the Meldrews' solicitor's waiting room, they observe the other visitors' bizarre habits. Victor finally attacks a dog with a cake.
33	Hole in the Sky	22 January 1995	Susan Belbin	30 minutes.	10.87 million.
Victor and Patrick share an unpleasant experience in an Armenian restaurant, to which their wives had sent them so they could attempt to bury the hatchet. Victor experiments with seafood cookery and restores a Dutch marionette, which Margaret finds threatening. Meanwhile, the Meldrews have their loft converted.
34	The Exterminating Angel	29 January 1995	Susan Belbin	30 minutes.	10.39 million.
Mr. Swainey takes a fancy to his mother's nurse, Tania, and Margaret encourages him to ask her out. Victor takes a job as a chauffeur--only to rapidly destroy his employer's (John Bird) beloved fleet of expensive cars. NOTE: Final appearance of Mildred.

Christmas Specials (1995 to 1997)

#	Title	Original Airdate	Director	Duration	Viewers
35	The Wisdom of the Witch	25 December 1995	Susan Belbin	60 minutes.	17.77 million.
When Cousin Ursula dies, Victor and Margaret have to clear out her country house. Before they go, a witch predicts an untimely end for Victor. Meanwhile, Patrick and Pippa prepare to move far away from the Meldrews, but then Patrick gets stuck with Victor while trying to escape his secretary's jealous boyfriend. When the boyfriend finally catches up with them, Victor manages to rescue Patrick by charging at the man, knocking both of them out of the window.
#	Title	Original Airdate	Director	Duration	Viewers
36	Starbound	26 December 1996	Susan Belbin (and Gareth Gwenlan)	60 minutes.	17.47 million.
The Meldrews find a man (Ray Winstone) living in their shed; he turns out to be a drug-dealer. Victor takes a gardening job, working for Patrick's new boss, Fenella Fortune (Rula Lenska) and dealing with very effective herbicide. Mr. Swainey's mother claims that she is being abducted by aliens every night. Mr. Tambourine Man by The Byrds is used in the closing credits. NOTE: Last episode directed by Susan Belbin, who had to step down during filming due to ill health, and subsequently left the BBC. Gareth Gwenlan directed the remainder of the episode without credit, and Christine Gernon took over as the series' director the following year.
#	Title	Original Airdate	Director	Duration	Viewers
37	Endgame	27 December 1997	Christine Gernon	70 minutes.	15.76 million.
The Meldrews make an effort to get on with their pleasant new neighbours, Derek (Tim Brooke-Taylor) and Betty McVitie; the 2 couples go on holiday together. Victor buys a haunted caravan and then accidentally kidnaps the Indian mother of a millionaire. NOTE: Only appearances of Derek and Betty McVitie. Features the song "River Run's Deep" performed by J.J. Cale.

Series 6 (2000)

#	Title	Original Airdate	Director	Duration	Viewers
38	The Executioner's Song	16 October 2000	Christine Gernon	32 minutes 51 seconds	11.41 million.
Victor has a new job as a window-cleaner. Meanwhile, Patrick's plans for a quiet birthday are ruined after an unfortunate misunderstanding involving a modern art painting; and Pippa finds herself in an adulterous affair.
39	Tales of Terror	23 October 2000	Christine Gernon	30 minutes	10.94 million.
Victor is angry at the poor job builders have made of his new crazy paving. Meanwhile, Victor has a health scare--perhaps due to his portrayal of an amateur-dramatic vampire--and the Meldrews try to get their new car's obscene number plates changed. NOTE: Final appearances of Ronnie and Cousin Wilfred.
40	The Futility of the Fly	30 October 2000	Christine Gernon	30 minutes	10.58 million.
Victor hires an attractive cleaner to help around the house and inadvertently gets Mrs. Warboys tattooed. Meanwhile, a large plastic fly is delivered, and something's going on at the local takeaway. NOTE: Final appearance of Mrs Warboys.
41	Threatening Weather	6 November 2000	Christine Gernon	30 minutes	8.94 million.
After a powercut on the hottest day of the year, the Meldrews play host to an incontinent visitor (Roy Hudd).
42	The Dawn of Man	13 November 2000	Christine Gernon	30 minutes	9.45 million.
A visit from Patrick's gay twin brother leaves Pippa mentally and physically exhausted, especially when Patrick sits on a cork. Meanwhile, Victor takes up fishing. NOTE: Final appearances of Nick Swainey and Patrick and Pippa.
43	Things Aren't Simple Any More	20 November 2000	Christine Gernon	45 minutes.	12.84 million.
After a disappointing reunion dinner, Victor is killed by a Dangerous Driver. Facing up to life without him, Margaret receives another shock when she discovers that Victor's killer is her new best friend Glynis (Hannah Gordon). How she handles this is left ambiguous. NOTE: The song that's played over the ending of the episode is The End Of The Line by The Traveling Wilburys. In the US Release of the DVD the song is replaced by Stock Music. The reason for this is presumably the Music clearance rights were not granted for US viewers.

Comic Relief Special (2001)

#	Title	Original Airdate	Duration
44	Visiting Uncle Dick	16 March 2001	8 minutes.
Margaret is visiting a relative in hospital. Victor is his usual self, complaining about everything; and Margaret is her usual self, pretending not to hear him...or is she? NOTE: Final appearances of Victor and Margaret Meldrew.

References

General

• Richard Webber, "The Complete One Foot in the Grave", Orion Books, 2006

Specific

1. ^ "One Foot in the Grave". British Film Institute. http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/series/18644. Retrieved 2008-04-14. 
2. ^ "One Foot in the Grave". BBC Guide to Comedy. Archived from the original on 2005-04-17. http://web.archive.org/web/20050417222957/www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/o/onefootinthegrav_7774990.shtml. Retrieved 2008-04-14. 
3. ^ One Foot in the Grave episode commentary, BBC DVD

External links

• List of One Foot in the Grave episodes at TV.com
• List of One Foot in the Grave episodes at the British Comedy Guide
• List of One Foot in the Grave episodes at the Internet Movie Database