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The Good Life (UK)

a.k.a. Good Neighbors (US)

an Episode Guide
by kingkong

Last updated:
Tue, 31 Mar 2026 22:00

 Cast Photo
aired from: Apr 1975 to: Apr 1978 30 eps BBC1 30 min mono ________________

regulars:

recurring characters:

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    1st Series Spring 1975

  1. "Plough Your Own Furrow"
    gs: Norman Atkyns [ Commissionaire ], Martin Neil [ Brian (draughtsman) ], Philip Compton [ (uncredited extra) ], Michael Brydon [ (uncredited extra) ], Mark Callan [ (uncredited extra) ], Franklin Arbison [ (uncredited extra) ]

    rc: Andy

    On his 40th birthday, Tom Good begins to question his lifestyle, including his job as a technical draughtsman for a plastic mouldings company, JJM Ltd. With the support of his wife, Barbara, he decides to quit and turn their suburban home in Surbiton, Surrey into a self-sufficient smallholding. His colleague Jerry, and Jerry's snooty wife Margo, who live next door, are skeptical.

    b: 4 Apr 75
  2. "Say Little Hen ..."
    rc: Andy, Felicity

    The Goods install the first chickens in their chicken coop, but they prove slow to lay their first eggs. Incensed by the condescension of the Leadbetters when they are invited to dinner together with Tom's former boss & his wife, the Goods decide to sacrifice one of the chickens to make a show of their not being as poor as the Leadbetters think.

    b: 11 Apr 75
  3. "The Weaker Sex?"
    gs: Tony Selby [ Sam ], Paul McDowell [ GPO telephone engineer ]

    Tom buys an old-fashioned range for their kitchen from a passing rag-and-bone man, but Barbara becomes irate when she ends up doing most of the hard work to get it ready for use, while he tries to make a system for scaring the birds off their crops.

    b: 18 Apr 75
  4. "Pig's Lib"
    gs: Robert Gillespie [ Mr Carter ], Jonathan Lynn [ Window cleaner ], Lionel Wheeler [ Mr Wilks (shopkeeper) ], John Lawrence [ Jack (man) ]

    The Goods continue their bartering with local suppliers, but Barbara has a misunderstanding while negotiating with the window-cleaner. They then add a pair of pigs in a sty to their back garden, at which Margo is so appalled she brings in the chairman of the local residents' association to persuade them out of it, but is unsuccessful. However, when one escapes into the Leadbetter's garden, she can only be mollified by getting rid of it.

    b: 25 Apr 75
  5. "The Thing in the Cellar"
    gs: Ray Mort [ Angler ]

    Tom puts the finishing touches to their own electricity generator in the cellar, which runs on their animals' waste. He then goes fishing with Jerry, and decides to store the surplus in the freezer, until the generator plays up...

    b: 2 May 75
  6. "The Pagan Rite"
    gs: John Scott Martin [ Waiter ]

    rc: Andy, Felicity

    In order to pay for a treat for Barbara, Tom takes a short contract from his old firm, and tries to keep it a secret from her - but he reckons without Margo's nosiness.

    b: 9 May 75
  7. "Backs to the Wall"
    gs: June Jago [ Doctor ], Billy Milton [ George ], Pamela Manson [ Molly ], Frank Lester [ Ron (barman) ], Harry Goodier [ Harry ]

    Jerry & Margo go on holiday. While starting the harvest, Tom injures his back digging, leaving Barbara to do it all on her own. A storm then adds to their problems by turning their garden into a mud bath.

    b: 16 May 75

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    2nd Series 1975

  8. "Just My Bill"
    gs: Wolfe Morris [ Michelangelo Lombardi (restaurant owner) ], Frank Gatliff [ Mr Squires (clerk) ], Blake Butler [ Ronnie Boxall (van driver) ], Ruth Kettlewell [ Woman passerby ]

    The Goods are faced with paying their rates bill (local property tax). They try to sell their harvest surplus to raise money, but it proves more difficult than Tom imagines.

    b: 5 Dec 75
  9. "The Guru of Surbiton"
    gs: Bruce Boult [ Guy ], Irene Richard [ Ruth ]

