Fresh Fields
Fresh Fields is a British situation comedy written by John T. Chapman and produced by Thames Television for ITV between 7 March 1984 and 23 October 1986. A ratings success at the time, the show is well remembered for its opening titles featuring a silhouette of a person in a rocking chair. It stars Julia McKenzie and Anton Rodgers as Hester and William Fields, a devoted middle-class couple with an idyllic suburban lifestyle. William works while Hester keeps home. The crux of the show was that she was always looking to try new hobbies or find ways to improve her life, much of which exasperated her hard-working husband. The family home had a granny flat attached, in which Hester's mother Nancy lived. She was divorced from Hester's father Guy although remarried him as the series progressed. The couple had a daughter called Emma who frequently telephoned but never appeared. Her husband Peter did appear often. They later had a son — the Fields' first grandchild — whom they named Guy, after his great-grandfather. Perhaps, the best remembered supporting character was Sonia Barrett who would frequently pop round to borrow items to replace hers due to breakage, theft or mislaying. Hester was not perturbed by this, as the two were close friends, but it used to irritate William. Sonia had the show's only catchphrase — she would always knock on the back door of the Fields' home and then say It's only Sonia! as she walked in. This would sometimes lead to applause of recognition from the studio audience, a phenomenon more regularly seen within American sitcoms. Sonia's husband John appeared on occasion, as did William's secretary Miss Denham, played by Daphne Oxenford.
Episodes
Runtime: 30m
William's snoring begins to give Hester disturned nights but when she has to look after a neighbour's dog, her days aren't too good either.
Runtime: 30m
Upset that a Victorian mansion is to be torn down and replaced by ""a block of flats,"" Hester starts a campaign to persuade local councillor Mr. Gardner to convert the premises into a seniors' residence. When he doubts the need for such a facility, Hester invites him home, having persuaded Nancy, her sister Winnie, and Guy to pretend senility. The appalled Gardner not only approves the home but telephones to notify William and Hester that he has arranged for their dotty dependents to move in immediately....
Runtime: 30m
The Fields hope to get their Chinese vase onto a locally filmed episode of The Antiques Road Show. Returning home, they surprise a burglar at work enabling Hester to use her newly acquired martial arts skills.
Runtime: 30m
William has financial problems, so Hester takes him to Bologne, France, for a carefree day and Duty Free goods. It's far from plain sailing.
Runtime: 30m
William comes home from work reeking of perfume. He says he can explain it; Hester stands by to listen with understanding and a rolling pin.
Runtime: 30m
William insists on mending a leaky kitchen tap himself, necessitating an expensive visit from the plumber. Meanwhile, Hester gets a call from Peter's parents, the Richardsons, who are coming from Dorset to London for the day and invite themselves to dinner and to stay overnight. Driven mad by overbearing Margaret and epically boring Henry, and dismayed when their guests decide to stay another night, the Fields invent a dinner engagement at a Bournemouth hotel, but actually bundle themselves and Nancy next door to Sonia's for the night. Then Margaret and Henry turn up to chat with Sonia, and the Fields flee to Nancy's granny flat only to be mistaken for burglars. They excuse their return by claiming that Nancy has come down with flu; but next morning Margaret cheerfully announces that Henry has caught it from Nancy and will have to remain in bed for several days.
Runtime: 30m
Hester joins in a sponsored cycle race to Brighton for the R.S.P.C.A. She finishes up in worse shape than most of the animals she is trying to help.
Runtime: 30m
After a sojourn in Italy, the Fields return home to celebrate Hester's 45th birthday. Despite William's back going out, and some complications arising from misunderstandings, they settle on dinner out to celebrate whereupon Hester is summoned to deal with an emergency at Lucy's Kitchen. This turns out to be a ruse as the restaurant is packed with their friends for a surprise party, and Guy and Nancy announce that they were re-married that morning, leaving Hester in floods of happy tears.
