At Home with the Braithwaites

More stylish absurdity with the Lottery (and award)-winning Braithwaites. This third series of spectacular family turmoil is set two months after the second, and although the reunited family is at relative peace, you won't be surprised that the harmony lasts about as long as a wine gum. Alison is knighted at Buckingham Palace for services to charity, but in one of several hilarious ground-swallowing moments, rebellious daughter Virginia pulls her trademark used-tissue face and announces she is going to be a father because her girlfriend Tamsin is pregnant. There's nothing quite like this soapy drama. It's well-driven by the female characters, and although the language may have taken a downward turn since last year, it successfully flits from farce to pathos and back again before you know it. Rich, for the time being.

This week, the Lottery-winning family from Yorkshire enjoy a peaceful picnic on the Dales. Only joking. As usual, the barmy Braithwaite army is the catalyst for an hour of furious drama. David accepts that Alison is having his brother's baby, while Sarah gets steamy in the stockroom with her teacher, Daniel. Virginia and Tamsin see their relationship splashed across the tabloids and Charlotte has a scrap at school. Also, the family attend baby William's christening (just), and Pauline quits the charity. Never a dull moment, then and, to top it all, the Euro Lottery want their money back. You may want to check your pulse in ad breaks. David comes up with one last solution to try to save his marriage. Meanwhile, Sarah's affair with Daniel lands her in trouble with Megan.

The Braithwaites were stunned that the Eurolottery was taking Dame Alison to court because her underage daughter illegally bought her winning lottery ticket. But everyone reckons she'll get off if she lies about who bought the ticket. And, as her viperish daughter Virginia points out, she's very good at lying. However, the whole vile, selfish family falls to pieces when events take a surprising turn. This is a powerful, engrossing episode, although there's a fantasy sequence involving Virginia that jars rather than enhances. A heavily pregnant Alison takes the stand at the High Court after the press finds out that her under-age daughter bought the winning ticket.

Virginia and Sarah get a shock when they discover each other's 'dirty' secrets tonight. And, of course, Megan's tangled up in it all. Alison and David are reconciled by a death in the family, but the funeral brings and unwelcome visitor. Sarah exacts a daring and inventive revenge on teacher Daniel.

Will Megan's involvement with Virginia lead to disaster? Can Alison resist Graham? Graham returns and attempts to get back with Alison who resists him despite the suspicions of David and Charlotte, while Tamsin finds Virginia with Meagan.

David and Graham hide in an inn where the owner tries to steal the bank money but has a heart attack instead, while Alison goes into labor.