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James Shelley, an educated, sardonic, permanently unemployed "professional freelance layabout," has many battles with authority, the tax-man, his landlady, and his girlfriend Fran.
1979
Shelley and his girlfriend Fran are looking for accomadation. After viewing unsuitable properties, they find a room at Mrs Hawkins' house.
Shelley isn't impressed when his local pub is destined for a kitsch makeover. He gets yet more grief at the Labour Exchange, who seem determined to put an end to his cushy lifestyle and endless payouts. Meanwhile, Fran has some news that may make him finally want to change his layabout ways.
Following a drunken evening stint as Nelson at the Victory pub, Shelley wakes up in the morning next to a strange woman. He has some serious explaining to do, not to mention waking up to the reality of finding some permanent gainful employment.
Shelley has finally completed his week doing a 'proper' job at an advertising agency, but is a bit shocked when he sees how much tax is deducted from his first pay packet. Could it be that proposing marriage to Fran will lessen his financial burdens and provide much-needed tax relief?
Visiting a health shop, Shelley is appalled at the high prices of some of the items. The moment he and Fran have long dreaded has arrived. Travelling by train, they arrive at the country home/farm of Gordon Smith, Fran's rich Dad.
Shelley is reunited with his oldest friend, Ned, whom he asks to be best man at his forthcoming wedding. Ned, unfortunately, is a 'Jack The Lad' type who loves to drink, smoke, and make love.
Shelley's attempts to prepare a dinner party meet with continual interruptions. A Jehovah's Witness is at the door and won't go away, plus the neighbour thinks Mrs H is on the game.
1980
Shelley and Fran are spending the night in their new house, which is undergoing renovation. Fran hears something scuttling inside in a bin liner and Shelley admits he forgot to throw the bag out. Their debate on whether to dispose of the rodent mutates into a heated discussion on his job.
Shelley is dragged back to reality as he endures a painful visit to the labour exchange to sign back on. He's prepared himself well though for the rocky road that lies ahead but will his attempts to talk his way out of an honest day's work fall on deaf ears?
Shelley's efforts at DIY at the new house are starting to take shape, he's managed to put up a shelf in the kitchen at least. All this hard graft though gets interrupted when his friend Paul comes to call and as usual is in a spot of bother.
Shelley is still gainfully unemployed and his honest approach at interviews isn't exactly improving his job prospects. When an opportunity arises for a plum job at the foreign office, Fran and Mrs H feel a slightly different approach might see him going places.
With Fran busy at her ante-natal class, Shelley seeks solace in a cafe. His peace is short-lived though, when he seems to attract the attentions of the local nutter.
Shelley is busy rewiring the kitchen and installing spotlights though he seems to be getting into a bit of a tangle. Worse still, there appears to be a serious case of dry rot under the stairs. Will some expert help enlighten him or leave him left with his wires all crossed?
The day has finally arrived, and Fran is about to give birth. Things move fast and Shelley needs to rush to the hospital to be at her side. Fran not only has to deal with childbirth but also with Shelley's incessant banter.
1980
Shelley, now in work, looks for somewhere to live with wife-to-be Fran and their impending child. A visit to the local Bank leads them nowhere to getting a mortgage as they don't have a bank account.
Shelley has to come up with a sales campaign for a new range of Instant Paella. The stuff proves hard to market as it is virtually tasteless.
Shelley is working on an ad campaign for striped pyjamas when a crisis interrupts his train of thought. A fellow lodger, Miss Landis, is so lonely and depressed in the big city she takes an overdose of sleeping pills.
Shelley and Fran are in their bed-sit as usual. She is engrossed in a dog-eared copy of George Orwell's 'Keep The Aspidistra Flying' while he tries to strike up a conversation with her.
Shelley wants to buy an old book in a junk shop but the dealer tries to make him think it is worth far more than it really is. After a protracted debate, the dealer agrees to let him have it for nothing.
Mrs.H and Shelley's mother spend the night at Fran's Dad's palatial house in Shropshire. Isobel's liberal attitude to life and free use of language clearly embarrass the host.
1982
After a long period of inactivity, Shelley is psyching himself up for signing off at long last at the job centre with his new job at the foreign office waiting. But, with government cutbacks announced, what could possibly go wrong?
Baby Emma won't stop crying, and Shelley and Fran are at their wits' ends. Mrs H soon comes calling, and suggests they seek medical help. But, at this time of night, it may not be quite the professional help they'd hoped for!
Mrs H comes over to babysit Emma, allowing Shelley and Fran a rare night out together at the cinema. The film doesn't quite live up to their expectations, so they retire to the pub. The only problem is, their funds are in short supply, and the topic of conversation soon turns to armageddon!
