"Another Bride, Another Groom"

The last episode of MatH is possibly the best:  funny, touching, and chockful of guest stars.  It takes its title from the lyrics to "Making Whoopee," the version that goes "Another bride, another groom, another sunny honeymoon."  The episode aired on 7 April, 1976.

Making Whoopee:  The episode opens with a close-up of a Cupid decoration on a wedding cake.  Robin is singing a da-da-da-dee version of "Making Whoopee."  The cake is three-tiered and very elaborate.  Robin is wearing his naughty apron as he decorates.  It's later revealed that he's wearing a T-shirt for the WSU Cougars.  (Washington State U.  Less likely than Larry at Oxford, but not impossible.)

He says, "Now for the finishing touch."  He picks up bride and groom figurines and acts out a wedding ceremony, officiator included.  As he sets them on the cake, he says, "Those whom the registrars have put together, let no cake knife put asunder."

Jo looks on with her hands on her hips.
Jo:  Can I have a slice now please?
Robin:  Certainly not.  You can't have any till after the wedding.
Jo:  (giggling) That's what my mum always told me to say.

She says that he's taking it very well about Chrissy and Norman.  He says there are plenty more fish in the sea.  As he goes to answer the doorbell, he adds, "I've given up girls.  From now on, I'm going out with fish."

Chrissy and Norman are at the door.  She says Norman bought the ring.  Robin wants to see it, through Norman's nose.

Norman wants to rehearse Robin handing the ring to him.  He doesn't want anything to go wrong.  He hands the ring to Robin, who hands it back.  Norman says that's perfect and Chrissy says it's very good.  Feigning feigning modesty, Robin says, "Well, there wasn't a lot to it really."

Norman tells him to just do it like that tomorrow.
Norman:  Remember, as best man, you're responsible for all the arrangements until we leave for the honeymoon.  (He sits on the settee next to Chrissy.)  After that, I can manage on my own.
Chrissy:  Oh, can you now?
Norman:  Well, it would help if you're around.
She giggles.  He leans in for a kiss, but Robin breaks it up.

Robin sent the invitations by post two weeks ago.  (So we know at least that much time has passed since Math38.)  Chrissy says they should start arriving any day now, the last of the "slow post office" jokes on the show.  He gave the Ropers' invitations to Mr. Roper.

The Grand Old Duke:  Downstairs, Mr. Roper is looking at that invitation.  When Mildred comes in with a cup of tea for him, he quickly hides the invitation under his jumper.

She says it's a big day tomorrow.  He says yeah, it'll be the finals of the darts tournament at the British Legion.  She's talking about the wedding.  "Oh, you mean her upstairs?  We're playing the Duke of Edinborough.  Well, not him personally.  His pub."

Mildred:  I do think they might've invited us, George.  I mean, if just for the, you know, the reception. 
George:  Well, maybe it's just the family, Mildred.
Mildred:  Well, Mr. Simmonds from the top flat's going and he's not family.
George:  Well, maybe it's family and people they like.  I mean, they never liked us.  Apart from you.
Mildred:  You know, I enjoy weddings, George.  I even enjoyed ours.  Look how that turned out.

He says they won't have to fork out money on a present.  She says she's already bought one, a pop-up toaster.  Laughing, she says, "I'll pop up with it later."  We cut to George looking surprised as he sips his tea.

Don't it make your blue eyes brown?:  Robin shows Norman the cake, telling him all the ingredients, nothing but the best.  Robin says it's his masterpiece.  Norman says he hasn't got brown eyes.  The groom figurine has brown.  Robin sarcastically says, "Oh, well, scrap the whole thing then!"  Norman says they can still use it.  It's perfect, the finest wedding cake he's ever seen, apart from the brown eyes.

Day Tripper:  Chrissy answers the doorbell.  Robin's dad is there, carrying a flat package.  They hug hello.  He drove down a day early.  Mrs. Tripp wants to look at the London shops, and it's cheaper if she does that on a Sunday. 

Mr. Tripp:  Hello, Jo.
Jo:  Hello, Mr. Tripp.  Did you have a good trip?  (She winces.)  Journey.
He says Mrs. Tripp only got sick in the car once.  Luckily, the nodding dog got most of that.  (I assume he's talking about a bobble-head dog or the like.)

His sons enter from the kitchen.  He tells them that their mum is back at the hotel, practising her sobbing for the wedding.

He gives Chrissy the package and tells her it's an electric blanket. 
Norman:  Do you think we'll need it?
Mr. Tripp:  Well, not for a week or two certainly.  There'll come cold nights, you know, when you're not in the mood.
Chrissy:  About 1990.
Mr. Tripp:  (to Norman) (unintelligible) You've got a cracker here, eh, Laddie?  (to Chrissy) You've not so bad, Love.  Me and his mother are very, very proud of our Norman.
Chrissy:  And your Robin.
Mr. Tripp:  Robin?  Well, he does his best.

Robin asks if his dad wants to see the cake he baked.  His dad says not right now.
Robin:  I said the cake I baked.  I didn't say the dress I made for my dolly!
Mr. Tripp:  You made a dress for your what?
Norman thinks their dad should see the cake because it's very good.  Dad says, "Well, if you think so, Norman."  He and Robin go in the kitchen.  Jo says, "I didn't know he had a dolly."

Mr. Tripp puts on his reading glasses to look at the cake.  Robin says it's his personal gift to Norman and Chrissy.
Mr. Tripp:  Your mother makes a fair to middling sponge.
Robin:  Well, I couldn't give them a fair to middling sponge as a wedding present, could I?
Mr. Tripp agrees and he says the cake is very good, except Norman hasn't got brown eyes.  Robin is very annoyed.

Anything You Want:  Jo asks what Norman and Chrissy are doing on their honeymoon, for the rest of the time.  Norman is sitting on the settee.  Chrissy is on its arm, and his hand is around her hips.  He puts his other arm around her and asks, "What rest of the time?"

Mildred comes in without knocking.  She says she "popped up" with the wedding present.  Chrissy says, "A toaster, what a lovely surprise."  Norman asks how she knew, and Chrissy says that's what she asked for.

Mildred says it's an exciting day tomorrow.  She asks if quite a few people are coming.
Chrissy:  Just family and poeple we like.
Mildred:  I see.  I'll be thinking of you, Love.
Norman:  But you'll be there.
Mildred:  What?
Chrissy:  Well, surely Mr. Roper gave you the invitation.
Mildred pretends he did and then excuses herself.

The Joker:  George shows a feathered dart to Oscar.  "You know a bit about feathers, don't you?"  He says the most important thing to remember is to let go of it when you throw it, or you'll hit the dartboard.  He says Oscar can appreciate a good joke.

Mildred has returned, so she says we all do (appreciate a good joke).  "Shall I tell you one?"  She has him sit in the chair, while she sits on the arm.  Punctuated by his anticipatory laughter, she tells of a little man whose wife said she was going to break his neck.  "I won't attempt the accent."  The man asked why she was going to break his neck and his wife said, "Because you didn't tell me you received a wedding invitation."  George has stopped laughing.  He pulls the invitation out from under his jumper.

A Quick One (While He's Away):  The Tripp brothers enter the pub, smoking, and Norman says they'll just have a quick one, as it's traditional.  Robin says it's not really right to get stoned (in the drunk sense) out of your mind the night before the wedding.
Norman:  I don't plan to.
Robin:  But I intend to.

They go to the bar.  Robin starts to order two pints of the best bitter, but has to change it to three when he sees Larry. 
Larry:  Last night before the big drop then?
Norman:  It's not an execution.  I'm going into it quite willingly.
Larry:  Ah, suicide.
Norman laughs.

Larry's offscreen wedding present turns out to be a garden gnome with a fishing rod.  Larry thought it was tasteful.  Norman notes that there seemed to be a little earth around the base.  Larry says, "Well, that's Harrod's for you."

They take their drinks to a table as Mr. Roper comes in and goes to the bar.  Robin asks if he has to make a speech.  Norman says it'll be just a few words at the reception.

Robin asks for a piece of paper and a pencil.  Larry hands him the bill from Harrod's.  Robin gives him a "You're kidding" look, and Larry gives him a "That shows you" look back.  Robin is surprised when he realises that Larry was telling the truth for once.

Norman says to just mention the couple, how beautiful the bride is, how handsome the groom.  "Find your own words."  Robin sarcastically says, "Thank you very much."

Writing it down, Robin says, " 'Ladies and gentlemen, family and friends.' "  George comes over with a drink and says, "Evening."  Robin adds, " 'And Mr. Roper.' "  George sits down.

George tells Norman he's going to "your whatshisname" tomorrow.  He hopes they'll hurry it up, since he's got this darts match.  Norman says he'll bear it in mind.

He's dubious about marriage and says that women can be-- He breaks off and looks round.  The other men lean in as he confides that women can be very demanding physically.
George:  I'm not putting you off, am I?
Norman:  (laughing) No.
George:  Oh well, it takes all sorts.
The men all pick up their glasses.

I've Got a Little List:  Meanwhile, the girls are on the settee, Mildred in the chair, as they laugh and drink together.

Mildred says George was ever so nervous when they got married.  He put the ring on the vicar's finger.  "If I hadn't mentioned it, they'd be together yet."  This is crazy enough on its own, but combined with the image of Mildred doing up George's fly buttons (revealed on "The Party's Over"), it suggests total chaos.  Yet Mildred claims to have enjoyed her own wedding.

Jo asks if Chrissy's nervous.  Chrissy says, no, there are only 156 things that can go wrong.  She's made a list.  Laughing, Jo says, "When my Uncle Cyril got married, his braces snapped and his trousers fell down."  Chrissy says, "157." 

(On "And Then There Were Two," Jo said that her nephew Cyril was named after a fellow Cyril who was after Uncle Charles.  Either she has an Uncle Cyril after all or they've started calling that man "uncle," as in a family friend.  Or she and/or the writers can't keep her family members straight.)
 
It's Late:  George is also recalling the wedding.  When the vicar said "Speak now" etc., not a soul spoke.  "Not a bloody soul."

