The BEST episodes directed by Sydney Lotterby

You Can't Manufacture Happy Endings for Everybody
star
8.54
120 votes

#1 - You Can't Manufacture Happy Endings for Everybody

As Time Goes By - Season 9 - Episode 1

Alistair has finally proposed to Judith, needless to say there are complications as Judith plans for a country wedding and realisation strikes confirmed bachelor Alistair.

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Love and Death
star
8.53
124 votes

#2 - Love and Death

One Foot in the Grave - Season 2 - Episode 5

When the Meldrews visit some friends on the South Coast, Victor is given a surprise.

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Christmas Special Part Two
star
8.49
61 votes

#3 - Christmas Special Part Two

As Time Goes By - Season 10 - Episode 2

Patrick is looking for his father, Jean wants grandchildren, Stephen wants to be a celebrity and Lionel wants peace and quiet. How do they all end up in hospital?

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The Writing on the Wall
star
8.38
215 votes

#4 - The Writing on the Wall

Yes Minister - Season 1 - Episode 5

A rumour starts that Jim's department is about to be axed. So with help from Sir Humphrey, they try and defeat the Prime Minister's plans.

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The Grand Design
star
8.36
246 votes

#5 - The Grand Design

Yes, Prime Minister - Season 1 - Episode 1

Jim Hacker considers cancelling the Trident programme after discovering some interesting facts about the UK's defence system.

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Beware Of The Dog
star
8.36
38 votes

#6 - Beware Of The Dog

Open All Hours - Season 1 - Episode 4

After a bungled burglary on his premises, Arkwright decided the time is right for a guard dog for the shop. However, instead of a real dog, he tries to fool everyone with just the sound of a dog! Meanwhile, Granville thinks he could be the father of Maureen's baby, Eric!

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Animal Magnetism
star
8.33
114 votes

#7 - Animal Magnetism

As Time Goes By - Season 8 - Episode 2

Lionel trys to convince Jean that a dog has been following him. Judy and Sandy come home with the very dog that was following him. The women want to keep the dog but, Lionel wants to take him to the shelter so they can find his owner. The owner contacts the police and Harry brings him around to get the dog. Since Judy won't go with him to a party, Alistair invites Sandy and she excepts. Meanwhile Harry asks Judy to go to the movies with him and she excepts.

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You Must Remember This
star
8.27
213 votes

#8 - You Must Remember This

As Time Goes By - Season 1 - Episode 1

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.

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St. Albert's Day
star
8.22
27 votes

#9 - St. Albert's Day

Open All Hours - Season 2 - Episode 7

Arkwright invents a Saint's day so that Granville can check the pockets of a foreign visitor who he suspects of shoplifting.

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Big Brother
star
8.21
315 votes

#10 - Big Brother

Yes Minister - Season 1 - Episode 4

When the Government is planning to introduce a national database, Jim wants to bring in safe guards, but Sir Humphrey stalls until with some help from the opposition, Jim gets his way.

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Laundry Blues
star
8.16
68 votes

#11 - Laundry Blues

Open All Hours - Season 2 - Episode 1

Nurse Gladys Emmanuel, having seen Granville struggling with the washing, tells Arkwright that he must buy a new washing machine. Arkwright has to come up with a plan so that she thinks he has done as she requests. He gets Neville to drop off a new machine, sneak round the back of the shop and take it away again, leaving behind a second-hand machine instead!

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The Mystical Boudoir of Nurse Gladys Emmanuel
star
8.11
54 votes

#12 - The Mystical Boudoir of Nurse Gladys Emmanuel

Open All Hours - Season 4 - Episode 6

Arkwright tries all manner of things in order to get himself into Nurse Gladys Emmanuel's bedroom, including the use of a ladder and a box of chocolates. Meanwhile Granville takes to wearing tights on his head.

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A Mattress On Wheels
star
8.09
74 votes

#13 - A Mattress On Wheels

Open All Hours - Season 1 - Episode 2

Granville is fed up with having to do his rounds on his bike and tries to talk Arkwright into buying a van. Granville hopes that a mattress in the back of it will help his love life - and maybe Arkwright's, too!

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The New Suit
star
8.09
33 votes

#14 - The New Suit

Open All Hours - Season 2 - Episode 4

Arkwright has to buy a new suit - on Nurse Gladys Emmanuel's say so.

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Why?
star
8.08
154 votes

#15 - Why?

As Time Goes By - Season 2 - Episode 4

Lionel wonders why Alistair, a rich, successful publisher would be interested in publishing Lionel's less-than-blockbuster book.

