It is Tuesday morning in the Brockman household and also Jake's (Tyger Drew-Honey) first day at secondary school and he doesn't want to be late, but Pete (Hugh Dennis) has difficulty getting Ben (Daniel Roche) to leave the house as he won't put his father's power drill down to take to an adjusted date of show and tell. Meanwhile, Karen (Ramona Marquez) has nits and wants to keep one as a pet, and Sue (Claire Skinner) is worried about Ben's lying. Karen and Ben fight over the dinosaur book after Karen insists it's one of "her days" for it.

Ben, whose lying is getting out of control, brings his friend Deion (Reuben Lee) round. Meanwhile, Karen refuses despite Pete's efforts to eat dinner because it is not in her special bowl, which unbeknownst to her has been accidentally broken by Sue (she had to get a replacement bowl in IKEA). Pete is in trouble at school after a Turkish parent complained about a racist joke involving Ramadan made to his overweight son Kamal which Pete explains it was not his fault. Sue is annoyed when her sister, Auntie Angela (Samantha Bond), arrives having been in the United States for some time after she assumes she will only stay for a short time, then return to "find herself".

It's Karen's birthday and the whole family including Auntie Angela and Grandad (David Ryall) are treated to a typically stressful day at an urban farm, after school. Sue gets increasingly irritated during a traffic jam which they got caught up in after Auntie Angela and Grandad made them late, Karen and Ben argue over who gets to wee in a plastic container while bursting for the toilet (along, it turns out, with Grandad), Karen continues to reject Auntie Angela's attempts at bribery and when Grandad gets lost Sue's resentment of her sister bubbles over. Meanwhile, Pete continues his struggle with a sensitive fat Turkish boy and his parents while also trying to convince Ben and Karen he is, in fact, not racist. Pete also continues to worry about how Jake is fitting into "big school" and if he is being bullied. In the gift shop Ben wants a toy truck, a fridge tool, and moans that Karen has £10 (her birthday money), and he has £3. Ben has tantrum over a Bruder digger toy, and repeatedly calls Pete a "stranger", and told them he is not called Ben. Karen notices some purple bruises on Jake’s arm, and he asks her not to tell anyone, and keep it as "their little secret". When the family return home, despite the havoc they caused in the gift shop, Pete and Sue seem reasonably happy with how the day went. Although their mood quickly changes when Pete realises Ben has stolen a cute, white rabbit from the farm.

Pete and Sue want a night to themselves, but delays constantly arise. Pete watches Ben playing football and Ben insists he is the best player in the school team. Karen has a friend, Alexa (Danni Benattar), round whose mother Jane (Hattie Morahan) is very late picking her up and then stays for a drink. Auntie Angela then turns up and asks for the spare keys to their father's house. Jake's form tutor rings and tells Pete he is being bullied.

Tired of her mother's nagging, Karen decides to leave home for Spain, Greenland or possibly Dorking, while Jake's issue with bullying is resolved. Pete and Sue prepare for a dinner party with the help of Ben, who gets his first taste of alcohol, and their friends Ravi and Kuj arrive. The dinner party turns out to be a bit of a disaster, after Auntie Angela reveals she is once again leaving to return to America. This causes a loud argument with her and Sue, in which they call "The Sauce". After Auntie Angela leaves, Sue cries to herself on the sofa and Ben comes to comfort her. Eventually the whole family are down on the sofa, and refuse to go to bed until Pete does his "thing".

Cousin Julie (Olivia Poulet) is getting married. However, trouble comes when "executive bridesmaid" Karen asks her troubling questions about her previous boyfriends (one exception is a woman called Ulrika). Ben asks the vicar (Rhashan Stone) complex theological questions involving Jesus and lasers, while Pete catches Ben dipping unsuitable things into the chocolate fountain. Karen is worried that Sue will get put in jail after kicking Auntie Angela's buttocks at the wedding reception for insulting her family (Angela tells Julia that Jake is probably gay, Karen is spoiled and manipulative, Ben is a trainee psychotic and Pete is "weaker than a nun's piss").

