British Comedy Guide
One Foot In The Grave. Image shows from L to R: Margaret Meldrew (Annette Crosbie), Victor Meldrew (Richard Wilson). Copyright: BBC
One Foot In The Grave

One Foot In The Grave

  • TV sitcom
  • BBC One
  • 1990 - 2000
  • 42 episodes (6 series)

The grumpy complainer and accident prone Victor Meldrew takes early retirement and finds he has far too much time on his hands. His long suffering wife and neighbours just have to grin and bear it. Stars Richard Wilson, Annette Crosbie, Doreen Mantle, Owen Brenman, Angus Deayton and Janine Duvitski

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Series 6, Episode 5 - The Dawn Of Man

Victor's hobby of fishing leads to an encounter with humanity at its most primitive. Patrick's gay brother, Nigel, comes to visit and Victor is asked to give a speech to the WI.

Further details

Victor has gone fishing and sees a man throwing rubbish into the river. He's enraged by this and so follows him to the pub where he distracts him so he can tip maggots into the offender's food. This only confirms his theories as to the modern world: after receiving a letter from one of Margaret's cousins jokingly asking Victor to speak at a local Women's Institute meeting, he has unfortunately taken the query seriously and is busy making notes on his philosophy of the modern world and reverse evolution.

Patrick's gay twin has been staying with him and Pippa, who's been driven mad by the whole experience of having the moaning brothers in the house with her, and rushes to escape to the relative sanity of Margaret's company at the first chance she gets. Victor hires a film on video - The Full Monty - but accidentally asks for "anything stronger"; whilst he's referring to a carrier bag, the man at the shop thinks he's referring to the video! Margaret watches it in horror and assumes it fell out of Pippa's handbag and belongs to Patrick's twin...

After a fight with some garage door installers, Patrick decides to relax in the bath with a bottle of wine; unfortunately, in his increasingly inebriated state he manages to sit on the cork, leaving Pippa with a slightly tricky and somewhat gruesome task!

Meanwhile, following the death of his mother Mr. Swainey has moved - but only two doors along, into Patrick and Pippa's old house! Showing some prospective purchasers his old property, he introduces them to the Meldrews, leading to a very violent altercation.

Broadcast details

Date
Monday 13th November 2000
Time
9pm
Channel
BBC One
Length
30 minutes

Cast & crew

Cast
Richard Wilson Victor Meldrew
Annette Crosbie Margaret Meldrew
Owen Brenman Nick Swainey
Angus Deayton Patrick Trench
Janine Duvitski Pippa Trench
Guest cast
Nicholas Frost (as Nick Frost) Mr. Gleeson
Geoffrey Perkins Nigel
Stewart Harwood Shopkeeper
Writing team
David Renwick Writer
Production team
Christine Gernon Director
Jonathan Paul Llewellyn (as Jonathan P. Llewellyn) Producer
Mark Lawrence Editor
Linda Conoboy Production Designer
Jacky Levy Costume Designer
Geoff Harrison Director of Photography
Vanessa White Make-up Designer
Chris Kempton (as Christopher Kempton) Lighting Designer
Eric Idle Composer
Ed Welch Composer
Will Charles Lighting Designer
Katie Thompstone 1st Assistant Director

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