Norman stands up and wants to go.  George says it's Norman's turn to buy a round, but Robin says it's actually George's.  So George says, "It is getting late," and leaves.

As Norman leaves, Larry tells him, "Get your head down.  It's your last chance for a good night's kip."  Then Robin suggests he and Larry have a few more drinks.

Love and Marriage:  We return to the lounge, now dark.  We hear Robin and Larry singing something.  Then Larry sings the line, "Love and Marriage."  They come in.  Robin shushes Larry and turns on a light.  More quietly, Larry sings, "Go together like a railway carriage."  Robin says that's horse.  Larry says, "Yeah, I am a bit.  It's all the singing."

They're leaning on each other, arms around each other.  They can barely walk.

Robin wants Larry to see the cake.  He says it should be hung up in the Gational Nallery.  He goes in the kitchen.  Larry drops his cigarettes.  He gets on all fours to pick them up.  Robin of course trips over him, dropping the cake.  There's much audience reaction.

And we go to adverts.

Goin' out of My Head:  There's again a close-up of a cake, but this time the groom is headless.  The camera backs out to show that this cake is only one layer, which Robin is quickly frosting.

The girls come in wearing their nightclothes.  They say good morning.  Then they see the cake.
Jo:  It's shrunk.
Robin:  It's a different cake. It's two jam sponges stuck together.
He tells them that some idiot fell on the other cake, then admits it was him.  Chrissy says 158.

Chrissy goes to answer the doorbell.  Jo says that the groom's got no head.  Robin says, "You noticed that, did you?"

Chrissy's mum arrives with a big white box.  She and Chrissy hug hello.  Her dad comes in with a dead cockerel, which he hands to her. 

Mrs. Plummer says she hates traveling with her back to the engine. 
Mrs. Plummer:  If God had wanted us to travel backwards, He'd have put our feet the other way round.
Mr. Plummer:  At least you can see where you've been.
Mrs. Plummer:  I want to see where I've been before I get there.

She asks if Chrissy is nervous, but doesn't give her a chance to reply.  She herself is very nervous.  Mr. Plummer says that's true.  "She tried to milk one of the pigs yesterday."

She wants a quiet word with Chrissy about you-know-what.
Chrissy:  About?
Mrs. Plummer:  You know.
Chrissy:  What?
Mrs. Plummer:  That's it.
She has Dudley go to the kitchen.

Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps:  Jo tells Robin you can't have a groom with no head.  She takes out the prize from a Corn Flakes box and replaces the damaged groom with a figurine of a football player.

Dudley comes in and hands Robin the cockerel.  He asks, "Where's this fantastic wedding cake I've been hearing about, eh?"  Robin tries to block his view.  Dudley says Chrissy told him it was a masterpiece.  Then he sees it.  Robin says this is the second version.  Dudley says perhaps it's as well he didn't see the first. 

He asks, "She's not marrying Michael McDonald is she?"  I laughed even though I'm not quite sure who that is.  (Possibly this man:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_McDonald_(footballer) )  Jo says it's better than a groom with no head.  Dudley asks, "Is that the only choice?"

White Wedding:  Back in the lounge, Mrs. Plummer says she's not one to fuss.  It is Chrissy's day.  "But I thought you'd be married in a church."  Chrissy says Norman is sort of Agnostic.  Her mum asks, "Couldn't you find an Agnostic church?"

She was also hoping that Chrissy would wear white. 
Mrs. Plummer:  Unless there's a reason you shouldn't.
Chrissy:  (amused) What's that supposed to mean?
Mrs. Plummer:  Well, nowadays, a lot of you young people, well, you do have a relationship before the wedding ceremony.
Chrissy:  Oh, well, I won't have time for that.  I've got to get bathed and changed.
Mrs. Plummer:  (angrily) I didn't mean immed-- (as Chrissy laughs) Oh, you.

Robin brings them tea.  She says, "Bless you, Robin," but then asks if he's going to clean up a bit before the ceremony.  He's in his dressing gown, as usual with no pyjama top, so we can see his hairy chest and gold necklace.  He says he'll wash, shave, and put on a clean pair of pyjamas.

She wants him to get Norman to the registry office on time.  Robin says his brother won't escape him.  And he's already whitewashed the shotgun especially for the occasion.  She rolls her eyes.

Signs:  We next see a sign that reads,
ROYAL BOROUGH OF KENSINGTON
SUPERINTENDENT REGISTRAR ROBIN N. PARKER
REGISTRATION OF BIRTHS, DEATHS & MARRIAGES
MONDAY TO FRIDAY 9.30 A.M. to 4.0 P.M.
SATURDAY BY APPOINTMENT

I love this episode so much, I even love this sign.  We again confirm that we're in Kensington.  The registrar shares a first name with "our Robin," and his middle name might well be Norman.  Not only that, he's actually named after the show's designer, Robin Parker.  Some of the punctuation and capitalisation feels random.  Why the ampersand?  Why "to" in little letters?  And is that really how they write four o'clock?  (I knew about the period instead of colon thing already.)  Finally, what happens if you want to be born, die, or get married on a Sunday?  Do you go ahead but just register it on Monday?

The camera backs out and a dark-coloured car pulls up.  Norman is driving, as Robin smokes. 
Robin:  So, what happened to the flashy little sports car, then?
Norman:  Oh, that was just for pulling the birds.  Well, now that I've pulled one, a little more dignity is called for.
They get out of the car.

The Waiting:  Their parents are on a settee in the waiting room.  She's crying into her handkerchief.  She's played by Hilda Kriseman, whom I noted at the time was on MatH15.  As the only newbie among the performers playing parents, she's not given a lot to do besides cry, but she does it well.

Mr. Tripp tells her to give it a rest. 
Mr. Tripp:  The lad's got to get married sometime.  He can't be happy all his life.
Mrs. Tripp:  He's so young!
Mr. Tripp:  Young?  Up North, he'd have eight kids by this time.  And two of them in a raincoat factory.
(This amuses me, even though it means Norman would be married before he's 16.  I figure Robin is 25 max at this point, making Norman 27.)

Their sons enter.  Norman kisses his mum hello.  Norman is in a dark suit with a tan shirt and a red carnation.  Robin's suit is tan, while his shirt is dark.  He, and all the other men, wear white carnations.

Sobbing, Mrs. Tripp says, "I'm so happy for you!"  Norman says they could hear her being happy all the way down the hall.

Robin:  Hello, Mum.
Mrs. Tripp:  Oh, Robin, my baby!"
She hugs him.

Mr. Tripp tells Norman that she's been going on like that every since they left the hotel.  The carpets in their car are soaking wet.

The Ropers enter, followed by Jo and Larry.  Mildred is in a pink dress, a white hat with a pink flower, and white heels with straps.  Jo is wearing a red pantsuit with a white turtleneck and a blue scarf.  Larry is in a checked suit.  And George is in a forgettable dark suit.

Norman introduces the Ropers to his parents.  They shake hands.  Mr. Tripp asks George, "Friend of the bride?"  George says, "No, we're not friends of anybody."  Mr. Tripp is confused.

Larry shakes his hand and introduces himself as "Larry, mate of Robin's.  So you're the condemned man's father, eh?"  Mr. Tripp says that's right, and he and Jo say hello to each other.
Mr. Tripp:  Well, if we're all here then.
Jo:  Don't you think we might need a bride?
Mr. Tripp:  Good idea.
His wife sobs and he tells her to pull herself together.

At his suggestion, they all sit.  The door of Mr. R. N. Parker opens and he says, "Mr. Tripp?"  All three Messrs. Tripp stand and say, "Yes?"  He means the one who's getting married. 
Norman:  Oh, that's me, but I'm not all here yet.  I mean, I, we are not all here yet.
Mr. Parker:  When you are, do come in. 
He goes back in his room.  He's played by Dennis Ramsden, who would have a couple roles each on Robin's Nest and George & Mildred.

Norman says, "She does know where it is, doesn't she?"  Robin says it was on the invitiation.  Norman says they didn't send her one.  Jo says Chrissy will be here.  As Chrissy comes in, followed by her parents, Norman wonders if she could be lost.  Jo says, "I don't know.  Why don't you ask her?"

Chrissy wears an ecru peasant-style dress with big sleeves and flowered embroidery.  She doesn't have a veil, but there are flowers in her hair.  She's also holding a pink bouquet.  She's smiling.  Her father is in a suit of course.  And her mother has a blue dress and a big blue hat.

Everyone stands and admires Chrissy.  Taking her hand, Norman says, "Oh, marvelous."  He and Chrissy say hello to each other and he kisses her cheek. 
Norman:  You came then?
Chrissy:  I thought I'd better, in case you started without me.

Norman escorts Chrissy to a door, but it's the broom cupboard.  His father says, "You're going on just like our Robin."  We cut to Robin looking insulted.

Norman then escorts Chrissy to the door his father indicates.  Everyone follows them in.  Mrs. Roper tells her husband to behave himself and not fidget.  She finds the dart in his breast pocket.  He says he might still make it to the tournament.  She tells him, "Get in there!"

I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do:  Everyone has sat down in the registry office or is about to.  Chrissy and Norman are in the front two chairs, facing the table where Mr. Parker stands.

As he and Robin come in, Larry says, "So this is where you get married.  It always looked different in me nightmares."

Pointing at Mrs. Tripp, Mrs. Plummer tells her husband, "I'm determined I'm not going to cry."  He says, "I'll do it for you.  I'm paying for this lot.  I'm not losing a daughter, I'm gaining an overdraft."

Mr. Parker has Norman and Chrissy stand.  They shake hands with him.  Then he asks them to excuse his eyes watering.  It's not emotion.  He has a head cold.

Robin and Jo stand in the background, I assume as witnesses, although Jo is probably maid of honour.  And Robin is of course best man.

Mr. Parker starts the ceremony, punctuated by blowing his nose.  Then the scene dissolves.

Norman is now facing Chrissy as she repeats the vows.  Neither of them has a middle name.

George is falling asleep, but Mildred is crying a little.

