The WORST episodes of Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads

Every episode of Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads ever, ranked from worst to best by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The worst episodes of Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads!

Following on from The Likely Lads (BBC, 1964-1966), after five years in the army, Terry returns to Newcastle to find that Bob is now a middle manager, engaged to librarian Thelma and living on a new suburban estate. Bob is torn between his new life and his old working-class pleasures, as represented by Terry.

Last Updated: 11/15/2024Network: BBC OneStatus: Ended
Share:
One for the Road
star
6.23
35 votes

#1 - One for the Road

Season 2 - Episode 4 - Aired 1/22/1974

According to Bob and Shakespeare, 'wine is a gentle stimulant and good companion' and so is Terry on the night Bob gets breathalyzed.

Watch Now:Amazon
Absent Friends
star
6.29
35 votes

#2 - Absent Friends

Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 1/1/1974

Bob and Thelma are on a Norwegian honeymoon, far away from the influence of Terry - or so they think. Terry is striving to get to know Thelma's sister Susan a lot better.

Watch Now:Amazon
Heart to Heart
star
6.31
36 votes

#3 - Heart to Heart

Season 2 - Episode 2 - Aired 1/8/1974

Bob comes back from his honeymoon to find that Terry is off his beer and is going out with Thelma's sister Susan. Is Terry in love?

Watch Now:Amazon
The Ant and the Grasshopper
star
6.33
36 votes

#4 - The Ant and the Grasshopper

Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired 1/15/1974

Bob's married life promises work, worry and wallpapering. Terry wastes the days away in the pub and the bookies, as happy as ever. Bob wonders who has the right answer.

Watch Now:Amazon
Between Ourselves
star
7.00
7 votes

#5 - Between Ourselves

Season 2 - Episode 10 - Aired 3/19/1974

Thelma has left Bob and is still with her mother, leaving Terry to soothe Bob's furrowed brow. Bob is anxious in case people talk.

Watch Now:Amazon
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?
star
7.09
35 votes

#6 - Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?

Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 2/27/1973

Bob thinks Terry needs new friends, but inviting him to Alan and Brenda's trendy dinner party might not be such a great idea.

Watch Now:Amazon
Cold Feet
star
7.13
38 votes

#7 - Cold Feet

Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 1/23/1973

Bob is deeply involved in preparations for his forthcoming wedding to Thelma, completing a period of courtship that started in form 4B at Park Junior School. But Terry's return has caused Bob to have doubts, especially when Terry teases him that his fate was sealed long before their 11-Plus.

Watch Now:Amazon
The Go-Between
star
7.14
7 votes

#8 - The Go-Between

Season 2 - Episode 11 - Aired 3/26/1974

Bob becomes more and more depressed by Thelma's absence and Terry's housekeeping. Finally, Terry can take no more and leaves him as well.

Watch Now:Amazon
Count Down
star
7.33
6 votes

#9 - Count Down

Season 1 - Episode 11 - Aired 3/20/1973

Mrs Chambers has grandiose plans for Thelma's wedding to Bob that leaves the men feeling overwhelmed, so they decide to rebel.

Watch Now:Amazon
Birthday Boy
star
7.43
7 votes

#10 - Birthday Boy

Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 2/13/1973

Terry feels depressed when everyone, even his mother, forgets his birthday. To make up for it, Bob throws a surprise party, but preparations for the bash don't go according to plan.

Watch Now:Amazon
Moving On
star
7.43
7 votes

#11 - Moving On

Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 1/30/1973

Appalled by the changes in Newcastle, Terry considers leaving to get a job in Berwick. Meanwhile, his friend's wanderlust sets Bob thinking.

Watch Now:Amazon
Boys Night In
star
7.57
7 votes

#12 - Boys Night In

Season 1 - Episode 12 - Aired 3/27/1973

Terry is horrified when Bob refuses to go on a stag night and insists on a quiet night in instead. But pre-wedding nerves mean Bob's plan to celebrate his nuptials sober goes awry.

