Season Four of My Family in hindsight is the best season of the show over its 11 seasons.
The writing is in its prime and lasts the whole 13 episodes however it's the last season with Kris Marshall as a regular as after Season four he begins to step back as a regular cast member and Nick Harper comes in and out of the story lines.
The first episode brings back Roger Bailey (Keiron Self)
as a principal character when he takes over the surgery below Ben's. He soon establishes a romantic interest with AbI that is one sided.
In the third episode we also meet a new version of Susan's mother, Grace Riggs (Rosemary Leach)
In a previous episode the role was played by Avril Elgar but Rosemary Leach continues the role for several seasons until the character is killed off late in the final series.
And in Episode #47 we meet Abi's father, Richard Harper (Anthony Head)
The character returns in a future series but is played by Nathaniel Parker.
The season also contains my favourite episode of all time #43 Friday the 31st set on Halloween. Susan gets right into it but Ben has no interest. Roger and Susan are brilliant frightening each other.
But the most interesting and controversial aspect of Season 4 was the 7th episode in the series Blind Justice which was banned from being screened in the UK and is still not able to be broadcast to this day. There were complaints about it discriminating and making fun of blind people which led to it being banned from ever being re-screened. It is however available on the DVD.
Nick has another array of jobs this season as a Film extra, Experiment volunteer, Wrapping Artist.
QUOTES
BEN: You wouldn't like her, she used to be a man
ROGER: How long ago?
SUSAN: He who laughs laughs, laughs laughs.
The full list of episodes are as follows:
#36 Fitting Punishment
Ben is appalled to find Roger Bailey is his new dental neighbour. Roger visits the house and falls for Abi. Michael joins the cadets and Nick becomes a film extra.
#37 They Shoot Harper's Don't They?
Susan fools Ben into taking Salsa classes however when he gets down there Susan realises that Ben is good at it and therefore better than her. Michael gets a B in a Maths test and freaks out.
#38 The Great Escape
Ben avoids Susan's mother at home but doesn't realise she is sleeping over in his bed. Nick has his own apartment and the whole family end up there to avoid Grace (Susan's mother). The state of hygiene nearly has them all throwing up.
#39 Return of the Prodigal Prat
Nick has plans to move back in but Susan wants to turn his room into a nursery for Janey's yet-to-be-born baby. He foils every renovation Ben does and Susan thinks he is doing nothing. Ben has also been listed as dead in the newspaper and Michael has to write his eulogy.
#40 Owed to Susan
Ben has to write a poem for Susan when she finds out the one that she thought he wrote was plagiarised. He attends Abi's poetry class to help and meets some very strange people. Nick gets a job taking part in experiments and loses his short term memory.
#41 Deliverance
Janey gives birth to her son Kenzo in this episode. On their way to the Manchester Hospital, Ben and Susan recall Nick's birth and how his name was chosen.
#42 Blind Justice (BANNED)
Susan gets hysterical blindness after finding Michael in bed with Fiona. Ben is on jury duty causing a stir, and Nick becomes a wrapping artist. Michael lies to Susan saying nothing happened and her sight is restored.
#43 Friday the 31st
Susan decorates the house for Halloween and dresses up but Ben wont play along. A group of trick-or-treaters wreak havoc for Ben and a couple of visitors spook things up. Abi dresses as a piece of cheese and Roger wears a sheet.
#44 Sitting Targets
Ben and Susan babysit Kenzo and Susan discovers everyone can stop him crying except her. Michael talks Ben into UFO watching and sets him up to believe in them. Nick ends up dating 3 girls at the same time.
#45 Loco Parentis
Susan decides to be more laid back as a mother after she is told after parenting classes she is too interventionist. Michael misses her discipline and begs her to go back to normal. Roger also toughens up to try and get Abi to notice him
#46 The Canary Cage
In yet another disastrous Harper holiday, Ben, Susan, Nick and Michael go to Spain. This time Ben's luggage is lost, his credit cards and money get stolen, and he gets in trouble with the law after photographing the woman next door's breasts.
#47 May the Best Man Win
Abi's father is getting married for the 5th time and he asks Ben to be best man. Abi is annoyed as his fiance is only 18 years old. Ben organises a disastrous Stag do that sees Susan jumping out of a cake at the wrong venue.
#48 It's a Window Filled Life
When Roger announces an outbreak of Ortiz River Fever Susan quarantines the house. Nick tries to break in with a pregnant Python and Ben manages to escape. In a bizarre twist he meets a man called Clarence who shows Ben his family would be no better off without him.
#49 Sixty Feet Under
When the Harper's get stuck on the tube due to signal failure they don't all handle it so well. Nick and Michael wander through the train and meet people and Susan decorates the carriage. Ben is dying for a drink and tries to steal a drunken bums booze while everyone is sleeping.
To sample season four, take a look at my favourite episode!
#43 FRIDAY THE 31ST
http://www.free-tv-video-online.me/player/gorillavid.php?id=qulz053997xv
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