Mr. Parker asks for the rick, meaning the ring, since he's congested.  Robin steps over and reaches into his waistcoast pockets, but the ring has gone through the lining.  He takes off his coat.  Chrissy says 159.  He tears his waistcoat and the ring falls out.  Everyone but him and Chrissy look for the ring. 
Robin:  (to Chrissy) Sorry, there was a hole in it.
Chrissy:  That was for my finger to go through.

Mr. Tripp finds the ring and hands it to Robin, who says, "Oh, thank you."  Norman comes back, but Robin is now standing next to Chrissy.  Mr. Parker says, "Now, if you'll place the ring on the bride's finger."  Robin starts to, so Norman says, "Not you, me!"  The audience is very amused.  Norman puts the ring on Chrissy's finger.

The registrar sneezes as he congratulates them.  Norman and Chrissy kiss.  And the scene dissolves.

Cuts Like a Knife:  We cut to Norman and Chrissy cutting the cake.  Her dad takes a picture with a flash camera.  Robin apologises about the ring, and the cake.  Chrissy says she quite likes jam sponge.  Norman says they'll look back on this and laugh, eventually.

Mr. Tripp prompts Robin to say  a few words.  Robin breaks his glass when he taps it with a knife.  Chrissy takes the glass.

Robin says he's written a speech, but perhaps it's better if he speaks straight from the heart.  He hands his speech to his dad.  He says he's known Chrissy and Norman for some time.  He flounders.  His dad hands the speech back.  He says, "Well, long life and happiness.  Well, that's about it, really.  Well, cheers." Everyone raises their glass.

George hopes to still make it to the tournament.  Mildred says, "You are staying!"  He says the team is relying on him, if three other fellows don't turn up.

Larry makes Robin leave with him.

Mr. Tripp and Jo are sitting on the settee together.
Mr. Tripp:  Your turn next, Love.  I, er, don't suppose you fancy our Robin, do you?
Jo:  Well, he's very nice, but he's a bit scatter-brained.
Mr. Tripp:  Takes after his mother.
Mrs. Tripp is now drinking and laughing in the middle of the group.

Like a Virgin:  Larry and Robin are decorating a dark car, with cans and the usual "just married" stuff.  Robin is hesitant but Larry says it's tradition.

Upstairs, Chrissy just hands Jo the bouquet, but then Jo is the only single woman there.  Chrissy and Norman are about to leave, because as he says, Scotland's a long way, even at 70 mph.

Mrs. Plummer pulls Chrissy aside and says she mustn't worry if it isn't perfect the first time.
Chrissy:  Yes, I remember.
Mrs. Plummer:  Hm?
Chrissy:  I remember you telling me.
She giggles.

Her dad squeezes her shoulder as he says goodbye.  Then they hug.  Mr. Tripp says, "I haven't had my kiss yet, from the blushing bride."  He gives her a peck on the cheek.  Larry says to Robin, "Just in time, eh?", as they 've apparently just returned.  He also gives Chrissy a peck on the cheek.

Chuckling, George says, "My turn now."  He gives her a peck, too.  Mildred tells Jo, "Done with his usual passion."  Jo smiles and nods.

Robin and Chrissy smile at each other, a bit shyly.  He comes over and takes both her hands.  He says, "Well, what can I say?"  She shrugs.  He gives her a peck on the lips.  Then they kiss again, and after a couple seconds she puts her arms around him.

Jo, Norman, and the Ropers look on, stunned.  Robin is holding Chrissy tight, and they sway a little.  The audience laughs. 

Norman comes over and gently grips Chrissy's hand that's on Robin's shoulder.  The kiss stops after 22 seconds.  Norman says, "Um, I hate to break this up, but that's my Mrs. Tripp.  And I'd like her with me on the honeymoon."  Robin has an "Oh, right" expression.  Chrissy just smiles contentedly.

The End:  Everyone comes down the exterior steps.  Chrissy hugs her mum.  Mrs. Roper gives Norman a peck, then hugs Chrissy.

Larry tells Robin, "This'll be a giggle.  Wait till you see their faces."

Chrissy waves goodbye and then clasps Robin's hand.  She hugs Jo. 

Chrissy and Norman go to another dark car.  Larry and Robin are surprised.  They look over at the car they decorated.  The audience laughs a lot.  Norman and Chrissy drive off, past the other car.  Mr. Tripp looks angry, and it might be his car. 

The credits show the wedding party posed on the steps:  Jo, Norman, Chrissy, and Robin at the bottom; Larry and the Ropers in the middle; and the parents in the back.

The credits end with "THE END," in case there was any doubt.

Think: 
Chrissy:  It's typical of a Man About, they make you think that the RCST is over and Robin doesn't fancy me anymore, and then he gives me a tremendous snog in the end.
Robin:  I seem to remember you kissing me back with enthusiasm.
Larry:  Eh?  Her end?  Your back?
Robin:  (ignoring him) It's quite clear that you were only marrying my brother because I didn't speak up in time.
Chrissy:  I'll have you know I was very happy with Norman.
Robin:  Yeah, for a few months.  Then you turned up as a single mum with a baby!
Chrissy:  That wasn't me.  That was Paula.  And anyway, you're the one who rebounded into that fling with Vicky the next January.
Robin:  (indignantly) Fling!  I bloody well ended up married with twins!
Chrissy:  All while pining for me, very sad.
Jo:  Listen, you two, you're ignoring the important thing.
Robin & Chrissy:  What's that?
Jo:  That I get to wear the unisexiest bridesmaid outfit on television before lesbians started marrying each other in the '90s.  And I get to bond with Robin's father.
Robin:  That's two things.
Chrissy:  And anyway, I'd put my teasing my mum ahead of that.
Robin:  What about my brother and my father belittling me again?  Great character development.
Larry:  What about all the bits about tradition and how those blow up in our faces?
Jo:  Like the pop-up toaster.  Are there toasters that don't pop up?
Robin:  And like Chrissy's damn virginity.
Larry:  (muttering) Yeah, well.
Chrissy:  I think that was rather liberated of me to not cop to one or the other.  The viewer doesn't know what sort of "relationship" Norman and I have before the wedding night.
Mildred:  At least you had one after the wedding, Love.
Helen:  At least you were invited to the wedding.  Stanley and I were long forgotten by the time Janet married whatshisname.
Stanley:  Thurston Howell IV.  (She looks at him.)  What?  The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island was on after Name That Tune one night.  Anyway, George is right, we didn't have to fork out for a wedding present.
Helen:  But what about poor little Chrissy?  I mean Amer-Chrissy.  She didn't get invited to Janet's wedding either.  (Cut to Amer-Chrissy crying on the telephone.  Cut back to everyone else sitting/standing around the flat.)
Jack:  (shrugging) Hey, neither did Janet's family.  (Janet hits him.)
Brit-Chrissy:  (guiltily) I forgot to invite my sister and her husband.
Norman:  How do you think I feel?  I apparently have no friends of my own.
George:  It was getting too crowded anyway.  I'd have been happy to have sat it out meself.
Mildred:  George!
Amer-Larry:  I still say that you would've been better off streaking than doing the "just married" stuff.  (Everyone looks at him.)  What?  Weren't we talking about tradition just now?
Brit-Larry:  Streaking?  You know that's not a bad idea.
David Bell:  That was a beautiful wedding cake, Robin.
Robin:  Thank you.
David:  Of course, since I wasn't clumsy, I wouldn't have smashed it like that.
Sam:  Yeah, but you took off long before I got married.
Jenny:  Hey, Everyone, no fighting.  Remember, we're back in April '76.  Chrissy and Norman are going off on their fabulous Scottish honeymoon.  David's still living with us on our unsold pilot.  Janet and Amer-Chrissy are living with that Eleanor, who hasn't yet conceived, and, what was I saying?
Oscar:  Tweet!
Janet:  Jack, I'm sorry things didn't work out with Vicky.  (to Robin) His Vicky.
Jack:  (shrugging) Well, a year is longer than any of my other relationships, except for Linda.  (to Robin) My Linda.
Robin:  I got six series out of my Vicky.  Well, and the twins.
Chrissy:  That's typical of a man, always thinking of what he gets out of a girl.
Larry:  (leering) More like what he gets in her.
Mildred:  Except for George.
Helen:  And Stanley.
Stanley:  (not understanding) Well, our spin-off ran for over a year.
George:  No stamina, Son.  I lasted three years.  And a movie.
Mildred:  That's true.  We would've gone on longer, but poor Yootha.  (Shakes her head.)  A litre of brandy a day!  Can you imagine?
George:  (getting choked up and trying to hide it) Damn woman!
Chrissy:  That's typical of a man, always blaming--
Robin:  Say, Chrissy, do you fancy a bit of the you-know-what?
Chrissy:  What?
Robin:  You know.
Chrissy:  Oh.  Well, what year is this?
Robin:  Let's say 1990.
Chrissy:  Yeah, why not?  I'm between television programmes at the moment.  I mean Paula is.  (Robin is stunned at her consent, but not so stunned that he doesn't follow her to the kitchen on the way towards her old bedroom.)
Jo:  I wonder whatever became of me.  I hope I got a last name eventually.

THE END

"The Tender Trap"

This absolutely charming episode could never have been adapted for 3'sC, for reasons that will soon become apparent.  It takes its title from the 1955 movie starring Frank Sinatra and Debbie Reynolds, which in turn was based on a stage play.  This episode aired on 3 April 1975, a significant date since it allows for a great deal of chronology.

Anything of value:  We open with Robin in the kitchen, not only trying to mend a radio but reeling off a bunch of jargon about it.
Jo:  Are you sure you know what you're doing?
Robin:  I don't even know what I'm saying!

When he asks for some piece whose name he and I have never heard of, she immediately hands it to him.  She says it was just a lucky guess.

Chrissy comes in, skeptical about Robin's radio-mending skills.  Jo tells her that right in the middle of Pete Murray, the radio just spluttered and died.  Chrissy says he wasn't getting any younger.  (Ironically, d.j. Pete Murray is still alive at 85.)

When Robin doesn't recognise one item on the table, Chrissy says it's one of her heated rollers.  (Perhaps left in the kitchen after Jo defrosted?)

Chrissy:  Honestly, if I had anything of value, I wouldn't let him anywhere near it.
Robin:  Yes, you've made that perfectly clear, Chrissy, many, many times.

