The series stars Claire Skinner and Hugh Dennis as the parents of three headstrong children (played by Tyger Drew-Honey, Daniel Roche, and Ramona Marquez), while attempting to navigate everyday life.
It is Tuesday morning in the Brockman household and also Jake's (Tyger Drew-Honey) first day at secondary school and he doesn't want to be late, but Pete (Hugh Dennis) has difficulty getting Ben (Daniel Roche) to leave the house as he won't put his father's power drill down to take to an adjusted date of show and tell.
It's Karen's birthday and the whole family including Auntie Angela and Grandad (David Ryall) are treated to a typically stressful day at an urban farm, after school.
Meanwhile, Pete continues his struggle with a sensitive fat Turkish boy and his parents while also trying to convince Ben and Karen he is, in fact, not racist.
Karen has a friend, Alexa (Danni Benattar), round whose mother Jane (Hattie Morahan) is very late picking her up and then stays for a drink.
Tired of her mother's nagging, Karen decides to leave home for Spain, Greenland or possibly Dorking, while Jake's issue with bullying is resolved.
New characters in the second series include Barbara (Lorraine Pilkington), the next door neighbour who is meant to be brilliant at raising her children and always highlights Sue's problems,[1] and Jo, a female friend of Jake's, played by Michaela Brooks.
Karen mourns the death of a mouse killed by Sue while trying to understand the need for Gordon Ramsay's swearing, Ben bribes his classmates with his pocket money for their votes when he stands for election as class rep and Jake causes Sue to worry when he brings home a friend who is a girl (Michaela Brooks) for tea.
Meanwhile, Pete and Sue have to worry about money, chest pains, their single friend Jane who is using them as a free babysitting service, and the superior mother next door (Lorraine Pilkington).
The parents plan to have a quiet night out and leave the kids with Draxi, a Croatian babysitter (Anna Koval), but Karen thinks that they are being financially irresponsible.
Sue is pleased with her new boss, Ben is refused entry to Karen's imaginary restaurant, Jake is advised by Grandad not to invade Russia, and it is discovered that Pete has been doing something unsettling on the internet.
Karen questions Jane's (who actually turns up early for lunch much to Pete's shock) Christmas present to the family - a goat which has been given to people in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Another new recurring character throughout the series is Kelly (Anna Skellern), a young woman who lives nearby on whom Jake has a crush.
Ben thinks up a new game ("spot the chav" and later, "spot the lesbian"), Karen is unimpressed with modern art, Jake suffers serious trauma when he is unable to text and gets moody with Pete, Pete uses a visit to HMS Belfast for a brief re-enactment of World War II and Sue is embarrassed twice during trips to the toilet.
Pete finally gets to play tennis with mates after a double booking occurs, but after a substitute player (Michael Fenton Stevens), Karen and Ben turn up, it all ends in a big argument.
Pete is suffering from a terrible hangover from a work-do the night before, and it seems worse as he struggles against a rising tide of superstition, astrology and conspiracy theories that seem to be taking over the family.
Auntie Angela has returned from America yet again but this time it is for a visit with her new American husband Brick and his daughter Taylor-Jean, and they are having dinner with the family.
There is a lot to discuss at Ben's parents' evening including muggings, skunk, dangerous chemicals and re-enactments of the Great Plague.
Note: The first of a 2-part story; this episode aired on a Thursday instead of a Friday As the family tries to get rid of Auntie Angela and step-cousin Misty, a wise, tall 15-year-old German exchange student called Ottfried arrives to stay.
As they prepare to enter the house, Sue acknowledges that since they missed the flight, she wouldn't have to worry about being too far away from her father, who she suddenly decides to visit to avoid facing Jane and Jason.
Pete protests at them deliberately avoiding Jane and Jason, before quickly changing his mind and joining them, as they visit Frank in hospital again.
The Brockman family have decided to foster a sense of community by throwing a Christmas party for their neighbours (some of the guests dropped out because of a winter vomiting bug).
Gran springs a surprise visit on the family, an unwell Jane shows up, whilst Jake seems to have fallen in with the wrong crowd.
Karen would rather be playing online poker (illegally) than taking part in the celebrations, while Ben is enthusiastically left in charge of the party games, ranging from Swingball to blind football.
Sue struggles to maintain a work life balance (mainly because her children keep going missing) while Pete battles with a mobile phone that has a mind of its own.
Meanwhile, Jake is attempting to get home without money or transport, Ben encounters a Chinese horde and Karen has a life-changing conversation with her headmistress.
Stacey is back, Ben chickens out of his starring role in Spartacus: The Musical and Karen still hopes her escaped hamster will be found.
It is Boxing Day and the Brockman family have to carry out a special mission in Grandad's memory, only to get into a car crash and get stuck at a nearby pub.
Then, as Jake and Pete had alcohol and Sue is injured, Ben has to drive them to Grandad's spot, only to discover it is now the site of a historical re-enactment.