About this season
Ladies in Charge is a 1986 British television drama, an expansion from a 1985 pilot in the Storyboard anthology programme. Produced by Thames Television for ITV, the six-episode programme stars Carol Royle, Julia Hills, and Julia Swift. After serving as World War I ambulance drivers, three women start a private agency in London to solve problems for clients, blending mystery and drama with a lighthearted tone. They take on various cases, from finding lost items to uncovering secrets, often challenging societal expectations for women of the era.
Episodes (6)
1. Zoe's Fever
Aired 6 May 1986 • 65 min
The Ladies in Charge are sought to solve the mystery behind the disappearance of a young mother. Is she dead or has she simply run away? Eager to please, the redoubtable trio begin their first investigation.
2. Dangerous Prelude
Aired 13 May 1986 • 65 min
The Ladies take interest in the affairs of Edward Cane, a successful novelist visiting London with his sister to employ a housekeeper. There are certain stipulations: she must be young, unwed, and of high moral standard.
3. A Public Mischief
Aired 20 May 1986 • 65 min
The Ladies are expected to receive some odd requests but none so strange as the one from music hall ventriloquist Cosmo Keble and his dummy. It appears that Cosmo has a very unusual predicament.
4. The Shadow
Aired 27 May 1986 • 65 min
Diana and friends investigate the strange goings-on surrounding Madame Morgan – a medium who reputedly hears voices from the grave. Is she for real — or just a fraud?
5. Double Act
Aired 10 June 1986 • 65 min
When Florence Potter, obsessed with the idea that a mysterious 'shadow' is following her, seeks the Ladies' help, Diana sets out to uncover the prowler's identity.
6. All That Glitters
Aired 17 June 1986 • 65 min
The reward for finding a set of Imperial family jewels – and one aristocratic nephew held responsible for their loss – is one sparkling diamond. Can the girls resist the challenge and intrigue of a Czarist family squabble?