She tells him to clear up before her mother arrives.  Robin says it's a good thing she didn't share a flat with old Isaac Newton.  Gravity wouldn't have been invented and we'd all be sucked out into space.

Chrissy says her mother "comes here to see the way I live and I'm determined she's not going to."  Jo says Mrs. Plummer comes to see Chrissy and won't care how the flat looks.  Robin says she lives on a farm and is used to pig sties.

Robin finishes with the radio and turns it on.  He and Chrissy put their heads close together to listen.  They're confused when they hear Chamberlain talking about Hitler.

Der Fuehrer's Face:  Downstairs at the Ropers', the radio is tuned to the same programme about WWII.  Mildred says it takes you back.  George recalls shouting defiance at the woman across the street, who was German, or Swiss, or French.  Well, she was foreign anyway.  Chuckling, he says, "We got her cat."

He sings a bit of "Der Fuehrer's Face," with a raspberry of course.  He goes through some sheet music, because there's going to be a British Legion concert next Saturday. 

She won't go since he's singing.  She'll have a headache and claims that he always has one when she wants to do something.

He thinks she's jealous. 
George:  You don't like the spotlight falling on me.
Midlred:  Now that I'd come to see.

He has 20 tickets to get rid of.

We go out to the entryway, where Robin invites Chrissy down to the pub.  She says she can't greet her mother smelling of lager and lime.  He suggests a breath freshener, but she says her mother would smell that and think she's been on the gin.  He suggests vodka, since it doesn't smell of anything and you just keep falling over but nobody knows why.  She hands him two glasses and says, "Push off."  (Can you carry alcohol out of a pub if you provide your own glasses?)

George comes out of his flat and invites her to the concert.  Mildred follows after a bit and suggests that Chrissy will be washing her hair, which Chrissy uses as an excuse.  George asks about the young fellow, whatshisname.  (Good grief, Robin's been living there over a year and a half, and George still doesn't know his name?)  Chrissy says Mr. Roper will have to ask Robin himself.

Worries:  We next see Chrissy upstairs, finding rubbish in the settee.  She pulls out a thrupenny bit (3 pennies, or pence).  Since that coin was discontinued in 1971, Jo says it must be worth a pound.  Chrissy says no, a pound is worth about a thrupence.

Jo is going down to the shops, so Chrissy asks her to pop into the hairdresser's, since Chrissy hasn't got the time.  Jo is a bit confused but as usual takes everyting in stride.  She asks what style Chrissy wants.  Chrissy wants a bottle of setting lotion.

They talk about Chrissy's mother, who worries about her.  When Jo says Chrissy worries about her mother, Chrissy says, "I only worry about her worrying about me."  Her mother asks when she's going to get married, if she's eating enough, when she's going to get married, if she's wearing her winter woolies (thermal underwear), and when she's going to get married.

The doorbell rings and Jo answers.  She and Mrs. Plummer exchange a cheek kiss.  When Mrs. Plummer asks how she is, Jo says, "Well, I'm eating very well and I'm wearing my winter woolies."  She leaves with a slightly mischievous smile. 
Mrs. Plummer:  Now there's a sensible girl.
Chrissy:  (as her mum kisses her cheek) Yeah, but I can't help worrying when she's gonna get married.

Daphne Oxenford is reprising her role as Mrs. Plummer.  She did a TV-movie way back in 1949 and apparently is still alive at the age of 91 or 92, having played the Queen Mother in a 2002 TV-movie called Prince William.  In between, she did a lot of Coronation Street, among other credits.

Mrs. Plummer has packages from shopping.  She's been combing London, looking for Mr. Plummer's socks, those hairy things he wears.  She thought they "became illegal when we joined the Common Market."

Her husband sent Chrissy a package of pig's trotters, since you don't see a lot in London.  Chrissy says, "Yeah, that's mainly why I came to live here."

Mrs. Plummer says it's taken years off her husband becoming a grandfather.  Susan's named the baby after him.  Chrissy says, "She's called it Dad?"  No, she's named it Dudley after him.

Mrs. Plummer bought "the most gorgeous christening gown" for next Saturday.  It's a family heirloom, since they have to start somewhere.

Mrs. Plummer wrote about the christening in a letter, which she now hands to Chrissy.  There's no point in wasting a stamp.  Chrissy says, "I'll tell you what, I'll write a letter confirming it and bring it home with me."

The same vicar who married Susan and her husband is doing the christening.  "Talking of marriage."  Chrissy tries to distract her mother by going in the kitchen to make tea, but her mother follows.
Mrs. Plummer:  The vicar keeps saying, "When's your Chrissy going to tie the knot?"
Chrissy:  Listen, I'm not getting knotted just to please the vicar.  There's no panic.  I know I'm doddering up to 21, but some men prefer older women.

From the online Urban Dictionary:

British slang, not that common any more.
An insult, Knotted makes reference to either your guts or your willy. Always acompanied by 'Get...'.

"Get Knotted, you bastard".
"He can go get Knotted".

I'm surprised to find that after all this time Chrissy is still only 20.  (Unless of course she's lying to her mother, but that seems extremely unlikely.)  This means she was born between April 1954 and March of 1955, probably at the earlier end.  She was only 18 or 19 at the time of "In Praise of Older Men."  She was also 18 or 19 when we met her.  And at the time her three-year lease expired, she was 19 or 20, meaning she moved to London at 16 or 17, presumably right out of school, pig's trotters or not.

Her mother "changes the subject" to "Where's that nice young man you share with, Robin?"  Chrissy sees through her, but her mother keeps going.  She asks if Robin is engaged, so Chrissy says, "No, still vacant," as if he's a flat.

As Robin comes home, Chrissy asks her mother not to drop hints about marriage.  Mrs. Plummer innocently says, "Me?"

Robin comes in and gives Mrs. Plummer a kiss on the cheek.  She tells him about buying her husband socks and says, "I don't suppose you've got anyone to darn your socks."  Chrissy tells her to "never discuss politics, religion, or socks."

Robin:  How are things in Cornwall?
Mrs. Plummer:  They're probably very nice, but we live in Sussex.

He says the nearest he's been is Exeter.  Chrissy says, "You're nearer than that now."

Mrs. Plummer says that Chrissy will be down next weekend for the christening.  Chrissy says it's her sister's baby.  Robin says, "How nice."

Mrs. Plummer:  Do you like babies?

Chrissy:  Mother!

Robin:  (confused) She didn't mention socks.

Mrs. Plummer invites him down as well.  "I'm sure your father would love to meet him."  Chrissy says Robin is terribly busy at weekends.  For one thing, he washes his hair.  And that weekend, "Mr. Roper's got plans for you, very exciting."  Robin is further confused.

Wuthering Heights:  At the Ropers', she's reading Wuthering Heights and wearing a blue top and blue slacks, the latter with what appear to be bananas!  George is trying out a song, but it turns out she's wearing earplugs.

Robin knocks and lets himself in.  He asks about the very exciting plans.  George tells him about the British Legion concert next Saturday.  Robin says he's busy but has trouble coming up with an excuse.  Mildred tries to signal him, but he thinks she's just scratching her head.  He says he's going to spend the weekend with Chrissy's parents.  She's says that's even better than washing your hair.

Fetlocks:  Back in the kitchen upstairs, Mrs. Plummer says it'll be a quiet weekend in the country.  Chrissy says it won't be quiet. 

Chrissy:  You'd keep nattering on about what a lovely wife I'd make someone.  I don't want to be put up at a cattle auction.  "Here's my daughter, 130 pounds of prime breeding stock."

Mrs. Plummer:  Oh, you've put on weight.

Chrissy says Robin doesn't like the countryside.  When he returns, she wants him to confirm this, but he exclaims, "I love it!"

Mrs. Plummer says Robin will meet Chrissy's sister, who's married although younger.  (So married and a mum by 19?)  Chrissy is annoyed about the hint-dropping, so her mother goes to freshen up.

Chrissy stands next to Robin and waves her pointer finger at him warningly. 

Chrissy:  You're gonna regret this.

Robin:  Don't point that at me, it might go off.

She says her family will spend the whole weekend examining him.  In an amused American voice, he says, "Oh, really?"

Chrissy:  They're all in farming and they know what to look for.

Robin:  (waving his pointer at her as Jo comes in) I'll match my fetlocks with the best of 'em.
(A fetlock is the joint on a horse's leg just behind the hoof, or the hair that grows at this joint, hence the "locks.")

Mr. Roper just tried to give Jo a ticket to the concert, but she said no.  Robin asks how she got out of it.  Forthright Jo says, "I told him it sounded boring and I didn't want to go."  She exits.

Chrissy tells Robin that her mother will spend the whole weekend match-making them.  He says, "Awww!" as if he thinks this is cute.  Then he teases that he can't stay a bachelor all his life.  "She might just talk me into it."  He tries to snuggle up against Chrissy.  She's annoyed, but then they nuzzle faces as we go to a break.

Pater:  The next scene is set at a British Railways station.  She says her father will be here to meet them.  Robin asks if it's all right if he calls him Dad.  Then he suggests Pater and Pops.

They go over to the car.  Chrissy introduces her father, but we get a close-up of a pig.  Robin is taken aback, while Chrissy's amused.

Trapped:  The following scene is set in the large lounge or den of Chrissy's childhood home.  Her dad may be a farmer, but don't picture Pa Kettle.  The room looks gorgeous and old-fashioned, not just the furniture but the fireplace and vases of flowers.  We can catch a glimpse of the green countryside through the windows. 

Mrs. Plummer quickly exits as Robin, Chrissy, and Mr. Plummer come in the front door, Chrissy and her dad embracing.

Mr. Plummer asks if Robin minded riding with the pig in his lap.  Robin says he's glad it wasn't the cow.

Chrissy says it's nice to be home.  Her father doesn't understand why she left.  What's London got to offer?  She suggests, "Hairy socks?"  He's played by Glynn Edwards, the ex-husband of Yootha Joyce!  He's younger than both Yootha and Daphne Oxenford, being only 44 at the time of this episode.  He often played policemen.

