Chris: So, I jus' don't wanna arouse suspicions.
Sharon: What suspicions?
Chris: NUFFIN'!
— Chris Theodopolopodous trying to stop his wife Sharon from discovering any suspicious activities of his.
- Date First Aired: 07/09/1991
When a man, Charles Fitzroy, knocks on the door one evening asking for some water for his car, Sharon decides to tell him all about Dorien and her many relationships, which he appears to be interested in. After visiting Chris in prison, Sharon starts to believe that Charles may have been a police spy interested in the proceeds of Darryl and Chris' crimes. It's not long until two policemen come round and they ask about the whereabouts of Dorien and Marcus, who have to be questioned about a major fraud case of which he was the accountant. Sharon tells them that they're on holiday in Zurich. When Dorien comes back, she finds that a Sunday newspaper has an article on her private life, and Sharon and Tracey begin to feel guilty.
Tropes in this episode:
- Ask a Stupid Question...: This exchange between Sharon and Tracey:Sharon: Well, 'oo's that then?Tracey: I don't know what's wrong with my X-ray vision. Think I better see a doctor.
- Brandishment Bluff: Darryl tells Tracey his original plan for the bank robbery in "Nicked" was to use a cucumber and a banana as to give the illusion of a gun.
- Call-Back: Tracey and Sharon are still living off of the twenty five grand that Darryl hid in his Jaguar. This makes Tracey and Sharon paranoid when the police come to Dalentrace, because they think they are suspicious of where the money has come from.
- Chekhov's Gun: At the start of the episode, Sharon pretends to have a dog named Godzilla to scare away a potential rapist. The potential rapist turns out to be a reporter and Sharon tells him about sex-mad Dorien next door. At the end of the episode, Dorien has gotten a feature in The Sunday Times and is furious at who ever sold her out to the reporter. Her only clue of who did it? They live on the same road as her, Tracey and Sharon... and have a dog named Godzilla.
- Crocodile Tears: Tracey does some very unconvincing crying to convince the police that their Auntie Gloria had died.
- Deadpan Snarker: Sharon on the topic of rapists.Sharon: It's late. Could be a rapist or summink.Tracey: It's not late, it's just gone 'alf past eight.Sharon: Oh what you sayin'? Rapists don' clock on till ten, is that it?
- Death Faked for You: Sharon and Tracey pretend that their aunt has died to try to explain the 25 grand that they have.
- Dirty Coward: Tracey makes a remark about ditching Sharon if there is a rapist at the door.
- Eye Scream: Dorien vows that when she finds out who told Charles Fitzroy about her private life, she will scratch their eyes out.
- Groin Attack: Darryl gives Tracey a hypothetical situation of a robber shooting someone in the groin.
- Hellhole Prison: Sharon mentions watching a documentary where the prisoners were put three to a cell, had to slop out, and had no privacy, which made her feel sorry for Chris, who's in the same situation.
- Hysterical Woman: Sharon and Tracey freak when they are surrounded by the police during the episode.
- Literary Allusion Title: The episode title is a shortened version of the The Quest for Karla book Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.
- One-Shot Character: Charles Fitzroy, Inspector Draycott and PC Phillips.
- Out of Focus: Dorien spends most of the episode in Zurich, and doesn't appear until the last third of the episode.
- Plot Hole: Tracey and Sharon's dead auntie cover story is full of these, such as the fact that Tracey and Sharon make opposing claims she died either last Thursday or yesterday, and the the fact that her name changes from Auntie Ruby to Auntie Gloria halfway through.
- Punny Headlines: The newspaper that Sharon and Tracey briefly view has the headline "Draycott Books Cook".
- Really Gets Around: Dorien spent her whole second honeymoon having it off with hunky ski instructors.Sharon: You are hopeless, Dor. You are a complete traitor to the women's movement.Dorien: As far as I'm concerned, Sharon, the woman's movement is what you do with your pelvis.
- Rhymes on a Dime: Tracey asking Dorien about her time in Zurich.Tracey: Ya score then, Dor?
- Right in Front of Me: Dorien goes off at the person who leaks her sex life to The Sunday Times, unaware that it was Tracey and Sharon.
- Shout-Out:
- In the first scene, Tracey reads a copy of Shadows on the Mirror.
- Sharon briefly pretends that they have a dog named Godzilla.
- Tracey uses Rosie Lee when talking about tea in Cockney Rhyming Slang.
- Inspector Draycott mentions appearing on TV alongside Martin Lewis.
- Darryl compares himself to the Jolly Green Giant.
- Suddenly Shouting: Chris when trying to get Sharon to stay discreet when telling her confidential information.
- Take That!:
- After Tracey denies Dorien being sex-mad, Sharon remarks how its just like Oliver Reed is teetotal, Imelda Marcos likes going barefoot and Cyril Smith is anorexic.
- Inspector Draycott mentions his case makes Ernest Saunders look like The Winslow Boy (1948).
- According to Dorien, an accountant who doesn't look suspicious isn't trying.
- Dorien hates low-class people with Japanese hatchbacks and cottages in Essex.
- Unusual Euphemism: Sharon refers to Charles hypothetically peeing on his car radiator as doing a "Jimmy".
- Your Makeup Is Running: Dorien cries and smears her makeup all over her face after her personal life is leaked in the newspaper.
