Ever Decreasing Circles

Episode 1

Relaxation

30 mins

Martin's obsessive behaviour is wearing Ann down even more than usual and causing her to lose sleep. She brings in Paul to teach Martin some relaxation exercises as well as getting him to discard all unnecessary paper work. It works a treat and Martin is finally more chilled out - and even friskier - than he has ever been - until a fraught drive to the airport with Howard and Hilda undoes all the good work.

Episode 2

Goodbye, Paul?

30 mins

Paul announces that he is selling the hair salon to open a beauty salon, but he cannot find a suitable venue. Howard suggests that elderly ironmonger Mr. Lazenby might want to sell his shop, but Paul finds him unreceptive. Then Martin goes shopping at Mr. Lazenby's and, concerned that the old man is suffering from dizzy spells, advises him to sell to Paul. He thus becomes a reluctant hero, though it does lead to a heart-to-heart with Paul--which, of course, achieves very little.

Episode 3

Stuck in a Loft

The Bryces and the Hughes spend a long weekend at a country cottage with Paul and his girl-friend Sarah. Martin is positively crowing because Paul failed to light the fire or turn the water on and he did. Unfortunately when he goes up into the loft to replace a tile Martin gets stuck, as does Howard, who goes to help him. To Martin's intense annoyance it is Paul who rescues them by spotting the obvious.

Episode 4

Neighbourhood Watch

30 mins

The Close is crime free and Martin intends to keep it that way by organizing the local Neighbourhood Watch in his own typically officious way. As a result most of the 'arrests' made by his patrol turn out to be false alarms, including that of a man caught by Howard and Hilda who tells Martin he is a chief superintendent and who invites everybody to a ball at the Ritz by way of compensation. Of course he is a burglar out to rob the guests' empty houses. Fortunately Paul tumbles to the fact and, unlike Martin, actually prevents a real crime.

Episode 5

The Footpath

30 mins

When a farmer challenges Howard and Hilda for using a footpath which Martin is certain is a public right of way, he takes a stand against him, though the gun and the dog force him to back down. Paul ascertains that it is a public footpath but stuns Martin by revealing that by rights, so is his back garden. Martin goes to extremes by erecting a signpost in the garden, but he is relieved when the council makes him remove it.

Episode 6

Jumping to Conclusions

The results of Ann's mock exam for the Open University are disappointing so Martin offers to help her but is no good. She then gets Paul to help, but they decide to keep it secret from Martin. Unfortunately Hilda sees Ann climbing over Paul's fence and assumes that they are having an affair. Worse still, she tells Martin, who decides to leave Ann. Fortunately, Paul knows where to find him.

Episode 7

Half an Office

30 mins

The Personnel Department at Martin's works want to expand, meaning that his office is petitioned in two and he only has half the office space he had previously. Goaded by Howard he delivers an ultimatum to the boss, threatening to resign if the status quo is not restored and then worrying that he will be sacked. A bizarre dream in which he is working for Paul as manager of a seedy joint does not help but he is overjoyed to find he has all the old office back. Did this by any chance have something to do with Paul knowing his boss?