Chrissy's father has her sit down while he goes to put the car away.  Robin stands by the mantelpiece and says he can see he'll be marrying into money.  He sings a dopey farmer song.  He's amused by this situation.  She's sorry she ever told him.

Her mother comes in and asks about their train ride.  Robin says it was first-class (meaning excellent) although they rode second-class.

Mrs. Plummer mentions Susan, and Robin says, "Ah, yes, she's younger than Chrissy but married."  Robin says he loves babies and asks Chrissy, "Wouldn't you like a baby?"  She says, "Not just at the moment."  He thinks triplets would be nice.  She says, "Yeah, one of each."

Mrs. Plummer says Esmeralda had ten last week.  Chrissy explains that this is the pig.

Chrissy suggests they talk about the Common Market, so her mother says that she was reading that in France and Italy people are getting married younger than ever before.

As Mr. Plummer comes in, Chrissy has her mum go in the kitchen with her to make tea.  He doesn't want any, preferring something stronger. 

Rather than Pater or Pops, Robin calls him Mr. Plummer, and he says to call him Dudley.  He offers Robin home-made elderberry wine or a drop of malt whiskey.  Robin says he's torn.  Dudley says, "No, you're not, but you're tactful."

Dudley says, "You're planning to marry our Chrissy, are you?"  Robin says he's not, although he respects her of course.  Dudley says he didn't think Robin was.

They drink as they talk, and Robin turns out to be a real lightweight.  Dudley says Robin doesn't know what he let himself in for.  Young Ted, Susan's husband, was like Robin.  He came down here for a quiet weekend, and he was engaged when he left.  Robin says, "That's not likely to happen to me."  Dudley says those were Ted's exact words.  If Mrs. Plummer thinks Robin is right for our Chrissy, he might as well book the organist.

Robin says he's too young for marriage.  (It's still not clear how old he is.  Probably not more than a few years older than Chrissy.)  Dudley understands and rhetorically asks, "Why stick to one kind of licorice when you can have allsorts?"  They laugh together like mates.

Dudley says young people these days sleep together at the drop of a hat.  Robin says that's true, well, sometimes.  He says he hasn't with Chrissy.  He confides, "Mind you, Dudley, it's not for want of trying."  Dudley is no longer matey but a protective father, "You mean you tried to sleep with my daughter?"  Robin babbles an explanation.

Susan and Ted come in, he with a baby carrier.  Ted is a young blond in a suit and tie, I think because of the christening.  John Colclough had previously appeared on MatH as Nigel in "I Won't Dance."  Susan has brown hair in a similar style to Chrissy's and we'll later see that they're close in height.  They look more like each other than either looks like the parents.  Sheila Dunion didn't do much television, but she was in Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell with all those people from the MatH movie.

Dudley introduces Robin, then Susan says she'll take Dudley in the kitchen, since he seems to have wet himself again.  Robin thinks she means Mr. Plummer and then realises, "Oh, Dudley the baby!"

After Susan leaves with little Dudley, Ted asks if Robin is a friend of Chrissy's.  Robin says yes, he's down for the weekend, just like Ted.  He laughs.  He says he's just been hearing about it.  He drinks some more.  He says, "Mind you, I have no intention of getting trapped into marriage.  I'll be more careful."  Ted indignantly says, "Look, Mate, that baby's only three months old.  We've been married a year!" 

(This puts Ted and Susan's wedding during the gap between Series Two and Three.  Did Chrissy go to Sussex while Larry was staying in the flat?  It seems more likely the wedding was before.  And the baby was born around the new year.)

Robin babbles and says that Dudley told him Ted was trapped.  Dudley says he said nothing of the sort.  Ted says this is practically slander. 

Chrissy comes in with a tea tray and asks Robin, "Have you been making friends with everyone?"  He says, "Well, sort of."

 That's what I say:  Back at the Ropers', she's wearing a green scarf and green slacks, which goes well with her cutting flowers.  He's still going through sheet music.  One song is a bit high for his voice, so she says, "Well, if I can be of any help, George," and flourishes her shears.

She suggests he sing something more modern, something with more meaning for the people of today, like "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction."

She's still not going, so he says he could order her to go.  She's amused and dares him to order her.  She says then she might do it, or she might flatten him.

He says he's gotten rid of one ticket.

Then we see him talking to Jo in the entryway, and she asks if he put the ticket under her door.  He says there's no charge.  She says she's going out with her boyfriend then.  So he gives her another ticket.

Bloomed:  Chrissy, her family, and Robin return from the christening.  Chrissy says, "Honestly, Mum, you cry at a harvest festival."  Amused, Susan says that another five mintues and the fonts would've overflowed.

"It's Norman you know," Mrs. Plummer says of the church, but Robin thinks she means the vicar.

Chrissy looks at the baby as her sister holds him, but then Susan passes her Dudley because he's about to poo-poo.  Susan is going to get a new nappie.

There's a close-up of Dudley.  Robin says he has his mummy's eyes and chin.  Chrissy says he also has his mum's nose.
Chrissy:  I don't think he's got anything of yours, Ted.
Ted:  Eh?
Chrissy:  Well, not that you can see anyway.

Mrs. Plummer looks at Chrissy and Robin with the baby and says to her husband, "Don't they make a lovely picture?"  He says to not rush, because she has the whole weekend.

Susan wants Ted to learn to change the baby.  He's reluctant, so she says it's no different than mucking out a cowshed.

After they exit, Mrs. Plummer says that Susan's bloomed since she got married.  Chrissy says she would rather wait a few years before having children.  Her mother asks Robin how he feels about that.  Chrissy says it's got nothing to do with him. 

To tease Chrissy, Robin says the more the merrier, the quicker the better.  He'd like eleven, with a tall one to be the goalkeeper, as in football.  Mrs. Plummer says, "You'd need a big house," and says there's one for sale at the edge of the village.  Chrissy leads her off for a word.  Mr. Plummer says they're going to finalise the date.  He pours Robin some champagne.

In the kitchen, Chrissy says Robin doesn't want to get married.  Her mother says, "It doesn't sound like that to me."  Chrissy says he's taking the mickey.  Her mother says, "You're no judge of character."  And she says she's invited the vicar for tea tomorrow.

Back in the den, Robin says Chrissy has a great sense of humour.  He sees her return, so he starts talking about roses round the cottage door, a pipe and slippers, and a casserole. 

She moves towards him with an empty vase.  He picks up another champagne glass and says, "You wouldn't hit a man with glasses, would you?"

The phone rings and Chrissy answers.  It's Jo calling about the gold earrings she loaned Chrissy.  She can't find them.  Chrissy pretends that the flat has flooded, with a burst water tank, and the whole ceiling down.  Jo says, "No, gold earrings."  Chrissy says they'll come straight back, catch the next train.

Tea caddy:  We next see Jo fixing her make-up in the lounge mirror.  Chrissy and Robin return.  Robin pretends to be impressed that Jo dried up the whole floor and replastered the ceiling, all in two hours.  Chrissy says, "I just couldn't stand another day of you and my mother."  Jo says it's all right, she found the earrings in the tea caddy.

Mr. Roper lets himself in without knocking.  He saw them come in.  He says they shouldn't have gone to all that trouble, coming back early for the concert.  He saved them two tickets.  Jo is amused.

Like a horse and carriage:  The last scene is set at the British Legion.  A woman onstage bows and the onscreen audience claps.  The curtains shut.

Chrissy, Robin, Mildred, Jo, and Jo's date are in the front row.  The curtains open again.  George comes onstage in a straw hat and bow tie.  Mildred looks miserable, Robin as if he's having a great time.  There's a pianist to accompany the acts, and George launches into "Love and Marriage."  He's terrible of course.

Robin takes Chrissy's hand.  She tells him, "Get off!" and pulls away.  Mildred is humiliated and puts her white-gloved hand to her face.

Commentary:  As the episode begins, there's no indication that Robin is going to spend the weekend with Chrissy's family.  So the exchange about what she has of value just comes across initially as their usual banter.  And Chrissy's mother's visit just seems like a follow-up to the second episode, where Mrs. Plummer thought that people "were doing it all over."

We get a lot of insight into how Chrissy's family has shaped her personality.  Her sense of humour has her father's dryness-- she could say the "you're tactful" line-- but there's also the way she gently parodies her mother's dottiness, like with bringing her RSVP for the christening home with her and talking about Jo getting married.  Clearly, spending a couple decades with her mother has prepared her for Jo's Gracie-Allenness.  Also, if her mother is going to see the Common Market only in terms of hairy socks and early marriages, then it's no wonder that Chrissy doesn't want her to discuss politics, religion, or socks.   That pun and lines like the "triplets" one showcase Chrissy's wit as never before, and part of this episode's charm is that the writing has never been better, not just the wit but the character development of Chrissy and her family.

The type of feminist Chrissy is seems to have much to do with her mother nagging her about getting married.  Susan seems to have gotten married right out of school.  (She has to be at least a year younger than Chrissy and could be as young as 17, although she doesn't come across as that young.)  But Chrissy followed a different path, to London and independence.  Yes, she's "only a secretary," but she supports herself.  If her feminism sounds argumentative at times, it's no wonder.  She's got to contend with a mother who wants to treat her like prime breeding stock.

We don't get much of Chrissy's relationship with her sister, but it's interesting that she's the older one, because it confirms what we learn of her protectiveness towards some other women, like Angela in "Come Into My Parlour."  She and Susan seem to share a similar sense of humour, view of their parents, and practicality, as when Susan compares changing a baby to mucking out the cowshed.  Growing up on a farm has probably contributed to their realism.  It is ironic that Chrissy on "Two Foot Two" claimed she knew nothing about babies, but then she wasn't yet an aunt.

Chrissy's father comes across as more likable than her mother, more easy-going.  The scene with him and Robin drinking together doesn't have the sleazy undertone that the scene between Jerry and Larry did on "All in the Game," but then Dudley isn't an unscrupulous building contractor.  He's a protective father like Jerry, but seems less hypocritical about it.  He seems like he'd hit it off with Robin's father, although he's less blunt.

We don't see much of Ted but there's the impression that Susan is brighter and less innocent than he is, if not as sophisticated as Chrissy.

