Misery on steroids. How many points are you winning by?
- Not many. - How many "not many"?
- 203. - What?
Grab a drink, will you? Come and hang out for a bit.
- There's only beers in here. - Well, have a beer, then.
- You're nearly 15. - I'm 13.
- I know. - Hiya, Dad.
- Oh, my God! - Good day?
Sorry. Ally. Gabby. Gabby, Ally.
New face. Hello. I'm Darren.
- Gabby. - Great name. Well done.
How's the shyness going, Darren?
- Gabby seemed nice. - She is nice, yes.
This Gabby thing is just a symptom
of you not fully wanting to be at home.
Well, what's the fucking point of us being together, then?
Oh. Merry Christmas.
Hi, Carl. Merry Christmas.
Time. Goes past, doesn't it?
It does. Yeah.
The... wreath fell down.
Oh, right.
Yes.
Oh, yeah.
- Here you go. - Thanks.
Uh, sorry. They only had the shit tonic.
That's all right. I can't tell the difference anyway.
- Me neither, if I'm honest. - Mm.
Luke's at Jacob's for dinner tonight,
and Ava's staying at Grace's again.
Oh, cool. She seems to be coping pretty well.
- Ava? - Hmm.
You don't... honestly think that she's over it, do you?
No. No, I don't, 'cause I didn't say that. I said...
I said she's coping better than we thought she was.
You don't find your granddad seemingly dead from an overdose
and then what, like, 10 days later,
just bounce along with your life again like fucking Tigger?
- So, you think we should wait? - Yeah, I think...
if we're gonna split up, like properly split up,
then it would be too much for Ava right now.
So, let's just get through
the next couple of months and see where we are.
- So, wait till new year? - Yeah, may... maybe.
I... I don't know.
I don't know. Maybe we shouldn't split up at all, Paul.
Fuck it. I really don't know. This is down to you, not me.
- Well, it's all down to me? - Yeah.
'Cause I had lunch with someone?
Fuck off. I'm not gonna get into this shit again. Not...
I... I suppose I could look for a room now.
Uh, might take a while to find something.
A room.
Well, obviously, I can't afford a flat, can I?
Christ, even a box room in a shared house near us
is gonna cost a fucking fortune.
Oh. Well, look, uh... it...
it doesn't necessarily have to be you who moves out.
Doesn't it? I think it does.
- Who's cooking tonight? - Well, if the kids are out,
then I'll... I'll probably have soup or something.
Great. So, I was going to use up those sausages.
- Yeah, fair enough. Brilliant. - Cool.
Oh, I love this one.
Puts you right in the Christmas mood, don't it?
It certainly does.
Could you turn it down?
Sorry.
Great.
- I'm just gonna... - Yep.
Hi, Mum. Merry Christmas.
You know my position.
I do, but I refuse to let you spend Christmas on your own.
- I really don't mind. - Well, I do,
and anyway, even Scrooge ended up enjoying Christmas.
Only because he was relentlessly bullied
by three ghosts with a socialist agenda.
- Anyway, I'm here, aren't I? - Yay.
Happy Christmas. Ho-ho-ho and all that cock and balls.
- Oh. Happy Christmas, Leah. - Happy Christmas.
Don't worry. He hasn't brought any mistletoe.
- Here you go, Mum. - Thank you.
You don't like Christmas, do you, Leah?
I remember us all being at the kids' carol service once.
You were watching Homes Under the Hammer
on your iPad.
I reluctantly go along with it, Jim,
like those Jersey residents who were essentially good people
but collaborated with the Nazis.
Where are your lovely children, Ally?
Still asleep.
Oh, it's funny how they change, isn't it?
When they're tiny, they're awake
at the crack of dawn on Christmas Day.
Paul used to be awake at 4 in the morning some years.
- Did he? I never knew. - No, you never.
- I'll get some snacks going. - Mm.
When we're next in the car, you can show us how...
