| Episode
One:
Scene 1: Reggie and Elizabeth
are walking the Dorset countryside as Mr. and Mrs. Gossamer, dressed in
raincoats, wigs, false teeth and hats. Reggie tries to thumb a lift, but
the car drives straight past. They sit on a roadside bank, with aching
feet, and tired bodies. Both are fed up with their new lives. Reggie suggests
they go back to being Perrins, sell the Grot empire and live off the profits
of its sale. Elizabeth agrees. They both remove their false teeth, and
as if a great burden has been lifted from their shoulders, they sigh with
relief. |
 . .
|
| Scene
2: The Perrins are staying at a seaside hotel, and are seated in the hotel
garden, sipping champagne. Elizabeth is happy, but Reggie keeps sighing.
Pressed for an explanation, Reggie says there is something that he feels
he must do for society, some project that will make the name of Perrin
ring out for prosperity. Unfortunately, he has yet to discover what that
plan is. |
 . .
|
| Scene 3: In the bank,
a cashier closes his window for lunch, and a large man, in his frustration,
barges into the front of the next queue, in front of Reggie. The man behind
Reggie makes an argument out of it, and the two men quarrel, and almost
come to blows, with Reggie stuck in the middle. Suddenly, the two men are
silenced by Reggie's exclamation. He has had the revelation of a community
for the middle-aged and middle-class where people can learn to live in
peace and harmony. The two bickering gentlemen have given him his new mission
in life. He shakes both men's hands, and rushes out of the bank, leaving
the two men shaking each other's hands - a symbol of things to come. |
 . . .
|
| Scene 4: Reggie and Elizabeth
are in a restaurant. Reggie is shy to announce his brilliant idea to Elizabeth,
and keeps plying her with champagne. Eventually he tells her his idea,
and Elizabeth thinks it's marvellous. She asks what sort of community it
should be, and Reggie's mind wanders to different sorts of possible
communities including Hari Krishnas, Red Indians and mushroom-sniffers.
He decides it should be a suburban community in an ordinary house. Elizabeth
agrees, and they toast their agreement. Watch
video |
 . .
|
| Scene 5: The excited couple
are looking round an empty property in Botchley. Reggie is reading from
the estate agent's description of the house. They decide it is the house
they were looking for, and Reggie sets off to recruit the staff for the
community, while Elizabeth furnishes the house. |
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|
| Link:
Reggie rings C.J. from a public phone box, but Mrs. C.J. answers. She tells
him she last saw her husband busking to cinema queues, so Reggie sets off
to look. He wanders the streets of London, casually observing the local
buskers on each street. When he hears a man singing the line "Let me tell
you, I didn't get where I am today..." he knows he has found C.J. |
|
| Scene 6: Reggie treats C.J.
to a drink in the local pub, but C.J. insists on paying with his financial
rewards obtained from busking. He corrects Reggie when he calls him a tramp,
suggesting 'street entertainer' instead. Reggie offers C.J. a job, and
C.J. laughs. He is sceptical, but is attracted by the salary, especially
after the barman returns C.J.'s payment for their drinks, which included
three pesetas, two pfennigs and a shirt button. Despite having to sleep
in a tent, and
not
getting where he is today by being nice, C.J. becomes the first member
of the community. |
 .
|
| Scene 7: Reggie is walking
across a London park when he spots a man feeding popadums to the local
starling population, It is Doc Morrissey, now calling himself 'Professor',
as it pays more at the local college. Reggie insists that psychology is
the Doc's undiscovered metiere, and talks him into joining the community. |
|
| Scene 8: Reggie has called
round to
Tony
Webster's flat, where he is being somewhat pretentious about his job.
He tells Reggie he is just off to Frankfurt on business, namely import/export.
He turns down Reggie's offer of a job, and sets off for the airport. As
he picks up his briefcase, a pile of literature falls out promoting the
UniWarm central heating system. Tony admits he is working for them on a
commission-only basis, and accepts Reggie's job offer. He also accepts
on behalf of his wife, Reggie's old secretary, Joan. |
|
| Scene 9: Reggie is in the
home of the Harris-Jones's. David and his wife Prue are sitting closely
on their settee, hand-in-hand, and wearing matching jumpers, shirts and
trousers. They have a son, called Reggie in Reggie's honour. They become
the latest success in Reggie's recruitment drive. |
|
| Scene 10: In their newly-furnished
home at 19 Oslo Avenue, Botchley, Reggie and Elizabeth are enjoying a relaxing
cup of tea together. Elizabeth
asks Reggie about his new recruits, but Reggie is reticent to tell
her it is all the 'old mob'. She is persuaded that they will prove their
worth, and that they should all be accommodated in the house, as part of
the community. The doorbell rings, and their son-in-law Tom enters. He
has come round to crawl to Reggie for a job, as he has been unable to get
a job in advertising, even after his snappy slogans at Grot became cults.
Reggie gives him the job he has come crawling for. |
 . . .
|
| Link: Outside 19 Oslo Avenue,
cars, taxis and a motorbike arrive. Tom, Linda, Tony, Joan, C.J., Doc,
David and Prue are all amazed to see each other. Reggie opens the garden
gate and welcomes them inside. Tents arepitched - eventually. Watch
video |
|
| Scene 11: The staff are
all settled in, and Reggie is holding a meeting in the living room to designate
everyone's
jobs.including C.J. as the work therapist, Tony as Culture officer,
Joan as Music therapist and David Harris-Jones in charge of Sex. When David
has regained consciousness, Reggie asks for suggestions and comments from
the staff. No one speaks, except Elizabeth, who asks if anyone would like
a cup of tea. |
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