Birds of a Feather Episode Guide

Episode Guide

Birds of a Feather: Season 9 (1998)

• Season 9 Episode 6: Holy Ground

  Bold-as-brass comedy, starring Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph

• Season 9 Episode 5: Nuptials

  Sharon and Tracey rally round to ensure Garth's wedding day runs without a hitch, despite Dorien's strange mood swings, Les's constant moaning and the best man having to cancel due to a malaria attack. Hundredth episode of the sibling sitcom, starring Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson

• Season 9 Episode 4: Model

  Sharon is approached by a modelling agency, leading to family problems as Tracey feels left out by her sister's new-found fame. However, on the day of her first photo-shoot disaster strikes : drunken Dorien lets slip a secret that could bring Sharon's catwalk career to a swift end. Comedy, with Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph

• Season 9 Episode 3: Sunday

  The girls visit an antiques market held in an old warehouse, but somehow get locked in. After several hours and numerous failed attempts to attract attention, Dorien is in desperate need of the loo, while Sharon and Tracey contemplate cannibalism. Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph star

• Season 9 Episode 2: Mummies and Daddies

  A chance encounter with Garth's ex-girlfriend on a trip to ante-natal classes provides Sharon and mum-to-be Tracey with some choice gossip, while Dorien forces Richard to choose between her and his children. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson

• Season 9 Episode 1: Ghost

  Sharon and Tracey think supernatural forces could be at work when the video recorder begins to act rather strangely. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph

Birds of a Feather: Season 8

• Season 8 Episode 6: Money

  Tracey receives the payout from Garth's endowment policy in the post, and finds herself facing a dilemma : whether to hand the money over or take Sharon's advice and squander it on herself. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph

• Season 8 Episode 5: Can't Judge a Book

  Chris comes up with a surprise, while Sharon's contentment is shattered by the medical advice all women dread : she's got to lose weight

• Season 8 Episode 4: Baggage

  Sharon and Tracey's school reunion brings back a few memories and a chance to bury the hatchet, while Dorien does some reminiscing of her own : with a toy-boy lover from her past. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph

• Season 8 Episode 3: Maids of Ongar

  Would-be entrepreneurs Sharon and Tracey discover cleaning up with a new business isn't going to be as easy as they thought : thanks to Dorien, who's determined to make them sweat by keeping her hands firmly on the purse strings

• Season 8 Episode 2: Essex Patient

  Sharon develops a disturbing aversion to work, while Dorien is disgusted by Tracey's amazing ability to attract men, a skill seemingly unhindered by her pregnancy. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson

• Season 8 Episode 1: Trouble and Strife

  The sisters fall on hard times, prompting Sharon to get a job in an abattoir, and Dorien throws a party to celebrate her new single status - but things don't quite go according to plan. Hit comedy, starring Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson

Birds of a Feather: Season 7 (1997 - 1998)

• Season 7 Episode 11: Reservoir Birds

  Sharon and Tracey find their glamorous new jobs in a casino have a hidden downside, while Dorien rekindles an old flame

• Season 7 Episode 10: Three's Company

  Tracey has a surprising announcement to make, while Sharon's pregnancy quest carries on unabated and Dorien at last finds a way to make the most out of Marcus. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson.

• Season 7 Episode 9: Never the Twain

  Tracey blows hot and cold about visiting hubby Darryl in prison, while woman-of-the-world Dorien decides to sell her sordid sex story to the highest bidder : and is promptly whisked off to a Lake District hotel by a ruthless, if not unattractive, male journalist. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph

• Season 7 Episode 8: Are You Being Served?