The utility billls are piling up in the Shelley household but, with his ongoing unemployed status still unresolved, the money isn't actually there to pay them. Desperate measures are called for, Shelley gets himself down to the DHSS office to see if they can bail him out.
Shelley has a bit of a rude awakening in the morning - he's somehow pulled his back during the night. After a visit to the library, and finally the doctor, he's still none the wiser as to the cause of his ailment.
Shelley & Fran are still struggling to pay the bills and their misery is compounded further when Shelley's former Uni friend Den comes to visit. Not only does Den have a good job and a flash car, but rather expensive culinary tastes.
1982
After Fran finally snaps and turns Shelley out on his ear, he turns to his best man Paul for help. Fortunately, Paul is going away for a year, and offers Shelley his empty apartment as a temporary home until he sorts himself out. How will Shelley adapt to his new environment and new-found single status?
With the prospect of meaningful employment looking even more unlikely than ever, Shelley is left with no option other than to take up office temping work. He goes along on his first day with an open mind and soon finds kindred spirits who seem to share his philosophy for a brave new world.
Shelley is dismayed when Fran starts divorce proceedings against him meaning they both have to hire lawyers. But can his insatiable inability to get out of bed in the mornings really be grounds for a degree absolute?
Shelley is all alone in his eighth-floor flat on a Sunday afternoon feeling bored and going a bit stir crazy. He thinks he can hear a strange noise in his living room which gives him a good excuse to get Desmond up to investigate.
Shelley's tube train gets stuck in a tunnel, and doesn't appear to be moving anytime soon. With terminal boredom ensuing, he decides the best course of action is to break the ice with his fellow-travellers and give them the benefit of his ready wit and repartee.
Shelley is still reluctantly looking for work so returns to the Easy Job Agency. He's in luck, there's a vacancy for a deep-fat chip fryer at the Dust Bowl burger bar, and it seems he's the man for the job.
1988
After nearly five years away teaching in the Middle-East, Shelley flies back into the UK. He's shocked to find a new world of high rent, yuppies and wine bars but seems to have inadvertently parted company with his luggage.
Shelley is settling back into life in the UK and turns up for his first day for a new role at the local gym. After running into a vicar dressed as a chicken on the treadmill, his faith becomes severely tested.
After being mugged and having his wallet stolen, Shelley finds himself nursing his sore head in the local hospital ward. His brain doesn't appear to have sustained too much damage thankfully, although it seems the NHS may have further indignities to confound his pain.
It's Shelley's birthday but he's feeling a bit neglected, despite a solitary birthday card from Fran. During a visit to the local wine bar with Carol and Graham, a chance meeting gives him just the opportunity he needs to feel more in the 'party' mood.
When Shelley starts receiving hate-mail and threats, he starts to wonder whom he could have possibly upset and calls in the police. Meanwhile Carol thinks his time could be better spent repainting his flat, although her rates of hourly pay for services rendered seem to be criminal too.
When Graham becomes overwhelmed with stress at work, he finds some solace in the wisdom of Shelley.
1989
Shelley starts a job training in telesales but is still struggling to pay the rent. Meanwhile, when an old friend drops by after years of living abroad, it seems that he will be even more financially stretched than ever.
Shelley's old friend Phil is now ensconced as his new lodger and is keen to assist in getting him a new job after getting him fired from his last one. Will a coaching session on interview techniques really help Shelley or will he just use his usual skills to remain unemployed?
Carol is convinced she's pregnant, and seeks Shelley's wisdom and advice as how to go forward. Graham also seems to be a changed man but how will the perception of parenthood change things.
When Shelley hears Carol and Graham's plans for early retirement he starts to realize he may have some serious thinking to do about his own financial future. After talking things over with Phil, he starts to see things more clearly.
Shelley'a flat is invaded by journalists from the Fleet Street gutter press, digging around for any dirt he has on a former university friend who is now an MP. Will Shelley sell his story and make a quick buck or does his unbreakable social conscience give him other ideas?
Shelley has spent a long and tiring day in his new job as a London tour guide, and is absolutely exhausted. The trouble is, when he gets back to his apartment, it seems that all and sundry are determined to stop him having some well-earned shut-eye.
Shelley's new weekend job working behind the bar of a quiet pub is going as well as can be expected, until he gets a visit from Jeremy a member of the religious cult, the Christian Soldiers. Will the brainwashed Jeremy have his head turned by Shelley's intellectual outpourings or could Shelley be in for a devil of a time.
