Derek Yates is besieged with telephone calls enquiring whether his business partner, Simon Harrap, has reappeared in their London office yet. Simon has not been heard of since he left a conference in the South of France three days ago. One of the callers is Simon's housekeeper Madeline, who has taken care of his daughter Samantha, now 13, since his wife died. One of those most anxious about Simon's absence is his mother-in-law Nell - she is furious that Simon has not reappeared in time to take Samantha to the theatre as he had promised. Simon arrives unannounced in the office that morning and explains that he could not resist an invitation from an attractive girl, Gillian, to spend a few days in France after the conference. Nell tells Simon that Samantha was bitterly disappointed to miss the promised theatre trip. Simon tries to pretend to Samantha that he was delayed in France by business, but Samantha is not surprised when she finds out that in fact he was with a girlfriend.
Both Nell and Samantha want Simon to re-marry and decide to help him find a wife. Simon looks through his list of old girlfriends in the hope that this may happen. Samantha says she especially likes Kim and asks Nell to bring them together again. Nell brings Kim to the office so she can help with an advertising promotion. Simon invites Kim to the house to talk about their past relationship and they both agree that they were not ready for a serious relationship so soon after the death of Simon's wife Ruth. Simon says he is now ready for committing to a relationship but Kim announces that she is already engaged to be married next month. Simon then tells Samantha that he is ruling out past girlfriends, and throws the list in the bin. But when Samantha is out of the room he retrieves it.
Whilst Derek's family is away he plans a secret date with a passionate woman called Glenda, whom Simon knows to have a reputation. He tries to stop Derek from meeting her in an attempt to save his marriage. But Derek ignores him and goes on the date a happy, carefree man. The next day Simon brings Samantha to the office to find Derek laid out on his desk with his trousers missing. Simon fears that Derek may have done something to ruin his marriage but Derek cannot remember anything and he too is worried about his marriage. Then a man called Mr Sharma returns to the office with Derek's trousers to explain that whilst Derek was out with Glenda at his restaurant, he had got rather drunk and leapt up to phone his wife. Glenda, annoyed by the love he had shown for his wife, had thrown his dinner over him. Shocked, Derek had leapt up and knocked himself out on a lamp. Mr Sharma had brought him to the office and washed his trousers.
Simon and Samantha receive a visit from Simon's mother-in-law Nell who is lonely and wants more to do. She offers to help around the office but only ends up getting on Simon's and Derek's nerves. She then decides to look after Samantha at home where she is better appreciated. After a week, Maddie the housekeeper announces that she will be away for another week and Nell is delighted that she will be able to spend more time at home with Samantha. Simon is only pleased that Nell has a course in the evenings for word-processing. Derek, however, discovers that her course is so she can be of more use in the office.
Samantha is misled by an advertising manager, Mr Keating, into believing that she could be the next Whoppa Bar Sunshine Girl. All she has to do is sing her own song promoting the bar.Simon is not convinced about the advert and doesn't want Samantha to do it. He finds out that Mr Keating has in fact offered the account to many people and let them all down. He is cheating people in order to get their ideas. Simon confronts Mr Keating and explains that no other agencies will deal with him anymore because of his methods.In order to cheer Samantha up after this disappointment, Simon gives her permission to get her ears pierced. She confesses she's already had them done earlier in the day without his permission.
Simon is concerned about the amount of homework Samantha seems to be getting, so he visits her teacher to find out why. Her teacher explains that she has to do catch-up work because of her Wednesday afternoons off to see the Child Psychiatrist. Simon realises that Samantha is taking the afternoon off for a reason of her own and decides to find out what. When he asks a friend of hers she tells him Samantha is in love with someone. He finds out that it is a famous actor who is playing Hamlet at the London Theatre. Simon goes along to find Samantha there. She is crying because the actor has just announced his engagement to the lady who plays Ophelia. Although Simon can understand her disappointment, he tells her she must start going to school.
Simon falls into a canal whilst out jogging trying to impress an attractive girl. He discovers that the girl, Ernestine, is a doctor and she comes to his house to test him for water poisoning. Simon becomes very ill and is unaware that Samantha and Maddie are taking odd foods up to her room. The next day Simon meets Ernestine out jogging and invites her to dinner. She accepts but when she gets to his house she is overcome by shortness of breath and says she is allergic to cat fur and points out that Samantha has been keeping a stray cat in her room which has now escaped downstairs. Simon forces Samantha to contact its original owners who then come to collect the cat, as Ernestine admits she cannot see Simon again because she needs to devote her time to the surgery.