    The Goods take in a student couple for a week, to help them with the work on the smallholding. The couple rapidly become infatuated with the Goods and their way of life. When they decide to buy the other house next door, to start a commune with similar aims, Margo becomes incensed.

    b: 12 Dec 75
  10. "Mr Fix-It"
    gs: John Quayle [ Mr Coles (journalist) ], Steve Emerson [ Delivery man ]

    A journalist writes a freelance article on the Goods and their way of life. Margo tries to muscle in to promote her forthcoming amateur dramatics production. Jerry obtains quantities of free merchandise for the Goods, on the grounds that the article is to appear in a national Sunday newspaper.

    b: 19 Dec 75
  11. "The Day Peace Broke Out"
    gs: Brian Grellis [ Harry Bennett ], James Cossins [ Magistrate ]

    Leeks start to go missing from the front garden, and Tom initially suspects Margo. When he discovers the real culprit, he takes the law into his own hands, but ends up in deeper trouble than the thief.

    b: 2 Jan 76
  12. "Mutiny"
    rc: Andy

    Jerry refuses to put up a foreign businessman visiting the company, as it would interfere with Margo's performances as Maria in a local amateur production of The Sound of Music, and he is consequently sacked. The Goods try to get him reinstated.

    b: 9 Jan 76
  13. "Home Sweet Home"
    gs: Edwin Brown [ Mr May ], Charmian May [ Mrs Weaver ]

    A boar-walker visits the Goods' remaining pig, and recommends they move to a larger smallholding that he knows is for sale. Neither Tom nor Barbara can think of a good reason not to go, but neither really wants to.

    b: 16 Jan 76
  14. "Going to Pot?"
    gs: Charmian May [ Mrs Weaver ]

    Tom's inability to repair the roof decides the Goods on joining evening classes in practical subjects, Barbara taking pottery and Tom taking weaving. Both do badly and decide to swap subjects. Tom achieves outstanding results, resulting in the temptation to go commercial.

    b: 23 Jan 76

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    3rd Series 1976

  15. "The Early Birds"

    The pressure of work sowing the new season's crops requires the Goods to make the most of the daylight hours. The disturbance of their early morning work sours their friendship with the Leadbetters, and their attempts to go to bed early meet with a variety of frustrations.

    b: 10 Sep 76
  16. "The Happy Event"
    gs: George Innes [ PC Hillman ], Percy Edwards [ Animal noises ]

    Perky gives birth to her litter, which includes a runt, in the middle of the night, observed by the Goods & Leadbetters. Sentimentality overcomes practicality, and they decide to try to help the runt survive. Jerry is stopped for speeding on the way to hospital to obtain some oxygen.

    b: 17 Sep 76
  17. "A Tug of the Forelock"

    The need for some means of transport to replace the broken trolley causes Tom to modify the rotavator. To pay for its fuel, the Goods decide to take temporary work as domestic staff... with the Leadbetters.

    b: 24 Sep 76
  18. "I Talk to the Trees"
    gs: Noel Howlett [ Mr Wakeling ], Joyce Windsor [ Madam Acting-Chairwoman ], Raymond Mason [ Mr Chipchase ]

    A fellow allotment holder claims that talking and playing music to his plants gives better yields, so Tom decides to do a scientific experiment, enlisting Barbara's help. Unfortunately, playing music to the crops in the back garden threatens to sour their relationship with Margo, who is standing for election as president of the local amateur operatic society.

    b: 1 Oct 76
  19. "The Wind-Break War"
    gs: Timothy Bateson [ Arthur Bailey ], Roger Pope [ Workman ], Desmond Cullum-Jones [ Workman ]

    The Goods are furious when they learn that Margo is planning to put up a large wind-break that will shade their new fruit patch. Mix-ups occur when they ask her to site it elsewhere. To repair their friendship, they have dinner accompanied by bottles of the Goods' Peapod Burgundy, causing them to regain their sense of humour.

    b: 8 Oct 76
  20. "Whose Fleas are These?"
    gs: Ray Dunbobbin [ Postman ], Michael Robbins [ Mr Bulstrode ]

    The Goods find they have fleas, which they initially believe are from their animals. Then they remember that they have just been next door to the Leadbetters.

