One Foot in the Grave early retiree Victor Meldrew, who after being made redundant from his job as a security guard, finds himself at war with the world and everything in it. Meldrew, cursed with misfortune and always complaining, is married to long-suffering wife Margaret, who is often left exasperated by his many misfortunes. Amongst other witnesses to Victor's wrath are tactless family friend Jean Warboys, and next-door couple Patrick (Victor's nemesis) and Pippa Trench. Patrick often discovers Victor in inexplicably bizarre or compromising situations, leading him to believe that he is insane. The Meldrews' neighbour on the other side, overly cheery charity worker Nick
One Foot in the Grave demeanour, he does occasionally drop his guard, once displaying apparent depression at being nothing more than "an overgrown boy-scout". Following his mother's death, he moved house near the end of the series, but only went as far as the Trenches'/McVitie's old house, claiming he'd always wanted to live in an "end house, without leaving the area". This took Victor by surprise; he did not learn where Mr Swainey was moving to until, while reminiscing in the garden about his departure, Mr Swainey suddenly appeared from the other side. Ronnie and Mildred (Gordon Peters and Barbara Ashcroft) – Ronnie and Mildred