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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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...
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.
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.
Lionel takes Jean to see his eccentric father Rocky, the complete opposite of Lionel's gruff self.
Lionel wonders why Alistair, a rich, successful publisher would be interested in publishing Lionel's less-than-blockbuster book.
During a weekend at Jean's sister-in-law's house, Jean and Lionel invent more and more ridiculous claims to cover-up their romance thirty-eight years ago.
Jean becomes angry when Lionel invites her along on a cruise as a 'freebie'.
The book is finally published, and Lionel begins a nationwide book-signing tour.
While on a romantic holiday in paris Jean and Lionel must help a young couple who are fighting.
It's Rocky and Madge's wedding day but, things don't go quite as planned.
Jean and Lionel finally decide to live together but, each assume that the other one is moving into their place. Later Lionel get's arrested outside Jean's house for acting suspiciously.
Jean's sister-in-law has decided to visit the ""lovebirds"" at Jean's house. Unfortunatly Jean has to cover up the fact that she and Lionel still have not moved in together.
Lionel finally agrees to move in with Jean.
With Jean opening up a new branch of her secretarial agency Sandy and Judy have different ideas who should be in charge of it.
Alistair comes back from the states with news that a television company wants to turn Lionel's book into a miniseries. While trying to make copies at Jean's agency Lionel accidently shreds his summary that he wrote for the tv people. Despite this they decide to go ahead with the idea for the miniseries. So Jean and Lionel are off to Los Angeles.
Jean and Lionel arrive in Los Angeles to discuss the miniseries being made from Lionel's book.
Jean comes back from the states to find that the new branch manager she hired isn't working out. So she decides to handle it but, makes things worse.
Jean and Lionel aren't happy with how the miniseries project is coming. Jean hires Lionel a new secretary. While Rocky and Madge have an accident.
Jean decides to turn the spare room into Lionel's office. But, plans change when Judy announces that Sandy has just broken up with her live-in boyfriend and has nowhere to go. So the women decide she must move in. Which makes Lionel more than a little uncomfortable.
The television company making a miniseries out of Lionel's book ask him to make it a little sexier. Jean hires a new secretary for Lionel to help him with the rewrites. Unfortunately she isn't much help after all.
Jean trys to help Lionel come up with a plan to get rid of Ms. Flack. While Ms. Flack decides to move away to her sister's.
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.
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.
Stephen plans a surprise anniversary party for Penny but, mixes up the dates. While Jean and Lionel argue about being ""engaged"".
Jean and Lionel finally set a date for the wedding. While the women are planning the wedding, Lionel finally finishes his script for the miniseries.
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.
Judy gets a new boyfriend and Jean decides to ""help"" out her daughter.
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.
Jean and Lionel spend a weekend in the country at Rocky's house. Upon arriving, they are visited by ""the country set.""
Lionel's ex-wife, Margaret, asks him out for a drink, and he asks Jean to go with him. When Margaret arrives she isn't at all like Jean anticipated. Turns out she has changed a lot since the divorce and is now rich with a very young boyfriend.
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.
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.
The miniseries based on Lionel's book is finally aired on U.S. television. Alistair trys to get Lionel and Jean to go with him to the screening of the miniseries in the states. Lionel not liking the changes refuses to go so Alistair invites Sandy and Judy to go instead.
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.
Lionel and Jean befriend the villagers who shower the couple with gifts.
Lionel fears he's losing his strength. So when a stalker starts following Sandy home he decides to show he can take care of the situation. Turns out it's just a love-sick teenager following her.
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"".
Jean and Lionel must endure a trying evening with Jeans' sister-in-law.
Jean and Lionel visit the country house and find Mrs. Bale in an odd mood. After Jean suggests Lionel talk to Mrs. Bale to find out what is wrong he becomes ill. When the doctor shows to treat Lionel it is revealed that it's the doctor that Mrs. Bale has a problem with.
Alistair surprises everyone by announcing his engagement to someone he just met named Mercury. Judy's new boyfriend Paul lies to her and she breaks up with him. Jean wishes Alistair and Judy would get back together.
While spending an evening at home everyone is startled by noises coming from the empty house next door. Jean calls the police but, its just the ex owner getting some boxes he had left. The young police officer who shows up to investigate takes a liking to Sandy and asks her out. Jean gets news that Penny and Stephen are looking to buy the house next door. Alistair has a plan to buy the house so they don't have to deal with Penny and Stephen as neighbors.
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.
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.
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.
Jean undertakes some strategic snooping to discover what the new neighbors are like. How is it they show up at the pub with black eyes after fighting with one another?
The whole gang (minus Harry, who is stuck on duty for protest coverage) head out to the country for the weekend. But road construction is about to throw the travelers for a loop.
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.
Jean ropes everyone into helping at a party for the oldies ... bottoms are pinched, Alastair excels as a DJ, and Jean and Lionel hope to be treated as well in their old age. Madge and Rocky spice things up with booze.
Alastair finally proposes to Judy and she eventually accepts. But the trouble starts when Judy finds out the circumstances of his proposal. Also, will the couple buy the house next door to Lionel and Jean?
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.
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.
After Lionel walks in on Sandy in the bathroom Jean decides to add a second bathroom. But, things don't go as planned.
Penny and Stephen arrive with news that they are moving to Spain and building a dream house. Lionel starts to worry about his future money situation and asks Alistair for some financial advise.
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.
Jean wants to get on the Internet. Allistar makes an annoucement which leads to his reconcilation with Judy. Meanwhile Harry breaks his leg and that leads to his reconcilation with Sandy.
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.
Judy and Alistair make plans for their upcoming wedding and decide that a country wedding at the big house would be perfect. But when Alistair begins to take things out of control, Judy starts to worry about the wedding becoming more than just a quiet affair.
Rocky comes to the rescue when there is a problem with the best man at Alistair and Judith's wedding. Lol's wedding outfit does not go quite according to plan. The family is introduced to an unusual wedding custom. And Jean is still trying to matchmake between Harry and Sandy.
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.
On their own at last, with Alistair and Judith married off and Sally and Harry gone to Canada, Jean and Lionel take a look back on their life together in a one-hour retrospective featuring clips from past episodes.
Jean and Lionel are looking forward to Sandy's and Harry's return after a year in Canada, and Jean is looking forward to Sandy and Judith having babies.
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?
Judi Dench and Geoffrey Palmer sit down to reflect on the show at the occasion of its 20th anniversary
A behind the scene featurette on making the 9th and final season
A collection of outake and bloopers from the wildly popular British series As Time Goes By.