  Sharon worries her biological clock is ticking away and decides the time has come to have a baby : much to the alarm of Tracey. Meanwhile, Dorien attempts to hit the headlines with tales of her amazing conquests. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph

• Season 7 Episode 7: Three Up, Two Down

  Tracey takes command as Dalentrace's debts spiral out of control, putting the house on the market to liquidise some of their assets. Meanwhile, Garth tries to wriggle free of his mother's apron strings and Dorien gets a shock on her return from holiday. Linda Robson and Pauline Quirke star

• Season 7 Episode 6: Rising Damp

  Sharon mounts a campaign to free Chris, while Tracey responds to Darryl's imprisonment by resolving to get on with her life and make the best of things

• Season 7 Episode 5: Porridge

  Dorien resorts to blackmail in a bid to win custody of her house and Sharon is barred from home : much to Tracey's delight

• Season 7 Episode 4: Relative Strangers

  Tracey and Darryl's efforts to make up for lost time are continuously thwarted by Sharon and Garth, while Dorien's marital strife seems set to cause further upheaval for Chigwell's ne'er-do-well clan. Comedy, with Pauline Quirke, Lesley Joseph and Linda Robson

• Season 7 Episode 3: Cheers

  Darryl and Chris are released; Darryl experiences impotence; Tracey undergoes a personality change; Dorien gets into big trouble.

• Season 7 Episode 2: Nearest and Dearest

  Sharon and Tracey receive marital advice from Dorien as they prepare to welcome their husbands home from prison, but it isn't long before they find themselves making excuses for her to Marcus. Starring Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph

• Season 7 Episode 1: Stand By Your Man

  The girls can hardly hide their feelings about the impending release of their wayward husbands - Tracey becomes Chigwell's answer to Jane Fonda in the hope of gaining a svelte-like figure for her beloved Darryl, while Sharon prepares to hand over divorce papers to Chris. Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson star

Birds of a Feather: Season 6 (1995)

• Season 6 Episode 13: On the Glass

  Sharon and Tracey have a new sideline in double-glazing : and a new, ruthless saleswoman in Dorien. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson

• Season 6 Episode 12: Still Waters Run Deep

  Marcus finally turns the tables on a humiliated Dorien, while Sharon and Tracey wonder whether they've taken on too much by agreeing to build a gangster's swimming pool inside a week : with no work force available and threats of losing their kneecaps if they go over schedule

• Season 6 Episode 11: Puppy Love

  Sharon, Tracey and Dorien spend a quiet Saturday evening reminiscing about their first boyfriends : then decide to seek out the gentlemen in question. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph

• Season 6 Episode 10: Business is Business

  Sharon must make a momentous decision about her future. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson

• Season 6 Episode 9: In at the Deep End

  The success of a new business venture causes Sharon and Tracey's lives to take a new direction. Meanwhile, Dorien advises a depressed Garth, who's desperate to find out what life's all about. With Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph

• Season 6 Episode 8: Out

  Chris's unexpected weekend leave from prison infuriates Tracey, while his model behaviour arouses wife Sharon's suspicions. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson, Lesley Joseph and Peter Polycarpou

• Season 6 Episode 7: Moving

  A property war breaks out in Chigwell as man-eating neighbour Dorien and Tracey's son Garth compete for the flat above Sharon's cafe : just which is the lesser of the two evils? Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson, Lesley Joseph and Matthew Savage

• Season 6 Episode 6: Appreciation Society

  Tracey gets sick of being taken for granted by Sharon, and suggests they change jobs for a week. Pauline Quirke stars

• Season 6 Episode 5: All Day and All of the Night

  Sharon is outraged to learn her husband's cousin has been using the cafe as a Greek nightclub, while Dorien's self-esteem is boosted by a passionate new affair. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph

• Season 6 Episode 4: Compulsion

  Snobby neighbour Dorien shuns exclusive boutiques and begins buying clothes from down-market department stores in a knee-jerk response to her mother's decision to marry a much younger man : leading Sharon and Tracey to suspect serious psychological problems. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson, Lesley Joseph and Peter Polycarpou

• Season 6 Episode 3: First Time Caller

  Tracey rings a local radio station with advice for a grieving widow and ends up becoming the airwaves' latest agony aunt : but can she pluck up the courage to admit she'll only be a 'widow' herself for as long as Her Majesty pleases? Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph

• Season 6 Episode 2: Mrs Robinson

  Tracey is disturbed when her son falls for an older woman - but when his mother and new girlfriend discover how much they have in common, Garth is the one left feeling disconcerted

• Season 6 Episode 1: Not in My Backyard

  Sharon, Tracey and Dorien manage to convince themselves Princess Diana has bought a local mansion, and enthusiastically prepare for the arrival of royal neighbours - will their attempts to raise Chigwell's social standing end in tears? Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph

