At a charity auction Rick opens the bidding for a waistcoat worn by late rock star Graham Evans but finds himself stuck with it when nobody else wants to outbid him. He also notes Ambrose,Michael's father,with another man,their conduct suggesting that they are a gay couple. Michael refuses to believe it but,at the disastrous reopening of the cafe as a trendy restaurant,Rick's suspicions about the two men are confirmed. Meanwhile Magda moves in with Rick and Mel after the boiler in her flat is leaking toxic gas and Rick discovers that Graham Evans' waistcoat is indeed very valuable. Unfortunately he has given it to Ben,who cut it up as part of his textiles project at college. Written by don @ minifie-1

With Magda now a permanent fixture in the house and addicted to daytime chat shows and Michael confused after the revelation about Ambrose, Rick finds some solace in the fact that he is to feature in 'Where Are You From?',a television show which traces celebrity's ancestors. As he explains to Marty his real name is not Spleen but Shaw - which causes Magda to think he is Chinese. With a name like Rick Shaw he had to become a comedian in order to defend himself against school teasing. Unfortunately,however, his ancestry is considered too dull for the show but Sam and Ben actually stir themselves to make a record and put it on YouTube. Written by don @ minifie-1

After scoring minus twelve, the lowest score ever in the history of pretentious radio panel game 'Watch Your Language' Rick's day gets even worse when his email system crashes and he has to go into an estate agents pretending to buy a house in order to use their fax system to send a script,resulting in his having to view a house. Michael is in therapy regarding Ambrose's sexuality and Magda is looking forward to a car boot sale but the best news is that Sam and Ben's song could be used on a television commercial. Written by don @ minifie-1

After surviving a near-death experience in the television studio, Rick decides that life is sweet and,to Marty's cynical amazement,becomes placid and positive,letting insects go free and not even blowing his top when Magda sells his father's war medal in a boot sale. And then he seems likely to have landed the star role in a television series. Can he really have found good Karma? Or,since he is Rick Spleen,will it all go down the drain,like Sam and Ben's relationship? Written by don @ minifie-1

The bad news for Rick is that his appearance on Phil Randall's phone-in show was a typical disaster and that Mel has offered to pay for Magda to return home for her sister's wedding. The good news is that Sam has split up with Ben but it gets worse when she seems to be going out with the ultra-gormless Spikey,who calls Rick Dick and is a 'walking bio-hazard'. Rick and Mel are invited to a dreadful play written by one of Mel's clients,who turns out to be a former stand-up. The play's high-spot is when Ben's phone,which Rick has in his possession,goes off at a crucial moment,a fact which gets reported in the local paper's review of the play to Rick's embarrassment. At least Rick can save some money when it turns out that Magda's sister's wedding is off as the groom is already married .And Sam goes back to Ben after Spikey puts himself in hospital after trying to illegally reconnect his electricity. Written by don @ minifie-1

The printers have wrongly spelled Rick's name as Bick on his letter-heads so that when Magda brings her sister to stay Rick pays her to alter the mistake with typing fluid but she runs out and has to improvise. Mel's office is being redecorated so she works from home with her secretary Izzy,who has quite an effect on Marty though Magda dislikes her. Rick overhears Mel trying to pitch one of her clients to appear on a game show and rings up the producer to sabotage the man's chances. What he has failed to realise is that Mel was actually trying to put Rick forward for the show so once again he has shot himself in the foot. Nor do Sam and Ben's attempts to cook food to sell at a rock festival go down well with Clive from next door. Written by don @ minifie-1

Following an incident involving Clive's mother during a performance of 'Peter Pan' in which he is starring,Rick looks forward to Christmas with just Mel and himself. But then Mel feels the need to invite Magda,in mourning for her country's late president whilst Ben,sacked from the Christmas post,asks himself over. Despite his professed disdain for the festive season Marty also shows up when his flight to the sun gets postponed and Rick takes pity on Michael,doomed to spend Christmas alone when his chat-room girlfriend dumps him. Rick is even prepared to ask the dreadful Clive in for a drink but Michael,unwittingly high on the contents of Sam's special mince pies,gives the bore a piece of his mind. All in all a Christmas to remember even though the tree is shedding its needles and Rick's mother has yet again sent him a hamper full of useless things. Written by don @ minifie-1