Keep It in the Family (1980)
Keep It in the Family is a British sitcom that aired for five series between 1980 and 1983. It is about a likable and mischievous cartoonist, Dudley Rush. Also featured were Dudley's wife, Muriel and their two daughters, Jacqui and Susan. Dudley's literary agent, Duncan Thomas, was also featured. It was made by Thames Television for the ITV network. A remake of Keep It in the Family was produced in the United States under the title Too Close for Comfort, starring Ted Knight.
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Episode 1 - Splitting Headaches
Release Date: 1981-09-01Dudley and Muriel play a game of Cluedo to decide who'll do the washing-up, whilst waiting for daughters Jacqui and Susan to return home from an evening out with their respective boyfriends. Meanwhile, Duncan has had a new telephone answering machine installed in his office, and Dudley embarks on a campaign to drive him mad with garbled messages. Susan's beau, Matthew, has just gotten his own flat, and she is contemplating moving in with him. Jacqui introduces her parents to her intellectually superior boyfriend Clive, whom she announces will be moving into the ground floor flat with her as soon as her sister moves out! Duncan calls in an engineer, Arnold, to service his answering machine, and dumb secretary Marlene develops a crush on him; unfortunately for her, he turns out to be gay. Matthew's father, a Church of England vicar, arrives at the Rush house to discuss the infeasibility of mixed flat sharing on church property.
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Episode 2 - The Judas Goat
Release Date: 1981-09-08As per usual, Dudley is late with his page of drawings, so when Duncan telephones to complain Muriel advises him to call round about four o'clock that afternoon to collect it, the lure of her home-made iced buns providing an additional incentive. Meanwhile, Duncan is still the target of the amorous inclinations of spinster telephonist Virginia Dryford, who at present is seeking her own personal Superman. Whilst Dudley ineffectually tries to procure a little ""rumpety-rumpety"" from his wife, their daughter Susan has been introduced to insurance salesmanship by her boyfriend David, who has promised her a commission on any policies she sells, and practices her techniques on her sister Jacqui and her father. Duncan arrives at the house as arranged, and is annoyed to find the page still isn't finished; Dudley vows to deliver it to his office the following afternoon. Duncan's housekeeper has left him to marry the milkman following a wild affair, and his efforts to look after himself aren't en
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Episode 3 - A Game of No Chance
Release Date: 1981-09-15Told he has a brain like a broken colander, Dudley reads a book given to him as a birthday present by Duncan which purports to improve one's memory. Muriel reminds him that they have offered to help out at the St. Jude's Girl Guides garden fete on Saturday, and he is to be in charge of the most important stall, holding the super prize; a brand new car, loaned by the local garage. The chance of anyone winning it is four-million-to-one against, but just in case anyone does win, they've insured against that happening. Susan, meanwhile, is trying her hand at market research interviewing and decides to start with her father. She is persuaded to attend the fete, and her mother gives her the insurance application to post. Susan palms it off on to her sister Jacqui - who is likewise suffering from absent-mindedness - who in turn gives it to her father. Dudley goes to Duncan's office, where his boss informs him that he can't come to the fete as he's going to a race meeting at Ascot. He has some
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Episode 4 - Matter over Mind
Release Date: 1981-09-22With Muriel, Dudley indulges his latest interest - CB Radio - utilizing his Lone Star Ranger walkie-talkie set; Muriel fails to ""kick it back"", however. Meanwhile, their daughter Jacqui is oft times being dined by a ""rather dishy"", quite mature gentleman named Michael, whom her father fears could be a married man with heightened sexual feelings, trying to recapture his lost youth by lusting after young bits of skirt. Jacqui protests that she's old enough to look after herself; and in any case, they're partly business dinners. Michael wants her to go and work for him as his secretary. ""I like him"", she tells over-protective daddy. ""Now I appreciate your concern, but I'm not a baby. It's my business, not yours"". Duncan pays a call regarding a bank loan he wants to obtain in order to buy a little cottage at Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllandysiliogogogoch in Wales, wishing to eventually return to the land of his fathers; and Dudley is the only householder he knows who will stand
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Episode 5 - A Matter of Principle
Release Date: 1981-09-29Whilst Susan takes her driving test, Dudley tackles a jigsaw puzzle of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer. Duncan arrives at the Rush house to discuss some letters he has received from the managing editor's wife complaining about Barney the Bionic Bulldog, whom she claims sets a bad example to impressionable children of milk-drinking age; she'd prefer him to be an effeminate, environmentally-concerned, sensitive vegetarian. Susan passes her test, and has her sights set on a car advertised in an evening newspaper for £250; her sister Jacqui goes with her to meet the owner, a shady gentleman named Mr. Conway. Susan pays a £5 deposit and signs a contract, with the remainder to be paid when the car is delivered the following day. She approaches her father for a loan, but he unfortunately has resigned over the proposed changes to Barney.
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Episode 6 - The Inferior Decorator
Release Date: 1981-10-06Dudley awakes in an amorous mood, but Muriel is more interested in breakfast in bed. Jacqui, meanwhile, prepares a face-pack, whilst her father contemplates redecorating the bedroom. Muriel fears her husband suffers from delusions of competence; the last time he didn't bother wallpapering behind the wardrobe, and he left a gas pipe sticking out of the wall. She suggests getting a professional in; somebody who won't hang the paper upside-down. Jacqui's artist boyfriend Andrew is coming to dinner at the ground floor flat, and she feels he might pluck up the courage to make a proposal of marriage; she's been putting off introducing him to her father, though. Muriel telephones a Mr. Wilkins, who arranges to call round that afternoon to provide an estimate. Duncan telephones Dudley and announces his intention of coming round to the Rush house about four o'clock to collect a page of artwork; and partake of tea and cake. Andrew arrives to speak to Jacqui, but as she is unable to remove her fa