Birds of a Feather: Season 5 (1995)

• Season 5 Episode 13: The Beautiful Game

  Dorien has a life-changing experience with a psychic, while Tracey takes charge of a boys' football team. Starring Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson

• Season 5 Episode 12: All Gone Pear Shaped

  Sharon's growing relationship with boyfriend Colin hits the rocks, threatening her new-found happiness. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph

• Season 5 Episode 11: An Inspector Stays

  The police use Sharon's house for a surveillance operation : prompting a debate about who they might be watching. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson

• Season 5 Episode 10: Find the Lady

  A mystery pension payment leads Sharon, Tracey and Dorien on a voyage of discovery. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph

• Season 5 Episode 9: East Side Story

  Tracey's son Garth falls in love, but things go wrong when Dorien decides to help

• Season 5 Episode 8: Mind Over Matter

  Dorien's passion for mind control causes problems, Tracey finds a new pet spider, and Sharon has tooth trouble while eating peanuts

• Season 5 Episode 7: Brush with the Law

  Tracey redecorates Sharon's bedroom while she's away : and against all expectations proves to have a flair for interior design

• Season 5 Episode 6: Dead Loss

  Sharon's husband Chris sees a family tragedy as the perfect opportunity to escape from prison. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson

• Season 5 Episode 5: Suspicious Minds

  Dorien's husband goes missing, and she's later seen digging a suspiciously man-shaped hole in the garden, prompting Sharon and Tracey to fear their neighbour has taken to murder. Lesley Joseph stars, with Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson

• Season 5 Episode 4: Absent Friends

  Squabbling sisters Sharon and Tracey are suspected of carrying out a spate of burglaries in Chigwell : will snooty man-eater Dorien stick up for them, or is this her chance to get rid of the neighbourhood's low-life element once and for all? With Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph

• Season 5 Episode 3: Non-Starter

  Sharon takes her life in her hands by agreeing to give Tracey driving lessons : but a series of narrow escapes soon makes her realise she isn't cut out for life in the fast lane. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson

• Season 5 Episode 2: Bang

  It's all change in Chigwell, as Sharon, Tracey and Dorien face upheaval. Starring Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson

• Season 5 Episode 1: High Fidelity

  Sharon is looking for love - but the object of her affection seems to prefer her sister Tracey. Starring Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson

Birds of a Feather: Season 4 (1995)

• Season 4 Episode 13: The Chigwell Connection

  Darryl may be in the clear when a policeman is revealed to be less than honest. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson

• Season 4 Episode 12: Loyalty

  Tracey is torn between duty to her husband and love for her sister and has to decide whether blood is thicker than water. Bold-as-brass comedy, starring Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph

• Season 4 Episode 11: Okey-Cokey Karaoke

  Sharon and Tracey are desperate for a holiday but don't have any money, so they decide to have a bash at winning a karaoke competition. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph

• Season 4 Episode 10: The Front

  Dorien's life story looks set to be published, prompting her to panic about the kiss-and-tell content : can Sharon and Tracey come to her aid? Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph

• Season 4 Episode 9: Sisters Are Doing It

  Tracey gets a job as a secretary at a printing works, and her boss causes quite a stir. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson

• Season 4 Episode 8: Time and Tides

  Dorien suffers a major dilemma - she wants to have children but is scared witless by the prospect of being pregnant. Meanwhile, Garth becomes a champion pancake tosser - much to his imprisoned father's dismay. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson

• Season 4 Episode 7: Hungry for Love

  A hurtful remark from Chris sends Tracey on a diet, while Dorien takes a new interest in fitness when she gets a handsome personal trainer

• Season 4 Episode 6: Belongings

  Sharon decides to give the cafe a new image and cut all connections with the Greek community : but the radical changes don't have the desired effect. Comedy, with Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson

• Season 4 Episode 6: Nine and a Half Days

  Sharon falls head over heels for a man she meets at a prisoners' wives support group organised by Tracey - and is even prepared to throw away her marriage and job to be with her new love. Comedy, starring Linda Robson and Pauline Quirke

• Season 4 Episode 5: Caring

  The girls' aunt is taken to hospital with a broken leg, and it's up to them to decide whether she goes to an old people's home or comes to stay at their house. Comedy, starring Linda Robson and Pauline Quirke

