Series 1, Episode 4 - The Window & The Weather
Further details
There's a storm in the village, and the Parish Council are all dithering around arguing about what to call it. Is the storm as great a storm as The Great Storm - whenever that might have been? Alice is petrified by the thunder and lightning and so drops by to Geraldine's for comfort, as does Hugo.
The next day, Geraldine investigates the damage caused by the storm and discovers that the church's magnificent stained-glass window has been destroyed. Another meeting of the Parish Council is called to begin addressing the dire situation. However, it seems that no one actually knows what the window depicted! Who was in it? Maybe Jesus; maybe Moses; maybe St. Barnabus? Maybe a llama! Where is it set? It could've been a library; or maybe a hill; or possibly maybe a mountain... It takes Frank's tedious attention to detail and the parish papers to dig up the original commission: it was Noah's Ark! Now they just need to find funding - Geraldine is astonished at the thousands of pounds she's been quoted to replace the piece of art.
Owen kicks off fundraising with a dubious lottery, and Letitia begins to write a book called "100 Exciting Things to do with Root Vegetables". Geraldine asks David for names of his rich friends; she hopes one or two will donate funds towards the mammoth cost of replacement. Outraged at the suggestion he refuses, but she manages to get the information from the well-meaning Hugo.
After heading into the City to meet one of David's old school chums, the vicar is relieved to have finally secured the necessary finances. However, an emotional news report about the consequences of an earthquake in Colombia tug strongly at her heart strings, and she has soon donated most of the money to a humanitarian charity.
The villagers are surprised, but pleased, to see the stained glass replaced with plain, giving sight to the true beauty and artistry that surrounds them: the English countryside.
Broadcast details
- Date
- Thursday 1st December 1994
- Time
- 8:30pm
- Channel
- BBC One
- Length
- 30 minutes
Cast & crew
Regular cast | |
---|---|
Dawn French | Geraldine Grainger |
Emma Chambers | Alice Tinker |
Gary Waldhorn | David Horton |
James Fleet | Hugo Horton |
John Bluthal | Frank Pickle |
Trevor Peacock | Jim Trott |
Roger Lloyd Pack | Owen Newitt |
Liz Smith | Letitia Cropley |
Guest cast | |
---|---|
Nicholas Le Prevost | Daniel Frobisher |
Jamie Lucraft | Colin |
Max Brazier | George |
Luke Strain | Colin's Friend |
Leigh Jasper | Sue |
Kristy Bruce | Jane |
Julia Prague | Martha |
Jessica Sears | Amanda |
Edward Kelsey | Mr Harris |
Writing team | |
---|---|
Richard Curtis | Writer |
Emma Freud | Script Editor |
Production team | |
---|---|
Dewi Humphreys | Director |
Jon Plowman | Producer |
Richard Curtis | Executive Producer |
Peter Bennett-Jones | Executive Producer |

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