Fresh Fields

Disc 1 (Series 1)

Episode One:Chunnel Vision

William and Hester decide to visit France to get a feel for what their life there might be like. With his accountant mind, William weighs the pros and cons of making a move. Somehow, it all turns on a serving of shepherd’s pie.

 

Episode Two:William the Conquered

The Fields break the news to their daughter and son-in-law that they’re relocating to France. Now all they have to do is find a place to live, which ends up being more challenging than either expected.

 

Episode Three:Moving Experience

Moving out of their home in England proves a trying experience for William. Getting to their new house in France turns out to be just as tough—especially after Hester misplaces their passports and William forgets which side of the road to drive on.

 

Episode Four:Où Est La Plumber de Ma Tante?

William prepares for his first day of work in France, and Hester faces the prospect of dealing with a French plumber. But just as she starts organizing her new home, an unexpected lunchtime caller throws off her whole afternoon.

 

Episode Five:Who’s Been Eating My Porridge?

Hester insists on having William’s new boss and his wife over for dinner—and on serving some real English cheese for the occasion. William’s efforts to oblige bring about his first brush with the law.

 

Episode Six:Le Week-End

The Fields host their first visitors from England when their daughter, Emma, and her husband arrive for a short break. By the end of the visit, William and Hester are ready for a break of their own.

 

Disc 2 (Series 2)

Episode One:Long Leggedy Beasties and Things That Go Bump in the Night

When the nocturnal activities of a local farmer keep the Fields up at night, William decides to complain to the mayor—until he finds out who the mayor is. Hester intervenes to teach everyone a lesson about getting along.

 

Episode Two:Inside Story

A top French magazine wants to do a story about the increasing number of English people moving to France—and picks the Fields as a typical couple. Thanks to a series of misunderstandings, the magazine gets a distorted view of the English.

 

Episode Three:Sheep May Safely Graze

Hester wins a raffle at the village fair. But when she goes to pick up her prize, she learns it’s not just a leg of mutton butfourlegs—and they’re still attached to the sheep.

 

Episode Four:Home and Away

William is looking forward to his annual vacation, when he’ll go on a motoring tour of France. The nautical Hester and daughter Emma have other ideas, however, and before long William is ready to jump ship.

 

Episode Five:Sale or Return

When the Fieldses’ lease on their beloved farmhouse comes to an end, their obnoxious English neighbors try to buy the place. William and Hester are powerless to stop them, until they get help from an unexpected source.

 

Episode Six:Double or Quit

William wins the respect of the locals when he proves adept at the French game of boules. His newly demonstrated skills not only allow him to win the game, but also to secure for Hester the thing she treasures above all else about their life in France.

 

Episode Seven:Noel, Noel

Hester is determined to serve a traditional English Christmas dinner for her neighbors and for Emma and her family. But one mishap after another leaves her celebrating the day with her son-in-law—and William on the far side of the Channel with their daughter.

 

Disc 3 (Series 3)

Episode One:French with Tears

Misunderstanding French ways lands Hester in a French jail. Misjudging the local speed limit as he drives to her aid gets William arrested, too. Hester’s only hope is Emma’s husband, who has been taking night courses on French law.

 

Episode Two:The Merry, Merry Pipes

Hester agrees to show a group of British house-hunters some local properties, while William struggles with a plumbing problem at his own house. William’s difficulties mount when Hester’s tour party shows up to use the bathroom.

 

Episode Three:Make for the Hills!

Emma’s in-laws arrive unexpectedly for a visit, and the Fields look for any excuse to get out of town. They go on a camping trip and somehow end up in Paris. Once there, William and Hester realize they shouldn’t have bothered.

 

Episode Four:Surprise, Surprise

The Fields are approaching their 25th wedding anniversary, and William is determined to throw Hester a surprise party. His secrecy gets Hester suspicious, however, and she doubts they will ever celebrate their 26th.

 

Episode Five:Darling Daughters

Hester runs afoul of the mayor when she tries to discipline his daughter, while William has problems with his own daughter, Emma. Hester tries to explain the concept of fair play to the French by explaining the rules of cricket.

