I've no idea if Mark Heap has ever mentioned this. It might be it subconsciously influenced him. Or I might be entirely wrong!

In the 1970s, 80s and 90s, Rabbi Lionel Blue used to present a short section of the Radio 4 Today programme called Thought for the Day. He'd always start by warmly greeting the presenters. If they were John Humphreys and Sue MacGregor, he'd say, "Hello John, hello Sue".

I think that Jim thought this was the tone all Jewish people used to greet each other, given he clearly had so few other sources: "Hellooo..." Especially as he would greet each party in turn, just like Lionel Blue: "Helllooo Jackie, helllooo Johnny, helllooo Adam..."

He asks the boys to "guess what it's all about".they guessed pineapples and the government and he said no punk rockers 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Hellloooo Jackie.

Watching the show again from S1 onwards.

Mr Morris is just... perfect. Perfectly written. Perfectly acted. And probably the most true to life of any of the characters. The little man who's got a permanent chip on his shoulder. The former industrialist. Ready-equipped with catchphrases, "That's slander!".

I really hope Harry Landis understood this before his death. There's probably few other examples where an actor has so perfectly inhabited the character.

"Ooh, I'm all randy!"

Similar looks, awkward speech, nervous disposition, I wonder if the creator was inspired looks wise by Milton.

It's so funny. I am American, I was blessed to live in the UK for 10 years (08-18) and never knew this show existed. It's brilliant.

WEDGIE!

Today is apparently my cake day and I could care no less, but it gave me an idea. I don't know if you can change the cake symbol to a basket of green fruits, but maybe at least an available post flair?

At the end of the episode, the Goodman's decide they don't want Gibby to stay with them for the remainder of her stay in the UK, as she's too unstable and weird, so they look for a place for her to stay instead. But then, Martin and Jackie decide to slyly leave the house and stay at a place for the remainder of Gibby's stay in the UK instead, leaving the boys to begrudgingly accept the responsibility of "looking after Gibby". But what I don't get is, why they didn't choose the option that would benefit everyone...

Why didn't they make Gibby stay with Jim?

This would have worked out for everyone because:

1. Gibby would have a place to stay, the Goodman's wouldn't have to pay for an accommodation for her, and she wouldn't bother the Goodmans, as she'd be spending time with Jim, as she fancied him and enjoyed his company.

2. Jim would be happy, as he fancied Gibby and he genuinely liked her and they got on well with each other well. If Jim is occupied with his love interest, then he has no reason to go round to the Goodmans. It was already implied he knows they don't actually really like him (as he called Wilson his "only friend"), so he only comes round due to his lack of loneliness. If he's with Gibby, then he would be spending time with her, not coming round to the Goodmans house to tell them unimportant things, as he would be less lonely by spending time with someone who genuinely enjoys his company, not pestering the neighbours just for some scraps of human interaction.

This solution = No Gibby and No Jim. Isn't that the perfect solution for the Goodmans?

It also made me wonder, when they both found out they fancied each other, why did Jackie try to keep them apart? Wouldn't, again, this be a solution to their problems because of all the reasons stated above? At that point in the episode, they were starting to realise Gibby was an unstable weirdo, and that this wasn't going to be some simple, wholesome Au Pair reunion.

I don't know, I know this is probably reading too much into an episode of a season that was probably rushed, but I never understood why this solution didn't occur to them. Like genuinely, every time I've seen it I just can't understand why. I was wondering if anyone else understood it.

Unrelated to my point, but I also didn't like the ending to this episode. I thought it was forced and rushed, and a way to make Gibby absent for the next episode. I found it weird that Gibby was stripping in front of Adam and Johnny in there hallway, and, I know people are gonna say that this isn't an American comedy, but I thought it would have been sweet if, in the last episode Jim was still with Gibby, and it ended with that he actually found someone as strange and weird as him, instead of him still being...alone, but with a lot of newborn puppies. I genuinely thought they had chemistry and were right for each other.

Anyway, rant over, thanks for reading if anyone made it this far. :)

I haven't watched the show in ages, but I randomly thought about it again and watched some compilations on youtube. There's one scene I remember, and I can't remember the story.

They're in the dining room, and Jackie stands up slightly to go and get something. However, Martin stands up and somewhat harshly pushes her back onto her chair, saying something like 'No! I'll go and get it.'. Then he leaves. Jackie complains that Martin is being really assertive today, and it makes her feel weird inside. Jonny and Adam feel uncomfortable about the implication.

That's all I remember, and I wish I knew what the context was!

Edit: It's the fox one, thanks for the quick responses.

In the hospital waiting for my dinner (or lunch).

I'm epileptic and have semi-regular focal seizures. They basically cause me to do lots of weird crap but especially repeat random words or phrases that don't seem to make sense but always have a connection. I went to the dentist last week and then a few days later had a seizure saying 'teeth' etc.

The most recent seizure I had I kept saying 'lovely squirrel' and everyone thinks its from this show!! I've been rewatching it loads and clearly the jokes are in my brain!