Robin's attitude towards the matchmaking is interesting.  On the one hand, he doesn't take it very seriously.  He thinks he's cleverer than Ted and so can't be trapped.  Therefore, he's mostly amused by it, even when it means he's going to be sized up as a potential stud.  Also, it provides an opportunity for him to tease Chrissy.  And yet, there is an undercurrent that he likes being matchmade with her, likes that her family would like to welcome him in.  (Well, maybe not Ted, but they presumably make up.)  The line about not being a bachelor all his life takes on resonance if you know what happens to his character down the road.  (At the risk of being over-spoilery, within three years Robin will be married to a woman he hasn't yet met.)  As for Robin loving babies, he did say back on "Two Foot Two" that he quite likes kids, so I don't think he's just playing along with Mrs. Plummer on that.

"I have to wash my hair," judging by TV sitcoms, seems to have died out as an excuse at some point in the late 1970s.  I had a theory that everyone with access to a bathroom washed their hair a few times a week, until the 1980s, when it became daily, but searching the Internet has not confirmed this.  If anything, it turns out that it depends on your culture and type of hair.  But from what I recall, white middle-class girls, at least on TV, had hair that took a long time to wash and brush, particularly in the days before blowdryers, especially if the hair was long.  The Brady girls for instance.  Even then, it was meant to be a lame but polite excuse to turn down an invitation.  It was a less common excuse for men, but not implausible for Robin, who's regarded as a long-hair.

If there's any doubt that Jo is a supporting character rather than a lead, simply compare her nephew's christening in "And Then There Were Two."  On that episode, we only got a glimpse of her family situation, and the plot mostly concentrated on the RCST.  Here, we spend time with Chrissy's family before and after the christening, and little Dudley gets some screen time.  Meanwhile, we don't even find out the name of Jo's date.

This episode's title may refer not only to Mrs. Plummer, who tenderly tries to trap young men into marrying her daughters, but also to Mr. Roper's more successful attempts to trap his wife and tenants into attending his concert.  Mrs. Roper's book choice this episode is probably not accidental.  She dares George to be more like Heathcliff, but she doesn't realise that he can manipulate her more by not ordering her to go.  Making everyone think he's pathetic turns out to be his most powerful weapon. And, yes, she threatens him with castration, when she already doesn't think he's manly.

His song choice of course is perfect for this episode, and while the subplot itself is nothing remarkable, it does give us a nice closing scene.

"Carry Me Back to Old Southampton"

I suppose this episode, which aired on 13 February 1974, could've been Americanized, but it feels so rooted in who the British characters are, Robin in particular, that it's hard to imagine.  Before going into it, I'll note that this is at least the fourth episode title based on an old American song:  "And Mother Makes Four" from the line in 1927's "My Blue Heaven" about "Just Molly and Me, and baby makes three," "Some Enchanted Evening" from South Pacific (1949), "Two Foot Two, Eyes of Blue" from the refrain "Five foot two, eyes of blue" in the 1925 song "Has Anybody Seen My Gal?", and this one with "Old Southampton" substituted for "Old Virginny" in the song from 1878.

Champagne:  In a scene that does pop up on some episode of 3'sC, Mr. Roper is fixing the drain in the upstairs kitchen.  He complains about all the demands on him.  (Considering we mostly see him sitting around bickering with Mrs. Roper, I'm guessing there are harder working landlords in London.)  When he's under the sink, Chrissy pours tea down the drain, while the pipe is still removed.  The girls are very amused.  Then he tries to clean himself up and the water runs out onto his foot.

The girls got champagne to celebrate Robin's exam results.  When Robin comes home, he draws out the story and then calmly says he failed, due to nerves.  For instance, he put curry powder in the egg custard.  With the written exam, he got the date right.

Mr. Roper says, "I never passed an examination in my life, and look at me."  Then he excuses himself out.

The girls say it's not the end of the world.  Robin says that'll be when he tells his parents.

Orange:  Downstairs, Mr. Roper blames free love for Robin failing his exams, since it saps the brain.  (Considering that Robin seems to never get laid, you'd think he'd be top of his class.)  After listening to George pontificate on the younger generation, Helen sarcastically says, "What they need is a good war to straighten them out."  He keeps going though, revealing that "When I was his age, I'd been under a butcher for four years.  [This is said without innuendo.]  Four years, two quid a week, and all the offal I could eat."  He was 25 before he saw an orange.  She says at least Mr. Tripp tried.  He gleefully says, "And failed!"

Extruded:  Back in the flat, Robin says his dad wants him to come home and work in the family business, Tripp's Extruded Tubing, Southampton, Ltd.  Jo says her father wanted her to be a Royal Marine, before she was born and turned out to be a girl.

The Laughing Landlord:  Robin goes over to Larry's for advice.  Larry says we've all been failures at some point.  Look at Edward Heath, at one point wandering around without shoes.  Of course he was eighteen months at the time.

Larry says Robin will be the boss's son, the trendy young executive with the flash car and dolly secretary sprawled across his blotter.  Half the birds in Southampton want to marry the boss's son.  "And if I concentrate on the other half," Robin muses.

A dour heavyset man comes by.  Larry calls him "The Laughing Landlord."  He calls Larry "Mr. Simmonds."  (I think this is the first time we get Larry's last name.  It took 3'sC several seasons to reveal their Larry's last name, and they took it from talent coordinator Bea Dallas.)

The landlord complains about everything from yogurt left on Larry's doorstep to a girl being over.  The landlord lives upstairs and "Well, quite, frankly, I was on the verge of banging."  The landlord is also allergic to fly spray.  But he's not one to complain.

After the landlord leaves, Robin, who has a cigarette and a beer, says Mr. Roper is just as bad.  He calls him a mingy little ferret.  Larry says Robin has compensations, Chrissy and Jo.  No wonder Robin failed his exams, he probably had shaky handwriting.

Replacement:  The girls come back from shopping.  Jo wonders if the dress she bought is too lowcut.  Chrissy suggests she walk around with her arms folded.

Robin comes in and reads them a letter: 
Dear Mum,

I blew it.  I'm coming home to work with Dad.

Love,
Robin

The girls are shocked he's leaving.  He says he'll hang around till they find a replacement.  Then Larry walks through the doorway with candy and flowers.  "Hello, Chrissy.  Hello, Jo."  He heard there might be a vacancy in the flat.

Belief:  Chrissy helps Robin pack in his bedroom.  He warns her to watch out for Larry, who's a randy little bugger.  Chrissy says, "Oh, well, we won't notice the difference then."  Robin says he didn't push it when she said no.  She says and now it's too late.  He says they have a couple hours before his train leaves.

He asks if she'll miss him.  She says the bathroom won't be the same without his wet underpants dripping over the sink.  Then she admits she'll miss him quite a bit.

He says that there was a time when he thought they might've got it together.  She says she always said no.  "And you always believed me."
Robin:  Are you sort of trying to say you didn't mean it?
Chrissy:  Of course I meant it.
Robin:  Oh.
Chrissy:  There you go again, believing me.
Robin is understandably confused.

Slidy thing:  In the kitchen, Jo is sorting out the kitchen implements.  She sees "one slidy thing that you put in the pan."  "Spatula," Robin says.  He thinks there's no point in taking all this, since he'll probably never cook again.
Chrissy:  Oh, but you must!  It's the thing you do best.
Robin:  No, it isn't, but you wouldn't know about that.
Chrissy:  (amused) Why?  What else do you do?
Robin:  I believe people.

He lifts Jo onto the table, holding her.  He's going to start saying his goodbyes.  She says she's sitting on his thermometer.  The way their heads touch as they laugh, and the way his hand lingers before he lets go of her, I get a sense of Richard & Sally peeking through the characters.  Chrissy says, "Tries to the last, I'll give him that."

He says they've been good mates and living with them has been like living with a couple blokes.  They're a bit offended.  But they are really going to miss him.  Chrissy starts to cry and leaves the room, then Jo does.  He says he's going down to say goodbye to the Ropers.

A man about the house:  Mr. Roper tells his wife that he couldn't have just stepped into his father's business.  She says, "No, well, there's not a lot of money to be made out of forging clothing coupons these days, is there?"  She's in a rather mod outfit of red and white, including white boots.  (Again, Helen never gets to wear anything like this.)

When Robin shows up, George says Robin is going to sponge off his dad.  Mildred is much more polite
Mildred:  I must say it, Mr. Tripp.  It's been a pleasure having a man about the house.
George:  I think you mean another man, My Love.
She has a "no comment" facial expression.

George:  I'm sorry I called you a long-haired layabout.
Robin:  I didn't know you had.
George:  But only in fun.
Robin:  Well, I'm sorry I called you a mingy little ferret.
George:  Eh? 
Robin:  You know, only in fun.

And Father makes four:  Chrissy says she and Robin have had some good times together.  Chrissy takes it suggestively, and Jo says something I don't quite catch about Chrissy not flinging it about but talking about it a lot.  Chrissy says she's no more obsessed about fellows than Jo is.  Jo says, "Exactly.  You should be ashamed of yourself."

Chrissy answers the doorbell.  It's an older man looking for Flat 2.  He's got what I assume is a Southampton accent and is played by an actor whose fame merits him "And Guest Star Leslie Sands" in the credits.  He did loads of telly from the '50s to the '90s, often in starring roles, although it looks like the only thing I might've seen him in is the Black Adder episode "The Archbishop," where he plays Lord Graveney.  He was 52 at the time of this episode, where he plays Robin's father.

"Chrissy and Jo, eh?  Well, Robin gave the impression that it was Chris and Joe, Joe with an E."  He seems to take it mostly in stride, but "wait till I tell his mother.  No, on second thought."  When Jo says it's been very innocent, he accepts it, but "you know what mothers are."  (Well, Chrissy's mum was fine with it.)  He says that in one letter Robin said "he spilt your perfume.  I've been wondering what sort of fellow you were."

Robin enters the room, a bit surprised to see his father there.  Chrissy excuses herself and Jo, saying they need a quick shave before Rugby practice. 

It turns out that Robin's dad doesn't want him to come home.  He says Robin has no brains, taking after Mrs. Tripp.  Besides, you have to love the work.  Robin asks, "How can anyone love an extruded tube?"

