2007

S3The Robbers

Sat, Dec 26, 2009

It's Boxing Day and already Karen is making New Year resolutions - chiefly for others - and the family have been burgled,though selectively,causing Sue to cheat on the insurance claim. Sue and Jake go to collect Grandad from the retirement home where he now lives,only to find he has sloped off to the pub again with Scots mate Mac. Sue ends up asking Mac back for dinner though his thick accent creates a language barrier for Karen. Sue's divorced friend Jane is also invited and though the children fail to appreciate her present for them,a goat donated to Oxfam,Pete feels sorry for her and is glad that the Brockmans have given a Christmas to lonely strangers - until a W.P.C. turns up with another old boy who has gone walkabout.

8 /10

S3.E1 ∙ The Family Outing

Wed, Apr 07, 2010

Pete's mother Sandra takes the family to London for the day to help Karen with her Second World War project, though Karen as ever ends up asking precocious questions, this time about the monarchy. Ben is disruptive, pretending to 'kill' the lions at Trafalgar Square whilst Jake is merely bored. Sue is horrified when Sandra, having offered money for the children's schooling, announces that her marriage is on the rocks and she is getting divorced, especially as Pete refuses to get involved. Back home the children continue to the bane of their parents' lives.

8.2 /10

S3.E2 ∙ The Internet

Wed, Apr 14, 2010

After finding an image of a woman's bare breasts on the computer Sue accuses Ben though it turns out to be a photo of Jake's teacher sun-bathing topless. Sue also finds that somebody has logged onto a cancer website and wonders if this is why Sandra is giving money to Pete and his sisters as she is terminally ill. In fact it was Pete - Sandra is giving money away because she is hooked on on-line gambling and fears she would lose it otherwise. Ben wins a chess tournament by bizarre means whilst Karen spreads the word that the family is rich when a Readers' Digest 'cheque' for half a million pounds arrives.

8.1 /10

S3.E3 ∙ The Tennis Match

Wed, Apr 21, 2010

Pete is due for a colonostopy,awakening the kids' curiosity as to whether he has cancer and leading to Jake and Ben fighting. Sue and Pete then fight as to who should have the morning out with friends. Pete wins the toss to play tennis but has Karen and Ben dumped on him and their attempts to umpire do not go down well with his opponents. Sue accuses Jake of sexism by referring girls as objects but plays the dumb female card when asked to sign a petition.

8.5 /10

S3.E4 ∙ The Pigeon

Wed, May 05, 2010

It's Friday the Thirteenth and,whilst Pete recovers from a hangover following a work's do and Sue tidies the house for prospective buyers, Karen tries to get out of going to school, fearing that she will be ripped apart by wild bears, though she survives to have an argument with Ben about crucifixions. Pete is surprised that the estate agent knows about his colostopy but then Karen did put it on Facebook. The prospective buyers arrive and, whilst Pete assures them that it is a happy house, Ben's quizzing of the pregnant wife and an almighty row between Karen and Sue as Sue and Jake try to shoo away a pigeon that has got trapped in the kitchen ensure that there is no sale.

8.3 /10

S3.E5 ∙ The Restaurant

Wed, May 12, 2010

Pete has freaked out a friend of Karen on a sleep-over by appearing nude and Karen, having seen off a telephone canvasser, is in trouble for hitting the boy at school who stole her sausage roll but worse is to come. Not only did Pete kiss Mimi, a sex-starved parent, during a slow dance at a leaving do but Angela has returned from America with Brick,her new man, an annoying therapist who fits in with all Jake's stereotypes. They have brought Taylor Jean, one of his five children, which prompts Karen to ask Angela why she has suddenly obtained such a large family 'at her age'. At the Italian restaurant where Kelly, the object of Jake's schoolboy crush works, Brick's attempts to reconcile the sisters falls wholly flat, Karen mystifies the know-all American with her childish logic and Pete's indiscretion with Mimi is revealed, leading Brick - already peeving Pete by calling him Hugh Grant - to offer therapy and Pete to offer threats. At least Sue and Pete have closed ranks against Angela and Brick and so by evening domestic harmony is restored.

8.4 /10

S3.E6 ∙ The Hospital

Wed, May 19, 2010

Despite the truce when they allied against Angela and Brick Sue is still angry with Pete for kissing Mimi and,whilst Ben attempts to climb Everest on the stairs, Karen is quick to pick up on her mother's feelings and grills Pete about his infidelity whilst also worrying about her important triangle solo in the school orchestra. Pete makes it clear to Howard from down the street that he will not be joining his campaign against speed bumps when Karen is hit by a car whilst Sue is arguing with another parent. Whilst the parents anxiously wait in Casualty Kelly looks after Ben and Jake but the latter is embarrassed to learn that the girl of his dreams is training to be a child psychologist to whom he inadvertently confesses that he is not sixteen after all. Whilst Karen questions the same nurse who was always present on Ben's many hospital trips over her right to compensation the trauma brings Sue and Pete back together again and they are happy to return home with Karen,promising to help her with her thousand piece Sahara jigsaw rather than sue the motorist who hit her.

8.4 /10