- Happy Christmas, mate. - Yeah. Happy Christmas.
Um... got any whisky?
Only the own-brand stuff. Nothing fancy.
- What is it? - Uh, Glen-something or other?
No. Uh, what proof is it?
- 43. - Sold.
Just the one bottle?
Uh... Let's say two. It's Christmas.
Cheers.
- Snacks. - Oh, brilliant.
I love food and booze in the mornin'.
Well done, Jesus, getting born. Nice work.
We were just talking about lovely Maya.
She's coming over today, isn't she?
Yes, she's joining us for dinner.
Luke sounds very serious about her.
Well, they've been together for 10 months.
I was just telling Jim and Jackie,
Luke couldn't talk about anything else
when he came to see me.
Oh, very sweet. Young love.
- You will miss him now, Ally. - What do you mean, miss him?
Oh, I didn't just say that.
Um... What... What, are those crisps prawn?
Sorry. What's happening with Luke?
I'm so sorry, Ally. I've let the cat out the bag.
And set the fucker amongst the pigeons.
Luke told me he's going to move in with Maya and her family.
No, he's fucking not. Since when?
He said he was going to make the announcement today
- at the dinner table. - Well, no, sorry, that's not...
that's not happening. I won't...
I won't let him move out. He's... He's a child.
- He is 18. - He's an 18-year-old child.
He's not... He's not moving anywhere,
and I'm... I'm not ready to let him go, no.
- Not yet. No. Fucking hell. - Oh.
Maybe he'll change his mind, Ally, or they'll split up.
No, I d... I don't... I don't...
I don't want that. He loves Maya.
Talking of lost loves...
No, Alex and I have not been in touch
just because it's Christmas. Divorce is divorce.
We haven't remained friends like idiots pretend to.
I'm much happier on my own.
Other people just get in the way, don't they?
Lovely tree, that. 'Cause you...
you used to have that silver plastic one, didn't you?
Up until a few years ago, yeah.
I thought so.
Ah.
Who... Who made this? Is this Luke?
Let me see. Oh, yeah.
He did that at his first nursery.
Oh, the one run by those mad creationist ladies.
Yeah. They were lovely, though, I thought. Not mad.
No. Okay.
Well, kids seemed to enjoy Christmas.
Yeah. Got through it, didn't we?
Yeah, and Ava does actually seem to be doing all right.
Yeah. Settled in at the new school, still mates with Grace.
Talked it all out with my dad. She's, uh, she's good.
Right. Fairy lights off? Means we're killing Christmas.
Well, kill it.
So, we're done?
Feels like we're done, doesn't it?
- I was gonna order a takeaway. - Great.
You really don't need to help.
Oh, I don't mind chopping a few carrots, love.
It's a big production number, Christmas dinner.
Ay-up, here she comes. Happy Christmas, Ava.
Happy Christmas, Granddad. Hatey Christmas, Leah.
Hatey Christmas to you, too, my darling.
- Happy Christmas. - Happy Christmas, love.
- Is it present opening time? - No, Luke's not awake yet.
- Yes, he is. - Oh, my God, it lives.
Ha ha. Hello, Granny. Merry Christmas.
Hi. If you guys want some champagne, it's just up there.
- Yes, please. - I'm all right for now.
I'll just get some juice.
Here you go. Gin, tonic, ice and a slice... of lemon.
Ooh. Is this the shit tonic?
I'm sorry. I didn't ask.
Should I ask? I can never taste the difference.
- I can, but don't worry. - So, you said you had news.
You also said that you had news.
Hmm. Would you like to be the first item on the news,
like a major climate disaster?
Hmm, no, I'll go second,
like "terrorist attack in Madrid" sort of thing.
Okay.
Uh, well, my news is actually, uh, romantic news.
Okay. Is this about the amazing Gabby?
- Gabby? - Yeah, Gabby.
Oh, Gabby. No, no, no, no. Um, she didn't really like me.