Simon and Derek have to impress a new client in order to get him to hire their company. The man, Mr Taylor, has made a huge fortune selling turkeys. During their meeting, Simon fails to impress Mr Taylor and his brought-along ladyfriend. By chance he stares out of the window to see a street entertainer dressed as a turkey. He announces that in Mr Taylor's campaign a performing turkey should feature strongly. Mr Taylor likes this idea. However, when Simon needs to speak to the street performer the man is missing, so he persuades Derek to dress up as a turkey. Whilst doing this Derek sees the performer and runs over to him. The performer, horrified that someone had copied his act, attacks Derek. He then returns to the offfice, where Mr Taylor is waiting, in a torn and battered costume. Mr Taylor is unimpressed and leaves. They lose his account.
Simon arrives at work to find Derek's son has been involved in a motorbike accident and is being threatened with legal action. Nell has had her pocket picked but she magaed to keep hold of the thief and wants to press charges. Liz has a message that Samantha has been caught shoplifting.Samantha explains to Simon that her friend had stolen the tape recorder and she was only returning it, but she refused to tell who it was. Samantha then confides to Simon that it was her friend Penny but she had been blackmailed by an older girl at school. Simon decides to teach the older girl a lesson by pretending to be a gangster, along with Derek and pickpocket Dilke. The girl is so alarmed by the gangsters' violent talk that she decides to abandon her blackmailing immediately
Samantha changes her image when she becomes friends with a girl called Katie. She wears black clothes, make-up and strange hair. They want to go to a pop concert but Simon won't allow it.Meanwhile Simon and Ron swap places to see how they cope with each others' jobs. Ron actually pulls off a very good deal despite Derek's anxieties.Simon eventually agrees to let Samantha go to the concert with him escorting. The girls are embarrassed by what he wears. Also at the concert are the new clients Nell and Mr Bagshaw who behave like teenagers to the humiliation of Samantha and Katie who are disgusted by their elders' behaviour.
Simon has been offerd a high-paid job in California. Derek hears of this through his friend Fergus who offers to take Simon's place in the business when he leaves. Derek - furious with Simon for not telling him about California - agrees. Simon is also angry when he sees Fergus measuring his space in the office and realises that Derek wants to get rid of him. Because of this, Simon accepts the job.Samantha wants to go to California but does not want to leave Maddie, the housekeeper, unemployed. She has an idea that Maddie will be Derek's housekeeper and his wife Muriel can work with Derek in the office. Derek is horrified at the thought of working all day every day with his wife and begs Simon to stay. Simon - delighted that Derek is begging him to stay - agrees and foregoes the job in America. Fergus then arrives with a huge, antique desk, which he installs in Simon's office.
Eyecatchers is in debt and needs financial help - or Simon and Samantha will have to sell their home. A man named Babu Bhatti offers to hire the firm if they are able to contact Dean Martin to appear at the closing caberet for a conference. Simon, desperate for the money, agrees - but he has no idea how to contact Dean Martin.He discovers that Dean Martin plays golf at a local course in London each morning and he goes along with Samantha and Derek in the hope of catching his attention. Simon accidentally hits a golf ball which lands on Dean Martin's head and knocks him unconscious. Nell, who also turned up, helps Dean Martin with her first aid knowledge and in return he agrees to appear at the caberet. However, Babu Bhatti suddenly remembers it was Jerry Lewis he wanted, not Dean Martin. But he signs the contract anyway and Simon and Samantha can keep their house.
A schoolfriend of Samantha's has invited her on holiday to Blackpool, but Samantha always goes to the Isle of Wight with her Dad. Simon has also received an offer for a holiday with his girlfriend Gillian. Neither wants to disappoint the other. Maddie tells Samantha not to be scared of her father like she was scared of hers. Maddie then hears from her father that she must return to Scotland to fulfill her promise of marriage to a man named Ecky, because she has not found a husband for herself. The others, in a desperate attempt to keep Maddie, try to find someone to pretend to be Maddie's fiancee. When Maddie's father arrives at the house, Nell, Simon and Liz all introduce different men to be Maddie's fiancee. Her father is not fooled by their actions but explains that Maddie does not need to go away because Ecky has chosen to stay in the Army instead of marrying. Simon then urges Samantha to go to Blackpool with her friend, although he is too late to go with Gillian to Tenerife. Howev
Simon and Samantha arrive home from a summer holiday to find that their housekeeper has got married and moved away. But she has left some help - her sister Isobel. Simon decides to give her a trial period. She does not make a good impression as she is shy and quiet. When she tries to liven up, she only suceeds in smashing crockery.She overhears them talking about the fact that they are not impressed by her. She then decides to impress them with her tidying and fried cooking. But this only seems to make Simon more angry with her. He decides she must be sacked and return to Scotland. Samantha learns that Isobel is dreading to go back to Scotland and tries to persuade Simon to let her stay. When Isobel learns that she was to be sacked, she becomes distressed. Simon then offers her a further month's trial as long as she takes cooking lessons and stops tidying up.