The only job Robin might be able to do is in the staff canteen.  Robin wants to make classical French cuisine.  His father says it'd be more like bangers and mash, or there'd be a strike.  With insight and generosity, although expressed with another insult, he says, "What you'd really like is another year studying this cooking nonsense, right?"  He'll pay for it, but this time Robin has to pass the "bloody" exams.

Robin wonders if his mother will be disappointed.  "Nay, nay, I'll get her a goldfish."

The girls come back in and hear the good news. 
Jo:  Does that mean you're going to stay?
Robin:  Yes, I believe I am.  (leaning over so that only Chrissy can hear) And that's all I'm going to believe in future.
Chrissy:  Oh, me and my big mouth.

Robin's father wants to go to Soho before he catches the train.  According to wikipedia, "Long established as an entertainment district, for much of the 20th century Soho had a reputation for sex shops as well as night life and film industry."  Hmm.

The girls are happy that Robin's staying.  Chrissy says she never fancied that Larry moving in.  Robin suddenly realises he'll have to tell Larry.

Mr. Gideon:  Larry's landlord, who we learn in this scene is named Mr. Gideon, is noting the changes to the flat.  Larry was supposed to leave the premises as he found them.
Larry:  Aw, be reasonable.  Where am I gonna find 50 cockroaches at this time of year?
Mr. Gideon:  I have never understood your sense of humour, Mr. Simmonds.

He asks where the half roll of toilet paper is.  "Where do you think it is?"  Mr. Gideon means the replacement roll. 

Larry is ecstatic to be leaving (or so he says, Doug Fisher always seems mopy to me) and he starts telling Mr. Gideon off.  Robin comes by and tries to stop him, but it's too late.

More burnt toast:  For the final scene, we see Robin in bed, topless.  Chrissy comes in with tea.  Jo brings toast, "I burnt it myself."  The girls are celebrating him staying.  Robin says, "Aw, isn't that nice of you?  Isn't that nice of them?"  From out of the covers, Larry wakes up, his head at the foot of the bed.  He's wearing an undershirt.  The situation comes across as more funny than suggestive, despite all the gay jokes on the show.

It turns out that Larry is staying till Robin finds him a new flat.  He grabs the toast.  And the second series ends.

Commentary:  The only time I can remember Jack failing an exam is when a rival classmate switches dishes with him in the graduating exam.  He's always top of the class.  Robin is closer to a long-haired layabout.  (His hair is shaggy but not remarkably long for his place and time.)  It's hard to believe that Jack would give up cooking, even if he flunked out, and indeed Robin pictures making French cuisine at the staff canteen.

I love all we get on people's backgrounds  in this episode:  Robin of course, but also Jo, George, and Larry.  None of that would've translated to their American counterparts because it belongs uniquely to them.  This episode also covers an aspect of George and Robin's relationship that is different than that for Stanley and Jack.  There's a real generation gap between George and Robin, a bit like Archie Bunker and his son-in-law Mike, although less political.  ("Mingy," by the way, means "stingy.")  Robin clashes less with his bluff but understanding father. 

Jack's father does show up on 3'sC, but it's late in the run and the circumstances are very different.  As played by Dick Shawn, he's totally unlike the elder Mr. Tripp.

The Robin-Chrissy-sexual-tension (which I might as well start abbreviating if it's going to keep cropping up) becomes deeper and more complex on this episode.  She's teasing him in the senses of both titillating and mocking.  With him leaving, she can claim that she was lying, but it feels like she was neither lying nor telling the truth.  As always, she's tempted but not quite enough.  This is why we have RCST rather than RCSR (release).  As for Robin, I get the feeling that, despite the joke about killing time before his train, he wants more than just a one-time thing with her.

Another thing that's unresolved at the end of the second series is Larry's living situation.  I'm not clear why the girls were going along with it if they didn't want Larry to move in, but maybe after their experience trying to find a roommate at the beginning of the show, they figure Larry is better than some of the people out there, like Gabrielle.  I haven't yet watched any of series three, but the synopsis at http://www.mjnewton.demon.co.uk/tv/manabout.htm reads, "Larry is staying in the flat and driving everybody crazy. They have to find somewhere for him to live. But where?"

One further carry over into the future, John Carlin (Mr. Gideon) will return as "Barman" in six episodes.

"And Mother Makes Four," Part Two

Dr. Zhivago:  On MatH, Mrs. Roper tells Robin he'll fit right into the household.  (Because he's sexually mixed-up, too?)
Mildred:  Are you sure I can't tempt you?
Robin:  Not to a drink, no.
She says she has to go home and "make cocoa for Omar Sharif."

On 3'sC, Jack wants to go home and to bed.  Mrs. Roper offers to teach him darts.  "I'll show you how to score."  Janet suggests he have another beer.  Mrs. Roper, except on 3'sC2, chimes in.  He refuses them but says yes to the barmaid.  The barmaid says there's a call for Janet.  Mrs. Roper, referring to the barmaid's chest, says, "Well, I can see I'm outgunned around here."  She then delivers the "cocoa" line.


My Beautiful Laundrette:  On the phone, Chrissy has just explained about her mother.  Jo/Janet asks where Jack's going to stay that night.  Brit-Chrissy suggests the laundrette or the railway station.  Amer-Chrissy suggests the bus station, but Janet says the cops will pick him up.
Chrissy:  How about the 24-hour laundromat?
Janet:  The hookers'll pick him up.
Jo/Janet1 doesn't want to tell him and pretends to be a recording (Janet with a nasal voice) before hanging up.  On 3'sC2 we instead get this exchange.
Chrissy:  Janet, you've got to do something.  If it was your mother, I'd do something.
Janet:  (happily) Good.  Then pretend your mother is my mother and do it.

Carrots:  On 3'sC2, Chrissy tries to delay her mother from going to bed by saying they should talk and catch up, but not there, in a motel.  "We don't have to use our real names." 

On MatH, Chrissy's mother comes out of the bedroom and says that Eleanor seems to have left her football boots behind.  Chrissy says they belonged to a boyfriend.  She asks if Dad will miss Mother if she doesn't come home that night.  "He won't miss me till he runs out of clean underpants."

On both MatH and 3'sC, Chrissy offers to make her mother salad and goes out to get carrots.  At this time of night?  There's a machine, on the corner.  After she leaves, Amer-Chrissy1's mom says, "A carrot machine?"

In the downstairs hallway, George brags about his repair job on the doorbell.  He says to tell the young fellow to take the rest of his stuff up himself.  Mr. Roper has more important jobs to do.  Then the bell falls from the ceiling, on a wire.  Chrissy leaves.

Mrs. Roper returns.  He tells her he's been working on the bell for 5 hours.  She suggests she run a bath and he can scrub her back.  He says he'd like to, but he promised to take this lot upstairs.  He tells her not to wait up.


War & Peace:  Chrissy had suggested on the phone that Robin go see War and Peace, so Jo mentions it to Robin now.  On 3'sC, Jack says he doesn't  have $20 to throw away on a hotel.  ($20 in 1976/7, really?  That seems like a lot, even in LA.)  Janet suggests the all-night showing of War and Peace, for only $3.   Jo says it's the 1932 version, Janet says the original version.  It's in the original Russian, and Janet says it's eight hours.  Robin/Jack isn't tempted.

Culture note, Robin is smoking, Jack isn't.

Jo/Janet refers to the spare bed.  "It's not the spare bed!  It's my bed!"  Robin/Jack says he'll go back to the flat/apartment, get undressed, and get into bed.  "And if anyone is in there, that's their problem."

On MatH, Chrissy is here during this scene, so Jo says she should've told her mother in the first place.  Chrissy says it's too late now, although it's not clear why.  This is wisely omitted in the American version.  On 3'sC, Chrissy comes in as Jack's trying to leave, so both girls grab him by the arms and lead him back to the table, holding him down on it, a nice sight gag.


Cocoa:  On 3'sC, Mr Roper is fixing the doorbell.  He asks for the screwdriver and Chrissy's mother hands it to him.  He asks, "Which mother are you?"  She tells him.

On MatH, Mr. Roper and Chrissy's mother are sitting companionably on the couch, drinking cocoa.  We find out that the church commissioners own the property, although Mr. Roper still calls himself the landlord.

On both shows, Chrissy's mother says she's sleeping in Eleanor's old room.  George seems amused but we don't hear him say anything.  On 3'sC however, Stanley says, "Well, I guess you'll be safe enough."  She hopes so.  He says, "You wouldn't catch me in there, I'm a decent, normal man."  She's glad to hear it.

She offers him hot milk.  He asks, "Got anything stronger, like cocoa?" He says cocoa if medically proven to help you sleep.
Chrissy's mother:  Oh, I believe you.
Stanley:  My wife doesn't.  You know what she tried to give me once at bedtime?  Wheaties.  I mean, what's she expect me to do, hit a home run?


Regal Duck:  Robin gets Chrissy a drink.  He says she's sulking.  He offers to walk around the wet streets all night.
Chrissy:  You have no intention of doing any such thing.
Robin:  Not for a moment.
Jo/Janet1/Amer-Chrissy2 suggests Robin/Jack sleep in their room.  He likes the idea.  Brit-Chrissy says, "Him?  In the same room with two incredibly sexy girls?"  Janet2 says, "Him in the same room with us?  You in the same room with him?"  Amer-Chrissy1 doesn't get any memorable reaction.

Robin/Jack says he'll be on his best behavio(u)r.  Then he asks, "Is the bed big enough for three?"  Brit-Chrissy says, "He thinks it's his birthday!"  Jo says there are two single beds and he won't be sleeping in either of them.  Chrissy says, "You'll be cellotaped to the armchair."  He says that's better than 4 1/2 hours of War and Peace.

On 3's C1B, Amer-Chrissy1 looks outraged at the "big enough" line, Janet1 mildly annoyed.  On 3'sC2, Jack asks the question to Janet as they're leaving.  She's furious.