I mean, she didn't say as much, but I got the impression.
We went on one further date, and when I went
to kiss her good night, she sort of shouted.
Oh, right. Well, that's not good.
No, and she said she saw a motorbike behind me
nearly hit a cat, but not convinced.
Hmm. So what? So, well, then, what's the romantic news?
Well, Karen and I are...
- getting back together. - Really? Well, obviously.
Obvi... Sorry. Yeah, obviously, really,
'cause you just said it, didn't you?
Well, I know it seems sort of unexpected,
but we just thought it'd be worth another try, you know?
Still a lot of warmth there.
Warmth. Oh. Okay.
That's really great. That's so good.
And the twins are exhibiting
some quite, uh, challenging behavior at the moment,
both excluded from school last month.
- Wow. - And they've each been given
a lifetime ballet-stroke-tap ban
from the London Dance Schools' Association.
- Lifetime? - I know, harsh.
I mean, it's obviously an overreaction, but, uh...
they're not budging on it, so, um...
So you think that getting back together is gonna help this?
Exactly. Two shoulders to carry the burden.
Right, yeah.
No, four. No, we've got two each, haven't we?
- So, what's your news? - Um...
Paul and I are gonna split up.
Right. You mean you're...
Divorced. Yeah, yeah. Well, eventually.
We're not gonna tell the kids for... for a while yet,
but, yeah, it looks like... it looks like we're over.
I'm so sorry. What caused it? If that's not...
Oh, a combination of things. It's been coming for a while,
and, um, yeah, we both felt it, but we just had to admit it
to ourselves and then to each other.
Listen, Ally, if there's anything...
anything I can do, just give me a call.
Yeah, I think you're gonna have your, uh, hands full
with a big... Karen reunion, aren't you?
Oh, yes, I... yeah.
- Probably will, won't I? - Yeah.
It's gonna be wonderful, I'm sure.
According to my phone, he should be back... now.
Hiya!
Here he is, the shit Father Christmas.
Piss Kringle.
- Hello, Paul. - Hatey Christmas, Mother-in-Law.
- Hello, offspring. - Really sorry you had to go
all the way back to our place, Paul, after bringing us here.
I'm an idiot.
It's fine. You need your meds now.
Here we are, then, sonny. Happy Christmas.
What a good little Geordie. Right, what we got here?
- Some house keys and medication. - Thank you.
Oh, I also found this, actually, next to the tablets.
Manuka honey. That's medicinal, isn't it?
I didn't know if you needed some.
Oh, no, that's Jim's.
- I don't touch honey. - Oh, Jesus.
It comes out of bees' bum holes.
- Does it? - Doesn't it?
I don't think it does.
Well, whatever. I just don't like the thought of it.
- Yeah. - Thousands of 'em
crawling all over the honey in that tiny space,
and then you're meant to eat it. Ugh.
- No, thank you very much. - Yeah.
I love sandwich spread.
Sandwich spread doesn't cure arthritis.
And neither does a 30-quid jar of honey,
you gullible old sod.
I also realized that we didn't have any whisky,
so, uh, I got some on the way back.
Cheap old paint stripper. 43%.
Oh, magic. Burnin' nectar.
Right. I'll get this off, and, um, yeah. Presents?
- Yes. Yes! - Yay!
- So, we're saying... - Oh, oh, mind, mind.
- Dog dirt. - Who still says "dog dirt"?
Me, clearly.
Do you still say "women's lib" and "continental quilt"?
Someone's got to, don't they?
So, we're saying no lawyers?
Yeah, I don't think we need 'em. Do you?
- I mean, we're reasonable. - Well, you're fucking not.
No, it's just,
loads of people manage to split up without lawyers
poking their noses in, and they cost a bomb.
Yeah, but actual divorce, like the, you know,
actual sort of legal thingummyjiggy...
Go on. Go on, Rumpole.
But that's, like, that's further down the road a bit, right?
