As Time Goes By

Jean and Lionel look no closer to renewing their relationship when Lionel checks out of his hotel without telling Jean. However, Lionels 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.

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 Alistairs hyped-up blurb), Jean faces the romantic advances of Alistair.

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...

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 wonders why Alistair, a rich, successful publisher would be interested in publishing Lionels less-than-blockbuster book.

Jean becomes angry when Lionel invites her along on a cruise as a freebie.

While on a romantic holiday in paris Jean and Lionel must help a young couple who are fighting.

Jean and Lionel finally decide to live together but, each assume that the other one is moving into their place. Later Lionel gets arrested outside Jeans house for acting suspiciously.

Lionel finally agrees to move in with Jean.

Alistair comes back from the states with news that a television company wants to turn Lionels book into a miniseries. While trying to make copies at Jeans 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 comes back from the states to find that the new branch manager she hired isnt working out. So she decides to handle it but, makes things worse.

Jean decides to turn the spare room into Lionels 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.

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 sisters.

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.

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.

Judy gets a new boyfriend and Jean decides to ""help"" out her daughter.

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

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.

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.

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

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 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 its the doctor that Mrs. Bale has a problem with.

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 dont have to deal with Penny and Stephen as neighbors.

Jean suspects that Lionel is going deaf. But despite the fact that he clearly cant 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 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?

Jeans brother Steven and his wife 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.

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?

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 wont 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.

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.

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.

The truth about Alistairs wedding nerves are revealed after he and Lionel fail to keep it a secret from Jean and his bride to be, and Rocky relishes the chance to air some of his stories.

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.

Jean feathers the nest for grandchildren, even though Lionel points out that neither Judy nor Sandy have gotten pregnant yet. It turns out that Judy and Alistair have been trying, with no results, and Judy suspects the problem may be Alistair--who is wildly overcompensating to prove his virility. Meanwhile, Sandy is upset because Harry seeks a promotion that may put him in harms way. And in the middle of all this, Lionel gets a very unexpected visitor from Africa.