    b: 15 Oct 76
  21. "The Last Posh Frock"
    gs: Liz Robertson [ Eileen ], Ronald Nunnery [ Man ]

    Various people mistake Barbara for a man, causing her to doubt her femininity, and when she accidentally tears her last good dress, she becomes distraught. Tom compounds things by fawning over an elegantly dressed dinner guest, but then tries to make up by buying her another dress.

    b: 22 Oct 76

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    4th Series Spring 1977

  22. "Away from It All"

    When the poor harvest and other tribulations of life get to the Goods, the Leadbetters suggest they go away on a short break, and volunteer to look after things while they're away. But can they be trusted?

    b: 10 Apr 77
  23. "The Green Door"
    gs: Jane Hilary [ Mrs Holman ], Toria Fuller [ Miss Harmsworth ]

    The Goods need some fertiliser for their land in preparation for sowing the new season's crops. When they try getting it from the pony club that Margo belongs to, they find that although she pretends to, she hasn't been going recently. The Goods wonder where she's been going instead.

    b: 17 Apr 77
  24. "Our Speaker Today"
    gs: Angela Thorne [ Lady Truscott ], Con Chambers [ Bus conductor ], Colin McCormack [ Mr Batty ], Robert Lindsay [ Lad ]

    When Margo's society's guest speaker pulls out at short notice, Barbara agrees to give a talk about self-sufficiency. She's so good that Lady Truscott asks her to do several other talks, but it interferes with maintaining the animals & crops.

    b: 24 Apr 77
  25. "The Weaver's Tale"
    gs: Milton Johns [ Ernie ]

    When Margo buys a spinning wheel, Tom buys a loom so that the Goods can borrow the spinning wheel and make their own clothes. However, Barbara has just convinced Jerry to forbid Margo to spend any more money, and the spinning wheel purchase is canceled. It looks like the loom is a white elephant.

    b: 1 May 77
  26. "Suit Yourself"
    gs: Philip Madoc [ Mr Snetterton ], Terence Conoley [ Donald Dalby ], Patricia Driscoll [ Mrs Dalby ]

    rc: Andy

    The Goods obtain some sheep fleeces, make their own vegetable dyes, and start making their own clothes using their loom. Jerry's boss decides to retire, and invites three potential successors to dinner to choose who to appoint.

    b: 8 May 77
  27. "Sweet and Sour Charity"

    Tom sets his eye on the contents of the other neighbors' heating oil tank when they move out. Barbara just manages to convince him that it would be stealing. Then they get permission to take it.

    b: 15 May 77
  28. "Anniversary"
    rc: Andy

    Although troubles beset them, the Goods are still glad that they've followed the path of self-sufficiency. Jerry thinks he's failed to succeed Andy as head of JJM. Margo installs a burglar alarm system, but the Goods think they've no need of one, as they've nothing left to steal.

    b: 22 May 77

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    Christmas Special 1977

  29. "Silly, but It's Fun ..."
    gs: David Battley [ Bill (delivery man) ]

    The Goods have an entirely self-made Christmas (except for the balloons), while the Leadbetters order theirs from a department store. When there's a hiccup in the delivery, the Leadbetters are invited round to the Goods for some homemade food, drink and entertainment.

    b: 26 Dec 77

    Royal Command Performance 1978

  30. "When I'm 65"
    gs: George Cole [ Mr Downs (bank manager) ], Steve Ismay [ Taxi driver ]

    Tom worries that they haven't made provision for their old age, when they'll be too infirm to follow their self-sufficient lifestyle. Concerned about their old age, the Leadbetters take out a 14th life policy on Jerry, and take up keep-fit. When Tom boasts that his digging and gardening keeps him fitter than Jerry's jogging and rowing machine, they end up having a long-distance race.

    b: 10 Jun 78

    NOTE: The original transmission of this episode was 45 min long, consisting of the 30 min sitcom performance, wrapped around with 15 min of introductions and footage of Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh visiting the studio, etc. All subsequent TV repeats have just been of the 30 min sitcom, but the Region 1 DVD does contain the other 15 min as well.

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NOTES

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