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EPISODE DESCRIPTIONS
SERIES 1 | 2
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SERIES 1
1.
Tony Carpenter is a self made man, who has climbed to the top of the heap
- he’s made a go of his car hire firm and has been rewarded with
all the trappings of success. He has a classy and beautiful wife, a teenage
daughter at a private boarding school and a mansion in an exclusive part
of the “stockbroker belt” run by faithful - if anarchic -
staff.
And it is to his three retainers - Sam, his chauffeur, gofer and confidant;
Maggie, his efficient and understanding Scottish secretary; and Mrs Wembley,
his housekeeper and cook who can rustle up a gourmet dinner aided by “just
the one glass” of her favourite tipple - that Tony turns for comfort
and solace when his wife, Ruth, walks out on him yet again.
Tony and Ruth are poles apart in every sense of the word but their magnetic
attraction for each other leads to passionate outbursts and even more
passionate reconciliations. But Ruth’s latest departure to stay
at Claridge’s looks as though it could be for keeps.
2.
Tony isn’t looking forward to visiting his stubborn old Mum and
telling her about his marriage split - but when she is rushed to hospital
with appendicitis, he finds it even more difficult to tell her that she’s
in a private hospital and hasn’t been operated on under the NHS.
Meanwhile, Tony’s wife Ruth has returned to the marital home to
talk about their daughter’s school Open Day - and they literally
end up in the hay before yet another argument has her driving back to
Claridge’s. But at least Tony has his faithful staff - Sam, Mrs
Wembley and Maggie - to keep him company and share the odd game of tiddley
winks.
3.
Tony has taken a marquee at the County Show to promote his business. He
has a Rolls-Royce, Sam complete with chauffeur’s cap, Tony’s
secretary Maggie and blonde model Dawn decked out in glamorous dresses,
and Mrs Wembley providing a mouth-watering spread - so everything should
go splendidly.
But some upper-class yahoos cause a disturbance that has Carpenter’s
team coming on like the Magnificent Seven and, later that night, the united
front leads to some home truths being told - by Mrs Wembley and Dawn.
4.
Tony’s estranged wife Ruth returns unannounced and jumps to the
conclusion that Tony has been sleeping with Dawn, the model who worked
for him at the County Show display. After “chucking accusations
like confetti” she storms out, refusing to attend their daughter
Stephanie’s school Open Day.
Tony is too nervous to go alone, so he takes Sam, Maggie and Mrs Wembley
along for company. But Stephanie turns tail when she sees them all arrive
- embarrassed that her father has turned up with “a lot of servants”.
However, Mrs Wembley has made quite an impression on one of the school
governors...
5.
It’s his old Mum’s birthday and he decides to have a bash
for her at his home, inviting all her friends and neighbours. Meanwhile,
Maggie’s dour Scottish father decides to pay a visit. Against all
the odds the party eventually goes with a swing - mainly due to Mrs Wembley’s
punch, which she likens to Gary Cooper - “slow-burning but quite
deadly”. And Tony and Maggie try to come to terms with their respective
troublesome parents.
6.
Although he lives down the road, can afford their membership fees, is
a fair golfer, replaces his divots, doesn’t kick his ball out from
behind a tree when nobody’s looking and is not “about to go
round in a ‘Kiss Me Quick’ hat”, the local golf club
still won’t accept him as a member.
Meanwhile, a certain Mrs Lamarr has agreed to pay over the odds to have
Sam drive her to the airport. Mrs Wembley is giving her very good friend
Sir Douglas another cooking lesson, and Tony and Maggie are alone together
in the dining room.
7.
Tony is still smarting because his estranged wife Ruth has gone off to
Spain with another man.
To take his mind off things, he asks his trusty driver and confidant Sam
to accompany him on a holiday to Barbados. It doesn’t take long
for Sam to stifle his bourgeois beliefs and accept the offer. But when
Tony asks Maggie to book the flight, she jumps to the wrong conclusion
- an action that results in her being invited as well. Before too long
the party has grown to include not only Mrs Wembley but also Dawn, who
are both recovering from romantic disappointments. In fact, the only person
who doesn’t accept the holiday invitation is Tony’s daughter.
But airports are busy places - you never know who you’re going to
bump into in transit.
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SERIES 2
1.
Dennis Waterman is still ‘On the Up’, when he returns as self-made
millionaire Tony Carpenter. Tony is happier mucking in with his live-in
staff than mixing with his up-market wife, Ruth - and proves it by taking
Sam, Mrs. Wembley, Maggie and Dawn on holiday to Barbados. But on their
return home, Tony finds someone’s been sleeping in his bed - and
it’s not Goldilocks ...
2.
There’s still friction in the Carpenter household. But it’s
between the live-in staff and newly-returned Ruth rather than between
her and her reconciled husband Tony. Ruth is really determined to make
a go of the marriage this time - and even welcomes Tony’s old Mum
into the house on a “trial” visit. However, Tony’s secretary
Maggie finds it difficult to be civil to Ruth - and there are more problems
when Tony’s Mum insists on eating in the kitchen and doing a bit
of Hoovering ...
3.
Tony is in the happy position of having all his family at home for once.
While he has breakfast with his wife Ruth and daughter Stephanie, his
dear old Mum has been driven down to the betting shop in a limousine,
chauffeured by Sam. But Tony’s “extended” family of
live-in staff and confidantes - namely Sam, cook Mrs. Wembley and secretary
Maggie - is threatened. Maggie has handed in her notice ...
4.
Tony is concerned that his hire car business is taking a dive. The problem
is diagnosed when he discovers that another firm is under-cutting his
prices. He decides to take the boss - the brash young Jimmy Quinn - out
to lunch to discuss the matter. But when that doesn’t work, a council
of war with his live-in staff - Sam, Mrs. Wembley and Maggie - comes up
with a solution. It’s time to plant a “mole” in the
opposition’s camp ...
5.
Tony’s on-off marriage to his classy wife Ruth is going through
another tricky patch this week. Tony’s Mum puts her hat on and goes
home, stopping off at Ruth’s London flat to talk to her daughter-in-law
about her “flouncing”. Mrs. Wembley engineers a date between
Sam and Maggie. And when Stephanie asks her father to take her back to
boarding school, Tony ends up giving a lift to the very attractive mother
of one of his daughter’s friends ...
6.
Tony Carpenter continues to have problems with his classy wife, Ruth,
and his live-in staff. Despite the advice of his driver and best mate,
Sam, Tony makes another date with Jane Webster when Ruth stands him up
for dinner. Meanwhile, Mrs. Wembley has engineered for Maggie and Sam
to go to a football match together, but accidentally interrupts their
heart-to-heart chat when they return home. And Ruth arrives for her own
heart-to-heart with Tony ...
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SERIES 3
1. The Carpenter household is thrown into confusion over whether they
are going to have a fancy dress party or not.
2. Tony takes the dizzy Dawn on a fishing trip, but when Maggie tells
his wife Ruth, it's not Dawn who ends up getting the sack.
3. Dawn arrives for her new job as secretary. Three of Tony's drivers
have gone off sick, so Tony, Sam and Dawn take their place, while mum
and Mrs Wembley look after the office. Tony ends up picking up Jane Webster
4. Tony, Mrs Wembley & Sam act out "Sunset Boulevard" in
the hall, Tony & Ruth both turn up at the school, Mrs Wembley auditions
gardeners
5. The new woman in Tony's life is a big hit with everyone except his
wife...
6. Ruth returns to the family home feeling there is only one option left
- divorce
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