The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin

Elizabeth has gone to stay with her sick mother so Reggie uses the opportunity for some afternoon delight with his glamorous secretary Joan, who proves herself to be up for it. Sadly, just as they are about to unleash their passions Reggie is visited, first by his layabout son, resting actor Mark, and then by Elizabeth's right-wing, scrounging brother Jimmy, wanting food. Eventually Joan, hiding from them in Reggie's bedroom, escapes down the drainpipe.

Reggie asks C.J. for a start-up loan to establish his shop Grot. C.J. thinks it's hush money to keep quiet about his hitting on Elizabeth and lends it to him. Grot sells highly unusual and often impractical things but people buy them,either because they are unique, such as square hula hoops, which in fact become a craze,or as presents for relatives they dislike, like Tom's turnip wine. Grot becomes a huge success and Reggie quickly has the wherewithal to repay the loan. However, when he returns to Sunshine Desserts to see his old boss he finds things have changed. Joan is now married to his former colleague Tony, and the firm is on the verge of collapse.

Reggie is about to open his fiftieth Grot shop whilst Sunshine Desserts has gone bust and is now a thing of the past. Generously Reggie decides to employ C.J. but makes him wait an extra week for his interview and enjoys having power over him. He asks Joan to be his secretary again but she and Tony are already having marital problems, which Reggie sorts out before employing them both. Elizabeth is annoyed that Reggie has yet to offer her a job with the shop, but eventually he does - even imagining her mother as a hippopotamus, just like old times.