Watching

Watching

It was boredom at first sight!

A British television sitcom set on Merseyside that revolves around the relationship between Malcolm, a polite and friendly but dull man from middle-class Meols, and Brenda, a sharp-tongued, rough-around-the-edges working-class girl from Liverpool. Instead of the typical 'will they, won't they get together?', after getting together in the first episode, the show is more 'will they, won't they break up?' Watching refers to both the acerbic people watching that Brenda does and the bird watching that Malcolm enjoys, much to the disappointment of Brenda.

Comedy

Seasons

Meeting

1. Meeting

Air Date: 1987-07-05

Whilst indulging in her favourite hobby of people-watching with her sister Pam, Brenda meets Malcolm, a wild biker. Or is he?

Wrestling

2. Wrestling

Air Date: 1987-07-12

Brenda manages to swallow her pride and asks Malcolm to see her again. However, their relationship looks destined never to be smooth-running.

Outing

3. Outing

Air Date: 1987-07-19

Brenda and Malcolm arrange a day out together to Chester. However, a request from Malcolm's mother causes the pair considerable embarrassment.

Confusing

4. Confusing

Air Date: 1987-07-26

Terry thinks Malcolm needs help with his handling of Brenda and decides to talk to her on his behalf.

Leaving

5. Leaving

Air Date: 1987-08-02

Pamela decides she has had enough of Brenda's meddling and tells her to move out of the flat. After much heart-searching, Brenda resolves to move to London.

Repenting

6. Repenting

Air Date: 1987-08-09

With her boss Sidney practically ignoring her, Pamela lets Brenda stay with her again. Meanwhile, Terry and Malcolm attempt to play Brenda at her own game.

Hiding

7. Hiding

Air Date: 1987-08-16

Brenda talks Malcolm into taking her bird-watching again. Needless to say, it is downhill from there.

Seasoning

8. Seasoning

Air Date: 1987-12-27

As the festive season approaches, Brenda, Malcolm and Pamela go in search of a Christmas tree. But they are all still unsure of where they will each be spending the big day itself.

Falling

1. Falling

Air Date: 1988-02-19

With Pamela considering packing her job in, and Malcolm and Terry facing redundancy, Brenda will have to do some quick thinking in order to save her livelihood.

Dancing

2. Dancing

Air Date: 1988-02-26

Pamela is getting very depressed, and Brenda and Malcolm decide she needs taking out of herself.

Visiting

3. Visiting

Air Date: 1988-03-04

With his mother out of the way for a few days, Malcolm invites Brenda to stay.

Visiting II

4. Visiting II

Air Date: 1988-03-11

There are momentous changes in the offing for Malcolm as he prepares to start up his own motorbike repair business, and finally unties himself from his mother's apron strings by leaving home.

Missing

5. Missing

Air Date: 1988-03-18

Having split up with Brenda and moved back in with his mother, Malcolm is unhappy in his new job with Mod Shops. So Terry decides to cheer him up.

Dining

6. Dining

Air Date: 1988-03-25

Pamela returns from spending the weekend in London with David, Malcolm panics after nearly inviting the wrong person out to dinner, and Brenda doesn't take kindly to being treated like riff-raff on her birthday.

Moving

7. Moving

Air Date: 1988-04-01

Fed up with the constant interruptions into his meetings with Pam, David decides to do something about Brenda.

Twitching

8. Twitching

Air Date: 1988-12-24

Losing

1. Losing

Air Date: 1989-03-03

Having been relieved of her job and home in London, Brenda heads back up north to rejoin Pam and Malcolm.

Deceiving

2. Deceiving

Air Date: 1989-03-10

Brenda and Malcolm unwittingly stumble upon the dark secret of one of their acquaintances.

Requiting

3. Requiting

Air Date: 1989-03-17

Malcolm takes Brenda to the Mod Shops annual dinner - with disastrous consequences.

Breeding

4. Breeding

Air Date: 1989-03-24

Malcolm's new motorbike business is not doing well, so he decides on a day out with Brenda, Pam and David.

Wrenching

5. Wrenching

Air Date: 1989-03-31

With a sudden boom in business, Malcolm finds work taking up more and more of his time.

Wedding

6. Wedding

Air Date: 1989-04-07

The day of Pam and David's wedding arrives - but Brenda can't let it go by without giving them a surprise.

Joking

1. Joking

Air Date: 1989-12-01

Malcolm's flourishing business is keeping him busy. Too busy. So he decides to take on an assistant.

Pairing

2. Pairing

Air Date: 1989-12-08

Pam hires Brenda to look after Sarah for her while she goes to work in David's office for a few weeks.

Faultering

3. Faultering

Air Date: 1989-12-15

Malcolm takes his mother to see a musical in London for her birthday, leaving Brenda alone on a Saturday night...

Exploding

4. Exploding

Air Date: 1989-12-29

Brenda is full of regret after her moment of passion with Chris, and decides to tell Malcolm all.

Repairing

5. Repairing

Air Date: 1990-01-05

Malcolm has forgiven Brenda for her little indiscretion, but still decides to sack Chris. Meanwhile, David and Pam's marriage suffers a rift.

