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Episode Summaries >
1985
> Episode 135
Written by Sally Webb, Directed
by Brendan Maher, Produced by John Holmes
Channel Seven: 20/09/85, BBC One: 07/05/87, UK Gold: 07/05/93
Recap
• Terry worries about being left alone in the house
• Jim is introduced to Douglas's younger sister, having wrongly believed that she was his wife
• Helen is furious with Jim for interfering
• Jim is surprised when he mum arrives on Ramsay Street
No 26 - Lounge: Jim asks his mum why she didn't give him any warning about her visit - she says that, if she had, Jim would have an excuse to be out of town. He explains
that Lucy and Helen have just gone out, but calls Julie and Scott to come and see their visitor. They're both delighted to see her, and Julie says that it's a shame she couldn't have come earlier, as she missed Paul's wedding. She explains that she had to
work, an excuse that's all too familiar for Jim, and he then goes to see if they have any food. Julie starts fussing around Bess, who promptly ignores her and goes to Scott, asking him to take her out to the garden, so she can catch up on what's been
happening.
No 28: Terry is telling Daphne how much she hates being alone in that house - Daphne points out that she'll need to get used to it, before Paul starts having to take
longer trips overseas. Terry then decides that she should go, so Daphne can get ready for her date - Daphne quickly points out that it's just a movie with Shane, and they're trying to remain as friends now. Terry wonders what happened to Liz, and Daphne
explains that she passed her driving test and disappeared into the wide blue yonder - Terry wonders if that's why Shane's come crawling back now. Daphne doesn't care, and says that Shane has stood between her and Terry being friends for long enough - Terry
agrees. Daphne then suggests that she could skip her evening out with Shane, and go for a meal and to a nightclub with Terry. Terry explains that she's having dinner with the Robinsons, so Daphne says that they'll go to a club after that, and start getting
to know each other properly.
 . . . 
No 26 - Lounge: Bess is telling Scott stories from her travels, when Julie comes in and introduces Terry to her. Julie then goes to start cooking, as they always eat
early on Wednesdays, but Jim says that, as Lucy is out, the food can wait a little longer. Julie isn't impressed at the change of routine, but sits down anyway. Terry explains that she's going out with Daphne after dinner, which Julie doesn't think is
appropriate, and Jim jokes about Terry being led astray. Bess comments that Jim has always been very conservative, though Julie doesn't see the harm in that. She then tells Terry not to get too friendly with Daphne, as she has quite the reputation, and
there's an awkward silence before Julie decides to go and cook the food.
No 28: Daphne answers the door to Shane, who's still in his chauffeuring uniform, and explains that he has to pick up someone from the airport, so he won't be able
to collect her until later. She tells him that she was planning to call him and postpone anyway, as she wanted to take Terry out to cheer her up, since Paul's away. Shane isn't impressed, but she says that she did try to leave him a message but he was out,
and she didn't realise that this evening was so important to him anyway. She says that they're friends, and nothing more - he was the one who wanted it that way. Shane doesn't look happy though, as Daphne grabs her bag and walks out.
No 26 - Dining Table: Bess is thrilled to learn that Terry is a plumber, and says that it was so difficult for girls to do jobs like that when she was young - though Jim
doesn't remember his mother struggling quite as much as she's making out. She asks if Terry will continue to work now that she's married - Terry still isn't sure, and Julie says that Terry is lucky enough to have a husband who'll support her, but Bess says
that's not the point - girls these days are so lucky to have so much freedom. Jim, however, points out that his mum never seemed to let anyone else stop her from doing exactly what she wanted to do. Daphne then arrives, breaking the tension in the room,
and is introduced to Bess - who asks Daphne what she does for a living, but Terry quickly drags her away before she can answer.
Airport - Car Rentals Desk: Two American men, Chuck and Dan, arrive at the desk where Shane is waiting for them. They ask him if there's anywhere they can find some fun
and some nice women - Shane picks up their bags and says he knows just the place.
Smugglers: Terry and Daphne sit down with a cocktail, and Terry admits that she was glad that Daphne arrived when she did, as there's a lot of tension between Jim
and his mum. Daphne says that Bess seemed like quite a character, and Terry says that she envies Bess and the excitement in her life, and starts to tell Daphne one of Bess's stories...
 . . . 
No 26: Meanwhile, Scott is listening as Bess tells him another of her tales, and how they escaped on an old barge. Julie thinks it sounds terrible, but Scott is enthralled,
and says that it was an amazing piece of reporting. Bess is surprised to learn that Scott has been following her career for years, and has kept a scrapbook. He says that he's profiling her for an English assignment, and then asks if he can interview her
properly now that she's here. Julie says that Bess will want to relax at her age, and even Jim tells her to take a rest, but Bess goes off with Scott to look at his scrapbook. Jim sits with Julie, who says that she hopes that Scott doesn't wear out Bess, and
comments that an old woman shouldn't be doing the things that Bess is doing.
