"All the miseries in the world seem a hundred times worse at Christmas." Victor isn't in a seasonal mood thanks to Mrs Warboys's nativity play, a hostage crisis and 263 garden gnomes. However, Victor's troubles are tiny compared with those of the small boy who wants his dead father home.

Victor and Patrick's feud has continued and they now communicate via post-it notes. Pippa is expecting a baby, while Victor is keeping an allotment and buys some radioactive horse manure.

For UK Comic relief 1993, Victor spends 'just one more minute' in the bath contemplating the mysteries of life, from wrinkled fingers to microscopic insects

The Meldrews are going on holiday to Portugal with Mrs Warboys. While Margaret is concerned about her approaching 60th birthday, Mrs Warboys is looking forward to meeting her pen friend, with thoughts of romance. Meanwhile, a journalist is attempting to retrieve a vitally important camera film which just happens to be in Margaret's handbag.

When Cousin Ursula dies the Meldrews have to clear out her house in the country, although a witch has predicted that Victor is about to come to an untimely end. Patrick and Pippa have finally sold their house and are preparing to move. Patrick has a new job with his own secretary - something which puts his life in danger.

The Meldrews return from a long weekend away to find a man living in their shed. Victor is suffering from a hernia but this hasn't stopped him getting a job as a gardener working for Patrick's new boss. Meanwhile, Mr Swainey's mother claims that she is abducted by aliens from Neptune every night.

Victor and Margaret have new neighbours, the McVities, who they are actually getting on well with. But for how much longer will it last, especially when Victor buys a haunted caravan, and then inadvertently kidnaps the mother of a millionaire?

Short post-finale outing for the Meldrews in aid of Comic Relief (2001). Margaret is visiting a relative in hospital. Victor is his usual self; complaining about everything, and Margaret is her usual self; pretending not to hear him...

Rowland Rivron pays tribute to Victor Meldrew , the irascible pensioner whose catchphrase "I don't believe it!" struck a chord with world-weary viewers everywhere. Contributors include Richard Wilson , Annette Crosbie , Angus Deayton and Eric Idle.