• Season 4 Episode 4: Wipe That Smile Off Your Tape

  Sharon joins a video dating agency and asks Darren to shoot a rehearsal tape, while Garth buys tickets for a Rolling Stones concert

• Season 4 Episode 3: Commitments

  Sharon seems to be losing Chris and, more importantly, the ownership of the cafe, while Dorien has to choose between love and luxury. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson

• Season 4 Episode 2: Food for Thought

  Tracey looks forward to mothering Garth, but his lack of enthusiasm puts Sharon in a difficult position. Meanwhile, Dorien discovers a lust for learning - and her new psychology lecturer. Comedy, starring Linda Robson and Pauline Quirke

• Season 4 Episode 1: Breadwinner

  Sharon makes a go of it at the cafe, but Tracey finds it hard to feel pleased for her. Meanwhile, Dorien becomes preoccupied with more romantic pursuits. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson

Birds of a Feather: Season 3 (1995)

• Season 3 Episode 13: We'll Always Have Majorca

  Sharon and Tracey's knight in shining armour arrives in the form of paroled rock legend Abel Kane, whisking them off on a winter break to Majorca, where yet more unexpected good fortune awaits them. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph

• Season 3 Episode 12: Business

  Chris inherits a Greek cafe, which Sharon runs on his behalf - with Tracey as her skivvy and Dorien making the sandwiches. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson

• Season 3 Episode 11: Schooling

  Sharon tries to climb the social ladder - but ends up meeting a snake. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph

• Season 3 Episode 10: Cuckoo

  Sharon gets a shock when she tries to collect her giro. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson

• Season 3 Episode 9: Flavour of the Month

  Tracey tries to help ex-con Desmond, but Sharon's convinced he is a lost cause - and she is soon proved right

• Season 3 Episode 8: Poetic Justice

  Dorien meets Chris on a prison visit to the Isle of Wight. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson

• Season 3 Episode 7: History

  Tracey discovers more than she bargained for while sorting out jumble for a car-boot sale

• Season 3 Episode 6: The Lost Weekend

  An activity weekend lands Dorien in hospital - where she is mortified that the private doctors might think she fraternises with the likes of Sharon and Tracey

• Season 3 Episode 5: Confidence

  Sharon tries to make the best of her job at the bakery and Dorien joins the Open University, while Tracey continues to study at the school of hard knocks. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph

• Season 3 Episode 4: Just Family

  Tracey decides to make an effort with her in-laws for Darryl's sake - but soon lives to regret it. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson

• Season 3 Episode 3: Baby Come Back

  An encounter with an old flame makes Sharon feel broody, while Tracey has her work cut out pampering Garth in the school holidays. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson

• Season 3 Episode 2: Tinker, Tailor

  A stranger asks for help with a leaking car radiator shortly before police turn up at the house - could he be an informer?

• Season 3 Episode 1: Keeping Up Appearances

  Darryl is feeling the effects of two years in prison, prompting Dorien to offer her own brand of advice. Comedy, starring Alun Lewis and Lesley Joseph

Birds of a Feather: Season 2 (1995)

• Season 2 Episode 15: Someone Else's Baby

  Dorien takes her antique silver samovar to the Antiques Roadshow, inspiring the sisters to search for their own family heirlooms - and soon they make a surprising discovery

• Season 2 Episode 14: Jobs for the Girls

  In a bid to raise some cash for Christmas Tracey falls back on her typing skills, while Sharon reckons there's a gap in the market for her own unique brand of pet care. Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson star

• Season 2 Episode 13: Parting

  Sharon's husband Chris becomes seriously ill, leaving her facing a difficult decision. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph

• Season 2 Episode 12: Old Friends

  Tracey invites an old school friend to stay for a few days, leaving Sharon out in the cold. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson

• Season 2 Episode 11: Love on the Run

  Darryl plots to spend a night with Tracey by escaping from hospital, while Sharon makes her own plans for the evening's entertainment. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson

• Season 2 Episode 10: Thirty Something

  Sharon is convinced her 30th birthday is just the start of another three decades of misery, prompting Tracey to question the wisdom of throwing a party. Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson star