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Pardon Me
star
8.07
57 votes

#16 - Pardon Me

Porridge - Season 3 - Episode 4

Old Blanco is doing time for the murder of his wife. He still swears he wasn't guilty. Now he's up before the Parole Board and it looks as if he's sure to be released. Blanco surprises everyone by turning down parole when it's offered to him. He explains that, if he accepts parole, he'll also be admitting that he was guilty of a crime for which he was wrongly convicted. He insists that he'll only leave prison if he's offered a full pardon. Fletcher comes up with a plan to help him.

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Jubilee
star
8.07
15 votes

#17 - Jubilee

Last of the Summer Wine - Season 4 - Episode 3

Keen to celebrate the Silver Jubilee, Foggy decides the trio should have their own float.

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White Hunter
star
8.05
155 votes

#18 - White Hunter

As Time Goes By - Season 2 - Episode 1

Lionel is nervous regarding an upcoming photo shoot for the cover of his book. Despite advice from Jean and Judith that whatever helps sell the book is worth it, Lionel is completely taken aback by what Alistair has in mind.

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Horse-Trading
star
8.01
79 votes

#19 - Horse-Trading

Open All Hours - Season 4 - Episode 2

Arkwright smugly offloads a lot of clothes-horses to an rival Asian shopkeeper. However, when his rival starts making large profits using the clothes-horses as bait for customers, he makes Granville dress up as an Asian woman so that he can buy the clothes-horses back.

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The Copper Kettle
star
8.00
172 votes

#20 - The Copper Kettle

As Time Goes By - Season 1 - Episode 3

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.

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The Right to Know
star
7.98
233 votes

#21 - The Right to Know

Yes Minister - Season 1 - Episode 6

Jim faces rebellion at home and in the office over the removal of protected status from a badger habitat, while he tries to circumvent Sir Humphrey's efforts to keep him ignorant of things.

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Jobs for the Boys
star
7.96
183 votes

#22 - Jobs for the Boys

Yes Minister - Season 1 - Episode 7

Jim goes on radio to support the Solihull project a Government, union and private enterprise building scheme, that he has inherited from the last administration, but unknown to him the project is close to bankruptcy, Sir Humphrey hopes to save the deal by offering a Quango to the director of the bank involved

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Moving House
star
7.95
55 votes

#23 - Moving House

Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em - Season 3 - Episode 1

The Spencers are moving, as the council sees no other hope for the house Frank has been wrecking with his repairs for years, as dramatically proven when they leave.

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A Weekend Away
star
7.93
156 votes

#24 - A Weekend Away

As Time Goes By - Season 2 - Episode 2

Jean is put on the spot when Judith goes away for the weekend, and the house is left empty. She is somewhat flustered with all the suggestive comments regarding her and Lionel, and makes a fool of herself.

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Here We Go Again into the Wild Blue Yonder
star
7.92
13 votes

#25 - Here We Go Again into the Wild Blue Yonder

Last of the Summer Wine - Season 5 - Episode 7

Compo gets his hang-glider-courtesy of Wally Batty.

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Poetic Justice
star
7.92
36 votes

#26 - Poetic Justice

Porridge - Season 3 - Episode 2

Fletcher's new cellmate turns out to be the judge who sentenced him to five years in Slade Prison.

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A Test of Character
star
7.91
57 votes

#27 - A Test of Character

Porridge - Season 3 - Episode 5

Godber is working hard for an extra O-level. Fletcher tries to persuade him that cheating would be a good way of ensuring success in the examination. Godber isn't convinced.

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Arkwright's Mobile Store
star
7.91
32 votes

#28 - Arkwright's Mobile Store

Open All Hours - Season 2 - Episode 5

In a bid to prove to Nurse Gladys Emmanuel that he means to expand his business, he buys a van so that Arkwright's Stores can have a mobile store.

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The Cruise
star
7.91
180 votes

#29 - The Cruise

As Time Goes By - Season 2 - Episode 6

Jean becomes angry when Lionel invites her along on a cruise as a 'freebie'.

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A Storm in a Teacup
star
7.90
158 votes

#30 - A Storm in a Teacup

Porridge - Season 3 - Episode 1

When a bottle of pills goes missing from the Doctor's surgery, Harry Grout is worried that investigation of the theft by the prison authorities will jeopardise some of his activities. Grout insists that Fletcher must find the pills and return them before the warders can take action.

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The Picnic
star
7.89
191 votes

#31 - The Picnic

As Time Goes By - Season 1 - Episode 6

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...

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Surprise, Surprise
star
7.88
191 votes

#32 - Surprise, Surprise

As Time Goes By - Season 1 - Episode 4

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.

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Relationships
star
7.86
192 votes

#33 - Relationships

As Time Goes By - Season 1 - Episode 5

The trip to Nowrich has changed Jean and Lionel's relationship. While Alistair still continues his romantic overtures to Jean, Lionel attempts to smooth things over with Jean. Alistair also gets Lionel to attempt another revision of his book, and Lionel becomes frustrated with the entire project.

