Buy As Time Goes By

Jean opens up a second Type for You branch and starts looking for a manager to run it. Assuming she will be the natural choice, Judy is disappointed, nay shocked when she finds out Jean has offered the job to Sandy. Meanwhile, Alistair confronts Jean with the idea of adapting Lionel's book into a TV mini-series.
Hide description ▲

Alistair comes back from Los Angeles 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 accidentally shreds the miniseries summary. Despite this catastrophe, the station decides to go ahead with the idea. So Jean and Lionel return to L.A.
Hide description ▲

Jean hires a new secretary to replace Daisy, Lionel's super efficient, good looking temp. However the new secretary is not as efficient as Lionel would have hoped. Then, Rocky and Madge end up in hospital and things get crazier as the day goes on.
Hide description ▲

One night, Lionel (Geoffrey Palmer) is obsessed with getting the lid off an onion jar. This leads him to question his masculinity along with Jean (Judi Dench). As they do, Sandy (Jenny Funnell) comes home complaining about being pursued by a shady man again. Lionel goes running off into the night in pursuit, and gets a rollocking from Lionel and Sandy (and later Judith [Moira Brooker]) for doing so, on account of the dangers, due to his advancing age. Lionel sees in this a further affront to his masculinity, and over the next few days argues with Jean and seeks to protect Sandy by...stalking her himself. Meanwhile, Jean calls in the help of Alistair (Philip Bretherton), who gets a local young tough in to guard the house. In the end, having made a fool of himself trailing the girls alone, Judith decides to accompany him in following the girls when they are coming back from an evening out in the evening, only for them to have to stop the tough when he catches the culprit, as he turns out to be a harmless, lovesick youth. In the final scene, Lionel, Jean, Sandy and Judith realise that they may have made a mountain out of a molehill.
Hide description ▲

Lionel (Geoffrey Palmer) becomes upset with Jean (Judi Dench) working all hours when he thinks she should be settling down. Jean reacts badly although Sandy (Jenny Funnell) and Judith (Moira Brooker) independently agree that she is becoming panoptic and autocratic. What they don't know is that Jean is seeing a psychotherapist (or rather she has booked an appointment but failed to go). The girls become suspicious at her furtiveness and try to find out what is going on. Alistair happens to know the psychotherapist in question and provides the missing link, while he also ends up upsetting Judith with his casualness. With Judith having gone out, he ends up going out with Sandy. Meanwhile, Jean ends up managing at last to see the Psychotherapist, and ends up realising that her workaholic nature stems from the death of her late husband. She resolves to change with the support of the family
Hide description ▲

Jean has been complaining about the lack of surprise in her and Lionel's life. Taking this to mean that Jean is bored, Lionel decides to plan a surprise vacation telling Jean at the last minute and then whisking her away. With the help of Judy, Sandy and Alistair, he pulls out all the stops to plan the most surprising surprise ever.
Hide description ▲

Harry and Sandy return to England. Jean is keen for grandchildren, while Lionel is less so. In her enthusiasm, Jean has two cribs moved into the guest room, putting further pressure on the young couples. Harry interviews for a position in the police force that could put him at greater risk, which the women are against. Sandy reveals that she is pregnant, and Jean learns that Judy and Alistair are also trying for a baby, but that she suspects Alistair may be infertile. Jean wheedles Lionel into talking to Alistair about getting checked; Alistair agrees, on the condition that Lionel accompanies him to the clinic. Upon his return, Lionel reunites with Patrick, whose family Lionel supported while in Kenya. Alistair receives a clean bill of health. Penny and Stephen drop in, while Alistair goes lingerie shopping to assist in baby-making. Stephen aspires to become a celebrity, and Alistair arranges for him and Penny to attend a film premiere. Judy meanwhile discovers Alistair's purchases, and to protest hides them in Penny and Stephen's car just before they leave. Penny finds the racy items and is aghast. Mrs. Bale brings Rocky to the city for line-dancing lessons, but Rocky winds up in the ER. While Lionel, Jean, Judy, Alistair, Sandy and Harry are waiting at hospital for Rocky's results (and to soothe Mrs. Bale), Stephen and Penny are wheeled in after a mishap at the premiere.
Hide description ▲