The WORST episodes of One Foot in the Grave

Every episode of One Foot in the Grave ever, ranked from worst to best by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The worst episodes of One Foot in the Grave!

Victor Meldrew, a man who, put simply, is annoyed by every one of life's 'challenges'!, has never been renowned for his patience and tolerance. When he's forced to take early retirement, he suddenly has plenty of time on his hands to rage against the petty annoyances of life and the people in it. His long-suffering wife Margaret just has to grin and bear it as her husband constantly moans and battles his way through his retirement years. Other regular characters are his neighbours, Patrick Trench and his wife Pippa, 'Family' friend Mrs Warboys and Nick Swainey, another neighbour.

Last Updated: 8/17/2024Network: BBC OneStatus: Ended
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Timeless Time
star
7.29
101 votes

#1 - Timeless Time

Season 2 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/15/1990

A variety of bizarre factors, including a dead hedgehog, keep Victor awake. And if Victor's awake, Margaret isn't going to get much sleep either.

Directors: Susan Belbin
Watch Now:Amazon
The Return of the Speckled Band
star
7.74
119 votes

#2 - The Return of the Speckled Band

Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 2/8/1990

Following a food poisoning incident, problems with the electricity man, the Meldrews embark on a well deserved holiday, however this is only the start of their problems?

Directors: Susan Belbin
Watch Now:Amazon
Who Will Buy?
star
7.74
139 votes

#3 - Who Will Buy?

Season 2 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/25/1990

While Pippa believes that Victor may have murdered an elderly blind man, Victor uses a benefit concert to re-introduce his ventriloquist act.

Directors: Susan Belbin
Watch Now:Amazon
Alive and Buried
star
7.80
202 votes

#4 - Alive and Buried

Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 1/4/1990

Victor Meldrew, 60 years old, is at last retiring from the rigors of his security guard job at Watson-Mycroft. Replaced by a talking machine, Victor soon discovers that retirement will give him just as many reasons to be grumpy.

Directors: Susan Belbin
Watch Now:Amazon
Beware the Trickster on the Roof
star
7.96
99 votes

#5 - Beware the Trickster on the Roof

Season 3 - Episode 5 - Aired 3/1/1992

Mr Swainey has brought Victor a present back from his holiday - an unlucky charm. Victor thinks that Mrs Stebbings's tv aerial is laughing at him and his resulting misfortune. Meanwhile, Patrick and Pippa are having problems trying to sell their house.

Directors: Susan Belbin
Watch Now:Amazon
The Big Sleep
star
7.99
189 votes

#6 - The Big Sleep

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 1/11/1990

As retirement throws more problems for Victor Meldrew's retirement, including a next-door neighbour's noisy party, a disturbing and puzzling rash and an atheist funeral, has Victor bitten the bullett?

Directors: Susan Belbin
Watch Now:Amazon
Hole in the Sky
star
8.06
93 votes

#7 - Hole in the Sky

Season 5 - Episode 5 - Aired 1/22/1995

Patrick is looking forward to his trip to stay with Pippa's brother after an embarrassing visit to an Armenian restaurant in order to attempt to make up with Victor. Meanwhile, the Meldrews are employing a pair of very strange workmen and Margaret is getting jealous of a marionette.

Watch Now:Amazon
Things Aren't Simple Anymore
star
8.16
80 votes

#8 - Things Aren't Simple Anymore

Season 6 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/20/2000

In the very last episode of 'One Foot in the Grave', Victor's decision to attend a school reunion unwittingly delivers him into the hands of fate. Margaret deals with the aftermath with the help of her new friend, Glynis.

Watch Now:Amazon
Threatening Weather
star
8.17
117 votes

#9 - Threatening Weather

Season 6 - Episode 4 - Aired 11/6/2000

During a power cut, Victor realises that he had been right through the middle of an area affected by a siege as it happened. Making the power cut worse, it occurs on a hot Summer night. Victor had the misfortune to have a light fitting drop right on to his privates, a cigarette stubbed out on his cap and a mysterious pain that leads him to think that he had been shot as he passed the siege that morning. Things were made worse by the arrival of the incontinent, fat and irritating elderly neighbour, Mr. Smedley.

Watch Now:Amazon
In Luton Airport No-One Can Hear You Scream
star
8.18
133 votes

#10 - In Luton Airport No-One Can Hear You Scream

Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 10/4/1990

When Victor and Margaret return from their holiday, they discover that their luggage has been sent to the other side of the world, and that their house has been burned down.

Directors: Susan Belbin
Watch Now:Amazon
The Man Who Blew Away
star
8.26
35 votes

#11 - The Man Who Blew Away

Season 5 - Episode 1 - Aired 12/25/1994

The Meldrews play host to a suicidal stranger from the past who they met on holiday 17 years ago. Someone has been tampering with Victor's Christmas Crackers and the Meldrews are decidedly unhappy when their stolen car is finally returned.

