- Date First Aired: 24/09/1991
Bill's mother Bette is at the station and is coming to her house, a fact that Ben had completely forgotten to inform her about. The trouble is that no one likes her very much, and it is not long before they are annoyed by her. Soon, Bill and Ben are left sleeping in Jenny's bed, where they hear strange noises from her. Going down, Bill tries to find the purpose of her mother's visit, but she just gets vague answers involving an old neighbour of hers being buried.
Whilst out on his job, Ben stumbles upon Pauline, an Old Flame of his. She suggests restarting the relationship, although it's implied that he turns her down. Meanwhile, Bill learns that all of the 4th Years have been sent home, a group that includes Jenny. Whilst heading back, she is annoyed by her mother, driving by in a funeral possession, but has ice cream and a chat with Angelo. Unfortunately, once she gets back home, she ends up crashing in on her mother and having sex. Bette admits that she was never sexually satisfied and that she wanted to satisfy this with Charlie Wells, but it didn't work out for her. On the bright side, at least she leaves soon after and Bill gets a better appreciation of her.
Tropes in this episode:
- Accidental Misnaming: This time around, Bill calls Spin "Drip".
- Ask a Stupid Question...: Gerry to Ben when Ben wants Gerry to fetch some equipment for him.Ben: Will you get the circuit-tester?Gerry: What for?Ben: So I can wire it up to your head and listen to the echoes. To test the circuits.
- Ambiguous Situation: Ben is sheepish over the subject of his trip with Pauline, implying that he had an affair with her, but it doesn't particularly go with his character. The next episode elaborates on this and suggests that his sheepishness has to do with a car, but it's never fully elaborated on.
- Bookends: The episode opens and ends with Bill and Ben karaoking and dancing together.
- Disappeared Dad: It's revealed that Bill's father is dead.
- Gift-Giving Gaffe: Bette gifts David what appears to be a video nasty called Cyborg Blood Rites, although it doesn't stop David from being pleased with the gift, and Jenny a bright pink frilly dress, which she isn't as pleased with.
- The Ghost: Trevor, Pauline's unseen husband.
- Impossibly Tacky Clothes: Jenny's new ridiculously frilly dress, which she's extremely embarrassed with. She comments that not even Doris Day would look good in it.
- Interrupted Intimacy: Bill accidentally catches her mother and Charlie Wells sitting up and having cigarettes after sex in bed.
- Ironic Echo: Bill's comment about the possibility that this visit from Bette may be the last time that they ever see her is said twice in two very different contexts - at the start, it's with glee over the possibility that they won't deal with her anymore, but the second time, it's when she genuinely fears that she'll never see Bette again.
- Ludicrous Gibs: Bill's mother's story about the Bombing of the Odeon includes two twins caught in the blast. Apparently, they couldn't tell which bit belonged to which twin afterward.
- Men Can't Keep House: Whilst Bill can handle the responsibility of shopping very well, Ben isn't as successful - he ends up buying way too many chips and forgets to buy cleaning stuff.
- Obnoxious In-Laws: Ben gradually gets more and more annoyed with Bill's mother as the episode goes on.
- Old Flame: Ben comes across his, called Pauline, whilst out plumbing. She suggests having an affair with him, although it's unclear if Ben took her up on the offer or not.
- A Planet Named Zok: David claims that his toy comes from Planet Zarg when Bill chances upon it.
- Posthumous Character: Connie Wells, an old and previously not mentioned neighbor of Bette, has recently died and is being buried this episode.
- Shout-Out:
- Ben begins singing "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" by The Righteous Brothers when he thinks he's alone in the house.
- David wears a The Simpsons shirt (different to the one he had several episodes ago) whilst watching TV near the end of the episode.
- Show Within a Show: David gets what appears to be a fictional movie called Cyborg Blood Rites from his grandmother.
- Smoking Hot Sex: Bette and Henry are puffing from cigarettes whilst in bed after having sex.