Karen mourns the death of a mouse killed by Sue while trying to understand the need for Gordon Ramsay's swearing, Ben bribes his classmates with his pocket money for their votes when he stands for election as class rep and Jake causes Sue to worry when he brings home a friend who is a girl (Michaela Brooks) for tea. Meanwhile, Pete and Sue have to worry about money, chest pains, their single friend Jane who is using them as a free babysitting service, and the superior mother next door (Lorraine Pilkington).

The parents plan to have a quiet night out and leave the kids with Draxi, a Croatian babysitter (Anna Koval), but Karen thinks that they are being financially irresponsible. Sue is pleased with her new boss, Ben is refused entry to Karen's imaginary restaurant, Jake is advised by Grandad not to invade Russia, and it is discovered that Pete has been doing something unsettling on the internet.

The family have a restless night after Ben has a visit to casualty (again) (after playing his vampire-bat game). Karen is writing a letter to the prime minister asking for her teacher to be fired. Jake is asked to cover for Jo by lying to her father that she is round at his house. As the night goes on, Sue gets some upsetting news concerning her dream boss, disturbing noises come from next door and there is a visit from the police. After Pete’s attempts to become the new head of history, he ultimately fails because of his incompetence.

Karen worries about her missing class hamster, and wants Pete to pull the floorboards up to see if it is under them. Ben plays with his mechanical dismembered hand. Karen questions Jane's (who actually turns up early for lunch much to Pete's shock) Christmas present to the family - a goat which has been given to people in Sub-Saharan Africa.

It is Boxing Day in the Brockman household and Father Christmas has paid a visit, along with some burglars. Karen is worried that the burglars will return. When they visit the retirement home, Sue and Jake are worried after Grandad (Frank) and his friend Mack (Jake D'Arcy) from the home (which they call "Colditz") go missing. Sue finds them together in a pub and brings them to the house for lunch with the family and Jane. The family play "Headbands", Karen does a drawing for Granddad, and Mack teaches Karen Scottish, says that he was a security consultant for 10 years, and a burglar for 20 years. Then they play "Who Am I" and Ben makes a guess which is absolutely impossible to answer. The police come and they found a man called Frank, but it's not Grandad.

Gran (Rosalind Ayres) takes the Brockman family for a day out seeing the sights of London. Ben thinks up a new game ("spot the chav" and later, "spot the lesbian"), Karen is unimpressed with modern art, Jake suffers serious trauma when he is unable to text and gets moody with Pete, Pete uses a visit to HMS Belfast for a brief re-enactment of World War II and Sue is embarrassed twice during trips to the toilet. Gran asks Sue to take a cheque for £3000 and Karen asks questions on what the trip has to do with World War II for her project.

Karen recreates The Apprentice, Ben takes a close interest in Pete's medical tests and Sue thinks Jake's healthy interest in girls is becoming too focused on their looks. Pete finally gets to play tennis with mates after a double booking occurs, but after a substitute player (Michael Fenton Stevens), Karen and Ben turn up, it all ends in a big argument.

Pete is suffering from a terrible hangover from a work-do the night before, and it seems worse as he struggles against a rising tide of superstition, astrology and conspiracy theories that seem to be taking over the family. Karen does not want to go to school because of today being Friday the 13th. Ben takes time off from re-enacting the Crusades at school to show some potential buyers (Abdul Salis and Katy Wix) around the house, while Sue tries to get rid of a pigeon that has flown into the house.

Auntie Angela has returned from America yet again but this time it is for a visit with her new American husband Brick and his daughter Taylor-Jean, and they are having dinner with the family. However before they arrive, Sue discovers Pete kissed another woman at a co-worker's leaving party in a drunken state. Auntie Angela and Brick arrive and they head to the restaurant. Pete and Sue do their best to ensure Auntie Angela does not find out about the incident but it is thoughtlessly revealed by Ben, who overheard the conversation. This leads to Pete and Brick supposedly fighting and Karen worrying that Pete and Sue will be getting a divorce. Sue informs Karen this would not happen but reveals at the very end of the episode she only said it to make her feel better, according to Jake.

Pete and Sue struggle to put things right between them, and Karen is unimpressed by their behaviour. Karen is worried by her vital role in the school concert, while Ben is busy recreating the assault on Everest on the stairs. Karen is knocked down by a car and is taken to hospital, resulting in Kelly (Anna Skellern) having to look after Jake and Ben. Jake unwittingly reveals his feelings for Kelly.

