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The Royle Family Season 4 Episodes
Season 4 Episode Guide
5 Episodes 2006 - 2012
Episode 1
The Queen of Sheba
57 mins
Frail, poorly Nana is now permanently in bed in the Royles' sitting room, causing Jim to sulk when she swaps the battery from the remote for her fan. Antony has split from Emma but brings their little boy Lewis to visit while Little David tries out his judo moves. Cheryl brings a succession of boyfriends to visit: nervous Derek, whose ginger hair reminds Nana of "Annie"; paintballing Slash; and rabbi Solomon. Denise gives birth to a daughter and names her Norma after Nana, which delights the great-granny, but just as Barbara is looking forward to having her floors laminated throughout, the worst happens: Nana slips away. It is a sad moment and even Jim sheds a tear. But Nana has told Denise that she wants her wake to be a jolly time, so the family obliges.
Episode 2
The New Sofa
58 mins
It's Christmastime again, and there's baiting aplenty in Jim and Barbara's over-decorated living room. Daughter Denise and her husband Dave arrive on Christmas Eve with aspirations for Christmas morning; meanwhile, Twiggy marches in full of festive spirit.
Episode 3
The Golden Egg Cup
58 mins
On his and Barbara's 50th wedding anniversary, Jim is annoyed that everybody seems to have forgotten it; even after a surprise party, he is cross that their only gift is a golden egg cup. Barbara wants to celebrate their anniversary abroad, but she must make do with a caravan park in Prestatyn with the Bests. Unfortunately, it's the off-season, with no amenities or television in the trailer, so after a miserable evening playing parlour games, they return home--where Barbara breaks the golden egg cup.
Episode 4
Joe's Crackers
56 mins
Another Christmas at the Royles' sees Jim incapacitated after an accident at the supermarket and needing to be carried to his chair. Mary has died, so Joe and Cheryl bring her ashes into the house in an urn which is placed next to Nana's--but unfortunately her ashes end up in Barbara's new Dyson. After singing "Bat Out of Hell", Joe recalls a bizarre naked-wrestling match with Bobby Carter, and Cheryl tells of a romantic encounter in the supermarket car-park. Antony is now a successful businessman whose presents put the Bests' gift to the Royles, a fridge magnet, to shame. He has a new girlfriend, heavily-pregnant nurse Saskia--so heavily pregnant, in fact, that history repeats itself.
Episode 5
Barbara's Old Ring
60 mins
Christmas is coming, but Barbara isn't merry: Not only has she lost her wedding ring, but Jim has won on a scratch-card she found down the back of the sofa while looking for the ring--and kept quiet about the £100 he won. Nor is he especially sympathetic about Dave's impotence problem, though the entire Royle family unites to help recently-widowed Joe from next door enjoy a restaurant-style evening in their house with the equally-scatty Philomena, whom he met through a want ad. On Christmas Day Barbara lashes out at Jim for his laziness and juvenile antics--though his description of a busty barmaid cures Dave's problem. However, she is in for a pleasant surprise when she discovers just how he spent his scratch-card winnings.
