Expansion Plans

Expansion Plans is the third episode of the first series and the third episode overall. It aired on January 19th 1989.

Summary and Plot
Michael believes the shop needs more employees and introduces Tony, who later is hired by Desmond as an assistant.

Desmond is finishing up a haircut on a young boy, Peter, asking how he likes it. Peter breaks into tears just as his mom walks through the door. Complaining how "old-fashioned" it looks, the mother stuffs the payment in Desmond's hand, grabs her son, and storms out of the shop. Desmond is confused, reminiscing, ''"there was a time when people wanted a haircut. Now they want it styled!" ''Shirley assures him that times change.

After a brief argument with Matthew on the style of the shop, Desmond kicks the broken chair and calls in the next person - but no one wants him to cut their hair anymore. Porkpie and Desmond head out shopping. Shirley and Sean have an argument over Sean's coat and she demands he take it off, which he does, but soon comes back down with it stuffed into his backpack.

At the grocery store, Desmond and Porkpie are trying to unlock a trolley from the return area, a line forming behind them. However, upon seeing Lee and Gloria getting pulled over by the police, they rush over to find out what is going on. Meanwhile, back at the barber shop, Michael comes in, commenting on the efficiency and image of Desmond's. ''"We have to convince father to move with the times." ''Shirley disagrees and asks him to hold back.

When Desmond comes back, he chases his only customer out, resulting in an argument with Michael over their image. During a family meeting Michael explains that they need a partner, someone else to work with Desmond. ''"No." ''Beside him? ''"Well..." ''Under him? ''"Ah, well. Yes." ''And so Tony swaggers into the shop, leather jacket and all.

Later that night, Desmond is trying to fix the broken chair with the (not-so-helpful) help of Porkpie when it suddenly slips and slams down on his fingers.

The next morning, as Shirley is mending Sean's trousers and Gloria is thinking about Tony, Lee comes into the kitchen with a box of solar powered calculators - but they need sunlight in order to function. He runs off, inisistent that Matthew will buy one. Then Shirley finds a racoons tail in the pocket of Sean's trousers, a knife hidden inside. When she confronts him about it, he claims it's a sort of token and that they "don't use it as a knife ''knife!" ''Shirley confiscates it, despite Sean's protests.

With Desmond's hand injured, he is unable to cut hair and must rely on Tony. He gives Tony the "troublesome" chair and explains, ''"rule number one: nobody uses my chair." ''He attempts to direct Tony to his supplies but the younger barber has his own tools - loads of them. Louise comments about Tony, ''"men like that aren't to be trusted. They use their good looks to walk all over women." Gloria counters, "he can walk all over me any old time," ''and Louise giggles an agreement. Their sentiment isn't only shared by the girls - when Tony calls for his first customer, three customers step forward.

The profits raised considerably with the addition of Tony, much to Desmond's dismay. When the rest of the family exits upstairs, Lee enters the front doors, dragging an obviously drunk Sean with him. Sean is moping about how he didn't pass an initiation for the Beastries (?). Desmond tells him about a time, when he was a little older than him, where nearly the same thing happened. He wanted to join a band but they wouldn't let him as he had a second-hand trumpet, not a new one. So the young Desmond went and formed his own band.

Quotes
"I got something for ya, Des."

"My name is Des-mond."


 * - Tony and Desmond

Main Cast
Norman Beaton as Desmond Ambrose Carmen Munroe as Shirley Ambrose Geff Francis as Michael Ambrose Justin Pickett as Sean Ambrose Kimberly Walker as Gloria Ambrose

Secondary Cast
Ram John Holder as Porkpie Gyearbuor Asante as Matthew Dominic Keating as Tony Robbie Gee as Lee Stanley Lisa Geoghan as Louise Dixon