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dinnerladies

TV·1998–2000·2 seasons, 16 episodes·BBC Two·Comedy·30m·Created by Victoria Wood

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Dinnerladies is a BBC sitcom written by and starring Victoria Wood that chronicles the antics of a group of workers in a canteen in the north of England. Bren tries to maintain a semblance of order in amongst the chaos, while dealing with the canteen supervisor, slightly sex-obsessed cancer sufferer Tony. Dolly and Jean are the bickering menopausal older women, always at odds but best friends beneath it all. Then there's thick-as-two-short-planks Anita, and the terminally uninterested Twinkle, more concerned with having a good time than anything else. Making up the motley crew are military man handyman Stan, all rules and regulations, and ditzy Philippa, who never seems to get anything right.

Cast

Maxine PeakeMaxine PeakeTwinkleThelma BarlowThelma BarlowDolly BellfieldAnne ReidAnne ReidJeanShobna GulatiShobna GulatiAnitaDuncan PrestonDuncan PrestonStan MeadowcroftVictoria WoodVictoria WoodBrendaCelia ImrieCelia ImriePhilippa MoorcroftAndrew DunnAndrew DunnTony Martin

Episodes by season

Season016Episodes1998Aired—Season avg
  1. S01E01dinnerladies S01E01MondayNovember 12, 1998—On an otherwise typical Monday morning, Bren's canteen is thrown into crisis when Norman the bread man fails to deliver the granary torpedoe
  2. S01E02dinnerladies S01E02RoyalsNovember 19, 1998—There is excitement in the canteen when news of a royal visit to the factory comes through. Nobody's very sure who's coming - Princess Anne
  3. S01E03dinnerladies S01E03ScandalsNovember 26, 1998—Bren's mum, Petula, brings shame on the factory when she acquires a new boyfriend.
  4. S01E04dinnerladies S01E04MoodsDecember 3, 1998—Twinkle has something weighing on her mind. In fact, everyone seems to be in a bad mood at the moment, so Philippa attempts to cheer everyon
  5. S01E05dinnerladies S01E05PartyDecember 10, 1998—Everyone is looking forward to this year's Christmas party, which has a Japanese theme.
  6. S01E06dinnerladies S01E06NightshiftDecember 17, 1998—While Tony is in hospital having treatment, the staff are forced to suffer his formidable replacement.

Season 1 ranked & reviewed

Season0210Episodes1999–00Aired—Season avg
  1. S02E01dinnerladies S02E01CateringNovember 25, 1999—Friday 9th April 1999: The canteen is being painted over the weekend. But when the decorators arrive early, Bren has to cope with all manner
  2. S02E02dinnerladies S02E02TroubleDecember 2, 1999—Monday 21st June 1999: A bad atmosphere hangs over the canteen as Jean is in a foul mood following her husband Keith's decision to leave her
  3. S02E03dinnerladies S02E03HolidaysDecember 9, 1999—Thursday 5th August 1999: Bren is excited by the prospect of going to Marbella with Tony. Meanwhile, Stan and Petula have less reason to be
  4. S02E04dinnerladies S02E04FogDecember 16, 1999—Monday 1st November 1999: Tony's holiday photo, the visiting blood donor unit and an escaped prisoner are all contributing factors to Bren's
  5. S02E05dinnerladies S02E05GambleDecember 23, 1999—Tuesday 21st December 1999: It's nearly Christmas and all Bren's festivities are currently amounting to are three Carry On films and some sp
  6. S02E06dinnerladies S02E06ChristmasDecember 24, 1999—Thursday 23rd December 1999: Bren's past has caught up with her and it looks as though she and Tony are off the menu as far as romance is co
  7. S02E07dinnerladies S02E07MinnelliumDecember 30, 1999—Friday 31st December 1999: Philippa is getting in a flap over the factory's millennium dinner and transporting all the staff and equipment t
  8. S02E08dinnerladies S02E08ChristineJanuary 13, 2000—Monday 10th January 2000: Anita's replacement, the terminally flatulent Christine, proves a hit with Dolly but falls foul of the other ladie
  9. S02E09dinnerladies S02E09GravyJanuary 20, 2000—Monday 7th February 2000: The new self-clear system does not find favour with Bren, Petula delivers some shocking news, and Tony is making p
  10. S02E10dinnerladies S02E10ToastJanuary 27, 2000—Tuesday 29th February 2000: Tony and Bren's future is riding on her success on Totally Trivial. Yet while she prepares for her big moment, S

Season 2 ranked & reviewed

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