TV series

Summer's Lease

Name: Summer's Lease
Released: 1989
Cast: Susan Fleetwood, John Gielgud, Michael Pennington, Rosemary Leach, Caroline Waldron

1989· 1 season· 55 min episodes★ 7.2Ended

On PBS · BBC Two — From BBC · GBH

A family's holiday in Tuscany leads in intrigue and mystery in this BBC classic

Create a free account to save & share

Create a free account to see where Summer's Lease is streaming, with prices and your services first.

Where to watch

Not available to stream in US

🔔 Notify me about new seasons

Synopsis

Fortysomething wife and mother Molly Pargeter leads a stable but dull life in 1980s West London. She feels overweight and there is no passion in her relationship with her husband Hugh, who is secretly seeing another woman. For most of her life, Molly has found escape in detective novels and art books, especially on 15th-century Italian fresco painter Piero Della Francesca. Suddenly, in the small ads, she spots the details of a Tuscany villa to let, and after a viewing, she takes it for holiday.

Themes

based on novel or book miniseries 1980s

Episodes

Create a free account to track the episodes you’ve watched.

E1 Villa to LetNext upNov 1, 1989 · 55 min
Synopsis
Housewife Molly Pargeter arranges for her family to travel to a Tuscany summer rental, where she meets a variety of eccentric locals but is most fascinated by Chrissie and Buck Kettering, who own the villa.
Guest stars: Denis Lill (Ken Corduroy), Massimo Sarchielli (Don Marco), Pupo De Luca (The Messenger), Elizabeth Bennett (Mrs Marcia Tobias)
E2 Where the Water GoesNov 8, 1989 · 55 min
Synopsis
La Felicita is hit by a water shortage, forcing the Pargeters to shack up with the Ketterings.
Guest stars: Gabrielle Anwar (Chrissie Kettering), Annette Crosbie (Connie Tapscott), Denis Lill (Ken Corduroy), Massimo Sarchielli (Don Marco), Mel Martin (Rosie Fortinbras), Frederick Treves (Nicholas Tapscott), Siri Neal (Chrissie's Friend), Bernice Stegers (Louise Corduroy)
E3 A BattlefieldNov 15, 1989 · 55 min
Synopsis
Molly pieces together the clues connecting Buck, Nancy and the local waterboard but her snooping draws threats from the displeased ex-pats. Meanwhile, Haverford tests his chances with his forgetful ex-flame.
Guest stars: Gabrielle Anwar (Chrissie Kettering), Denis Lill (Ken Corduroy), Massimo Sarchielli (Don Marco), Mel Martin (Rosie Fortinbras), Feodor Chaliapin Jr. (Prince Tosti-Castelnuovo), Pupo De Luca (The Messenger)
E4 The Urbino TrailNov 22, 1989 · 55 min
Synopsis
As holiday's end draws nearer, Molly realises that the answer to her mystery is at the end of the Piero Della Francesca Trail. As she sets off on her trip of discovery, Haverford's night of passion ends in farce.
Guest stars: Gabrielle Anwar (Chrissie Kettering), Annette Crosbie (Connie Tapscott), Jeremy Kemp (Buck Kettering), Frederick Treves (Nicholas Tapscott), Feodor Chaliapin Jr. (Prince Tosti-Castelnuovo)