Samantha's looking through some of Simon's old possessions in the attic of their home when she comes across a 1968 home movie about a family picnic. Samantha realises that the movie will probably include pictures of Ruth, her mother, whom she cannot remember as Ruth died while Samantha was very young. She asks Simon if she can watch the movie, but Simon brushes off her request as he has an important business meeting that day. He has to try to persuade a conservative businessman, Mr Knight, to hire Eye-catchers, but Mr Knight worries that Simon and his staff are too young and unreliable. He is reassured when he meets Derek, who seems sober and sensible, but Derek has been hypnotized that morning by Nell and Liz, and on the chance mention of the word ""egg"" starts behaving like a chicken. Mr Knight flees.
Simon is angry with Nell and Liz for wrecking his deal with Mr Knight by their hypnosis of Derek, but Nell becomes annoyed at the rebukes, and hypnotizes him again.Isobel persuades Simon
Simon is arguing with Samantha one day when, to his amazement, she begins to cry. Isobel warns Simon to take no notice of Samantha's tears, as she can produce them at will for her own purposes. Samantha confesses that if she thinks of the loss of her pet kitten Fluffy many years ago, the tears come immediately. Simon goes to the office later that day to find Derek has suddenly and unexpectedly fallen in love with a pleasant woman, Nancy, whom he met by chance in a shop. Simon is confident that when Derek tells Nancy that he is married, and has several children, the romance will be over. However, Nancy announces that Derek's wife Muriel will understand the strength of their love and will be happy for them.
Derek and Nancy set off to tell Muriel of their love, but on the way they call in at Simon's house to tell Isobel the news. Nell decides to seize the opportunity to tell Derek firmly that he cannot injure his family by this sudden love affair. However, Derek and Nancy are deaf to her
Derek is busy putting up Christmas decorations in the Eye-catchers office, while their landlord for additional office space for the company. Simon explains to Derek that the two extra offices are for Nell, and for a new executive to be hired for Eye-catchers. Derek is dubious about a new person being brought in to the office, but Simon convinces him that the new executive will take many of the tedious duties from Derek's shoulders. Simon decides to talk to Nell about the need to recruit when he holds a board meeting at home that weekend. The meeting begins badly when Derek and Nell collide as they arrive in their respective cars. Samantha is in her room, revising for exams with a school friend, Tina. Tina suddenly bursts into tears, explaining to Samantha that she is upset because of rows in her family following her father's loss of his job in the promotions business. Nell agrees to the appointment of a new executive at Eye-catchers, and Simon explains afterwards to Samantha by what su
Simon has a number of problems to contend with. Derek is using the Eye-catchers office as a bedroom due to his fear of spiders at home; his wife Muriel is making him confront his fear by placing spiders near him. Derek has now moved into the office to get away from them. Simon and Samantha quarrel about how late Samantha comes home late from a party. Samantha is tired of living by Simon's rules and goes to move out and live with Nell.
Nell is not pleased when she has a visitor and does not want Samantha there. She has to stay at the Eye-catchers office too. Also, Simon is being pursued by a widow- Mrs White. She is let into the house by Isobel after a Simon had had an argument with her over Samantha. In a desperate attempt to escape from Mrs White, Simon climbs out of the window and flees to the Eye-catchers office and confides to Derek about why he is so hard on Samantha. Samantha, having stayed there too, overhears and the arguments are forgotten.
New neighbours move into the house next door to Simon and Samantha. Samantha notices the young boy of around her age. She introduces herself but he is short with her and they argue. The same day, Derek flirts with the woman who has moved into the office next door to Lyn. But Simon is annoyed by Derek's attitude and he himself is short with her. They are both having a difficult time with the neighbours.
Samantha, Nell and Isobel are playing poker when the boy from next door, Hugo, arrives to apologize. He stays for tea and he and Samantha chat. Derek also takes Lyn for lunch only to discover she talks about Simon all the time and that she is more interested in him. Derek is going on holiday soon and is worried that Simon and Lyn will become close. He tells Simon not to meet Lyn in his absence. But Simon has discovered that Lyn is Hugo's mother and that it might be a bit difficult not to bump into her.
Samantha returns late home from Hugo's house to discover that Simon is returning from an evening with Lyn. She discovers in the morning that Lyn had spent the night. Samantha tells Nell who advises Simon that if he wants to have a close relationship with the lady next door he may as well marry her. Simon tells Lyn about Nell's advice and she agrees and asks Simon to marry her. Simon returns home early to talk to Samantha about his proposal. He finds Isobel sitting on the sofa watching TV, and Samantha and Hugo locked in Samantha's bedroom. Simon rebukes Samantha and Hugo for their behaviour, but Hugo points out that Simon and Lyn's behaviour is not above reproach too. Simon says they are too young for a love affair. But both Hugo and Samantha confess they love each other. Simon feels instinctivlyt that events are moving too fast and he tells Lyn that he wants to let their affair cool for a while. When Simon tells Samantha of his decision, she admits that she and Hugo have cooled in the