• Air date: 06 Sep '02 14 episodes
      Ben Harper is a moderately successful family man and dentist. He is also undergoing a mid-life crisis and trying to cope with the bizarre reality of raising teenage children. His wife Susan seems quite happy, enjoys her job as a London tour guide, however at home her ability to find her way around a cookbook or pantry is less successful. Their three children Nick, Janey, and Michael are as different as chalk and cheese. Nick (19) is on his gap year, but doesn't get much further than the sofa or job centre, Janey is as sharp as a tack and 16 going on 25, while Michael is a very bright, computer-nerdish 12 year old who is just discovering girls.
  • List of Episodes (14)
    • 1. Absent Vixen, Cheeky Monkey

      06 Sep '02
      Janey's off to University...and Ben couldn't be happier! - just think what he can do with her room? Although Susan isn't so happy to see Janey go, she too has plans for her room. Also, Nick gets a job in a supermarket and lands the Harper's with 100s of tins of tuna, and lands Ben with a criminal record!...
    • 2. Shrink Rap

      13 Sep '02
      Susan finds a letter on Micheal's desk inviting her and Ben to a school auction - Michael doesn't want them to go because he thinks his parents are too embarrassing. Ben also says no but Susan goes and so forces Ben to! At the auction susan bids for nearly everything and one of the things are a free couple's therepy session. Also, Ben despairs when a patient with very bad breath bids for free dental treatment in his surgery!
    • 3. Desperately Squeaking Susan

      20 Sep '02
      Susan, still missing Janey, decides that she needs some female company and so invites Abi, the daughter of a hated cousin of Ben's, to dinner. Ben, as usual, is against her idea. Abi turns out to be the most accident-prone, clumsy person you could meet...qualities that make her someone who Ben would like to never see again: ...He'll just have to get used to her because Susan invites her to come to live with them! Also, Nick decides to become a magician - just where did Ben's favourite white j
    • 4. Of Mice and Ben

      27 Sep '02
      Abi has to make a video project about family life and decides to film the Harpers...Ben and Susan ruin the film though! Also, Ben and Susan were terrorised by a rat that they heared on the other side of a wall!
    • 5. Imperfect Strangers

      03 Oct '02
      After being ushered away from the university by Janey and her two male friends, Susan and Ben decide to book into a local hotel under fake names and pretend to meet eachother again as strangers. As you'd expect, it all went wrong when Ben went into the wrong room! Also, Abbi's new boyfriend had michael to contend with!
    • 6. The Second Greatest Story Ever Told

      10 Oct '02
      The Harpers experience internal competition regarding a nativity play when both Nick and Susan audition for parts - Who will get a leading part and who will be a shepherd?! Also Ben is suffering from a severe toothache but is reluctant to put his trust in any other dentist.
    • 7. Waiting to Inhale

      17 Oct '02
      Michael has got his eye on a lovely girl in his class, but his mother Susan doesn't approve of his choice. She is even less pleased when she finds a joint in his super-secret sock drawer. Before she and Ben confront him with their evidence, they decide to try a new way parenting, a more open approach. So they smoke the joint themselves. In the middle of the night, Susan quickly sees the error of their ways: how can she accuse Michael of smoking pot if all the evidence is gone?
    • 8. Misery

      24 Oct '02
      When Susan, much to Janey's disgust, comes to visit her in University, Ben plans (and looks forward to) a golfing weeekend. As you'd imagine, He, Susan, Janey...and the poor university student in the showers... get more than they bargained for, especially when Nick decides to become a female impersonator who seems to take his act a bit too seriously! Also, Nick finds out how much pain is involved while waxing his legs!!
    • 9. Auto Erotica

      07 Nov '02
      When Nick wins an old car in a poker game, he wants to use it for parts but Ben tries his best to restore it to it's former glory...sadly with little success. Will he and Susan ever get to Dorset for their anniversary weekend away? Meanwhile, Abi finds Michael in her room and has some fun teasing him.
    • 10. Handful of Dust

      21 Nov '02
      Ben is annoyed when he discovers that his family have forgotten his birthday, but has slightly more to worry about when Janey arrives with her 'lesbian girlfriend', Katie! Is Janey really gay or has she got an ulterior motive? Also, Nick's new job involves dressing up as a gorilla and Michael seemed a little bit too interested in Katie's lifestyle...!
    • 11. The Lost Weekend

      28 Nov '02
      When the children go away for the weekend, Ben and Susan finally have some time to themselves. Unfortunately, it has been so long since that happened that they have absolutely no idea how to spend it
    • 12. Ghosts

      05 Dec '02
      A name from the past comes back to haunt Susan, who is determined to dampen the old flame - but not before Ben gets singed
    • 13. One flew out of the Cuckoo's Nest

      12 Dec '02
      Nick decides to get his own flat but, as always for Ben, every silver lining has a cloud ***Last in Series***
    • 14. Ding Dong Merrily

      25 Dec '02
      When Janey comes home for Christmas, she's pregnant and Susan wants to know who the father is. However, Janey refuses to tell her, but does tell Ben, who then lies to Susan about the father. Meanwhile, Nick starts a Christmas tree business and then invites round Mr Bradley (Trevor Peacock), an "old person", for Christmas Day. Also, when Susan cooks the turkey with chocolate and raisins, everyone decides they are vegetarians.