Samantha wants to learn about her mother and asks Simon to describe her. But he finds it difficult. He only remembers her having one fault - that she used to use his toothbrush. He is also under a lot of strain because he needs a loan to tide over a difficult business patch. He suggests she go to Derek and Nell but he warns them before not to tell about the incident with Harry. But Isobel has heard of Harry and slips it out to Samantha about him.Both Derek and Nell try hard not to mention Harry to Samantha whilst describing her mother, but Samantha asks about him and they have no choice but to tell her to go to Simon. He then tells her Harry's story - that he was engaged to Ruth before Simon was and after a bitter argument they had fought and Simon had won. After that, Simon had promised Ruth he would never use violence and that he would bring up any children they had to abhor violence. Samantha then promises never to watch violence on TV - and also that she will stop secretly using hi
Simon is tied up at work and asks Nell to take his turn to be the crossing guard at Samantha's school. She agrees. Simon and Derek have a meeting with a Sales Director who will give them more work, called Drover. He's a heavy drinking man and says he will only offer them the contract if they promise to include his girlfriend in the budget. They have no choice but to accept.Later that day they receive a phone call informing them that Nell has been knocked down by a car and is in hospital. They all rush to her side where they find that her injuries are minimal. They also discover that the driver of the car is in hospital too. It is Drover. He threatens to sue Nell for causing the accident. But Simon warns him that they have the evidence that he was drinking and driving. Drover is then made to give them the contract without having to include payments to his girlfriend. Simon is then so guilty about sending Nell out on the road that he returns to the school as a Lollipop man - to the amuse
Simon has a new girlfriend Annie, and decides not to tell Samantha if she stays the night because she is too young to understand adult emotions. Derek turns up at the doorstep one evening and announces he has left Muriel and his children. Simon offers to let him spend the night but says that he shouldn't tell Samantha because she is too young and innocent to understand.The next day Derek is miserable and wants to go back to Muriel. Both Liz and Nell try to patch things up between them with no success. Samantha then asks Derek if he can take her to his house so that she can finish some homework with his daughter Anabelle. Rather than tell Samantha the truth about his problems with his wife he takes her to his house. Samantha returns home later that evening to tell Simon that Derek and Muriel are back together. She tells him how she guessed the situation and she and Anabelle plotted to get Muriel and Derek to talk. Simon understands that his daughter is more grown up than he thought and
Simon needs to renew a contract with Eyecatchers' biggest existing client, Britannia Biscuits. If he can he will be able to buy Samantha a computer for her birthday. Simon decides to make a video of his agency's previous successes and show this to the Marketing Chief, Portland MacIntyre, who happens to be a very attractive lady.When the meeting comes to show Portland the video, the messenger has brought the wrong tape and they end up showing a sex tape. Portland is disgusted and says she wants a company that does research. Simon then asks Portland out to dinner. He decides to do some research on her. Whilst at her favourite restaurant, Simon accidentally drops the piece of cardboard that has Portland's research written on it. Simon explains that he had done the research to show that his company is efficient in this area. Portland explains that she was going to renew the contract again because their costs are much lower than those of larger agencies. Simon then tells Samantha that he wi
Simon needs a loan to expand his business and decides to get a bank manager's opinion. Meanwhile, Fergus comes to see Derek to ask if he can borrow the Eyecatchers office for the afternoon. He has just recently got engaged to Anthea and she wants to see his office so she can ask her father to help Fergus out financially in his business. But Fergus' own office is shabby and Anthea will not be impressed. Derek agrees to lend Fergus the office and pretend to be his assistant. When Anthea comes to view the office she is impressed, but not by Derek - she wants Fergus to fire him. Nell then walks in and Anthea presumes she is the cleaning lady. Then Samantha walks in and Anthea believes her to be Fergus' daughter. She is angry with him for not telling her he has a daughter. Simon walks in with the bank manager just as Anthea is breaking off her engagement to Fergus. The bank manager is amused but decides to give Simon the loan anyway.
Simon meets an attractive woman called Helen. She tells him that she is frustrated with her home because of all her noisy children. Simon offers her an invitation to spend the evening at his house knowing that Samantha is away - so Helen will be out of the way of the children. Derek is surprised when he hears that Simon has denied Samantha's existance just to spend the evening with Helen.After much interrogation Derek tells Nell what Simon is doing. In a rage she goes to his house to meet Helen, who greets her warmly and mentions the high regard that Simon feels for her. Touched, Nell decides to leave without mentioning Samantha. However, Samantha is missing Simon in Paris and decides to telephone him. Simon has to confess to Helen that he has a 14 year old daughter. Helen then confesses that her hair-raising account of the children in her house was just a fabrication to persuade Simon to ask her out.
After being beaten by Simon at squash, Derek decides to lay on a bet with Fergus that Simon will beat him when they play squash. He bets his wife's car against Fergus' sports car. When he learns that Fergus is a county standard squash player, he instantly tries to break off the bet. But he's then told by Fergus' girlfriend that Fergus is not that good. So the bet remains. When Simon hears of the bet he determines to play his very best so Derek's wife will not lose her car. Samantha turns up at the match and screams her Dad on, and he wins.Fergus and Derek then learn that both Samantha and Fergus's daughter are trying out for the same audition. They decide to bet both cars again on the chance that one of the girls will get the lead. Derek is sure to win again. But then when Samantha turns up for the audition she has lost her voice due to the screaming she had been doing earlier - she cannot possibly succeed in the audition.
