The BEST episodes of As Time Goes By

Every episode of As Time Goes By ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of As Time Goes By!

Army officer Lionel Hardcastle and nurse Jean Pargeter had a three-month affair in 1953. After Lionel is posted to Korea, the two lose touch when Lionel's letter to Jean fails to get delivered. Thirty-eight years later, they meet again. A sweetly charming situation comedy that ran for nine seasons. Best enjoyed with your feet up and with a cup of tea and some custard tarts at your side.

Last Updated: 1/4/2024Network: BBC OneStatus: Ended
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A Very Personal Problem
star
8.95
59 votes

#1 - A Very Personal Problem

Season 8 - Episode 1 - Aired 7/30/2000

Judy and Alistair are no longer seeing each other neither are Sandy and Harry. So Jean decides to cheer them up. Alistair comes around to see Lionel but, Jean thinks he's there to see Judy. Jean worries that Judy will think that she was meddling so she tells Judy that Alistair was there discussing a personal problem that Lionel has. Thinking that it involves Jean, Judy plans a romantic weekend away for Lionel and Jean.

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Pardon?
star
8.88
115 votes

#2 - Pardon?

Season 7 - Episode 1 - Aired 4/19/1998

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.

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What Now?
star
8.86
113 votes

#3 - What Now?

Season 9 - Episode 4 - Aired 8/4/2002

Alistair and Judith are now married, but will Harry pluck up the courage and ask Sandy to join him in Canada? Meanwhile, in the Hardcastle household, Jean has taken pity on a homeless girl named Dave - but Lionel is not entirely sure about her new friend.

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Improvements?
star
8.78
89 votes

#4 - Improvements?

Season 4 - Episode 10 - Aired 5/7/1995

Lionel gets some suggestions for improvements to his script for the miniseries. Jean and Lionel argue over her retirement that has yet to happen. Later they go out to the country house to see some of the filming for the miniseries.

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The Affair
star
8.64
153 votes

#5 - The Affair

Season 4 - Episode 4 - Aired 3/26/1995

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.

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Welcome News
star
8.63
122 votes

#6 - Welcome News

Season 4 - Episode 5 - Aired 4/2/1995

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.

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A Surprise for Jean
star
8.59
110 votes

#7 - A Surprise for Jean

Season 6 - Episode 7 - Aired 6/29/1997

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.

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Wedding Day Nerves
star
8.59
121 votes

#8 - Wedding Day Nerves

Season 4 - Episode 8 - Aired 4/23/1995

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.

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Showered with Gifts
star
8.57
116 votes

#9 - Showered with Gifts

Season 5 - Episode 7 - Aired 2/25/1996

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

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You Can't Manufacture Happy Endings for Everybody
star
8.55
119 votes

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

Season 9 - Episode 1 - Aired 7/7/2002

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.

Directors: Sydney Lotterby
Writer: Bob Larbey
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Too Old ... or Too Nosy
star
8.54
113 votes

#11 - Too Old ... or Too Nosy

Season 7 - Episode 5 - Aired 5/17/1998

Jean's sister-in-law, Penny, and her husband Steven are expected for another visit. As they are considered a rather dull couple by the Hardcastles, it is most surprising that they arrive via separate modes of transportation to announce that they are having a tiff.

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At Death's Door
star
8.53
110 votes

#12 - At Death's Door

Season 5 - Episode 6 - Aired 2/18/1996

When Jean's sister-in-law Penny has to go into the hospital she thinks things are worse than they are and makes a big fuss.

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An Old Flame
star
8.53
114 votes

#13 - An Old Flame

Season 7 - Episode 2 - Aired 4/26/1998

Jean and Lionel take a parental interest in Harry, Sandy's policeman boyfriend. Yet, the affairs of the younger generation seem to diminish in importance when Jean receives a phone message from an old flame.

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Christmas Special Part Two
star
8.49
61 votes

#14 - Christmas Special Part Two

Season 10 - Episode 2 - Aired 12/30/2005

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?

Directors: Sydney Lotterby
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The Country Set
star
8.37
91 votes

#15 - The Country Set

Season 5 - Episode 1 - Aired 1/7/1996

Jean and Lionel spend a weekend in the country at Rocky's house. Upon arriving, they are visited by ""the country set.""

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Avoiding the Country Set
star
8.35
117 votes

#16 - Avoiding the Country Set

Season 5 - Episode 4 - Aired 2/4/1996

Jean and Lionel visit the country house again but, this time try to avoid the townspeople that caused them so much trouble the last time they visited.

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Future Imperfect
star
8.34
108 votes

#17 - Future Imperfect

Season 8 - Episode 5 - Aired 8/27/2000

Lionel is still worried about his money future and Alistair suggests he sell the country house. Lionel and Jean decide that they should sell the house but, who is going to tell Mrs. Bale and Lol they are out of jobs. Lionel and Jean go to the country to inform everyone of their decision to sell. Later Rocky calls and offers to buy the house from Lionel so everything can remain the same.

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Animal Magnetism
star
8.34
113 votes

#18 - Animal Magnetism

Season 8 - Episode 2 - Aired 8/6/2000

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.

Directors: Sydney Lotterby
Writer: Bob Larbey
Watch Now:Amazon
Rocky's Wedding Day
star
8.32
119 votes

#19 - Rocky's Wedding Day

Season 3 - Episode 2 - Aired 1/9/1994

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

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Visiting Rocky
star
8.31
162 votes

#20 - Visiting Rocky

Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired 1/24/1993

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

Writer: Bob Larbey
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The Bathroom
star
8.29
110 votes

#21 - The Bathroom

Season 8 - Episode 3 - Aired 8/13/2000

After Lionel walks in on Sandy in the bathroom Jean decides to add a second bathroom. But, things don't go as planned.

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Lionel's New Hobby
star
8.28
121 votes

#22 - Lionel's New Hobby

Season 5 - Episode 3 - Aired 1/21/1996

Lionel starts building model boats as a way to pass the time. Jean worries about Lionel. Alistair trys to get Lionel to work on another book.

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You Must Remember This
star
8.27
213 votes

#23 - You Must Remember This

Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 1/12/1992

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.

Directors: Sydney Lotterby
Writer: Bob Larbey
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The Psychotherapist
star
8.26
114 votes

#24 - The Psychotherapist

Season 6 - Episode 2 - Aired 5/25/1997

Just as Lionel is getting used to his new leisurely lifestyle, Jean steps up her pace at work and home. Jean decides to see a psychotherapist to help her with wanting to stop working but, not wanting to ""retire"".

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The Anniversary Party
star
8.25
144 votes

#25 - The Anniversary Party

Season 4 - Episode 6 - Aired 4/9/1995

Stephen plans a surprise anniversary party for Penny but, mixes up the dates. While Jean and Lionel argue about being ""engaged"".

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