Karen goes on a sleepover at her friend Tanya's. Jake is at his mate's for band practice. Ben is away on a school trip to an adventure camp and manages to irritate everyone in the process. Sue and Pete are left with a Labrador to look after and a glimpse of what life will be like once the children have left home.

There is a lot to discuss at Ben's parents' evening including muggings, skunk, dangerous chemicals and re-enactments of the Great Plague. Sue is still suspicious Jake is hiding something and Karen decides which of the world's great religions to lead, because of her friend Tanya.

Sue is still convinced Jake has a secret, which turns out to be that he is dating a 19-year-old pole dancer, Victoria. Ben is determined to enter a school talent competition with an unusual double act. Surprise callers Angela and her 15-year-old stepdaughter make life more difficult than usual for the family.

Note: The first of a 2-part story; this episode aired on a Thursday instead of a Friday

As the family tries to get rid of Auntie Angela and step-cousin Misty, a wise, tall 15-year-old German exchange student called Ottfried arrives to stay. Sue has to decide what to do about Jake's girlfriend, who turns out to be 16 - and hence too young to be a pole dancer. Ben and Karen discuss dreams, the Mafia and trampolining bears.

It is Christmas Day and the Brockmans have decided to escape the festivities and head for Tenerife. However, Grandad has been taken ill, and is languishing in hospital. Karen has a toothache, so is taken to the dentist. Ben is intent on getting into the Guinness World Records - preferably involving knives. Their ditsy friend Jane and her boyfriend Jason are going to be looking after the house. Pete tells Jane that Jason has served a prison sentence, so after he arrives he argues with Jane and angrily leaves. Sue finds out that it was actually Jane's previous boyfriend Jeremy who had been to prison. Sue phones Jane, then Jason - to apologise and explain the misunderstanding. As they try to get to the airport, traffic is held up by two Father Christmases having a fight on the road.

The Brockman family have decided to foster a sense of community by throwing a Christmas party for their neighbours (some of the guests dropped out because of a winter vomiting bug). Festivities do not go as smoothly as planned. Gran springs a surprise visit on the family, an unwell Jane shows up, whilst Jake seems to have fallen in with the wrong crowd. Karen would rather be playing online poker (illegally) than taking part in the celebrations, while Ben is enthusiastically left in charge of the party games, ranging from Swingball to blind football. As the party goes on, Pete gets locked in a bathroom with Jane, one guest's marriage falls apart and there is a visit by a police officer.

Pete's highly attractive 21-year-old goddaughter Stacey from Australia gains a lot of attention from the Brockman household. Sue looks after a friend's baby. Sue objects to Jake's girlfriend Alex spending the night in his bedroom. Ben's role in Spartacus: The Musical is under threat.

Sue struggles to maintain a work life balance (mainly because her children keep going missing) while Pete battles with a mobile phone that has a mind of its own. Meanwhile, Jake is attempting to get home without money or transport, Ben encounters a Chinese horde and Karen has a life-changing conversation with her headmistress.

Stacey is back, Ben chickens out of his starring role in Spartacus: The Musical and Karen still hopes her escaped hamster will be found. Auntie Angela returns.

It is Boxing Day and the Brockman family have to carry out a special mission in Grandad's memory, only to get into a car crash and get stuck at a nearby pub. They encounter a series of child problems, parent problems, emotional problems and World War Two. Karen becomes convinced that the Jill, who was in the other car, is faking whiplash and continuously tries to prove it. Ben is blamed for the crash, as he was driving, and becomes confused over Karen insisting Jake is the 'cool' brother. Unbeknownst to his family, Jake has signed a contract for a job in New Zealand. Sue has become attached to Jake's girlfriend Kate and invited her along, unaware of his plans to dump her, and things become complicated when her mum shows up and Pete accidentally tells Kate the truth. Then, as Jake and Pete had alcohol and Sue is injured, Ben has to drive them to Grandad's spot, only to discover it is now the site of a historical re-enactment. Last appearance: Karen, Ben, Jake, Sue, Pete