Yes. I think it goes,
I move out. We have some sort of temporary plan financially,
- the kids and all of that... - Yeah.
And then divorce.
Right.
Hmm.
- Yeah. - Thanks, mate, yeah.
Is there a Christmas pudding, Ally?
There's one for you, Jim. No one else eats it.
That's very kind. Why does no one else eat it?
- 'Cause it's rank. - It is rank, Granddad.
Raisins. Brown stuff. More brown stuff. Bits of peel.
One of those things I love the idea of,
but I don't actually enjoy.
- Like marriage. - Precisely.
I'll go.
- Darren. - Yes.
- Come in, mate. Merry Christmas. - Thank you.
- It's just you? - Yes.
Karen's got the twins today. I tossed for it.
She lost.
She lost. No, seriously, she did lose.
- Oh, right. Hmm. - Yeah.
Hey, folks. Look who I found.
Are your lovely girls with you?
No, they're spending Christmas Day with their mum.
Oh.
- Happy Christmas. - Here, let me take that.
Luke, get this man a glass of fizz.
- Oh. - How are you?
Mm. Oh, shit.
- Hmm? - Shit. Behind you.
Bald bloke over there? Porn star in the '70s. Yeah.
Nothing hardcore. Just, uh...
The soft stuff, you know, Randy Bin Man on the Job.
Or Confessions of a Project Manager.
- That was a sexy film. - Ah.
That was really, really sexy.
- Big, Bald and Bouncy. - Oh, didn't that win the Oscar?
No, they went with Kramer vs. Kramer that year.
Fucking idiots.
- Hmm. Cheers. - Cheers.
Ahh.
And we're getting on a lot better
since we decided to split up.
Yeah. Yeah, we are, aren't we?
I'm still really, really angry about...
Big, Bald and Bouncy.
Yes.
- He was fucking robbed. - Yeah.
I mean, how bald was Hoffman?
- He was not bald at all. - No.
He was the exact opposite of bald.
- Which would be? - Very, very hairish.
Exactly. Hairish.
with Maya's family.
- No, he's fucking not. - That's what I said.
What? Who said he wants to move out?
He mentioned it to Mum, and apparently
he's gonna tell us all at dinner today.
But that's ridiculous. He can't just move out.
No, I know. I'm not ready for him to go. I'm really not.
Well, that's okay, Al, 'cause he's not going.
God. I mean, I understand that
he's crazy in love with Maya, and she's...
she's g... she's great for him.
Best thing that's ever happened to him.
- Yeah. - But still, he's got exams.
He's got a family. Christ, he's already moved out once,
hasn't he? When he walloped me.
Then he moved back in.
Then I moved out. It's enough fucking moving out, okay?
He's still little. I mean, he's big, but he's still little.
I'm not finished with him yet. He's like an unfinished project,
like one of your mum's jigsaws.
- Fucking hell. - I know.
Okay, so, so... how are we supposed to react
when... when he tells us this?
'Cause we can't embarrass him in front of Maya...
- Yeah. - And have him fucking,
you know, storm off and go mental, so...
We've got to be reasonable and practical
and say that we, uh, that we... we know how in love they are.
- Yeah. - But that...
I don't know. Talk about how he needs to focus on his exams...
- Right, okay. - And all that stuff.
Yeah, okay. God Almighty, when does parenting end?
About the time the crematorium curtains close
and the kids have put the house on Rightmove.
- That sounds amazing. - Mm.
It's... How tall is it, Maya?
Uh, it's 38 floors up,
and you look out over Tower Bridge
and along the Thames and yeah, we go every Christmas.
Me, my mum, my dad, and my sister and her lot.
- Oh. - Sounds amazing.
Christmas dinner at a restaurant.
I'm not sure I approve.
Oh, that's because you've never had to cook the bloody thing.
Well, we're very honored indeed
that you've chosen to be with us today.
Mum, you sound like a mayoress.
