History Series / TheDurrells

* TeensAreMonsters: Mother of four Louisa contrasts her firstborn and secondborn's young adulthood thusly:
-->'''Florence:''' Adolescents are all hard work, aren't they? I mean, how was Larry at 18?\\
'''Louisa:''' Like a tall, evil goblin. But sort of fun. Whereas Leslies -- who I love, obviously -- is a twit with a gun.

* AgeInsecurity: In 2.03, Louisa's birthday is coming up and she claims she doesn't know how old she is because, "My parents were really vague."

* DoubleStandard: PlayedForLaughs in episode 1.01
** Margo is taken aback at the mere prospect.
--->'''Margo:''' There's one rule for men and one for women, isn't there?\\
'''Larry:''' Have you only just noticed?\\
'''Margo:''' I've been busy growing up. How long has this been going on?
** Louisa is happier at the prospect of Leslie dating than Margo. This is partly because a girlfriend distracts Leslie from his worrisome interest in guns.
--->'''Margo:''' I mention wanting a boyfriend, and you call me empty-headed and sex-mad, but Leslie finds someone and he's a hero?\\
'''Louisa:''' Firstly, Margo, I am thrilled that you are thinking for yourself and highlighting double standards. And secondly, don't you dare be so bloody rude to your mother.

* FlexibilityEqualsSexAbility: Larry hooks up with Elena, a circus acrobat. At the end of the episode, when observing the two saying a passionate farewell, Louisa dryly comments:
-->'''Louisa:''' We [women] try to be fascinating and lovely, but all men want is a girlfriend who is really bendy.
* TheFoodPoisoningIncident: In 2.01, Louisa starts selling food at the market. She doesn't account for Greek whether, the food spoils much quicker than it would back in England, and accidently gives food poising to a large number of people.
* GagHaircut: Season 2 opens with Larry and Leslie having grown a dumb-looking mustaches and being teased for them until they shave.

* IncestSubtext: PlayedForLaughs in episode 1.01:
-->'''Larry:''' [[YouNeedToGetLaid She needs a man.]]\\
'''Leslie:''' Don't you dare talk about Mother like that. I look after her.\\
'''Larry:''' Let me lend you a paper by Freud called the UsefulNotes/OedipusComplex.\\
'''Leslie:''' I expect that's really clever, but nobody cares.
* IncompatibleOrientation: Episode 1.06 mostly deals with [[spoiler:Louisa finding out that her fiancé, Sven, is gay. He says he'll "give it a go," but Louisa -- not wanting to be his risky experiment -- calls the engagement off.]]
* {{Metaphorgotten}}: In 2.02, Louisa says that being a mother is like being ringmaster, lion tamer, and tightrope walker all at once. Gerry objects to forcing lions to do tricks in circuses.

* PhallicWeapon: Larry teases his GunNut brother Leslie about this.
-->'''Kostis:''' Why he has gun?\\
'''Gerry:''' My older brother Larry says it's because it's a penis substitute.
* RightThroughTheWall: In 1.05, Leslie and Gerry can hear their brother Larry having sex through the wall. Because Gerry is younger, Leslie unconvincingly claims that Larry cried about because he just stubbed his toe.
* SelectiveObliviousness: In 1.01, when Gerry suggests that ''they'' are the cause of their mother's unhappiness, his siblings dismiss the idea.
-->'''Larry:''' You know what her problem is?\\
'''Gerry:''' Don't you think we're the problem?\\
'''Margo:''' No.\\
'''Leslie:''' Don't be absurd.
* SerenadeYourLover: PlayedForLaughs in 2.02 when Gerry plays guitar for his pair of river otters, trying to get them to mate.

'''Louisa:''' Like a tall, evil goblin. But sort of fun. Whereas Leslies -- who I love, obviously -- is a twit with a gun.
* ThatCameOutWrong: In 2.01, Louisa is trying to begin an AmicableExes relationship with [[spoiler:her [[IncompatibleOrientation gay ex]]]] Sven. She drops by his house and brings him some English food she cooked: spotted dick and toad in the hole. He asks her if she's making the names up.
* YouNeedToGetLaid: In episode 1.01, Larry declarers this is the cause of their mother's unhappiness -- not her kids' behavior -- and decides to play matchmaker and find her someone.
-->'''Larry:''' You know what her problem is? [...] She needs a man. [...] The body is built for sex. Gerry knows--he watched animals mating.\\
'''Leslie:''' You're obsessed with sex.\\
'''Larry:''' At last, we agree on something. And since I'm not getting any, at least we can help Mother.

* ParentalSexualitySquick: InvertedTrope. Larry publishes his first book, which contains a lot of sex. Louisa doesn't read it, and Larry interprets this as unsupportive until she explains why.