Hiccups:  The trio come home.  Robin/Jack has hiccups from drinking, four glasses of beer, Jack says.  The girls lead him to their bedroom.  (Note, the set-up on MatH is confusing.  You can't easily map where the rooms of the flat are.  On 3'sC, everything leads off the living room, much better for farce.)  Robin tries to control his diaphragm but he can't get rid of the hiccups.  Jack says he has a surefire cure for hiccups, but he'll need to go to the kitchen.
Amer-Chrissy:  You're not leaving this room!
Jack:  Anything you say.

On 3'sC1B, we get this exchange that was dropped from the later script.
Jack:  OK, who's going to be the lucky girl?
Janet:  Both of us.
Jack:  (intrigued) Oh yeah?
Janet:  (indicating the armchair) You're sleeping here, Big Time.
On 3'sC2, this becomes just her telling "Big Time" he's sleeping in the chair.

Robin starts to take off his shirt, but Brit-Chrissy says he's not getting undressed.  He slouches in the chair.  "Off you go!" he says, meaning they can get undressed now.  Chrissy blindfolds him with a scarf.

On 3'sC, Jack watches as Amer-Chrissy starts to undo her blouse. 
Chrissy:  You're not going to sit there while we get undressed!
Jack:  Will the view be better if I stand?
Janet:  (New-Yorky) Go cure your hiccups!
Jack:  Whatever happened to the sexual revolution?
On the later version, we get Chrissy's reply, "Your side lost."

'
Lamps:  There's a brief scene on MatH. Chrissy's mother turns on Jack's table lamp to check her watch.  It's a dirty lamp, with a girl's dress becoming transparent, so that we can see her topless in skimpy black knickers.  Chrissy's mother doesn't notice.

On 3'sC, Jack goes in the kitchen, but we stay mostly in the living room.  We can hear Jack breathing into a paper bag.  Chrissy's mother comes out and looks worried.   There's some stage business with a mop that Jack leaves by the sofa, while he's hiding on the floor, making Chrissy's mother put away the mop, saying, "Messy, messy," giving Jack a chance to go back to the girls' room.  But the door is locked, so he has to pretend to be a floor lamp, with the shade on his head.  She doesn't notice and goes back to bed.  Chrissy comes out and he hiccups.  She tells him to stop playing games.  When they go in the bedroom, he says his hiccups are gone.  By now we can hear the thunder.


Beautiful for me:  On MatH, Robin says his hiccups are gone, because he's been too busy using his imagination.  The girls are now in their nightclothes.  Jo is winding her clock.  Robin checks the time on his watch.  He can apparently see through the blindfold.
Robin:  I must say that's a very, very fascinating place where you've got the mole.  (The girls look shocked.)
Chrissy:  Who?
Robin:  You?
Chrissy:  Wrong.

He says he's been known to sleep-walk.  Chrissy says she's been known to hit sleep-walkers over the head with a clock.

He says he can think of higher things, like football.  He'll dream of the score at Wembley.  Chrissy says, "You might as well, 'cause you're not gonna score here."

On both shows, the window rattles, either because they didn't close it or because it's stuck.  Brit-Chrissy is going to shut it, but she doesn't want Robin to see her in her nightdress, so she makes him do it.
Robin:  Say please.
Chrissy:  Shove off.
Robin:  That's near enough.

On 3'sC, Janet asks Jack to close it.
Jack:  Suppose her mother sees me?
Chrissy:  I'll do it.  Turn around. 
Jack does, but he can see her in the mirror.  "That's a lovely mole you've got on your thigh."  On the later version, we can even see the mole in the mirror ourselves.

While Chrissy's gone, Jack lies on her bed and says, "She's really something.  Everywhere you look at her, she's a girl," on the later version starting the line with "Boy, in that nightie...."
Janet:  What am I, a gorilla?
Jack:  No, you're very bright.
Janet:  Ah, more like a chimp.
On the later version, he then tells her, "No, I think you're very cute."

Chrissy comes back in.  She can't budge the window and it's raining.  Jack says it's up to the man of the house.

Robin in a French accent tells Chrissy, "Make yourself beautiful for me.  I shall return."  Jack doesn't use an accent when he tells both girls, "I shall return.  Meanwhile make yourselves beautiful for me."  After he leaves, Brit-Chrissy says, "Bumptious, conceited male chauvinist pig."  Janet says, "Of all the vain, arrogant, egotistical--"  Jo/Amer-Chrissy says, "He's nice though."  Brit-Chrissy/Janet agrees.


Shoes:  Chrissy's mother comes in while Robin/Jack is trying to shut the window.  He quickly hides on the balcony, on 3'sC falling backwards out of sight.  She shuts the window.  He's trapped.  He taps on the window, on MatH saying hello in a falsetto.  Chrissy's mother calls to her.  The girls come in.  Chrissy denies hearing anything.  On 3'sC, Jack knocks on the front door.  "I didn't hear that either."

Jo opens the window and lets in Robin, who briefly puts on a Scottish accent.  Janet answers the door.  Jack is already soaking wet.
Jack:  That's it, I don't care whose mother.
Janet:  Don't blow it for Chrissy.  (louder) Oh, hey, come on in, what a surprise!

Robin/Jack says he was just passing by (less plausibly in Robin's case) and he wanted to invite the girls to an all-night showing of War and Peace.  But he can see they're ready for bed.  Robin borrows an umbrella, excuses himself, and leaves out the front door.  Jack says he'll mosey on his way.

After Robin leaves, Brit-Chrissy's mother notes that he wasn't wearing any shoes.
Jo:  That's Robin for you.

On 3'sC2, Amer-Chrissy2's mother exclaims, "Wait, you're not wearing any shoes!" 
Chrissy:  (panicky) It's against his religion!
Janet:  Ah, that is just like Jack, anything to be different.  Goodnight, Jack!
On 3'sC1B, it's just Janet saying, "Goodnight, Jack!"

Now that Brit-Chrissy's mother has heard Robin's name, she says, "Robin?  Isn't he the young man that shares the flat with you?"  Amer-Chrissy's mother says, "Jack?  Is this the young man who's sharing the apartment with you?"  On both shows, Mr. Roper told her all about it.  She thought Robin/Jack must've been away, since the room was empty. 

She doesn't mind about Jack living there.  On MatH, she says, "Oh, no, Dear, people are doing it all over the place.  I shan't worry about you now that you've got a man about the house."  The girls are pleased.  (Poor Robin!  Pointlessly wandering around in the rain all night!) 

On 3'sC, Chrissy's mother says, "With all the terrible things going on in this city, it's such a relief that you've got a man to protect you.  Or in this case, someone like Jack."  He smiles as he gets it, then says, "Well, I promise I'll never let them out of my sight."

After Amer-Chrissy's mother goes to bed, Janet says Jack had better get out of those wet clothes.  He says, "I thought you'd never ask."  He starts to undo his belt, but Janet says now he can sleep on the sofa.  He says, "Goodnight, Janet.  Goodnight, Chrissy.  Goodnight, John-Boy," a nice little joke, particularly since John Ritter had a recurring role on The Waltons.


Commentary:  This is the first example of a Brit-Chrissy plot becoming an Amer-Chrissy plot, despite the differences in their personalities and backgrounds.  But then, we've got two very different Chrissies just for 3'sC.  I'm not clear why they decided to make Chrissy in the second pilot dubious about "living with a boy."  It made sense for Sam in the first pilot to be reluctant, since she'd just met David.  But at this point, Chrissy has already agreed to live with Jack.  It would make more sense for Janet's character to be suspicious of him, although this is a naughtier Janet than we get later, if less naughty than Jenny.  Yes, Chrissy has those conservative parents (at least not racist like Brit-Chrissy's mother), but the plot works just as well on 3'sC2 without Chrissy's reluctance about the living situation.  Let other people disapprove.  It leaves a bad taste to have one roommate having such mixed feelings, being talked into it.  (Yes, Janet has her doubts, but mostly she's cool with it.)

So how's Susan Lanier as Chrissy?  (And, yes, there must've been a requirement that they get a "Susan/Suzanne" for the American blonde.)  She's not bad.  She doesn't have Suzanne Somers's charm, but she does OK.  I can see why they replaced her, and rethought the character.  It's interesting to see a tougher, naughtier take on Joyce DeWitt's Janet.  Jack's arrogance, so prominent on the third American pilot, begins here.  I think part of the problem is that there's a humility and politeness to Richard O'Sullivan's Robin, even when he's boasting.  John Ritter hasn't yet learned that balance.  This is though the pilot where John Ritter starts moving away from David Bell's intellectualism and towards Jack Tripper's pratfalls.  This is true of the show as well, although there are still jokes, like the "Capt. Queeg" one, that require some cultural knowledge.

How would David/Sam/Jenny have coped with this plot?  They all seem relatively free-spirited, so probably Sam would tell her mother, David would make a speech about our changing society, and Jenny would make some wisecrack.  It'd all be over in five minutes.

How do MatH2 and 3'sC2 relate to their previous episodes?  Most obviously, in the Robin/Brit-Chrissy and Jack/Janet dynamics.  We can see more of the teasing, bantering relationship of Robin and his Chrissy.  And while Jack is still ogling his Chrissy, we get more of Janet's protectiveness/jealousy.  It's nice that these episodes offer background to the Chrissies, who they are and where they come from.  We also see that Brit-Chrissy regards herself as incredibly sexy, while Janet feels like a chimp compared to Amer-Chrissy.

A word on homophobia.  Of the three pilots, MatH showed the most homophobic Ropers.  Here, Robin's "homosexuality" has suddenly become a non-issue.  Yes, Mrs. Roper finds out on 3'sC as well, but Mr. Roper never does.  If I recall correctly, on subsequent episodes, Mr. Roper somehow knows on MatH, and he doesn't seem to care, but it's a huge issue for years on 3'sC.  On 3'sC, we also get Chrissy's mother implying that Jack isn't quite a man.

I like the introduction of the pubs, which would feature heavily on both shows.  Not only is it a new set and a new setting, but it will allow them to interact with new people more than if they're just hanging around home.

From here on out, there will be only two episodes to compare, one MatH, one 3'sC.  In cases where a MatH plot didn't make it across the ocean, I'll talk about my theories on why, and speculate on what such an episode might've looked like.