Simon receives a visitor called Mr Broclebank who wants Simon's agency to help him in his charity work. Simon refuses. Nell walks into the office to discover that Mr Brocklebank is her long-lost love whom she met during the war. She rushes out, too scared to talk to him. When Samantha hears about Nell's romance she decides to matchmake and invites Mr Brocklebank back to the office where Nell will be alone.When Nell and he meet their friendship is revived. They go to the local wine bar where Simon is told by a friend that Mr Brocklebank owns a large cosmetic company which could set him up with valuable contacts. Simon is then pleased for the relationship. However, Nell learns that Mr Brocklebank is happily married and decides not to see him again. Simon's housekeeper Isobel is luckier in her romance: Liz has offered to introduce her to a boy called Joe, and although Isobel has initial misgivings because Joe is black, she quickly decides that he is most attractive and charming.
Samantha's new schoolfriend Gemma has a single mother, and they decide to set their two parents up in the hope that they will begin a relationship and eventually get married. They plot to get both parents to the zoo to meet each other. When they do, they are instantly attracted and start to form a relationship. Laura is a painter and offers to paint a portrait of Simon.After long quiet sittings, Simon believes that they understand each other perfectly. She finishes the painting on her own and reveals it to Simon when it is finished. It is an abstract painting and shows Simon as a haggard character floundering in a sea of money and using humour as a mask. Simon does not like the interpretation of his personality and Laura is offended that he does not like her work. The romance breaks up. Simon is worried that Samantha will be upset about the break-up, but when he tells her she explains that she and Gemma are no longer friends anyway.
Derek hears that a VAT inspector is coming to the office to inspect the company's books. Derek tries to get hold of Simon to help him deal with the inspector. But Simon has been rushed to hospital with appendicitis. He has to be operated on, which scares him into saying he is fine, but the doctor is keen to operate. Nell, Isobel, Samantha and Derek visit him in hospital, determined not to worry him with the problems at work. But they find it hard to keep their anxiety concealed.When the VAT inspector arrives he tells Derek not to give any excuses for the books. Derek goes off to see Simon in hospital but faints when he sees him receiving an injection. Samantha comes to the office to discover that the Inspector has found a discrepency in the books. Samantha discovers he has calculated it wrong and, in fact, it is much greater. Derek is in despair to hear Samantha apparently adding up a VAT debt of thousands of pounds. Then he discovers that the discrepency is in the company's favour - t
Simon arrives home late one evening, bringing with him a 19-year old Jennifer Whitsun-Burnish. She was drunk when Simon found her on the street and has brought her home to sleep in his bed whilst he sleeps on the couch. The next morning Simon has to go to work early and leaves Samantha to discover Jennifer in her father's bed. Embarrassed, Jenny blurts out that she is Simon's fiancee. Samantha tells Nell who phones Jenny's parents to tell them the news. Simon returns from work to find that Nell has invited his supposed future parents-in-law to meet him.Jenny apologizes to Simon and admits she only said she was engaged to hide her embarrassment. She then explains that her boyfriend Jerry is coming to the house because she told him that Simon had treated her badly in order to make him jealous. She explains that she wants to marry Jerry but he won't propose. When Jerry comes to the house Simon tells him he will lose Jenny if he doesn't propose. So Jenny and Jerry get engaged while Simon r
Samantha is suffering from stress and needs a holiday, but Simon cannot afford to take her. He then receives an offer from a client to pay for Simon and his family to go away to Greece if he supplies some tapes for their company. Simon agrees and he decides to take Nell and Pinky, Samantha and the local doctor Ernestine.But when they arrive at the airport they discover that the companny has gone bust and their tickets are worthless. Simon fears that he will not get paid for his tapes although Nell assures him that she never gave them the tapes because she had been warned off by Pinky. They than all decide to stay in a country cottage that Percy owns and enjoy a country holiday rather than a Greek holiday.
Simon discovers that his daughter Sam is in love with a 16-year-old boy called Jeremy. He is worried where this may lead and tries to confront Sam about the dangers of a young love affair. Simon, however, finds this impossible. He also hears news that Derek's wife Muriel may have another addition to their already large family. Simon then receives a phone call from Jeremy asking to speak to him about something that has happened between him and Samantha. Simon is worried but then later discovers that Jeremy is worried about telling Sam that he has to go to Hong Kong for a few years with his family. He doesn't know how to tell Sam incase she is really upset. Simon urges Jeremy to tell her the news, which he does and Sam is distressed at first but then comes to accept the inevitable. Derek then learns that his wife is, indeed, pregnant. Simon suggests that it is Derek who needs advice not Samantha.
