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The rich, textured chemistry of Dame Judi Dench and Geoffrey Palmer remains a pleasure in this two-episode reunion special of the beloved British sitcom As Time Goes By, the ongoing story of a couple that lost touch in their youth and rediscovered their love later in life. Made three years after the last season but starting right where the last episode left off, Part 1 begins with Jean (Dench, Mrs. Brown) feathering the nest for grandchildren, even though Lionel (Palmer, He Knew He Was Right) points out that neither Judy (Moira Brooker) nor Sandy (Jenny Funnell) have gotten pregnant yet. It turns out that Judy and Alistair (Philip Bretherton) have been trying, with no results, and Judy suspects the problem may be Alistair--who is wildly overcompensating to prove his virility. Meanwhile, Sandy is upset because Harry (David Michaels) seeks a promotion that may put him in harm's way. And in the middle of all this, Lionel gets a very unexpected visitor from Africa. If you're unfamiliar with As Time Goes By, this is not the place to start--the great pleasure to be had from these episodes comes from having watched the wonderful development of these characters over the nine previous series. As ever, the humor is subtle, gentle, but always psychologically apt and acted with deft aplomb. Dench and Palmer are compelling and delightful as a married couple who may find each other exasperating yet never fall out of love. Also included are outtakes from throughout the previous series and a short but charming documentary that follows the creation of an episode--the marriage of Judy and Alistair--from the first read-through to the final filming in front of an audience. Fans will be thrilled to get a glimpse of Bob Larbey and Sydney Lotterby, the two men who respectively wrote and directed every single episode of the show from the beginning. --Bret Fetzer
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