• Season 2 Episode 9: Trust

  Tracey argues with Darryl about the lack of trust in their relationship, and visits a therapist for advice on how to resolve the issue. Comedy, starring Linda Robson

• Season 2 Episode 8: You Pays Yer Money

  Sharon gets a passion for democracy : and decides to buy Darryl's vote from Tracey for the local by-election. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson

• Season 2 Episode 7: Brief Encounter

  Sharon foils a mugging at Chigwell station, and ends up befriending the intended victim : who turns out to be financial adviser to Dorien's husband

• Season 2 Episode 6: Mice

  Tracey's house becomes infested with mice, forcing her to shelve plans for a perfume-selling party. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph

• Season 2 Episode 5: Keep Off the Grass

  Tracey and Sharon witness a robbery committed by someone they know, leaving them agonising over whether to turn a blind eye or turn a mate over to the law. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson

• Season 2 Episode 4: Muesli

  In an effort to find out what life is like for Darryl behind bars, Tracey decides to build her own prison in the attic - with Sharon as her cellmate. Comedy, with Linda Robson and Pauline Quirke

• Season 2 Episode 3: Young Guns

  The sisters try to do their bit for the environment, but Tracey is increasingly concerned about Garth, who's brought a handsome friend home from boarding school, making her wonder about his sexuality

• Season 2 Episode 2: Sweet Smell of Success

  As the bills pile up, Tracey has to consider selling Daryl's car, while Sharon goes into the perfume business to raise some cash. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson

• Season 2 Episode 1: Getting a Grip

  Sharon and Tracey's heating breaks down, leaving them with no one to turn to - except their man-hungry neighbour Dorien. Common-as-muck comedy, starring Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph

Birds of a Feather: Season 1 (1989 - 1995)

• Season 1 Episode 7: Sailing

  Christmas special from 1989. The Essex girls steel themselves for a lonely Christmas away from their jailbird husbands. Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson star

• Season 1 Episode 6: Substitute

  Tracey spreads her wings for the first time since her husband was put behind bars, and invites a handsome footballer round for dinner. Meanwhile, Sharon discovers the joys of literature

• Season 1 Episode 5: Cheat!

  Dorien may have ulterior motives for inviting Tracey to a posh do, while Sharon makes a tidy profit out of fake Rolling Stones T-shirts

• Season 1 Episode 4: Women's Troubles

  Tracey makes an appointment with a Harley Street specialist, hoping to allay her suspicions that she may be pregnant. Bold-as-brass comedy, starring Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph

• Season 1 Episode 3: Shift

  Sharon spreads her wings and takes full advantage of her sister's hospitality, but Tracey is having money worries. Comedy, starring Linda Robson and Pauline Quirke

• Season 1 Episode 2: Just Visiting

  The sisters face up to the realities of life with their husbands in prison, but can they explain things to Tracey's son, Garth? Classic comedy, starring Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson

• Season 1 Episode 1: Nicked

  Sisters Sharon and Tracey's lives are changed forever when their husbands leave for work and never return. First-ever episode of the popular comedy, starring Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson

Birds of a Feather: Special (1995)

• Special Episode Special: It Happened in Hollywood

  The death of Sharon and Tracey's Aunt Sylvie soon has them jetting off to Hollywood in search of their real father. Comedy, starring Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson, with guest appearances by George Hamilton and George Wendt

Birds of a Feather: Special (1995)

• Special Episode Special: Christmas in Dreamland

  The pace of Christmas proves too much for Sharon as a few too many slices of chocolate cake sends her off into a dream world where she is the rich member of the family, happily married to rock star husband Chris, while sister Tracey is a downtrodden housewife in a run-down council flat and man-eating neighbour Dorien her dowdy cleaning lady. Festive edition of the comedy, starring Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph, with a guest appearances by film-maker Michael Winner

• Special Episode Special: Falling in Love Again

  Sharon agrees to play along with her wayward husband's hare-brained scheme to pay off his gambling debts, and soon gets cajoled into appearing on a TV game show and trying to track down a collectable car in Berlin. Meanwhile, Dorien leaves Marcus and moves into the girls' house next door. Another chance to see the 1990 Christmas special, starring Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson, Lesley Joseph and Peter Polycarpou