The Good Life

- Season 4

(1977)

Margo and Jerry press Tom and Barbara to take a weekend at the posh flat of an out-of-country friend and care for the Goods' menagerie themselves.

The Goods' need of manure to replenish their garden leads to the discovery that Margo is not riding at the Pony Club when she claims to be, but rather entering an unmarked green door in town. When Jerry decides to share Margo's interests by joining the Pony Club himself, Tom and Barbara brace for an explosion.

Margo's last-minute draft of Barbara to speak at her club leads to invitations to speak at other locales, as well as a friendship with Lady Truscott which social-climber Margo envies.

With the ten pound profit they have made from selling produce the Goods go to Dorking with Margo and Tom buys a loom with which to make their clothes. Margo buys a spinning wheel but purely for decoration. When Jerry questions Barbara about Margo's extravagance he finds out about the spinning wheel,which leads to a rift between him and his wife.

Using the loom Tom makes himself a suit from spinning fleeces and dyes it green from boiled nettles. Jerry and Margo attend the retirement dinner for Tom's old boss 'Sir' but Jerry, vying with two others to be his successor, has left his speech behind. When Tom and Barbara bring it to the restaurant Sir believes they have come to see him off and is full of praise for Tom's time at the company. He invites the Goods to join the others - which means Tom removing his coat to display his new suit.

Margo sticks to her principles when she turns down the lead role of Sweet Charity in her local music group's production as she objects to playing a lady of easy virtue. Jerry on the other hand has no scruples in trying to discredit Snetterton,his rival for promotion. Inspired by Margo's example Tom telephones Mrs Weaver,who previously lived next door,to get her permission for him to use the oil in her central heating tank stored in the garden. Although she consent the Goods hit trouble when they find that the oil has leaked under the fence and into their soil.

With their goat not yielding any milk and much of the garden still soaked in oil Tom is in no mood to celebrate his birthday and the second anniversary of quitting his job. To get funds he and Barbara ask Margo to sell their record collection and learn from her that there has been a spate of burglaries in the area. The good news is that with Sir retiring - also to pursue self-sufficiency - Jerry has been promoted and the Goods celebrate at Margo and Jerry's. Returning home they find their house has been broken into and, though nothing was taken, severely vandalised. ...