We are, though, Maya.
Oh, I wouldn't have missed it for the world,
so thank you for having me. I really love it here.
- Good. - Can I use
- me pudding spoon for the gravy? - No.
Hang on. I'll get you another one.
It's not soup, Jim. It's gravy.
- It's quite a fine line, though. - Exactly.
- Thank you, love. - Don't encourage him.
Come on. We're not gonna get a seat at this rate.
Standing room only, like a royal wedding.
Yeah, or a public hanging.
for Darren and Karen,
and it's lovely to see such a lot of people here
to wish this couple well as they join together
and continue their life's journey.
Okay, then, so on to the all-important vows,
written, I think, by...
Karen. She... She wrote them.
- Excellent. - Come on.
- Wow. - Okay, Darren, are you ready?
Sure.
- So, repeat after me. - Mm-hmm.
- I, Darren... - I, Darren...
- promise you, Karen... - promise you, Karen...
to be a faithful partner amid the joys...
amid the joys...
To be a faithful partner amid the joys.
Sorry.
To be a faithful partner amid all the joys...
- Sorry, was it "all"? - No, but it's all right.
And the sorrows of our life together.
Don't lead with sorrow.
- Never lead with sorrow. Yeah. - Terrible vows.
They're, like, really shit vows.
I will be your rock.
I will be your staff.
- I will be your staff. - That means walking stick,
not an actual member of her staff.
- Although... - I will be your lover
and your comrade.
I will be your lover and your comrade.
- Oh, calm down, Stalin. - Your partner in crime...
- Wow. Tax avoidance. - Your partner in crime...
And... your playmate.
- Fucking hell. - And your playmate.
And I promise in front of the congregation
gathered here to love you forever.
And I promise in front of the congregation
gathered here to love you forever.
We are giving each other a second chance...
We are giving each other a second chance.
...trying again...
- ...trying again... - ...together today...
...together today...
...and for all the days of our lives.
That was nice. It was a nice ceremony.
- Very sweet. - Susie did great.
- I really like her. - She's good, isn't she?
Yeah. So how long do you give 'em?
- As a couple? - Yeah.
- Six. - Months?
No, minutes. They're fucking doomed.
And are we undoomed now, do you think?
Okay.
Ally, I need to tell you... I'm sorry.
I did fancy Gabby.
Clearly, I did. Clearly, I did.
And I lied to you.
I thought it was this kind of fun,
uncomplicated world, and I really liked it, okay?
So, without getting too Nuremberg trials about it all...
- You fucker! - I'm sorry.
You sorry fucker.
- Do you forgive me? - No.
Fuck.
So, what do you reckon we do now?
Well, I think we carry on
believing that we're going to split up because this is
the best that we've got on in fucking months.
I agree. I agree.
- Let's split up. - Let's split up.
- Do you want some more? - Mm. Thank you.
- That was so delicious, Ally. - Yeah, Mum, that was amazing.
Um, are you sure you don't want some wine, Maya?
- Oh, no, no, I'm fine, thanks. - Mmm.
Does nobody else want any of this Christmas puddin'?
It's delicious.
Stop trying to push your pudding onto everyone.
Did that sound a bit rude?
A bit rude, yeah.
Christmas pudding. Love a bit of Christmas pudding.
There we go! Good on you, Darren.
Oh, listen, there's loads of this trifle left.
- Who needs some? - Oh...
I need to say something, actually.
All right. Okay.
- It's all gone really quiet now. - Ah.
Um...
I need to say that I am gonna be moving in with Maya's family.
Are you? Okay.
And have you thought about this, love?
Yeah. Yeah.
I'm really sorry to be stealing him away.
I know you'll miss me being around.
It's just I think that it's important that we're together.
Uh, look, we... we know how much in love you both are,
and that is brilliant...
Thank you. We are. But also...
I'm pregnant.
Yeah. That's... That's the main reason.
We're... We're gonna have a baby.