From fuddle@netcom.com Thu Mar 31 13:22:43 1994
Date: Wed, 30 Mar 1994 17:15:44 -0800 (PST)
Subject: uk/comedy: Agony

Agony
1979-1981  20 eps
 
regulars:
Maureen Lipman as Jane Lucas
Simon Williams as Laurence Lucas
Maria Charles as Bea Fisher
Diana Weston as Val Dunn
Peter Denyer as Michael [ep. 001-015, 020 ]
Jeremy Bulloch as Rob Illingworth
Jan Holden as Diana
Peter Blake as Andy Evol [ not in 007-011 ]
Bill Nighy as Vincent Fish [ 2,3 ]
Robert Austin as Junior Truscombe [ 2,3 ]
semi-regulars
Robert Gillespie as Mr. Mince [ 1 ]
Mona Bruce as Bessie Basham [ 1 ]
Josephine Welcome as Indira Patel [ 2 ]
 
1st Series 1979  ITV  (London Weekend Television)
 
_001. Help { Laurence Harrington, Ken Halliwell }
                    Jane Lucas, overworked advice columnist for Person
Magazine, tries to cope with her usual hectic schedule as she advises a
shy transvestite and takes a phone call from her husband informing her
he's leaving her. 
                    b: 18 Mar 79  w: Len Richmond & Anna Raeburn  d: John
Reardon
_002. An Unmarried Couple { David Ashford, Sheila Keith [ Emily Bakewell ],
Debby Cumming, Peter John, Stephanie Cole }
                    Jane tries to get use to being alone and to deal with the
reactions from an avid press and an overwrought mother.
                    b: 25 Mar 79  w: Len Richmond & Anna Raeburn  d: John
Reardon
_003. Conjugal Wrongs { Jonathan Hyde, Jeremy Nicholas, Sandra Clark, Clifton
Jones }
                    Laurence returns when Jane agrees to try some mechanical
assistance for their lovemaking.
                    b: unaired?  w: Len Richmond & Anna Raeburn  d: John
Reardon
                    [ Note: it is unclear as to whether this episode was
broadcast.  1 Apr 79 was Easter Sunday and it this episode was not listed in
the Daily Telegraph.  It may have been deemed unsuitable for a holiday
audience. ]
_004. Wedlock, Deadlock { Georgina Melville, Barry Angel, Toria Fuller }
                    Laurence's interest in another woman at the hospital
where he works prompts him to suggest that he and Jane have an open
marriage agreement. 
                    b: 8 Apr 79  w: Len Richmond & Anna Raeburn  d: John
Reardon
_005. Forever and Never { Ursula Mohan }
                    Jane tries to balance Laurence's demands for attention
with Michael and Rob's need for her to mediate a quarrel. 
                    b: 15 Apr 79  w: Len Richmond & Anna Raeburn  d: John
Reardon
_006. Too Much Agony, Too Little Ecstasy { Isabelle Lucas }
                    Jane celebrates her birthday by taking the advice
she's been giving to another woman;she leaves Laurence. 
                    b: 29 Apr 79  w: Len Richmond & Anna Raeburn  d: John
Reardon
 
