On Christmas Day, Wicky has to clean a murder scene in an ice-cream parlour, where he has to deal with a regular customer who insists on having his usual ice cream.
Tropes:
- Ambiguous Situation: Although Wicky and his father have apparently not spoken to each other for some time (a situation that is likely to continue after what happens when they actually do interact in this episode), dialogue would seem to indicate that they are regulars in the same pub, given that Wicky’s father says he’s got a ticket for the horse raffle and appears to know Wicky’s friend Weasel.
- Awful Wedded Life: The fate of Wicky’s sister, who (from what we see) dislikes both her husband and her son, who she openly refers to as “the parasite” (on the grounds that being pregnant with, and giving birth to, him ruined her figure). She later admits to Wicky that he got it right by never getting married.
- Bait-and-Switch: Wicky takes Robert Kendrick to his father’s house to spend the rest of Christmas Day there. At first, it looks as though father and son are going to have a heartfelt reconciliation. Then Wicky’s father shows he’s an unrepentant Jerkass and sods off to the pub, leaving Wicky to look after his dog.
- Batter Up!: Alberto (the ice-cream parlour’s owner) was killed with a blow to the head. Wicky’s first thought is that the murderer used a plank, although he reckons it could have been a cricket bat after Robert Kendrick points out that a plank would be a somewhat impractical murder weapon.
- Blatant Lies: Robert Kendrick was persuaded to tell one of these once, to cover for his father after he pushed him off a chair. Wicky later resorts to lying in order to get Robert to rescue him, and has to fake a letter from Robert’s father to back up the lie. Whether Robert falls for it or realises it and is humouring Wicky is debatable.
- Brick Joke: When he finishes the job, Wicky is looking forward to spending the afternoon in the pub, where there’s a Christmas raffle in which the prize is an actual horse. Later, his father reveals that he’s not only off to the pub, he’s got a ticket for the horse raffle.
- Christmas Episode: Even though it’s Christmas Day, Wicky has work to do. Which is preferable to spending time with his family. The episode begins with a rendition of the Christmas carol “Oh Come, All Ye Faithful” as he drives past a church. Later, he sings “Santa Baby” while cleaning.
- Daddy Had a Good Reason for Abandoning You: Robert claims his father had him put in a home because he had to go away for work. Wicky doubts that this was actually the case but can’t bring himself to tell Robert that.
- Friendship Moment: After Wicky realises that his dad is still the Jerkass he always was, Robert puts a comforting hand on his shoulder. The two, and the dog Wicky’s been saddled with, then go back to the ice-cream parlour to spend the rest of Christmas Day eating ice cream and telling bad Christmas cracker jokes.
- Generational Trauma: Some of Wicky’s issues are shown to be the result of being raised by a lousy father. Wicky’s unseen and unnamed nephew will likely experience this in the future, given that his mother (Wicky’s sister) openly hates him.
- The Ghost: We do not see Wicky’s brother-in-law and nephew. The latter is not even given a name.
- Insistent Terminology: Robert Kendrick insists on being addressed as such. The fact that he later refers to Wicky by his nickname rather than his full name is a clear sign that he’s warming up to him.
- Jerkass: Wicky’s father.
- No Name Given: We never learn Wicky’s sister’s name, as he only addresses her as “Sis” and his father refers to her as “your sister” when talking to Wicky.
- Shown Their Work: This episode was first broadcast in 2022; Wicky’s reference to the King’s speech is therefore accurate as Charles III, who had succeeded to the throne that year following the death of Elizabeth II, did the traditional Christmas message for the first time. Robert states that it’s Sunday, which is accurate as Christmas Day did indeed fall on a Sunday in 2022.
- Sympathetic Adulterer: Discussed. Alberto was apparently murdered by his lover’s husband; Robert wonders whether the lover had an affair with him because he was a Nice Guy compared to her husband, meaning she would fit this trope.
- Unusual Euphemism: When trying to break the news of Alberto’s death to Robert in the nicest possible way, he goes through several of these, including “he’s a cloud gardener” and “he’s got a pair of goose arms”.
