Ben hates Christmas at the best of times but this year mother-in-law Grace is staying, Nick's hippy friend Alfie turns up from Wales and Susan insists on booking an expensive clown, Shingles, for Kenzo's birthday on Christmas Eve. To save money Ben asks Roger to play the clown but he gets drunk so Ben has to save the day. Finding an expensive ring Ben thinks it is a present from Susan - but it turns out to be from Grace for her lover - so he buys her a first edition of a Virginia Woolf novel at a grand plus. Written by don @ minifie-1

In order to impress museum employee Holly Michael steals artefacts from school, claiming he dug them up in his garden, whilst Ben is frustrated by his dull, lower class patients and the presence of Susan's house guest, the annoying American self help guru Dr Buck. Fed up with Buck's flirting with Susan Ben lunges at him but falls through the window into one of Michael's 'excavation pits'. An upper class patient invites Ben to join his exclusive secret society the Brotherhood of the Cockerel but, after he has gone through the initiation ceremony, Ben finds that it resembles a gay disco and flees. Written by don @ minifie-1

Ben has a run-in with a cyclist who clips his car and goes on local radio, ranting about the dangers caused by cyclists though as a result a group of them picket his house. Susan's old rival, the competitive Fat Hilary, now very svelte like her previously gawky son, arrives and Susan feels the need to impress her. She invites Hilary and family around for a meal - actually cooked by Abi and Roger. The evening does not go well when Hilary's husband Richard proves to be the offending cyclist though Ben cunningly gets rid of the pickets by appearing on television to praise cyclists. Ultimately Hilary admits that she is really envious of Susan and her unconventional life-style. Written by don @ minifie-1

Whilst Ben is away at a conference the handsome Tony covers for him as his locum, charming all the women patients - and Janey, who begins dating him, until she discovers that he is married. Meanwhile Michael's friend Russell' s parents want to get him into the local school but do not live in the catchment area so Michael claims that they live at the Harper house - which goes very well until the headmistress comes to investigate. Written by don @ minifie-1

The boiler is broken and cannot be fixed for a week but Ben would also like his own boat, which he would name the 'Salty Susan'. To make matters worse Roger seems to be unusually wealthy and tells Ben that he has a part-time job selling things for the 'Pyramus' company. Ben decides to join him and has soon bought a huge amount of domestic products, so much so that he is unable to sell them all and needs the enterprising Michael to help him get shut of them. Then Roger explains that his new found wealth is due to a legacy and not 'Pyramus' after all. Written by don @ minifie-1

Susan is not impressed when Ben informs her that he has bought the house next door and she leaves the window open, resulting in a group of squatters moving in. Susan is more concerned with getting Michael a girlfriend, Suzanne, but she resembles Susan so much that Michael takes fright when Ben points this out to him. Determined to shift the squatters problem to somebody else Ben sells the house to Roger without his viewing it. However the 'squatters' turn out to be a group of stylists from a television make-over show who have renovated the house and increased its value. Written by don @ minifie-1

With Janey having moved into her own flat with Kenzo and Michael on a camping weekend with the cadets Susan is feeling lonely so she and Alfie are cheered up when a stray dog wanders in. Inevitably Ben is less pleased, especially when he thinks the dog has eaten his pizza but his attempts to get rid of the animal fail dismally - before it is claimed by its rightful owners. Meanwhile it turns out that Michael has actually been hiding in the attic rather than go camping and Abi is relieved to discover that Roger is not gay after all. Written by don @ minifie-1

Ben's away for the week, and Susan's mother comes to help... or torment; love hits several of the family in different forms as Michael processes a break-up, Roger screws up his courage to ask a question, and Susan and Grace manage to find admirers. Written by layle