In 1901, a middle-class schoolboy whose parents are working abroad spends his summer in Bedfordshire with his great-uncle Silas. Though sixty years old, Silas relishes life—he’s a womaniser, drinker, and a poacher. At the prompting of his long-suffering housekeeper, Mrs Betts, he takes on the occasional odd job.
2 seasons · 12 episodes
Adaptations of H.E. Bates' stories A Funny Thing, Finger Wet – Finger Dry, Shandy Lil, The Race, A Happy Man, and The Christening.
S2 E1A Funny Thing
Jan 5, 2003
Silas's nose is put out of joint by the visit of cousin Cosmo, who thrills Ned with his stories of foreign travel and charms Mrs. Betts by flirting with her. Seeking attention, he agrees to pose for Hermione, a sculptress, but she ends up r
S2 E2Finger Wet, Finger Dry
Jan 12, 2003
Silas takes his boar to mate with the sow belonging to the village bobby. Unfortunately Silas himself gets rather too matey with Connie, the policeman's ample wife, and Ned has to help him avert a scandal.
S2 E3Shandy Lil
Jan 19, 2003
Silas gets work helping with the harvest at the farm owned by Pamela Farrell. He takes pity on Shandy Lil, the put-upon serving girl at the farm, and plays Cupid between her and Pikey, an equally shy young thresher. His efforts to demonstra
S2 E4The Race
Jan 26, 2003
When Silas challenges the wirier Goffy Windsor to a five-mile race around the local countryside, Uncle George takes bets on the result and Silas is sure of victory. However, after suffering a series of ailments Silas realizes that he will h
S2 E5A Happy Man
Feb 2, 2003
Uncle Silas has only one real rival likely to beat his roses in the forthcoming show - retired soldier Walter Hawthorn. Ned is fascinated by Walter's collection of military memorabilia; Silas is fascinated by 'Topsy' Turvey, the local distr
S2 E6The Christening
Feb 9, 2003
Georgina and Abel have their first child, making Silas a proud grandfather. One of the guests at the christening is Georgina's friend Ellen, a professional cook, who knows the way to a man's heart and finds Silas as irresistible as most of
