- Date First Aired: 06/09/1990
Things are not going well for Tracey. She's received a letter from Garth informing her that he decked a student named Routledge when he told him that he came from a violent family so he's coming home for the weekends to sort out the damage. Even worse, Tracey has been neglecting her bills, and in doing so, because they missed a bill, legal proceedings are going to aim at them. Oh, and the electricity and the heating have been cut off. Additionally, Dorien then comes in and informs them that their guttering has been blocked.
Their attempts to get a plumber are unsuccessful. The first one informs them that it will cost £250 ("plus VAT") to get it fixed and the second one won't touch it because the system is too advanced for him. Dorien eventually recommends two new ones, a pair of female plumbers called Alison and Gloria, who start to work on it.
Soon, Tracey receives another letter from Garth. Whilst he and Routledge have apologized, Tracey is going to get half the bill for the damage to the tree. Eventually, the girls have finished, but the work is shoddy, and the tank begins to leak. Thankfully, Can't Give A Firm Time shows up and is able to fix it. Then, the third letter from Garth. The good news is Routledge's father is going to pay the bill. The bad news is that he's coming to stay at Routledge's for the weekend, which resolves the plot, even if it does mean that Tracey won't see her son for another while.
Tropes In This Episode:
- Blackmail Backfire: According to Garth, Routledge has been trying to blackmail Garth relating to Garth's attack on him. However, Garth is having none of this and tells the headmaster that it was him who knocked over the tree.
- Boomerang Bigot: Tracey and Dorien mock the idea of female plumbers... even though they're women themselves.
- Crooked Contractor: Allison and Gloria, two plumbers who do a terrible job at fixing the sister's plumbing system.
- Evolving Credits: Whilst the theme song remained the same, a new opening was introduced which showed the two sisters growing up through a series of photos.
- Forgot to Pay the Bill: The plot of the episode kicks off when Tracey doesn't properly pay her bills, leading to the electricity being cut off.
- The Ghost: Although Garth spends the episode writing about a fellow student called Routledge who he attacked, he never appears in person.
- Have I Mentioned I Am Heterosexual Today?: Tracey when she tries to prove to Alison that she and Sharon aren't lesbians.Tracey: My 'usband put the 'eatin' in. Or 'ad it put in. My sister Sharon, 'er 'usband, used to work with my 'usband sometimes. They worked together, our 'usbands.
- Historical Character Confusion: Tracey mixes up the tale of George Washington and his tale of not telling a lie with Abraham Lincoln.
- Karma Houdini: Alison and Gloria do a shoddy job which ends in Tracey and Sharon's roof leaking, but get no comeuppance.
- Misophonia Gag: A minor Running Gag has the sisters get annoyed when the plumbers they get in to resolve their central heating system problems keep breathing between their teeth.
- Mistaken for Gay:
- Tracey and Dorien believe that Alison and Gloria are lesbians.
- Later, Alison and Gloria think the same of Tracey and Sharon.
- Mister Seahorse: Sharon lies that Garth has gotten Routledge pregnant to wind Tracey up.
- Name That Unfolds Like Lotus Blossom: Most of the plumbers seem to have names like this - "Not Up To It", "Can't Give A Firm Time", etc.
- One-Shot Character: Alison and Gloria.
- Running Gag: Plumbers keep breathing through their teeth which gets on Tracey and Sharon's nerves.
- Shout-Out: Tracey gets George Washington and Abraham Lincoln mixed up.
- Struggling Single Mother: Alison has been left struggling to take care of her children after her husband has left her. As she points out, she's just wading through life, trying to get a grip on things.
- Troll: Sharon messes with Tracey by lying that Garth had written that he got Routledge pregnant.