Shelley finds a wallet stuffed full of money dropped on the pavement and no indication as to whom the owner might be. Could fortune be smiling on him or will he find to his cost that honesty is the best policy?
Shelley takes Phil to his first-ever soccer game, and attempts to educate him in the art of terrace etiquette. By chance, Carol and Graham are also in attendance but in the rather more salubrious surroundings of the club chairman's private box.
Shelley is working as a laborer on a new docklands development, but his team's work is hampered by a reluctant pop star staging a video shoot. Will Shelley be open to a bit of showbiz bribery and corruption?
Shelley and Phil are making a good effort to try and have a merry Christmas but their hopes are dashed when a devastated Graham reveals that Carol has left him for another man. Can they rescue Graham's festive season with some seasonal cheer for a Carol-less Christmas?
Shelley is left to contemplate the aging process - following slightly painful visits to his optician and dentist. But none of these are more painful than listening to Graham's depressing and lengthy outpourings over the his loss of beloved Carol!
Shelley's visit to a service station becomes an ordeal when he's caught up in the middle of a robbery by baseball bat-wielding blaggers. But he's in for an even worse time when he's left handcuffed to the garage's dim-witted shop assistant, with seemingly no help at hand.
Josephine Tewson
Samantha Beckinsale
Garfield Morgan
Warren Clarke
Hywel Bennett
Belinda Sinclair
Streaming availability information not available
1983
Shelley gets a surprise invite to his mum Isobel's place for lunch and not only that, Fran is invited too. Will Isobel's attempts to get the estranged couple back together over the meal table bear fruit or will Shelley talk his way back into singledom?
1990
Shelley is looking for new digs, and lands up at the home of Ted Bishop where a room is up for rent at a very reasonable cost. The only problem is that developers are closing in on the old man's house.
1992
Shelley is delighted to hear that his daughter Emma will be coming over from Canada in a couple of weeks to visit him. The only snag is, her favourite pastime is swimming, & Shelley can't swim! He decides he may need to take the plunge and take some lessons.
Shelley comes home from a rare hard day's work to find his apartment has been burgled. Despite the ever-presence of Desmond the security guard no one seems to have seen or heard anything.
Taking refuge in the local library, whom should Shelley run into but his old temping-job mucker Malcolm. The two intellectual layabouts soon pick up where they left off, and start putting the world to rights with their verbal sparring.
Shelley's peace is disturbed by noise from a neighboring apartment, it appears there's a party going on. Desmond comes upstairs to check what's going on but seems to be in more of a party mood than Shelley.
Shelley's back in 'advertising', although it appears he may have to work his way back up. But that's the least of his problems, he's been overcharged for his electric bill and finds himself in a highly-charged situation.
Desmond's rather attractive young niece Anne-Marie comes to visit and Shelley takes rather a shine to her. Could love be in the air for the old cynic or will this possibly romantic encounter end up all-too-brief?
1950
Ted's chances of beating the developers are helped when a TV company come to visit and interview him about his plight. Ted lays on his full poor-old-man act for cameras, but can't help noticing with his one good eye that the female reporter, Sue, just might make a good match for the love-starved Shelley.
Ted's 'old boys' stop by for a visit, and seem to have fun reminiscing about all their past indiscretions. Meanwhile, Shelley seeks some peaceful sanctuary at his new local pub, but finds it a great deal more 'peaceful' than even he'd imagined.
Ted can't help but notice that Shelley seems to be on a lucky streak. With luck like this, where can he go wrong. The betting shop somehow seems to be beckoning, but will Shelley's good run of form still continue?
Shelley's old friend Phil shows up and is in need of a best man for his latest wedding. Is Shelley first choice for best man?
Shelley is troubled by his recurring and disturbing dream of standing in a supermarket checkout line and seeks professional help. Following expert analysis, could it be that he finds he is more sane than his psychiatrist?
Ted has the bright idea to whisk Shelley away for a short sunshine break in Athens. However, when their flight is delayed, it starts to look as if his idea may never get off the ground.
Ted's young friend Ravi is concerned about his upcoming arranged marriage, and is looking for a way to escape it. When he invites Ted and Shelley to his parents restaurant for an Indian meal, Shelley finds himself in the middle of a heated family feud.
Shelley disapproves of the lengths that Ted will go to in order to win a grudge match in his local pub quiz league.
Ted is upset that nobody has remembered his birthday so takes to his bed pretending he has a bad back. His mood is not improved when he discovers that according to the doctor's records, he died three years ago.
Ted persuades Shelley to come along to the local night school classes.