Directors: Susan Belbin
Watch Now:Amazon
The Trial
star
8.29
122 votes

#12 - The Trial

Season 4 - Episode 5 - Aired 2/28/1993

Victor has been selected for jury service. He hasn't been required in court yet, but he is on call so he is stuck in the house all day and must somehow beat his boredom.

Watch Now:Amazon
The Broken Reflection
star
8.33
132 votes

#13 - The Broken Reflection

Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 2/16/1992

Alfred, Victor's accident prone brother, is making his first visit from New Zealand for 25 years. Victor is not looking forward to his stay, preferring to act as a neighbourhood vigilante.

Directors: Susan Belbin
Watch Now:Amazon
The Affair of the Hollow Lady
star
8.34
95 votes

#14 - The Affair of the Hollow Lady

Season 5 - Episode 3 - Aired 1/8/1995

Victor thinks that the woman in the greengrocers fancies him. Meanwhile, Mrs Warboys has won a wax model of herself and the Meldrews are having problems with their door locks.

Watch Now:Amazon
Monday Morning Will Be Fine
star
8.35
134 votes

#15 - Monday Morning Will Be Fine

Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 2/2/1992

After a burglary Victor decides not to replace his television set in order to give him and Margaret more opportunity to get out of the house. However, a trip to the pub results in a disconcerting experience with an old friend.

Directors: Susan Belbin
Watch Now:Amazon
The Eternal Quadrangle
star
8.40
146 votes

#16 - The Eternal Quadrangle

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 2/1/1990

Although Margaret is glad that Victor finally has a hobby to occupy his time, she is less pleased to discover that it involves painting nudes.

Directors: Susan Belbin
Watch Now:Amazon
Dreamland
star
8.42
131 votes

#17 - Dreamland

Season 3 - Episode 2 - Aired 2/9/1992

Margaret is having a recurring dream about murdering someone who looks like Victor. However, it's Margaret who is starting to irritate Victor. That is, until she disappears.

Directors: Susan Belbin
Watch Now:Amazon
The Beast in the Cage
star
8.42
121 votes

#18 - The Beast in the Cage

Season 3 - Episode 4 - Aired 2/23/1992

The Meldrews and Mrs Warboys get stuck in Bank Holiday traffic.

Directors: Susan Belbin
Watch Now:Amazon
Love and Death
star
8.50
130 votes

#19 - Love and Death

Season 2 - Episode 5 - Aired 11/8/1990

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

Watch Now:Amazon
Descent into the Maelstrom
star
8.52
121 votes

#20 - Descent into the Maelstrom

Season 4 - Episode 2 - Aired 2/7/1993

Margaret falls ills to nervous exhaustion that has been building up over the last 34 years. She has little chance for peace and quiet in which to recuperate, especially with Victor's problems with gorilla suits and the waste disposal system. She is however cheered by a visit from an old friend.

Watch Now:Amazon
Secret of the Seven Sorcerers
star
8.52
117 votes

#21 - Secret of the Seven Sorcerers

Season 4 - Episode 6 - Aired 3/7/1993

Victor is preparing for a meeting of his magician's club. He now has a job as a lollipop man, but is being bothered by hoax calls from the fire brigade. Patrick and Pippa are due to visit the Meldrews' for a reconciliation meal, but Patrick isn't looking forward to the experience.

Watch Now:Amazon
Rearranging the Dust
star
8.52
86 votes

#22 - Rearranging the Dust

Season 5 - Episode 4 - Aired 1/15/1995

When Victor and Margaret visit their solicitors in order to make a will they discover precisely why a waiting room is so-called.

Watch Now:Amazon
The Worst Horror of All
star
8.56
124 votes

#23 - The Worst Horror of All

Season 3 - Episode 6 - Aired 3/8/1992

Even a shed falling on him cannot upset Victor when he finally gets a new job. However, before starting work he must first contend with some unwanted visitors and a trip to the BBC organised by Mrs Warboys.

Directors: Susan Belbin
Watch Now:Amazon
The Exterminating Angel
star
8.63
119 votes

#24 - The Exterminating Angel

Season 5 - Episode 6 - Aired 1/29/1995

Romance is in the air for Mr. Swainey when he finally invites Tania the nurse out for a date. Victor takes a new job as a chauffeur but rapidly wipes out his employer's beloved fleet.

Watch Now:Amazon
The Valley of Fear
star
8.64
184 votes

#25 - The Valley of Fear

Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 1/18/1990

After being mugged whilst photographing badgers, and having his house sprayed with the phrase 'The Man Who Lives Here Is A Turd', Victor decides to hold a crime prevention meeting.

Directors: Susan Belbin
Watch Now:Amazon