- Date First Aired: 23/10/1989
We open on Sharon enjoying her newfound high life in Tracey's house. Tracey on the other hand is not doing so great, having not been able to cope well after her husband was imprisoned the last episode. She's taking antidepressants, and Sharon is worried about her. She's also gotten a letter from Garth. Garth tells Sharon and Tracey that he's having a good time at his boarding school. They realize that they need to tell Garth about what happened.
Whilst Tracey is left alone, she is greeted by a man named Dan. He ends up trying to flirt with her and she throws him into the pool. After discussing this with Sharon, Dorien comes in and apologies for her poor attitude to Sharon whilst she was shopping. She also warns her that pills can be dangerous.
Whilst Sharon is having some pool-time, Garth appears out of nowhere. His school was not as good as he said it was, and he's run away from it. It falls to Sharon to tell the truth.
Tracey, returning from a spa trip, has to deal with the fallout and talks to Garth. She tells him to go back to school, but Garth resists. Tracey sends him a letter from Darryl telling him to remain at school and Garth decides to go back to school.
The trio goes to prison to visit Darryl, but it turns out that Darryl and Chris are on punishment for an actor of violence caused by his fears that she's moving on without him so they're not able to see him for now.
Tropes In This Episode:
- Addled Addict: Dorien warns Tracey that her depression pills will turn her into an addicted zombie.
- All There in the Script: Inverted. Despite the chlorine man receiving a name, he's only referred to as "Poolman" in the credits.
- And There Was Much Rejoicing: Although Chris isn't actually dead, Sharon nonetheless is ecstatic that he's been put into prison.
- Bathtub Scene: Sharon gets one at the start whilst she's reading through a magazine, although we don't see too much of her body.
- Blatant Lies: Tracey plans to tell Garth that Darryl's in the Middle East to build a conservatory, only to get kidnapped by Shiite militants rather than say he's in prison.
- Boarding School of Horrors: Garth's letter from school averts this by claiming it's really nice there, only for the trope to be played straight when Garth runs away and reveals he was lying.
- Coincidental Broadcast: Darryl and Chris hear Tracey on a call-in radio show just after discussing her relationship with Darryl.
- Comically Missing the Point: After Sharon tells her you can't bring food into prison when visiting prisoners anymore due to drug smuggling, Kathy gives us this gem:Kathy: Can't get high on an Arctic Roll...
- Deadpan Snarker: Sharon on the topic of Garth being punished for smoking.Tracey: I 'ope you don't smoke, ya dad'd break ya neck.Sharon: Well that'll 'elp 'im get parole.
- Distressed Dude: Tracey plans to lie to Garth that Darryl has been kidnapped by Shiite militants in the Middle East rather than explain his incarceration.
- Early Instalment Weirdness: Garth is played by Simon Nash in this episode, but would be played by Matthew Savage for the rest of the original BBC run.
- Fee Fi Faux Pas: Sharon mentions porridge when talking about breakfast options, which only makes Tracey more depressed. note
- Handsome Lech: Dan, who hits on Tracey after he learns Darryl is in jail.Tracey: Who are you?Dan: I'm Dan Dan the Chlorine Man. I've come to give you a good servicin', and while I'm at it, I might even do ya pool for ya as well if ya like. Do ya get it?
- Heroic BSoD: Tracey has been left a wreck after Darryl's imprisonment.
- Hidden Depths: Dorien trained as a Samaritan.
- Irony: Dan, a man who cleans pools, can't swim.
- Japanese Tourist: Sharon makes a sarcastic comment about being one when a prison guard asks if she, Tracey and Garth are visiting a prisoner.
- Last-Second Word Swap: Dan does this when trying to flirt with Tracey.Tracey: You tryna pull me, incha?Dan: No no no. Well, obviously I wouldn't kick ya out've... I wouldn't say no. You're a very tasty... you're a very attractive woman.
- No Listening Skills: According to Dorien, the reason she didn't become a full member of the Samaritans was because she was incapable of listening to other people's problems. Naturally, it took more than one attempt to tell her this before she comprehends this.
- Off Screen Crash: Garth can be heard destroying stuff behind a closed-door once he learns the truth about his father.
- One-Shot Character: Dan the Chlorine Man and Kathy.
- Out-of-Character Alert: Invoked by Garth in a bid for help from his school. For instance, he wouldn't call his parents "Mummy" and "Daddy" at all normally.
- Parrot Exposition: When Tracey reads Garth's letter home:Tracey: "Dear Mummy and Daddy..." (Tracey begins choking up) Dear Mummy and Daddy...Sharon: Must be an echo in 'ere.
- Pizza Boy Special Delivery: Dan the chlorine man tries to invoke this, but Tracey isn't having it.
- Porn Stash: Garth hides one of Darryl's dirty magazines under his bed.
- P.O.V. Cam: From Garth's point of view as he comes home and surprises Sharon.
- Pun: Sharon calls Luke (Dorien's toyboy) "Luke Thighwalker".
- Rule of Pool: Tracey shoves Dan in the pool for hitting on her.
- Second Episode Introduction: Although mentioned in the previous episode, this episode marks the debut of Garth, Tracey and Darryl's son, who'll sometimes get involved in the plots of future episodes.
- Shout-Out:
- Dorien trained with the Samaritans.
- Sharon makes a Pun about Luke Skywalker.
- Status Quo Is God: Garth runs away from school to start living at home again, although Tracey and Sharon manage to convince him to return.
- Suddenly Shouting: Tracey trying to get Garth to forgive her.Tracey: Garth please. It's all my fault, I shoulda toldja, I was a coward! NOW OPEN TH' DOOR!
- Take That!: Garth allows Tracey to turn off the television as "it's only Sky".
- Voiceover Letter: Chris' voice is heard when he writes a letter to Sharon. Humorously, his voice is muffled after being beaten up by Darryl.
