The Durrells

Louisa Durrell's life is in meltdown. Her four unruly children are going off the rails. 11-year-old Gerald is about to be thrown out of school, Larry, the eldest is a would-be novelist but the worst estate agent in Bournemouth and the middle two, neurotic Margo and gun mad Leslie are hitting adulthood like a car crash. It is 1935 and a woman's options are limited. Much to Larry's bemusement she takes his flippant advice and makes a radical change by whisking her family away to the sun drenched island of Corfu. A cheap and untamed paradise - which also happens to have no electricity.

Having barely enough money to survive they find themselves relying on charismatic local, Spiro Hakaiopulos. Spiro not only finds them a ramshackle house to live in, he also installs Lugaretzia as their home-help who is very cheap but a complete hypochondriac.

Despite the beauty of the island, the children soon fall back into their old ways. Corfu provides the perfect inspiration for Larry's writing and he exacts his revenge on Leslie who insists upon shooting at anything and everything, driving the family mad. Margo takes advantage of the idyllic weather but soon runs into trouble with a local monk and has to use her feminine guile to win him round. Words fail Margo however, when Larry's wealthy, party loving friends Max and Donald arrive and she finds herself instantly besotted with Max.

For Gerry the island is his paradise. Rich in exciting species he happily spends his days exploring with Roger the dog and his new found friend and kindred spirit, Dr Theodore (Theo) Stephanides. Much to the family's bewilderment the terrace is soon filled with an eclectic menagerie of animals (pelican and tortoise) and insects (wolf spider), which Gerry eagerly brings home to study.

Believing their mother needs a love interest, Larry invites Captain Creech for dinner. However, his suitability for Louisa's affections quickly proves doubtful when it appears that Larry has brought an old sea dog to the table.

Unable to pay the landlord to fix their dilapidated house and fed up of existing on kumquats, Louisa demands the children forage for anything they can sell – something they do with little success.

With Theo away, Leslie in love and Larry finishing his first novel, Gerry seeks out a father figure in an unlikely form. Mysterious Kosti Panapoulos is a convict out on weekend release and the two bond over wildlife. Kosti takes a keen interest in Gerry and gives him his huge gull, ‘Alecko' to look after and together they catch, ‘Old Plop' a terrapin. When the family learn that Kosti allegedly murdered his wife and lost his son as a result Louisa wonders what his agenda is. When Gerry disappears Louisa fears the worst has happened to him.

Keen to distract her attention away from the opposite sex, Louisa finds Margo employment at the surgery but she proves to be hopelessly squeamish and terrible at filing. A chance encounter with the exotic recluse, Countess Mavrodaki and her dapper butler, Dennis, highlights where Margo's real talent lies.

Named the ‘best child' by Lugaretzia, Leslie delights in the food she makes especially for him – at the expense of his burgeoning waistline. Together with a lovingly prepared picnic and a newly acquired pink bike, Leslie heads to Alexia's to celebrate their two-month anniversary only to find her in the arms of her former boyfriend. Louisa suggestion that Larry take the distraught Leslie out backfires. Not only do the brothers have little in common, but Alexia and Stratos arrive which is a red rag to a bull for Leslie un-used to alcohol and Corfiot bars.

Desperate to harvest their olives, Louisa asks Sven for his advice but their fledgling relationship falters when they argue over his much loved accordion. Sven swallows his pride and apologises. Despite starting on shaky ground there is a much wanted thawing to their relationship.

Leslie falls in with a bad crowd and ends up being falsely accused of armed robbery, prompting Louisa to take desperate measures to save him. Margo takes a shine to a gardener at the Villa Mavrodaki, Captain Creech returns, and the family realises the extent of Gerry's passion for animals when he turns his bedroom into a centre for scientific learning.

Just when life is looking good for the Durrells, Louisa learns her domineering Aunt Hermione, Hermione's neurotic niece, Cousin Prue and Prue's lumpen husband, Geoffrey will be visiting. As true Anglophiles they complain about the primitive nature of the island and view what the family are achieving with distaste. Hermione is unimpressed that when Larry isn't furious about his latest book rejection, he spends his entire time in his bedroom with his newly arrived girlfriend, Nancy.

Sven survives a grilling by his potential new family and passes with flying colours.