Nell's friend Pinky Harrington wants to propose to Nell and asks Simon and Samantha their advice. They are pleased and push him to ask her. However, later that day Nell returns home with a man from her past Major D'Arcy Pendleton. She decides to take a week off work to spend as much time with him as possible despite the warnings from Pinky, Simon and Samantha all say he will hurt her.Derek is anxious about his teenaged son's interest in dressmaking, when he realises it's not the dresses it's the teacher he's after. Simon discovers that Major is making plans for a wedding and has booked a honeymoon for a Mr and Mrs D'Arcy Pendleton. Simon is concerned when he finds out that Major already has a wife in Canada and goes to warn Nell. But at the church they discover that it wasn't Major's wedding he was planning but his fathers! His 90 year old father and new young bride are married and go off on the honeymoon that Major only prepared for them. When Major returns to Canada, Pinky proposes t
The Eye-catchers Agency wins a glamorous fashion account, and Simon insists that he must handle it because Derek's appearance is not acceptable or suitable for the account. Liz offers to help him update his appearance. Also, Nell offers to help Simon out financially in the business but Simon tells her that he has made money and no longer needs her support. She then offers to help around the office, but Simon sends her away. She then announces that she is no longer needed in the family and she will move to Marbella. Sam, desperate at the prospect of losing Nell, begs Simon to apologize but he refuses. The next day, Simon and Nell receive and urgent message from Isobel saying that Samantha has left home until Simon and Nell stop their quarrel. Both Simon and Nell feel guilty about their disagreement and apologize to one another, bringing Samantha back, from her room! Liz and Derek return to the house to show off Derek's new look. He is delighted when Simon offers him the Eye-catchers Fas
Samantha acquires a pet hamster, which she calls Uncle Derek because in some ways it resembles Derek; in the circumstances, Derek is not told of his namesake. Simon is busy drawing up insurance documents so that, in the event of either himself or Derek dying, the other partner would be enabled to take over their joint Eye-catchers business. Derek is quite agreeable to this arrangement, but his friend Fergus overhears Simon and Samantha that Uncle Derek is very ill and will not live long. Fergus, who presumes it is the real Derek, rushes to commiserate Derek. Derek, who is suffering from back pain and having several tests, hears Fergus's news and believes that Simon is trying to take over his side of the business. Derek believes he will soon die and decides, because of Simon's cheerful mood considering the fatal death that his partner will soon face, to sign over his side of the business to Fergus knowing that Simon will hate Fergus being his partner. He then discovers that Samantha's h
The Eye-catchers agency has business one weekend in Zurich and Simon decides that he will make the trip. Derek is indignant that it is always Simon who makes the overseas business trips, while he himself goes on all the routine trips in the UK. Samantha comes to the office one evening to see Simon, but he is too busy to talk to her. Samantha points out that Simon's business interests are taking over his life and he never has time for her now. Simon decides that he will stay at home that weekend and send Derek to Zurich. Derek is delighted by the opportunity to spend the weekend abroad, but on Saturday morning he telephones Simon saying he has missed the flight. He had planned to take a girlfriend with him, but was so overridden with guilt about his wife that he hid in the airport until the flight had taken off, but he can't go home because he has already pretended to be in Zurich. Derek stays the weekend with Simon and Samantha. He tries forlornly to seduce Isobel and wakes the househo
Derek lends some expensive Eye-catchers equipment to his feckless friend Fergus Appleby. Simon is furious when Fergus returns the equipment smashed beyond repair. Simon is worried about how the agency can replace the equipment, but next day he receives a letter informing him that an aged aunt has died and left him #20,000 in her Will to invest in his business: the aunt's only other living relatives are a family called Appleby from Cheltenham, but as they cannot be traced the money is all to go to Simon. Samantha suggests that Fergus Appleby might be one of the missing families. Simon is horrified by the prospect of having Fergus as a cousin or of sharing the inheritance with him, but Samantha insists on pursuing the matter and discovers that Fergus family home was in Cheltenham.Fergus is delighted when he hears the news and Simon has to offer him a part in the Eye-catchers firm. He then discovers from his parents that he is not a true Appleby and is not entitled to the inheritance. Fer
Derek and Simon are confronted with a dilemma, that their two daughters Sam and Emma both want to go on the school exchange trip to France. Derek tells Simon that he once went to France with his family and spent #500 in bargains so he is determined not to let Emma go. He says that if Sam is allowed, Emma will be jealous and upset, so she must not go either. Simon tells Sam that she cannot go to France, but Nell believes that she should not be held back because of Derek's financial worries. Nell offers to pay for Sam herself. Nell, Derek, Simon, Sam and Isobel all go to the social evening at the school to meet the French families involved in the school trip. Derek and Simon find some attractive French women and Isobel meets a handsome Frenchman. Nell finds a nice old lady called MME Morrizot who is a suitable person for Sam to stay with. Simon likes Mme Morrizot but is horrified to discover that she does not have a daughter for Sam to befriend, but a good-looking 16-year-old son. Sam an
