{{Infobox television , image = BehavingBadlyDVD.JPG , image_size = 150 , image_alt = , caption = DVD cover , genre = , creator = , based_on = {{Based on, ''Behaving Badly'', Catherine Heath , teleplay = {{plainlist, * Catherine Heath *Moira Williams , director = David Tucker , starring =

Judi Dench Dame Judith Olivia Dench (born 9 December 1934) is an English actress. Widely considered one of Britain's greatest actors, she is noted for her versatility, having appeared in films and television, as well as for her numerous roles on the stage ...

, narrated = , theme_music_composer = Stephen Oliver , country = United Kingdom , language = English , num_series = 1 , num_episodes = 4 , producer = {{plainlist, *

Humphrey Barclay Humphrey Barclay BEM (born 24 March 1941) is a British comedy executive and producer. Career Barclay was educated at Harrow School, before reading Classics at Trinity College, Cambridge, where his first foray into show business was via the Am ...

*Moira Williams , editor = , cinematography = , runtime = 200 minutes , company = Humphrey Barclay Productions , budget = , network =

Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by Channel Four Television Corporation. It is state-owned enterprise, publicly owned but, unlike the BBC, it receives no public funding and is funded en ...

, first_aired = {{Start date, 1989, 02, 20, df=y , last_aired = {{End date, 1989, 03, 13, df=y ''Behaving Badly'' is a 1989 British

television serial In television and radio programming, a serial is a show that has a continuing plot that unfolds in a sequential episode-by-episode fashion. Serials typically follow main story arcs that span entire television seasons or even the complete run of t ...

directed by David Tucker. The

teleplay A teleplay is a screenplay or script used in the production of a scripted television program or series. In general usage, the term is most commonly seen in reference to a standalone production, such as a television film, a television play, or a ...

by Catherine Heath and Moira Williams is based on Heath's novel of the same name. It was initially broadcast by

. The plot focuses on Bridget Mayor, a middle-aged housewife and part-time teacher who is forced to re-evaluate her life when her husband of twenty years abandons her for a younger woman.

Episode summaries

*"The Tale of the Turbot" (originally broadcast on 20 February 1989) *:Five years after her divorce, Bridget is living in a small flat purchased for her by her ex-husband Mark and seeking to improve her life by participating in a variety of evening adult education programmes, including a pottery class. At the request of her local

clergy Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...

man, she attends services at a predominantly

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

parish in

Croydon Croydon is a large town in South London, England, south of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Croydon, a Districts of England, local government district of Greater London; it is one of the largest commercial districts in Greater Lond ...

, where she is unsettled by young pastor Daniel, who regards her as an intruder. She unintentionally departs with a Bible borrowed from one of the congregants. Her ex-mother-in-law, Frieda, who detests Rebecca and makes every effort to destroy Mark's marriage to her, is left alone when Mark and Rebecca take a weekend holiday in France. When they return, they discover that Bridget has not only moved back into the house she once shared with Mark, but is determined to stay indefinitely. *"Home Fires" (originally broadcast on 27 February 1989) *:Mark desperately tries to find someone who can convince Bridget to return to her own home, while at the same time she and Rebecca begin to bond. Bridget and Mark's daughter Phyllida sees a photograph of Daniel on the church newsletter tucked into the Bible her mother took and, finding his looks appealing, decides to return it to him. At first he resists her obvious flirting but soon finds himself attracted to her as well, although he is conflicted in his feelings, certain his community would disapprove of a relationship with a white woman. *"Seize the Day" (originally broadcast on 6 March 1989) *:Phyllida, who shares a flat with bisexual Giles, straight Jonathan, and Serafina, a teacher on the verge of a nervous breakdown, finds her home life disrupted when Giles' crotchety grandfather Herbert is unceremoniously dumped on their doorstep. Although estranged from her father and his wife, Phyllida opts to move in with them to escape the overcrowded conditions, whereupon Bridget takes her daughter's place in the

Battersea Battersea is a large district in southwest London, part of the London Borough of Wandsworth, England. It is centred southwest of Charing Cross and also extends along the south bank of the Thames Tideway. It includes the Battersea Park. Hist ...

flat. She finds herself enjoying her unofficial role of mother and caretaker. *"The Horse May Talk" (originally broadcast on 13 March 1989) *:Bridget finds herself increasingly attracted to the considerably younger Giles and decides to move with him to

San Diego San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...

