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Comedy satire on inner-city London life, directed at a mature audience. It features a set of characters, living in a grim apartment building in the fictional postcode of SE69, who are plagued by various dilemmas.
1995
Sophie and Jonathan make paltry preparations for the arrival of their new lodger, Flossie. Well, to be honest, Sophie hoovers and Jonathan daydreams. At the Stenson's, Sam and her friend Betty are having fun with the phone and antagonising spotty big brother Woody. And when a gleeful Flossie arrives, her enthusiasm for the delightful urban deprivation she sees all around her is tempered by a mauling from Fatso, the malicious mog.
Marge collapses and Jonathan loses his dope. Woody talks about his success with chicks and Flossie, who looks like she gets fashion advice from both Bet and David Lynch, runs all the way home after being chased by a man.
Flossie bursts in, having been mugged - well, maybe she's twisting the truth a bit. Jonathan's scared the police will find his stash while Marge and Denise plan a night out on the pull. But when her back's turned, Dino and Woody plan their own rave trip and Sam and Betty pop out for a little car thieving on the quiet.
For one fleeting moment, Sam and Betty repent their life of crime. But then the police car passes them by and it's back to delightful delinquency. Marge, meanwhile, has managed to pull big time with the Adonis-like Brad and Robbie's in a flat spin when he's told his mother's coming to stay.
Meet Joe, Jenny and Wali, the squatters who have moved into the basement of Crapston Villas. They may not want to stay too long - Sophie and Jonathan start a marathon row and there's a party going on that's so noisy, Sophie resorts to pulling out the fuse box. Which gives zit-kid Woody a chance to find a girl he can really talk to.
Woody's mortified - he reckons he's been snogging his nan. Marge, though, is delighted that her date is done - she couldn't really see the glamour in a trailer park, even though it was with the absolutely gorgeous Brad. Meanwhile, Robbie is in a state, he's sure his mother will discover his guilty secret at any minute.
Delia is convinced that Larry is the devil and tries to protect innocent little Robbie from his terrible influence. Sophie has a go at Jonathan over his cooking skills while Marge, in her desperation for love, places a singles ad. Jonathan's meal produces some astonishing scenes of illness and, as bedtime beckons and Delia prays for the soul of her son, a strange noise keeps everyone awake.
Delia tries to get Robbie to go to church with her, in order to rescue his tarnished soul but he stays at home to console Larry. Woody, at an emotional nadir, leaves home via the window but Marge fails to notice. Meanwhile, Sam and Betty are having a great laugh over Marge's singles ad and the secret surrounding the fish sauce is finally revealed.
Woody finally meets his female match, Sophie has her first therapy session and Jonathan meets a new depression courtesy of his bank manager.
Flossie is hiding in the wardrobe, Sophie & Jonathan are still not getting on & the Police seemed to have found who stole Larry & Robbie's stuff.
1997
The dysfunctional Stenson family return to the screen with a bang and Sophie is so miserable it would take a mountain of Prozac just to make her mouth twitch.
Sophie blames herself for everything that went wrong between her and Jonathan but a heart-to-heart with Jenny hardly helps since she's besotted with Jonathan herself. Meanwhile, Enid's sentenced to community service at the old people's home and at an audition, Flossie meets Zara, a potential friend from hell.
Hoody is having second thoughts about her decision to walk out on Woody. Marge decides to track down Francis having missed out on her date. Jonathan is faced with the prospect of having to find a job and Flossie is in such high spirits about the party that she sets out to replace all the stolen furniture.
The flat is ready for the party and so are Robbie and Florrie, eagerly awaiting Larry who, as we speak, is enduring a ride with the lorry driver from hell. Meanwhile, Sophie, having turned down an invitation for a drink with more-than repulsive work-mate Malcolm, suddenly has to pretend to Holly that's he's actually the hottest date in town.
It's Monday morning and Sophie is back at school, paranoid that anyone knows about her date with Malcolm. Denis calls Marge and invites her to a local strip club - Marge doesn't need much persuasion. Down in the squat, Jenny is cooking for Jonathan, even though he is showing absolutely no interest in her. Flossie is amusing herself with handstands when the lovestruck Joe asks her to move in. Outside on the steps Sam and Betty are amusing themselves by hurling insults at passers-by. Unfortunately, one woman doesn't take it too well.
Sophie meets Jonathan who is proud to announce he has a new job (even if he doesn't let it slip he's just a runner). Marge is getting over Francis and is looking forward to her girls' night out. Flossie loves the squat but can't bring herself to tell best friend Robbie that she's moving out and Robbie can't bring himself to tell Flossie that Larry wants to chuck her out. The girls' night out is well underway and things reach a flashpoint when the masked stripper comes on stage. But how will Marge react when she discovers the face behind it?
Francis and Marge share a drink back at her place which inevitably leads to other things. Flossie demonstrates her acting ability with the orgasm scene form 'When Harry Met Sally' but Joe wants to try the real thing. Jonathan starts his new job and is on the verge of getting back together with Sophie.
The night may have changed but not much else has for the residents of Crapston Villas in deepest SE69. Robbie passes out at the news that Larry is a father, Hoody, having taken too many mushrooms, might not be long for this world while, in the basement, Flossie lies back and thinks of England...
Jonathan wakes up to find Jenny preparing a cosy breakfast for them both. He makes a sharp exit and, arriving at work, takes his anger out on the writer and gets the sack in return. But all is not lost - a Hare Krishna offers free food and lodging, and hopefully more. Larry pleads with Robbie who relents and allows another visit from Tim but his jealousy gets the better of him. Francis and Marge arrange another date but Sophie is sinking into a deep depression, realising she might have to take Malcolm to the wedding after all.
Sophie arrives at the wedding late, covered in mud and proceeds to get horrendously drunk - Malcolm helps her home, sure he's in at last. Enid and Doris decide to spice up the old folks outing with a tin of spiked cola and Jonathan decides the sect's not for him. He wends his way back to Sophie's hoping she'll take him back but as he gazes up at her window, down the road at high speed comes a coach full of screaming pensioners, driven by a cola guzzling driver...
Streaming availability information not available
Felix Dexter
Liz Smith
Delia (voice)
Alistair McGowan
John Thomson
Alison Steadman
Morwenna Banks
Jane Horrocks