One of the younger teachers from Samantha's school, Alan Pinner, strikes up a friendship with Isobel and comes to take her out for the evening. Simon, meeting Alan at the house, at first thinks that Alan has come to take Samantha out. Disapproving strongly, he is very cool with Alan and only later realises his mistake. Alan takes Isobel to an Indian restaurant and tells her that he is going to live in Africa soon; their next evening together will be their last meeting for many months and he wants Isobel to come back to his flat for a single night of love. Isobel is tempted and worried by Alan's suggestion. She tells Samantha of her problem and Samantha asks Simon for his views on ""a single night of love"". Thinking that Samantha is referring to her own relationship with her 16-year-old boyfriend Jonathon, Simon vehemently opposes the idea of it. When Jonathon comes to see Samantha, Simon is very cool to him. Later Simon realises that Samantha had been seeking advice on the love problem
Samantha and Isobel are worried that Simon is falling more in love with his latest girlfriend Ellen and may marry her. Samantha becomes rude to Ellen and Isobel threatens to leave if he remarries. Nell assures Simon that she would not oppose him remarrying. Simon tells Nell with confidence that he is not considering marriage with Ellen and when he meets Ellen later, he laughingly tells her of his family's suspicions. Once Simon and Ellen begin to talk of marriage, he realises that he does want to marry her. Simon tells Nell he is engaged. She warns him that Samantha may not accept the news of a newcomer to the family and he should break the news gently. As he goes off to tell Samantha, Nell meets Ellen in the Eye-catchers office and is surprised by her appearance. Ellen does not understand at first until she looks through some old photos with Derek and sees a picture of Simon's first wife Ruth and realises that she herself closely resembles his dead wife. She tells Simon that she is af
Simon, Sam and Nell are all sorry to hear that Liz will be leaving the Eye-catchers firm to pursue her acting career now that she has landed an acting job for a commercial in Tenerife. Derek, however, is relieved as he always had doubts about her abilities as a secretary. Liz's position is filled quickly by an old school friend of Nell's called Winifred who has come to stay with her after the collapse in her marriage. Simon is pleased with her work but is depressed by her solemn outlook. Liz arrives back in the office to say that her acting job involved too much personal attention from the Director. She wants her job back but Simon has already given it to Winifred. They then plot a way to get rid of Winifred by contacting her husband, who runs a double glazing firm, to come to the office and give them a quote for their windows. When he turns up and sees Winifred their emotions overcome them and they are reconciled. Winifred goes home with him and Liz gets her job back. Simon then gets
Isobel is suffering from toothache but she is to scared to go see a doctor. None the less, Nell makes an appointment for her to see a dentist near the Eye-catchers office. After her appointment, Isobel emerges bright and happy as the pain has gone and the dentist said she has nice teeth. She then makes an appointment for Simon and Derek to go. An intimidating lady called Mrs Grant comes to see Simon in the office about Samantha's relationship with her son. She wants him to stop them seeing each other because she is showing him bad ways, punk ways. When Samantha hears that Mrs Grant has complained she decides to tell him the truth about their relationship but only whilst he is in the waiting room for the dentist and is distracted. Samantha confesses to Simon that she has been pretending to go out with Mrs Grant's well-behaved son because she thought Simon would approve but she is actually seeing a punk called Eddie; Kevin has been pretending to his mother that he is seeing Samantha, but
Simon and Samantha are becoming increasingly worried about Nell, who seems to be pre-occupied with thoughts of death. Derek is also distracted with anxiety about his wife Muriel who is due to give birth to their child. Derek is sure it will be a boy and intends to call it Adrian. Although it is not his first experience with fatherhood. He still panics when Muriel phones him to take her to the hospital.Muriel is then sent home, as it was a false alarm. Later that day Nell tells Simon about her will and funeral arrangements, to Simon's pleas, that she has many years left. That weekend, Simon and Samantha are surprised to see Derek when he comes to tell them that Muriel is in the car ready to give birth, for real. He came to show them how calm he was, but then starts to panic then the car won't start. Nell then comes home to find Simon, Samantha, Derek and Isobel running about the house panicking while Muriel is upstairs about to have the baby. Nell takes control of the situation and help
Samantha's looking through some of Simon's old possessions in the attic of their home when she comes across a 1968 home movie about a family picnic. Samantha realises that the movie will probably include pictures of Ruth, her mother, whom she cannot remember as Ruth died while Samantha was very young. She asks Simon if she can watch the movie, but Simon brushes off her request as he has an important business meeting that day. He has to try to persuade a conservative businessman, Mr Knight, to hire Eye-catchers, but Mr Knight worries that Simon and his staff are too young and unreliable. He is reassured when he meets Derek, who seems sober and sensible, but Derek has been hypnotized that morning by Nell and Liz, and on the chance mention of the word ""egg"" starts behaving like a chicken. Mr Knight flees. Simon is angry with Nell and Liz for wrecking his deal with Mr Knight by their hypnosis of Derek, but Nell becomes annoyed at the rebukes, and hypnotizes him again.Isobel persuades Simon