, where he was born, and start a new life there together. He wavers in his decision when he realizes he can't leave his grandfather, but that obstacle is removed when the elderly man dies, possibly from an overdose of sleeping pills given to him by an exasperated Serafina, who is fed up with his constant demands. Bridget and Giles board a

British Airways British Airways plc (BA) is the flag carrier of the United Kingdom. It is headquartered in London, England, near its main Airline hub, hub at Heathrow Airport. The airline is the second largest UK-based carrier, based on fleet size and pass ...

flight; another young male passenger is seen glancing at Giles; and as the plane takes off she realizes how absurd and uncertain her future seems – and she's quite content with it.

Cast

as Bridget Mayor *

Ronald Pickup Ronald Alfred Pickup (7 June 1940 – 24 February 2021) was an English actor. He was active in television, film, and theatre, beginning with a 1964 appearance in ''Doctor Who''. Theatre critic Michael Billington described him as "a terrific st ...

as Mark Mayor, Bridget's ex-husband * Francesca Folan as Phyllida Mayor, Bridget and Mark's daughter *

Frances Barber Frances Barber (née Brookes, born 13 May 1958) is an English actress. She received Olivier Award nominations for her work in the plays '' Camille'' (1985), and '' Uncle Vanya'' (1997). Her film appearances include three collaborations with ...

as Rebecca Mayor, Mark's wife *

Douglas Hodge Douglas William Hodge (born 25 February 1960) is an English actor, director and musician. He has had an extensive career in theatre, as well as film and television where he has appeared in ''Robin Hood'' (2010), '' Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Retu ...

as Giles, Phyllida's flatmate *

Maurice Denham William Maurice Denham (23 December 1909 – 24 July 2002) was an English actor who appeared in over 100 films and television programmes in his long career. Early life Denham was born on 23 December 1909 in Beckenham, Kent, the son of Eleanor ...

as Herbert, Giles' grandfather *

Hugh Quarshie Hugh Anthony Quarshie (born 22 December 1954) is a Ghanaian-born British actor. He is known for his long-running role as Ric Griffin on the BBC One medical drama ''Holby City'' (2001–20), and for playing Captain Panaka in the ''Star Wars'' ...

as Daniel, Bridget's pastor *

Gwen Watford Gwendoline Watford (10 September 1927 – 6 February 1994), professionally known after the mid-1950s as Gwen Watford, was an English actress. Watford's talent was spotted by John Gielgud while she was still a schoolgirl, and with his help ...

as Frieda Mayor, Mark's mother *

Joely Richardson Joely Kim Richardson (born 9 January 1965) is a British actress. She is notable for her roles as Julia McNamara in the FX drama series '' Nip/Tuck'' (2003–2010) and Katherine Parr in the Showtime series ''The Tudors'' (2010). Her credits in ...

as Serafina, Phyllida's flatmate * Guy Scantlebury as Jonathan, Phyllida's flatmate

Awards and nominations

Judi Dench was nominated for the

BAFTA TV Award The BAFTA TV Awards, or British Academy Television Awards, are presented in an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. They have been awarded annually since 1955. Background The first-ever Awards, given in ...

for Best Actress.

Home media

''Behaving Badly'' was released on

DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for digital video disc or digital versatile disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any ki ...

in 2005, and again in October 2018.

External links

''Behaving Badly'' at the Internet Movie Database
1989 British television series debuts 1989 British television series endings 1980s British drama television series 1980s British television miniseries Channel 4 television dramas British English-language television shows Television shows set in London Television shows shot at Elstree Film Studios