Editing The Good Life (1975 TV series) (section)

==Characters==
===Tom Good===<!-- This section is linked from [[Richard Briers]] -->
Tom's career has been as a draughtsman at JJM, a job he thoroughly dislikes. He feels his life is meaningless, nothing more than work and consumption. Becoming self-sufficient is his idea, but Barbara, after expressing concerns, supports him. Tom is determined to succeed at self-sufficiency, and is mostly cheerful about his new lifestyle. Despite being an eternal optimist most of the time, Tom can also be obstinate and pigheaded, often to Barbara's detriment or irritation. On the few occasions that he is pessimistic, Barbara becomes the optimist.

===Barbara Good===
Barbara is a normal, middle-class housewife when the series begins. While she sometimes wilts under Tom's determined and dominant nature, her sharp tongue puts her on an equal footing. She is the heart of the enterprise, while Tom's engineering brain designs and builds what they need. She occasionally misses the luxuries but her own determination to succeed, with Tom's single-minded persuasion, keeps her going.

===Jerry Leadbetter===
Jerry works for JJM, having joined the same day as Tom, although the two men knew each other for at least two years before they went to work for the same company. By his own account, Jerry has risen to senior management through cunning and self-promotion rather than ability – he tells Tom directly that he has only 10% of Tom's talent. As the series progresses, he moves within striking distance of the managing director's job. Jerry is convinced that the Goods' go-it-alone attempt will fail and on several occasions pleads with Tom to come back. But he grows to appreciate the character it has taken for Tom to leave the system. He is henpecked at home but has the strength to make his case.

===Margo Leadbetter===<!-- This section is linked from [[Penelope Keith]] -->
Margo cannot understand her neighbours' lifestyle, but their friendship is important to her. As a child, she was bullied at school for having no sense of humour. A social climber, staunchly [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] and unafraid to challenge anyone who gets on her nerves, Margo nevertheless reveals a heart of gold. She involves herself with organisations such as the pony club and the music society, always wishing to play the lead role, although frequently the Goods' activities frustrate her attempts to impress her social circle. Margo is occasionally made aware of her faults by others, including her husband, and is not too proud to apologise.

===Andrew and Felicity===
Andrew, "Andy" or "Sir", is managing director of JJM. He feigns ignorance of Tom's existence ("Mr Ummm of the Fourth Floor"), but once Tom leaves, Andy becomes desperate to bring him back. His wife, Felicity, is more relaxed. She is one of the few characters to support the Goods and finds their attempt at self-sufficiency exciting. She says, "I wanted to do something exciting when I was young, and then I met Andrew and that was the end of that." They have one son, unseen, called Martin. Andrew calls Tom and Barbara "Tim and Fatima", but in the episode "Anniversary" admits he has always known their names and pretends to forget – "an old executive ploy to put people at a disadvantage." Felicity doesn't appear series 1 with one more reference to her by Jerry and Margo in the episode "Mutiny".

===Mrs Weaver===
Mrs Weaver buys the house next door to Tom and Barbara in series 2, much to the relief of Margo, who approves of Mrs Weaver's conservative values as opposed to the two students lodging with the Goods who had initially threatened to purchase the house. Initially, the Goods and Mrs Weaver have an embarrassing introduction to each other, but when Mrs Weaver is impressed by the pottery skills of Tom, they become friendly. Mrs Weaver's enthusiasm for Tom's pottery encourages him to take up making ceramics, but he baulks at the idea of doing it professionally. Mrs Weaver continues to be mentioned, but is not seen again. In series 4 it is revealed she has moved away, leaving the house empty, but with a half-full tank of heating oil in the garden. The Goods telephone her and she agrees to them taking the oil, but they discover the leaking tank has destroyed their garden.

===Unseen characters===
Several characters are mentioned but unseen. Margo is at odds with Miss Dolly Mountshaft, dictatorial leading light of the music society. The overweight Mrs Dooms-Paterson is an equally dictatorial acquaintance and a fellow member of the pony club. Mr and Mrs Pearson, the Leadbetters' gardener and housekeeper, are mentioned in several episodes. Mr Weaver, the husband of Mrs Weaver, is mentioned but not met in episode 6 of season 2, when Margo speaks of Mr and Mrs Weaver.