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The Upper Hand Season 1 Episodes
Season 1 Episode Guide
12 Episodes 1990 - 1990
Episode 1
Just the Job
Divorced business woman Caroline Wheatley is taken aback to find that he new housekeeper her mother Laura has engaged is a man - widowed ex-footballer Charlie Burrows,who arrives with schoolgirl daughter Jo. Her little son Tom persuades her to take Charlie on and he proves more than capable. He even makes her realise that she does not have to sleep with her boss Simon to get promotion but can earn it on her own merits.
Episode 2
Briefless Encounter
Forward professor Ingrid Lindstrom,a tutor on mature student Laura's psychology course,asks Charlie on a date and Laura says he should use Caroline's private bathroom in which to freshen up. Unfortunately,as he walks in Caroline is just getting out of the bath and reveals all. Laura tries to mediate but when Ingrid accuses Caroline of being a secret exhibitionist Charlie defends his boss and calls the date off.
Episode 3
Dinner for Two
When Laura takes the children camping overnight Caroline takes the opportunity of inviting the eligible Brian for a romantic dinner for two but Brian phones to say he is stuck in Brussels so Charlie cancels his date to keep Caroline company. They have a great time,comparing embarrassing dates and playing football. Then Brian turns up and Caroline is genuinely disappointed as Charlie was a far more convivial dinner guest. Laura meanwhile has a run-in with a cow.
Episode 4
The Old Girl Network
When Caroline's old class-mate Trish Baldwin comes to stay for a school reunion Laura warns her daughter that Trish was always a self-seeking man-eater who stole Caroline's boyfriends and she should beware. Charlie,however,is dazzled by Trish after she makes a play for him and does not believe Caroline's view that he is being used. On the night of the reunion Charlie is due to escort Trish but she ditches him to go with the school heart throb Robert Hennessy. Caroline feels Trish has used her again but,on Charlie's advice,attends the reunion and steals Robert back from Trish.
Episode 5
Caroline's First Fight
When Jo gets into a playground fight Caroline is disapproving,saying she should have showed reason and walked away and she blames Charlie for encouraging his daughter. Jo and Tom run away back to London where the barmaid at Tom's local taunts him for being a house-keeper and Caroline fails to practice what she had previously preached - to the children's admiration.
Episode 6
Who's Who
In the super-market Charlie meets and makes a date with socialite Zoe,who,seeing him drive Caroline's car,assumes he is wealthy. Caroline,on the other hand,allows client Alec to date her in the belief that she is a secretary as she fears men are intimidated by powerful businesswomen. All is resolved at a party at Caroline's house where the truth is uncovered but nobody seems to mind.
Episode 7
Growing Pains
As Jo nears her twelfth birthday Charlie has to accept that she is growing into a woman and so he buys her a bra. It does not meet with her approval and when Caroline takes her on a shopping spree Charlie starts to worry if he losing touch with his daughter. However the combined gifts of a necklace and a skateboard for her birthday go a long way towards redressing the balance.
Episode 8
Paint Your Wagon
Caroline's Jaguar needs a re-spray and Charlie goes against her wishes by choosing bright red. The other,female,housekeepers in the area feel resentful that Charlie is being given too much lee-way as an employee and so,after Caroline has had words with him,he feigns excessive servility. However when a predatory neighbour tries to steal Charlie away he and Caroline are happy to resort to the old status quo.
Episode 9
Welcome Home
Caroline's documentary film-maker husband Michael,from whom she is separated,returns from a two year stint in the jungle. Initially she is anything but pleased to see him but he makes promises and she agrees to a reconciliation. Unfortunately this leads to him sacking Charlie. Caroline is horrified,telling Charlie how much she still needs him but Charlie tells her that it is only right now that her man has come back to her.
Episode 10
Welcome Home II
Charlie is now working as domestic supervisor for the elderly but spirited Lady Rawcliffe but she recognizes that he still has feelings for his old employer. Caroline increasingly finds Michael self-centred and with little conversation so that when he tells her he believes that the reconciliation is not working and he wants to go back to work in Africa she puts up no argument. He even rings Charlie and asks him to come back and 'look after' Caroline,which Charlie is happy to do.
Episode 11
Just Like Charlie
When a policeman comes to the house after Tom and another boy have stolen his hub caps Caroline believes her son was influenced by a story Charlie told about his misspent youth and demands to know everything that Tom does - which involves Charlie ringing her at work with the most trivial facts. Exasperated by this Caroline tells Tom he can go and play with a friend. Unfortunately this is the same friend Charlie banned him from seeing and who leads Tom into further trouble.
Episode 12
First Kiss
It's Caroline's birthday but the kids are going away overnight on a boat trip and Charlie is off for drinks with his former employer Lady Rawsthorne so Caroline goes out for the evening with girlfriends and comes back very drunk. A slightly tipsy Charlie returns and together they make a birthday cake after which she kisses him . He puts her bed but,like the professional he is,does not get in with her.