Watch Now:Amazon
Strangers on a Train
star
7.67
46 votes

#13 - Strangers on a Train

Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 1/9/1973

Five years have passed. Bob has travelled to London to buy a wedding present and Terry has returned from Cyprus after a spell in the army. By chance, they meet on the last train home and the events of the past few years flood out.

Watch Now:Amazon
The Shape of Things to Come
star
7.71
7 votes

#14 - The Shape of Things to Come

Season 2 - Episode 13 - Aired 4/9/1974

The death of disreputable old Uncle Jacob is received by the Collier family with a mixture of regret and relief. The funeral gives Bob an insight into his future.

Watch Now:Amazon
I'll Never Forget Whatshername
star
7.78
9 votes

#15 - I'll Never Forget Whatshername

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 2/6/1973

Terry tries to track down some of his old flames, but probing into the past produces embarrassing results.

Watch Now:Amazon
Home Is the Hero
star
7.78
41 votes

#16 - Home Is the Hero

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 1/16/1973

Thelma isn't happy that Terry and Bob have rekindled their friendship and she's worried that Terry will cause Bob to have second thoughts about their wedding. Terry starts to feel homesick for the army as his family don't exactly welcome him back with open arms.

Watch Now:Amazon
The Expert
star
7.81
36 votes

#17 - The Expert

Season 2 - Episode 9 - Aired 3/12/1974

Thelma has gone back to her mother, leaving Bob to bemoan his fate.

Watch Now:Amazon
Affairs and Relations
star
7.81
36 votes

#18 - Affairs and Relations

Season 2 - Episode 8 - Aired 3/5/1974

Bob takes time off from marriage to join Terry on a quiet weekend's fishing. He's racked by guilt, but he's not the guilty party.

Watch Now:Amazon
The Old Magic
star
7.81
36 votes

#19 - The Old Magic

Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 3/13/1973

Terry is disappointed that Bob has asked someone else to be his best man at the wedding, but eventually agrees to go out for a meal with his friend before he gets hitched. After a few drinks at the restaurant, they start to chat up a couple of pretty girls who are also eating there.

Watch Now:Amazon
In Harm's Way
star
7.83
6 votes

#20 - In Harm's Way

Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 2/26/1974

Bob is in so much pain from the injury caused by Terry's shoddy DIY that he goes to the hospital. Terry is working there as a porter, a fact he tries to hide from his friend, even going so far as to don a disguise. But his attempts to help Bob only cause him more harm.

Watch Now:Amazon
Storm in a Tea Chest
star
7.95
37 votes

#21 - Storm in a Tea Chest

Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 3/6/1973

Terry helps Bob move his most treasured possessions from his old house to the new one, but Thelma refuses to have his junk in their home.

Watch Now:Amazon
Some Day We'll Laugh About This
star
8.00
6 votes

#22 - Some Day We'll Laugh About This

Season 2 - Episode 6 - Aired 2/19/1974

Terry suggests he look after the house when Bob and Thelma go away to Scotland for the weekend. Bob is reluctant at first, but agrees to hand over the keys when Terry promises to do some much-needed DIY. But Terry has an ulterior motive for making such a generous offer.

Watch Now:Amazon
The Great Race
star
8.03
36 votes

#23 - The Great Race

Season 2 - Episode 5 - Aired 2/5/1974

Bob and Terry argue about fitness over a pint and challenge each other to a cross-country cycle race to see who's the fittest.

Watch Now:Amazon
Conduct Unbecoming
star
8.25
8 votes

#24 - Conduct Unbecoming

Season 2 - Episode 12 - Aired 4/2/1974

When faced with a fight, Terry has a golden rule: 'Do unto others as they would do unto you - but do it first'.

Watch Now:Amazon
End of an Era
star
8.29
7 votes

#25 - End of an Era

Season 1 - Episode 13 - Aired 4/3/1973

The day of the wedding dawns and the women are racing around getting ready for the big event. Meanwhile, Terry has his hands full looking after a nervous Bob.

Watch Now:Amazon