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When the Boat Comes In

1976 – 1981Show4 seasons51 episodes

Drama
80
GreatGoodWatch score
IMDb8.4
80
GreatGoodWatch score
IMDb8.4

Summary

When the Boat Comes In is a British television period drama produced by the BBC between 8 January 1976 and 21 April 1981.

Good for

  • Family movie night
  • Thought-provoking
  • Adults

Where to watch

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Not streaming in any country yet.

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Not for laughs, scares or comfort.

Shows with

When the Boat Comes In episodes

4 seasons · 51 episodes

  1. S1 E1 A Land Fit for Heroes and Idiots, 8.4
  2. S1 E2 Say Hello...... Say Tirra, 7.8
  3. S1 E3 Fish in Woolly Jumpers, 7.9
  4. S1 E4 Swords and Pick Handles, 8.4
  5. S1 E5 Coal Comfort, 8.1
  6. S1 E6 Empire Day on the Slag Heap, 8.3
  7. S1 E7 A First Time for Everything, 8.2
  8. S1 E8 Paddy Boyle's Discharge, 8.3
  9. S1 E9 Angel on Horseback, 7.3
  10. S1 E10 King for a Day, 8.8
  11. S1 E11 Happy New Year, Some Say, 8.1
  12. S1 E12 Heads You Win, Tails I Lose, 7.8
  13. S1 E13 Kind Hearted Rat with a Lifebelt, 8.1
  1. S2 E1 Ask for Twopence, Take a Penny, 8.1
  2. S2 E2 Tram Ride to the Bluebell, 8.1
  3. S2 E3 A Pillowful of Buttercups, 8.4
  4. S2 E4 Roubles for the Promised Land, 8.2
  5. S2 E5 Some Bulbs to Keep the Garden Bright, 8.4
  6. S2 E6 God and Love and Wellesley Street, 8.4
  7. S2 E7 Whatever Made You Think the War is Over?, 8.3
  8. S2 E8 Ladies, Women, Sweethearts and Wives, 8.7
  9. S2 E9 After the Bonfire, 8.5
  10. S2 E10 A Wreath with Our Names On, 8.2
  11. S2 E11 The Way It Was in Murmansk, 8.3
  12. S2 E12 In the Front Line You Get Shot At, 8.5
  13. S2 E13 The Simple Pleasures of the Rich, 8.5
  1. S3 E1 A House Divided, 8.4
  2. S3 E2 A Tiger, a Lamb and a Basket of Fruit, 8.2
  3. S3 E3 My Bonnie Lass, Goodbye, 8.2
  4. S3 E4 A Ticket to Care for the Wounded, 8.0
  5. S3 E5 Travel Light, Travel Far, 8.4
  6. S3 E6 Requiem for a Loser, 8.2
  7. S3 E7 Debts Owed, Debts Paid, 8.0
  8. S3 E8 The Empire Builders, 8.4
  9. S3 E9 Look Up and See the Sky, 8.2
  10. S3 E10 Letters from Afar, 7.3
  11. S3 E11 The Father of Lies, 7.8
  12. S3 E12 Diamond Cut Diamond, 7.6
  13. S3 E13 A Marriage and a Massacre, 7.5
  14. S3 E14 High Life and Hunger, 7.9
  15. S3 E15 Please Say Goodbye Before You Go, 8.2
  1. S4 E1 Back to Dear Old Blighty, 7.2
  2. S4 E2 A Gift from Heaven, 8.2
  3. S4 E3 A Medal for the Argentine, 7.8
  4. S4 E4 Flies and Spiders, 7.5
  5. S4 E5 Oh, My Charming Billy Boy, 7.0
  6. S4 E6 Friends, Romans, Countrymen, 6.6
  7. S4 E7 The Bright Young Things, 6.9
  8. S4 E8 Action!, 8.4
  9. S4 E9 Comrades in Arms, 7.9
  10. S4 E10 Roll of Honour, 8.2

Cast

14 of 14 · most episodes first

Crew

Directors
Michael Hayes, Terence Williams, Gilchrist Calder
Written by
James Mitchell, Jeremy Burnham, Colin Morris
Produced by
Andrew Osborn, Leonard Lewis, David Maloney
Music by
David Fanshawe

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

January 8, 1976 · April 21, 1981 · Ended

First aired
January 8, 1976
Last aired
April 21, 1981
Status
Ended
Length
4 seasons · 51 episodes
Content
Violence
Genres
Drama
Original language
English
Made in
United Kingdom
Available in
1 country

Tropes

The Chessmaster, The Hero Dies, Title Drop +4

Q&A

5 questions, like "Is When the Boat Comes In worth watching?"

Questions about When the Boat Comes In

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Is When the Boat Comes In worth watching?

80
GreatGoodWatch score

Yes, it's widely acclaimed, with a GoodWatch score of 80 (IMDb 8.4).

Which season of When the Boat Comes In is best?

Season 2, with an IMDb average of 8.4. Season 4 is the weakest at 7.6. The highest-rated episode is King for a Day (season 1, episode 10) at 8.8, and the lowest is Friends, Romans, Countrymen (season 4, episode 6) at 6.6.

Is When the Boat Comes In okay for kids?

Violence

Yes: its content advisories are violence, and the viewing guide lists it for family nights.

How long does it take to watch When the Boat Comes In?

43 h

About 43 hours: 51 episodes in 4 seasons of about 50 minutes each, aired from 1976 to 1981.

Is When the Boat Comes In plot-driven or character-driven?

CharactersPlot

Mostly character-driven: it leans on dialogue centrality (8 of 10) and character depth (7 of 10) more than on its plot.