As Time Goes By

Lionel and Jean Hardcastle will never be the stars of a WB sitcom--they are mature enough to be Buffy's grandparents. But as the Hardcastles, Geoffrey Palmer (all crusty bluster) and Oscar winner Judi Dench (sly and tart) make this British comedy one of the treasures of public TV. The first six episodes of the series are available on home video, and it is a delight to discover in them how the divorced Lionel and the widowed Jean come to reunite 38 years after an ardent, youthful affair. The dialogue sparkles, and Palmer and Dench are as cozily amusing a pair as you could hope to pass a half-hour with.

--By William Tynan