Petting

6. Petting

Air Date: 1990-01-12

Brenda and Malcolm take in a wounded pigeon and attempt to conceal it from Malcolm's mother.

Floating

7. Floating

Air Date: 1990-01-19

Malcolm borrows his friend Leonard's boat to take Brenda out - but all does not go according to plan.

Proposing

8. Proposing

Air Date: 1990-01-26

Malcolm is thinking of proposing marriage to Brenda. But he has to pick the right moment.

9. Flitting

Air Date: 1990-02-02

Aunty Peggy suggests Malcolm and Brenda move into her house while she is staying with Marjorie.

Listing

1. Listing

Air Date: 1990-12-14

Malcolm and Brenda are settling into their new life together in Peggy's house.

Nesting

2. Nesting

Air Date: 1990-12-21

To celebrate her birthday, Pam asks Brenda and Malcolm round to meet some of her neighbours.

Feeding

3. Feeding

Air Date: 1991-01-04

Brenda gets annoyed when everyone begins to tell her to look after Malcolm properly.

Wining

4. Wining

Air Date: 1991-01-11

Uncle Bernard has moved in with Malcolm and Brenda, but insists on keeping it a secret from everyone.

Fixing

5. Fixing

Air Date: 1991-01-18

Malcolm agrees to fix Lucinda's car for her. Meanwhile, Uncle Bernard has a narrow squeak when Marjorie decides to clean the house.

Straying

6. Straying

Air Date: 1991-01-25

Things are hotting up with Bernard still staying at the house, Marjorie and Pamela suspecting Brenda of having an affair, and Malcolm seeing Lucinda on the quiet.

Homing

7. Homing

Air Date: 1991-02-01

Brenda has left Malcolm and gone back to live with her mother. But Malcolm isn't giving up that easily...

Suiting

8. Suiting

Air Date: 1991-02-08

Pam and David attempt to reconcile Malcolm and Brenda.

Bonding

9. Bonding

Air Date: 1991-02-15

There are differing reactions when Malcolm announces the date of his wedding... to Lucinda.

Presenting

10. Presenting

Air Date: 1991-02-22

It's Christmas and in the Wilson and Stoneway households, the festivities are well under way. But it looks like Pam is about to receive a surprise present.

Slipping

11. Slipping

Air Date: 1991-12-25

Malcolm and Brenda are both going on their birdwatching club's annual ""Twitch"" event in Anglesey. But they are not alone...

Using

1. Using

Air Date: 1992-01-03

Pam and David are moving house, and Malcolm offers to help. Meanwhile, Brenda meets handsome medical student, Jonathan Macmillan.

Echoing

2. Echoing

Air Date: 1992-01-10

Malcolm and Lucinda go bird-watching - at the same time as Brenda and Jonathan.

Doctoring

3. Doctoring

Air Date: 1992-01-17

Pamela insists that Jonathan use the house for a doctors' residency party, Joyce makes a nuisance of herself when Gerald runs away from home, and Brenda and Malcolm seek refuge in the Grapes.

Christening

4. Christening

Air Date: 1992-01-24

It's nearly Zelda's christening, and Pam and David choose Brenda, Malcolm and Lucinda as godparents.

Gulling

5. Gulling

Air Date: 1992-01-31

Malcolm decides to end his unhappiness and leave Lucinda for Brenda.

Confessing

6. Confessing

Air Date: 1992-02-07

Lucinda holds a small dinner party in order to announce her pregnancy. But it seems she is planning to announce more than that...

Reverting

7. Reverting

Air Date: 1993-01-01

In the light of recent revelations, Malcolm and Brenda are back together once more, and this time it looks like it's for good.

Migrating

1. Migrating

Air Date: 1993-02-21

Pam still wants a nanny for the children, but David has other ideas. Meanwhile, Malcolm makes a momentous decision.

Uncoupling

2. Uncoupling

Air Date: 1993-02-28

Malcolm is making himself at home at the Wilsons'. But Joyce is doing all she can to get rid of him.

Helping

3. Helping

Air Date: 1993-03-07

Malcolm is making himself useful around the house, but Brenda is none-too-pleased and contrives to spend some time alone with him.

Engaging

4. Engaging

Air Date: 1993-03-14

When Malcolm suggests a day out in order to ask her a question, Brenda thinks he intends to propose.

Wandering One

5. Wandering One

Air Date: 1993-03-21

When David is unable to go on holiday to Eilat, Pam takes Brenda instead.

Wandering Too

6. Wandering Too

Air Date: 1993-03-28

While Pam and Brenda continue to have a wild time in Israel, back in England, Malcolm is having solicitor trouble.

Knotting

7. Knotting

Air Date: 1993-04-04

Brenda and Malcolm's wedding day draws near, and while Brenda remains in the dark about Joyce's present to the couple, there's a last-minute hitch concerning Malcolm's divorce.

Select an episode to start watching

Rating

7.8/10

Release Date

1987-07-05

Episodes

56 (7 seasons)

Status

Ended

Cast

Videos

Production Companies

Granada Television

Granada Television