Simon is arguing with Samantha one day when, to his amazement, she begins to cry. Isobel warns Simon to take no notice of Samantha's tears, as she can produce them at will for her own purposes. Samantha confesses that if she thinks of the loss of her pet kitten Fluffy many years ago, the tears come immediately. Simon goes to the office later that day to find Derek has suddenly and unexpectedly fallen in love with a pleasant woman, Nancy, whom he met by chance in a shop. Simon is confident that when Derek tells Nancy that he is married, and has several children, the romance will be over. However, Nancy announces that Derek's wife Muriel will understand the strength of their love and will be happy for them. Derek and Nancy set off to tell Muriel of their love, but on the way they call in at Simon's house to tell Isobel the news. Nell decides to seize the opportunity to tell Derek firmly that he cannot injure his family by this sudden love affair. However, Derek and Nancy are deaf to her
Derek is busy putting up Christmas decorations in the Eye-catchers office, while their landlord for additional office space for the company. Simon explains to Derek that the two extra offices are for Nell, and for a new executive to be hired for Eye-catchers. Derek is dubious about a new person being brought in to the office, but Simon convinces him that the new executive will take many of the tedious duties from Derek's shoulders. Simon decides to talk to Nell about the need to recruit when he holds a board meeting at home that weekend. The meeting begins badly when Derek and Nell collide as they arrive in their respective cars. Samantha is in her room, revising for exams with a school friend, Tina. Tina suddenly bursts into tears, explaining to Samantha that she is upset because of rows in her family following her father's loss of his job in the promotions business. Nell agrees to the appointment of a new executive at Eye-catchers, and Simon explains afterwards to Samantha by what su
Simon has a number of problems to contend with. Derek is using the Eye-catchers office as a bedroom due to his fear of spiders at home; his wife Muriel is making him confront his fear by placing spiders near him. Derek has now moved into the office to get away from them. Simon and Samantha quarrel about how late Samantha comes home late from a party. Samantha is tired of living by Simon's rules and goes to move out and live with Nell. Nell is not pleased when she has a visitor and does not want Samantha there. She has to stay at the Eye-catchers office too. Also, Simon is being pursued by a widow- Mrs White. She is let into the house by Isobel after a Simon had had an argument with her over Samantha. In a desperate attempt to escape from Mrs White, Simon climbs out of the window and flees to the Eye-catchers office and confides to Derek about why he is so hard on Samantha. Samantha, having stayed there too, overhears and the arguments are forgotten.
New neighbours move into the house next door to Simon and Samantha. Samantha notices the young boy of around her age. She introduces herself but he is short with her and they argue. The same day, Derek flirts with the woman who has moved into the office next door to Lyn. But Simon is annoyed by Derek's attitude and he himself is short with her. They are both having a difficult time with the neighbours. Samantha, Nell and Isobel are playing poker when the boy from next door, Hugo, arrives to apologize. He stays for tea and he and Samantha chat. Derek also takes Lyn for lunch only to discover she talks about Simon all the time and that she is more interested in him. Derek is going on holiday soon and is worried that Simon and Lyn will become close. He tells Simon not to meet Lyn in his absence. But Simon has discovered that Lyn is Hugo's mother and that it might be a bit difficult not to bump into her.
Samantha returns late home from Hugo's house to discover that Simon is returning from an evening with Lyn. She discovers in the morning that Lyn had spent the night. Samantha tells Nell who advises Simon that if he wants to have a close relationship with the lady next door he may as well marry her. Simon tells Lyn about Nell's advice and she agrees and asks Simon to marry her. Simon returns home early to talk to Samantha about his proposal. He finds Isobel sitting on the sofa watching TV, and Samantha and Hugo locked in Samantha's bedroom. Simon rebukes Samantha and Hugo for their behaviour, but Hugo points out that Simon and Lyn's behaviour is not above reproach too. Simon says they are too young for a love affair. But both Hugo and Samantha confess they love each other. Simon feels instinctivlyt that events are moving too fast and he tells Lyn that he wants to let their affair cool for a while. When Simon tells Samantha of his decision, she admits that she and Hugo have cooled in the
Nell is worried that the Eye-catchers secretary Liz may be having an affair with an older man, Mr Goldfarb. When Mr Goldfarb comes to collect Liz from the office one day, Nell tries to persuade Derek to warn him off. Simon's romance with a girlfriend called Rosemary is causing trouble at his home, as Isobel strongly disapproves when Rosemary stays overnight with him; she believes Simon's behaviour could have a damaging effect on Samantha. Samantha is doing her O levels exams and asks if her friend Roz may stay the night to help her revise. Roz is a very attractive 18-year-old girl. Simon is working late in the living room that evening when Roz comes to say goodnight to him. She asks Simon to kiss her goodnight, but turns his fatherly kiss into a passionate embrace. Isobel, coming into the room at that moment, is shocked. Next morning Simon tries to persuade Isobel that he was not attempting to seduce Samantha's friend. Isobel is not impressed by Simon's protestations of his innocence,
Samantha may be taking O-level French, but she can't pass up this A-level Frenchman - especially when he comes to stay with his old friend: Simon. A stolen kiss ...a midnight meeting... a tender silence broken only by the sound of Derek's stomach...
