# As Time Goes By (1992)

> Two former lovers reunited decades after a misplaced letter try to rebuild their lives and romance in a gentle British sitcom.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/76

## Facts

- Seasons: 10
- Episodes: 67
- Episode runtime: 30 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: comedy, romance
- Created by: Colin Bostock-Smith
- Network: BBC One
- Cast: Judi Dench, Geoffrey Palmer, Moira Brooker, Jenny Funnell, Philip Bretherton, Roy Heather, Gillian Martell, Norman Rodway
- TMDB rating: 8.3/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105943/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: none
- Tone: witty, warm, wistful, gentle, comforting

## Synopsis

As Time Goes By (1992-2005) is a British sitcom created by Colin Bostock-Smith for BBC One, running ten seasons and sixty-seven episodes of half-hour comedy. Judi Dench plays Jean Pargetter, a warm and witty woman who is reunited with Lionel Hardcastle, played by Geoffrey Palmer, decades after the two were parted by a misplaced letter during the Korean War. Their story of rekindled romance is the engine of the show, as the couple navigates their mature relationship while Jean's daughters and their boyfriend, played by Philip Bretherton, bring everyday complications into the household. Each episode is built from small domestic misunderstandings, dry banter, and the awkward negotiations of adults who have lived full lives apart. The show stays grounded in a contemporary English domestic setting, with a cast of seasoned character actors giving the series a comfortable, familiar rhythm. Its tone is gentle, witty, and warmly nostalgic, with a theme of second chances and the value of lost time. Fans of Butterflies and Keeping Up Appearances will find the same affectionate humor and well-observed British domestic comedy here, along with the wistful charm of a late-life romance.

## Shows like As Time Goes By

- [Cold Feet (1998)](https://ember.film/tv/710)
- [Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime (1983)](https://ember.film/tv/13774)
- [Cranford (2007)](https://ember.film/tv/13285)
- [Last Tango in Halifax (2012)](https://ember.film/tv/43034)
- [The Vicar of Dibley (1994)](https://ember.film/tv/2630)
- [New Tricks (2004)](https://ember.film/tv/12440)
- [Jeeves and Wooster (1990)](https://ember.film/tv/997)
- [Open All Hours (1976)](https://ember.film/tv/2068)
- [To the Manor Born (1979)](https://ember.film/tv/112)
- [Mum (2016)](https://ember.film/tv/58530)

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