Smugglers: Shane takes Chuck and Dan downstairs to the bar, and tells them that it's club night, so there should be some nice women around. He says that he'll come back to
collect them at 11, but they tell him not to send out a search party if they're no longer there.
No 26 - Kitchen: Julie finds Jim deep in thought as he fixes the toaster, and says that it's a shame that Bess couldn't be at the wedding. Jim admits that it's probably
best that she wasn't there, as he's never known how to behave around her and has always felt very conservative next to her. Julie says that Jim and Bess are just very different people, and it must have given Jim a very interesting childhood - he admits
that he was mostly brought up by Aunt Daisy and various other relatives, and he wasn't unhappy. He says that he respects his mum for wanting a career, though Julie deems it irresponsible - and Jim admits that he does resent Bess a little bit. He then says
that it prepared him well for what happened to Anne, though he wonders if he became a bit too stable and boring - Julie sits down next to him and says that she couldn't have wished for a happier childhood. Jim says that Julie is a lot like him - and
Scott is becoming more like Bess.
No 26 - Lounge: Scott and Bess return to the lounge, still looking at newspaper cuttings, and she asks Scott if he's thinking about becoming a journalist.
He admits that it's quite high on his list of possibilities, and Bess tells him that there's a film showing at the museum, of old war journalism, which she thinks Scott would love - but it's finishing tomorrow. She wonders if Jim would let Scott
have the day off. Scott explains that he hasn't got much on - but he thinks Jim might agree if Bess talks to him, so she agrees to give it a go.
Smugglers: Chuck and Dan stand at the bar, wondering where all the ladies are. They then spot Daphne and Terry and decide to go over to their table.
 . . . 
Smugglers: A little later, the two men are trying to convince Daphne and Terry that they're just trying to find someone to show them the sights, as they're new
in town. Daphne says that she and Terry just wanted a quiet night out, with some private conversation. Chuck and Dan eventually take the hint and leave them, but then Daphne starts talking to Terry about Beethoven, and the men return, saying that
they know a thing or two about music - and that Chuck plays the guitar.
No 26: Julie has had enough of waiting for Terry and Daphne to return, and decides to go to bed. Bess then appears and says that she's sure Terry can
look after herself, though Jim is also a little worried. Bess sits with Jim and says that it's lovely to be there - though he hasn't asked her how long she intends on staying. He says that she's welcome to stay for as long as she wants, but she
says she'll be out of his hair in a day or two. She comments that she didn't just come home to see him, and he looks upset, and says that it was silly of him to presume so - Bess then asks why he always has to be so serious, and he says that he
just doesn't have a sense of humour. Bess follows Jim into the kitchen, and says that she'd like to take Scott to a film screening tomorrow, as she thinks it would help him enormously with his English class. She tells Jim that Scott would just be
missing a sport class, and would make up the rest of the study he misses - Jim is annoyed that she's putting him in this position, but agrees to go along with it, and then starts to worry about Terry again.
Smugglers: As Daphne and Terry get up to leave, Dan stops Daphne and asks her again to show him around town. Shane then appears, and says that Dan has probably
picked the wrong woman - Daphne is annoyed to realise that Shane knows Dan and Chuck, and wonders if he put them up to this. As Shane tries to calm the situation, Dan gets angry with him and tells him to mind his own business. Chuck stops
Dan as he starts to physically threaten Shane, and the two men leave, with Dan warning Shane that he's going to lose his job over this. An unimpressed Daphne and Terry then leave too, and Shane is left on his own, looking sheepish.
No 26 - Lounge: The next day, Scott and Bess return from the film screening, and she sits down, exhausted. She requests a cup of tea, and as Scott leaves the
room, it's clear that Bess isn't well.
No 28: Daphne and Terry are playing backgammon, when Shane arrives at the door and tells them that his boss is very annoyed about the events of the previous
night. Daphne and Terry are worried, as Shane says that Dan and Chuck are about to be sent home on the very next flight - and they realise that he's joking, and that his boss was actually impressed with how he handled the situation. He wonders
why they didn't just get up and leave when the men started to hassle them, but Terry says that they would have just followed them - and she also asks that nobody tells Paul about this, as she needs to explain it herself.
 . . . 
No 26 - Lounge: Scott returns with the tea, talking away, until he realises that Bess isn't responding, or moving. He asks her if she's OK...
Regular Cast Credits
Featured Regular Characters: Shane Ramsay, Jim Robinson, Julie Robinson, Terry Robinson, Scott Robinson, Daphne Lawrence
Guest Cast:
June Salter as Bess Robinson,
Scott Newman as Chuck Dwight, David Arnett as Dan Ford
Trivia Notes
• Almost five years have passed since Bess' last visit to the Robinsons
• Bess is known by her grandchildren as 'Nana', though she prefers to be called Bess
Summary
by Steve
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