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Men Without Women
star
7.85
132 votes

#34 - Men Without Women

Porridge - Season 1 - Episode 6

Fletch fancies himself as a bit of an agony aunt and is called upon by his fellow inmates to help out with affairs of the heart.

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Disturbing the Peace
star
7.85
114 votes

#35 - Disturbing the Peace

Porridge - Season 2 - Episode 3

When Mr Mackay leaves Slade Prison, Fletcher thinks that "happy days are here again". Until, that is, he meets Mr Mackay's replacement.

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The Flag and Further Snags
star
7.85
13 votes

#36 - The Flag and Further Snags

Last of the Summer Wine - Season 5 - Episode 3

Foggy collects his flag and achieves his vision. his dream is achieved.

A Nice Cosy Little Disease
star
7.84
38 votes

#37 - A Nice Cosy Little Disease

Open All Hours - Season 1 - Episode 3

Arkwright tries to find the perfect disease to pretend to go down with in order to get the attention of Nurse Gladys Emmanuel who he feels has been neglecting him.

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Cheering Up Ludovic
star
7.83
12 votes

#38 - Cheering Up Ludovic

Last of the Summer Wine - Season 7 - Episode 4

Ludovic has bought a new van and to cheer him up Clegg is given the job of test driving it.

Earnshaw Strikes Back
star
7.82
11 votes

#39 - Earnshaw Strikes Back

Last of the Summer Wine - Season 5 - Episode 5

Anyone criticising Yorkshire is rousing old Yorkshire ghosts-Clegg for one is very superstitious, so he doesn't want to wake up old ghosts like the local myth Earnshaw

Getting to Know You --- Again
star
7.81
135 votes

#40 - Getting to Know You --- Again

As Time Goes By - Season 1 - Episode 2

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.

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Apples and Self Service
star
7.80
70 votes

#41 - Apples and Self Service

Open All Hours - Season 1 - Episode 6

Arkwright starts a sales drive to try and get rid of a large stock of apples that he had over-ordered.

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Cheering Up Gordon
star
7.80
10 votes

#42 - Cheering Up Gordon

Last of the Summer Wine - Season 3 - Episode 4

When the trio notices Compo's nephew Gordon is depressed they come up with various ways of cheering him up.

The Harder They Fall
star
7.80
99 votes

#43 - The Harder They Fall

Porridge - Season 2 - Episode 6

Godber takes up boxing and wins a place in the prison championship, so Fletcher sees a chance for a bit of a flutter. Then Harry Grout takes an interest and insists that the fight is 'fixed'. When one of Grout's rivals takes a similar interest in Godber's opponent, it looks as if nobody can win. Fletcher, however, has other ideas.

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Full Of Mysterious Promise
star
7.76
89 votes

#44 - Full Of Mysterious Promise

Open All Hours - Season 1 - Episode 1

Arkwright buys a load of damaged goods. The snag with them is that they are tinned goods without labels! He then tries to foist them off onto his customers.

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Happy Release
star
7.74
92 votes

#45 - Happy Release

Porridge - Season 2 - Episode 5

Fletcher is having a spell in the prison hospital with a broken ankle. He's sharing a ward with old Blanco, who tells him that another inmate has swindled him out of his belongings in a crooked card game. Fletcher hatches a plan to recover Blanco's belongings and to take revenge on the culprit.

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Here We Go into the Wild Blue Yonder
star
7.69
13 votes

#46 - Here We Go into the Wild Blue Yonder

Last of the Summer Wine - Season 5 - Episode 6

Compo contemplates the sport of hang-gliding. Nora gets Wally to take her out for a meal.

No Peace for the Wicked
star
7.69
108 votes

#47 - No Peace for the Wicked

Porridge - Season 2 - Episode 4

It's Saturday afternoon and Fletcher looks forward to a quiet read. Everyone else seems to have other ideas about how Fletcher should be spending his time.

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Soulmate Wanted
star
7.67
85 votes

#48 - Soulmate Wanted

Open All Hours - Season 4 - Episode 1

Granville advertises for female company and ends up with more than he can handle.

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Who Made a Bit of a Splash in Wales Then?
star
7.63
16 votes

#49 - Who Made a Bit of a Splash in Wales Then?

Last of the Summer Wine - Season 4 - Episode 5

Foggy visits a lady friend in Wales, but trouble is soon at the door when Compo and Clegg go after him

The Hustler
star
7.62
152 votes

#50 - The Hustler

Porridge - Season 1 - Episode 2

Ives is such a loser that if Elizabeth Taylor had triplets, he'd have been the one in the middle. But there's no way he's going to be left out of Fletch's gambling enterprise.

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