 

Episode Six:Hail & Farewell

William learns that getting fired in French sounds just the same as it does in English. The Fields know they can always go back to England if the worst comes to the worst. When they learn who’s renting the farmhouse next door, it soon does.

 

Packaging: Boxed set

Run Time: 473 minutes

Format: Full screen

Number of discs: 3

Language: English

Subtitles: No

Color or B&W: Color

CC: No

SDH: Yes

Region Code: 1

Aspect Ratio: 4:3

Rating: NR

   “Lively scripts and sparkling performances” —Liverpool Daily Post(UK)

 

"Full of sly, sharp, warm humor"—Los Angeles Times

"Julia McKenzie and Anton Rodgers are wonderful as a couple whose lives have a kind of universal appeal"—Los Angeles Times

Disc 1 (Series 1)
Episode 1:Dish of the Day
Hester spices things up with a foray into haute cuisine, landing a job as a part-time chef at a local restaurant. However, she’s missing one vital ingredient for her debut, and only William can save the day.

Episode 2:Middle-Aged Dread
Suddenly feeling her years, Hester is determined to prove she’s not too old to start a new career. But her confidence is shaken after she gets turned down for a job at a trendy boutique.

Episode 3:Hook, Line and Sink Her
William plans to get away from it all with a day’s fishing. But there’s a catch—his wife and mother-in-law want to come along, too. The addition of yet another person to the party threatens to change the whole trip entirely.

Episode 4:The Naked Truth
Keen to impress a prospective client visiting from the Middle East, William enlists Hester’s help to ensure the trip goes off without a hitch. The Fields soon discover that the man has an unusual understanding of mixing business with pleasure.

Episode 5:Des. Det. Res.
With property taxes due, William comes up with a drastic solution. He decides it’s time to sell their home and move to a smaller place. Hester has other ideas and enlists two coconspirators to help execute her plan.

Episode 6:Something in the Oven
Hester is unnerved when she learns that a food critic will be at the restaurant during her shift. She gets edgier still when her unmarried daughter Emma tells her she’s going to have a baby.

Disc 2 (Series 2)
Episode 1:A Night to Remember
William organizes a special getaway to mark their 24th wedding anniversary. He surprises Hester by taking her back to the hotel where he first proposed—but an even bigger surprise is waiting for them when they get there.

Episode 2:A Brief Encounter
Hackles rise when William notices that Hester’s fencing instructor—a known Casanova—is paying her quite a bit of attention. Hester, however, sees no cause for alarm. Only when she lowers her guard does she realize William might have a point.

Episode 3:Alright on the Night
Hester gets roped into organizing the church bazaar and concert while William plans to escape it all by going fishing for the day. But when one of her performers calls in sick, Hester finds an unexpected role for William, too.

Episode 4:In the Spring
A scandalous affair in the neighborhood gets Hester’s creative juices flowing. She begins a new writing project, much to William’s dismay. Meanwhile, Hester’s father takes an entirely different kind of inspiration from the whole affair.

Episode 5:Business Contacts
When William’s secretary calls in sick, the ever-helpful Hester volunteers to run the office. She has to get creative when an important new client shows up for an appointment and William is nowhere to be found.

Episode 6:Get Me to the Church
Emma finally sets a date for her wedding. The church is booked, the jet-setting parents of the groom fly in, and the wedding party assembles for the grand occasion. But no one can make an entrance quite like Hester.

Packaging: Boxed set
Run Time: 294 minutes
Format: Full screen
Number of discs: 2
Language: English
Subtitles: No
Color or B&W: Color
CC: No
SDH: Yes
Region Code: 1
Aspect Ratio: 4:3
Rating: NR

"Full of sly, sharp, warm humor"—Los Angeles Times

"Julia McKenzie and Anton Rodgers are wonderful as a couple whose lives have a kind of universal appeal"—Los Angeles Times

BAFTA TV Award Nomination for Best Light Entertainment Performance (Julia McKenzie, 1985)

International Emmy Award Winner