William picks midwife Mary from her photo on an Internet dating site, but a pregnant woman with cancer interrupts their first date. Mary discovers William's job when he picks up the woman's body.
William writes a letter of explanation to Mary, but her mother hides it in hopes Mary will get back with her ex-lover Rick. William visits a dying woman who is afraid of not being found after death.
The children of both William and Mary want to meet their parent's new SO. William's clients want to shoot their father's ashes off in a rocket. Mary's mother keeps begging to move back in.
A tragedy strains William & Mary's relationship as their kids try to adjust to their new relationship.
After William's mother dies, he discovers the fraud that forced him to take over the family business years earlier and contemplates selling the funeral business. Mary learns the identity of Rick's new girlfriend and has a surprise visitor.
William continues negotiating to sell Shawcross & Sons, but he can't handle Mary's ex-lover staying with her and breaks off their relationship.
After selling Shawcross & Sons, William starts setting up a new funeral home. William and Mary try to plan their wedding. Kate and Brendan continue to hunt for a place to have sex. Molly and Rick surprise everyone.
McKinnon & Spalding's first funeral and a stillbirth that Mary attended complicate Rick & Molly's wedding day. William hunts for a larger house for their combined family.
William feels stressed as teenagers rampage through the small house, there is a notable lack of progress on the new house, and McKinnon & Spaulding receives death threats over the funeral of a convicted killer.
Their new house may be condemned. Mary sees some of the independent midwives' clients. Reuben gets the band a plum booking.
With only a week before the wedding, William is hiring people to make it more interesting and Mary is getting ready to take a year off from work. Mary blames herself for a tragedy.
They finally move into the new house, but two uninvited guests may ruin Mary's wedding: Mary's father, invited by Molly, and Reuben, who can't give up the idea of him and Mary as a family.
The stair gate is broken and Mary makes a comment "Mind the future" as William climbs over with Thomas. William wonders if Mary wants another baby. Molly has lost her job and is suffering menopause because she has come off HRT. Rick is worried. The daughter of a vicar has died and William must deal with the vicar wanting to perform the service. Rick has to help William move the body.
Doris's new bloke Amon, starts making his obnoxious appearance. Terrence starts tagging someone else's turf. Molly continues treatment and enters competitions. William leaves the band but goes back. Reuben is hanging around again. William and Mary go to Oxford with Kate for the interviews but have to leave when Mary gets a call. W and M argue about privilege and Oxford.
There is a postal strike and Kate is waiting to find out about university. Mary is feeling a bit depressed and organises a dinner party with Doris and Eamon and Billie. William has to repatriate a body from Holland as Penelope (Nick's ex) has inherited his business and nominated William on the paperwork. Mary has to fight off the advances of the partner of her current home birth (Rosie). William has to fight off the advances of Penelope.
A group of bikers hires William to arrange a special funeral for a club member. Rick and Molly compete in a ballroom dance competition. Terence is attacked by a gang of street artists.
Terrence has gone and Mary is depressed and cross with William. Doris and Eamon are back together. Mrs Ball has gone to visit her father. A young boy inquires about having a funeral for someone who is missing at sea, his dad (Jim). Mary has a mother on life support who isn't married to the father. Social services may take the baby. Jane has trouble dealing with Arnold's relationship with Mrs Ball and goes to live with her sister. The police advise William that Terrence should stay away for at least 6 months.
Mrs Ball comes back and fills in for Jane in the office. Molly is due out of hospital. William's funeral is a twin (which has some funny consequences later). The comatose mother (Jane) is sent to surgery for delivery of a baby boy. William and Mary have to look at houses to move to so that Terrence can come home but Mary can't. Molly wins 10,000 pounds in a competition. William is organising something with Terrence. Molly gets her cancer results.