Celebrations for twenty-one years of Eye-catchers and Isobel's third anniversary don't start of too well, with everyone jumping to conclusions. Simon thinks that Derek is applying for a new job when he sees a letter in the office, when in fact it is Samantha applying for the job. Isobel thinks that the party being organised is for her, when it is to celebrate the 21 years of Eye-catchers business. Simon and Derek argue about the job and hidden secrets between them are revealed, such as name calling of Foxy Features and Melon Head. In then end, the confusions are resolved and everyone celebrates both anniversaries.Celebrations for twenty-one years of Eye-catchers and Isobel's third anniversary don't start of too well, with everyone jumping to conclusions. Simon thinks that Derek is applying for a new job when he sees a letter in the office, when in fact it is Samantha applying for the job. Isobel thinks that the party being organised is for her, when it is to celebrate the 21 years of E
Derek is depressed after a row with his wife Muriel. He blames the unappetizing breakfast, Nyum Nyums. He lunches with Simon and admits he is treated with no respect. Simon decides to let Derek negotiate an important contract with the manufacturers of Nyum Nyums. Samantha comes to the office to ask Nell for money for clothes to go out with a boy. Samantha asks an innocent friend, Gavin, to pretend to be Sean and meet Nell. Sean is rebellious and she knows Nell will not like him. Derek nearly finalises the Nyum Nyums promotion but they want to meet Derek and Simon with their wives. Derek decides to hire escort girls in replace of the wives they don't have. Simon does not agree to this, and Isobel and Liz play the wives instead. In the same wine bar is Peter's son Sean who is with a girl. To discover the deception Nell arrives at the wine bar with Gavin and Samantha and sits down near the Eye-catchers staff.
Samantha, setting off one Saturday for an evening out with her boyfriend Charlie, feels sorry for Simon, who is staying in alone to watch an old film on TV. However, Simon is not left in peace to watch the film, as Derek arrives at the house, having been sent out for the evening by his wife. Derek insists on taking Simon out for a drink at a dreary local pub to discuss his problems, and how he intends to take up golf. Samantha decides to try to bring Simon together again with his former girlfriend, Lynn, whose son Hugo became Samantha's boyfriend. Samantha contacts Hugo, but when he comes to the house to see her, all thought of Simon and Lynn are forgotten as he greets her with a passionate kiss.Samantha decides to break off her romance with Charlie, so that she can devote herself to Hugo once more. However, she then finds out that Hugo is not prepared to her sake to break off his current romance with another girl. A very large and expensive package of golfing gear is being delivered t
Samantha is anxiously awaiting the results of her O Level exams, but Simon is distracted and unhappy mood, so that does not seem aware of her worry. He is just as vague at the office, so that he does notice Derek trying to confess to him that he has lost #5,000 from the company accounts. Isobel then comes into the office to ask permission to but a new door handle for the kitchen cupboard. Seeing that Simon is preoccupied, she asks to have a new kitchen. He absent-mindedly agrees. Samantha telephones the school for her results and is amazed. Derek plucks up the courage to tell Simon about the missing finances. He is unconcerned. Derek them makes Liz shout at him because he deserves it. Later, by chance, he finds the money, and tells Liz she owes him an apology. Simon then returns home to hear Samantha's news that she passed all her exams. Simon does not seem interested. Later Simon receives a call from Nell and returns much happier. He explains that because Nell has been away he has bee
Simon goes to the Eye-catchers office one Saturday morning to catch up on some work with Liz. They are disturbed by the arrival in the office of two burglars, and experienced criminal called Ding and a young black bay called Brendan. Brendan blurts out that they intend to rob the shop below. They force Simon and Liz to wait with them in the office. When Derek arrives unexpectedly with a girlfriend, Harriet, hoping for some time alone in the office, the burglars force them to wait too. A short while after Simon's alarm Samantha arrives with Isobel, wanting permission to buy a jacket from the shop below. Simon prevents them from coming in and sends them away with full permission. Samantha and Isobel return to the office with some takeaway lunch. Simon tries to keep them away from the inner office where the others are waiting with the burglars, but Harriet has become hungry and bursts out of the office to grab the food and lock herself in the cloakroom to eat it. Samantha and Isobel are n