2nd Series 1980
 
_007. Back to Reality { Susan Sheridan, Peter Davidson }
                    Jane returns from vacation and decides to start dating
again, but sees Laurence on a tape at a video-dating service talking about
how much he loves his wife. 
                    b: 13 Apr 80  w: Stan Hey & Andrew Nickolds  s: Len
Richmond & Anna Raeburn  d: John Reardon
                    [ Note: this episode was edited when shown by WTTW
Chicago. It is unclear as to whether WTTW or the syndicator did the
editing.  The scene that was edited appears in the closing credits ] 
_008. Working Girls { Peter Jolley [ Luciano ], Jon Rapley }
                    Val threatens to moonlight in one of Vincent Fish's
erotic films when Diana refuses to give her a raise. 
                    b: 20 Apr 80  w: Stan Hey & Andrew Nickolds  d: John
Reardon
_009. Coming Out... and Going In Again? { Michael Redfern, Ian Judge, Nicola
McAuliffe, Ozzie Stevens, William Vanderpuge }
                    Michael appears anonymously on Jane's radio show to
answer questions about the homosexual lifestyle, but Junior's blunder
exposes his identity with devastating consequences. 
                    b: 27 Apr 80  w: Stan Hey & Andrew Nickolds  d: John
Reardon
_010. Television Can Damage Your Health { Jo Warne, Julia Watson, Robert
Longden, Shirley Dixon, Gillian Royale, Nora Connolly }
                    Jane tries another medium when she makes a television
pilot that goes completely off course. 
                    b: 4 May 80  w: Stan Hey & Andrew Nickolds  d: John 
Reardon
_011. Problem Parents { Terry Mitchell, Joan Scott, Ivor Roberts }
                    Jane helps Rob explain his homosexuality to his
parents and advises her mother about a smitten Junior Truscombe. 
                    b: 11 May 80  w: Stan Hey & Andrew Nickolds  d: John
Reardon
_012. Second Time Around { Harriet Reynolds, Peter Jolley }
                    A religiously reformed Andy Evol returns and both he and
Jane return to Happening Radio when Junior falls ill.
                    b: 18 May 80  w: Stan Hey & Andrew Nickolds  d: John
Reardon
_013. A Woman Alone { Colin Spaull, John Cater }
                    Jane is taken hostage during her radio show by a reader
unhappy with her advice.
                    b: 25 May 80  w: Stan Hey & Andrew Nickolds  d: John
Reardon
 
3rd Series 1981
 
_014. From Here to Maternity { Jane Sherwin, Sheila Keith, Miranda
Richardson, Gennie Nevinson, Tony Aitken }
                    Jane encounters a broad range of opposition when she
decides to stop working and be a full time wife and mother.
                    b: 18 Jan 81  w: Stan Hey & Andrew Nickolds  d: John
Reardon
_015. Arrivals and Departures { Beryl Reid, Eric Hunt }
                    Jane and Laurence wait for their baby while attending
a baby care class run by a strange woman and trying to help Michael deal
with a fight with Rob. 
                    b: 25 Jan 81  w: Stan Hey & Andrew Nickolds  d: John
Reardon
_016. Hospital Romances { Martin Wimbush, Rosalind Ayres, Joan Ann Maynard,
Linda Robson }
                    Jane continues helping people from her hospital bed as
a black nurse faces the anger of her superior and Val runs off with Andy
Evol. 
                    b: 1 Feb 81  w: Stan Hey & Andrew Nickolds  d: John
Reardon 
_017. Communications Breakdown { William Hootkins, Betty Romaine,
Robert Fyfe, Margaret Lang, Ken Sharrock, Tom Kelly, Kelly Hunter }
                    Jane's investigation into group therapy uncovers a
problem in her marriage and in that of Val and Andy. 
                    b: 8 Feb 81  w: Stan Hey & Andrew Nickolds  d: John 
Reardon
_018. Holy Wars { Stephanie Faverman, Anthony Barnett, Veronique Choolun,
Phyllida Law, Geoffrey Chater, Peter Whitman }
                    Jane and Laurence's quarrel over having young Michael
circumcised uncovers hidden prejudices.
                    b: 15 Feb 81  w: Stan Hey & Andrew Nickolds  d: John
Reardon
_019. Lucas v Lucas { Yvonne D'Alpra, John Tordoff, Roderick Leigh, Derek
Martin }
                    Jane and Laurence grow farther apart when their baby is
kidnapped by a disturbed man.
                    b: 22 Feb 81  w: Stan Hey & Andrew Nickolds  d: John
Reardon
_020. Rings Off Their Fingers { Peter Joyce }
                    Laurence tries to win Jane back and she throws a New
Year's Eve party that promises to change many people's lives. 
                    b: 1 Mar 81  w: Stan Hey & Andrew Nickolds  d: John 
Reardon



compiled by John Lavalie <fuddle@netcom.com>
posted March 30, 1994


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