With Tim Vine gone, Not Going Out could have lost some of its original spark. Instead, it found a new one.
Series 6 and 7 mark a huge turning point for Not Going Out. After Tim Vine’s departure, the sitcom shifts its focus more heavily toward Lee and Lucy, giving their increasingly complicated relationship the room it needs to move forward. At the same time, Daisy gets more opportunities to show off her wonderfully bizarre sense of humor, while the writing continues to find new ways to put these characters into completely ridiculous situations.
Series 6 wastes very little time proving that the show can still deliver plenty of laughs without Tim. “Rabbit” and “Magic” are particularly memorable. “Rabbit” takes a simple misunderstanding and turns it into the kind of escalating disaster Not Going Out does so well, while “Magic” gives Lee one of those wonderfully stupid situations that becomes funnier with every passing minute.
“Play” is particularly important to the larger story, as Lee’s jealousy finally becomes impossible to ignore. His feelings for Lucy are no longer just something the audience can laugh about from a distance—they’re becoming a genuine part of the show’s emotional core.
Even “Skiing,” which essentially works as a bottle episode, manages to overcome a fairly familiar setup. Lee, Lucy, and Daisy getting stranded in a broken-down cable car isn’t exactly a revolutionary sitcom premise, but the chemistry between Lee and Lucy makes the episode work. Their relationship remains the series’ secret weapon, especially when they’re forced into increasingly absurd situations together.
Then Series 7 shifts into high gear.
The introduction of Toby and Anna helps refresh the supporting cast, but the real focus is Lee and Lucy being forced to confront what they’ve been dancing around for years. “Mugging” immediately puts Lee into protective mode after the pair are confronted by a gang, while “Christening” continues to play with his desperate attempts to prove himself. The comedy is still there, but there’s a noticeable sense that the show is building toward something.
That becomes even clearer in “Donor,” when Lucy considers becoming a single mother and asks Lee to be her sperm donor. It’s an absurd premise, but it also forces Lee to confront the fact that being Lucy’s friend is no longer enough for him. He doesn’t want to be a biological father on paper. He wants something more.
And then there’s “Lucy.”
The bottle episode strips things back and puts Lee’s feelings front and center when Lucy considers taking a new job abroad. Suddenly, the possibility of losing her forces Lee to confront what he’s been avoiding. It’s a simple setup, but the emotional payoff is huge because the show has spent so many years building toward this exact moment.
When Lee finally tells Lucy not to leave and opens up about how he feels, it genuinely took my breath away. It’s one of those rare sitcom moments when the joke isn’t the point. The emotion is.
That makes “The Wedding” such a satisfying payoff. The episode feels almost like a series finale, throwing Lee and Lucy from one stressful situation to the next before their big day. Between Frank’s drunken stag-night chaos and Lee ending up in jail alongside Lucy’s father, Geoffrey, the show finds plenty of ways to delay the inevitable.
But when Lee and Lucy finally walk down the aisle, Not Going Out allows itself to be genuinely emotional. After years of watching these two circle each other, seeing them get married is enough to bring out the tissues. Then comes one of the biggest surprises: Tim returns, giving the original dynamic a brief but meaningful reunion.
The closing montage makes the moment even more special, looking back not just at Lee, Lucy, Tim, and Daisy but at the many characters who have passed through the series over the years. It feels like a celebration of everything Not Going Out had become.
“Christmas Shopping” jumps ahead two years, with Lucy and Lee expecting a baby. Naturally, nothing can be simple. Lee, Lucy, Frank, Daisy, Anna, and Toby find themselves trapped inside a store when Santa turns out to be an armed robber and takes them hostage. It’s Not Going Out meets Die Hard, only without the explosives.
It’s a completely ridiculous premise, but that’s exactly why it works. The episode manages to be funny, surprisingly thrilling, and warm, culminating in Lucy giving birth to a baby boy and the characters sharing a heartfelt family moment with Frank. After all the chaos, it’s a reminder that the show has always been about more than just jokes.
Series 6 and 7 prove that Not Going Out didn’t simply survive Tim Vine’s departure—it evolved. The comedy remains sharp, but the characters’ relationships become increasingly important, particularly Lee and Lucy’s long-running will-they-won’t-they story. After years of misunderstandings and ridiculous situations, their happy ending feels completely earned.
These two series capture Not Going Out at its most confident: hilarious, chaotic, and surprisingly heartfelt. Overall, I give both series a 9/10.
Have you seen Series 6 and 7 of Not Going Out? What did you think of them, and what were your favorite moments? Leave a comment below.
You can stream Not Going Out on Pluto TV, BritBox, and BBC iPlayer. Availability may vary by region.
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