The Large Family
The hilarious domestic chaos of an all-too human elephant family with big dreams, high hopes and enormous piles of laundry.
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My Cousin Little Luke
October 12, 2010
Mrs Large's sister, Lettie, has come to stay, bringing with her, her baby -Lucian. Luke quickly falls for Lucian (Little Luke as Lettie calls him) and determines he would like to look after him during their stay. When Mrs Large, Lettie and Laura all go out for the afternoon, Luke proudly accepts the role of Lucian's carer (though Mr Large is never far away). Unfortunately, although Lettie has assured them that Lucian normally sleeps all afternoon, this proves not to be the case today and soon the house is covered in chocolate mousse, torn up paper, broken biscuits and scattered furnishings (Lucy proves a good playmate for Lucian!). Fortunately Luke and Mr Large get warning of the girls' return and manage to tidy up and get Lucian back to sleep just in time. All looks quiet and peaceful, so Aunt Lettie can't quite understand why Luke doesn't want to repeat his child minding duties the next morning.
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The Old New Teacher
October 11, 2010
The children's normal teacher Miss Lovely is away, and they have anew, temporary teacher, Mrs Gray. She is much older and more traditional in her ways than Miss Lovely - she likes the children to be quiet, hard-working and obedient at all times. Perhaps not surprisingly Lester and Mrs Gray do not see eye to eye - Lester just cannot believe that anyone can be so serious all the time, and he takes it as a challenge when Sebastian bets him he can't make her smile. Unfortunately Lester's attempts to make her do so get him into even deeper trouble until one day, when Mrs Gray leaves her lesson plans on the bus, it is Lester who comes up with the plan to save the day, and finally makes her laugh.
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Mr Short's Christmas
October 7, 2010
It's Christmas Eve and all the Large Family are getting ready for a special Christmas Eve dinner - putting up the tree, decorating, cooking. Each of the children is also preparing a special surprise. Lester is busy going backwards and forwards to Mr Short's shop to get the last few groceries that Mrs Large has forgotten. But on his final trip, just before the shop is about to close, he finds that Mr Short is all alone with no company and just a sandwich to eat. A quick call home results in Lester preparing the biggest surprise of all the children - giving Mr Short the happiest Christmas he has ever had.
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A Relaxing Day
October 6, 2010
Mrs Large receives a voucher for a free day's pampering at the newly opened health spa in town. However, her day is somewhat spoiled by the unexpected presence of Mrs Smart, determined to show her neighbour how to enjoy herself! Meanwhile back at home, Laura who had desperately wanted to go with her Mum to the spa is delighted when Lester comes up with the idea of creating their own spa in the garden. And when Mrs Large returns she finds the home made spa much more to her liking.
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A Walk in the Woods
October 5, 2010
It's a beautiful day and Mr Large decides to take the family for a day of fresh air and exercise in the woods. The children are not enthusiastic, but Mr Large insists they will have a great time. Mrs Large however fancies a quiet day at home. The children are determined not to enjoy it, but first Lucy, then Laura and eventually the boys too are inspired by Mr Large's energy and enthusiasm. Meanwhile at home, Mrs Large's quiet day is interrupted by a visit from Mrs Smart and her insistence on them doing aerobics together. The end of the day comes, and Mr Smart and the children have to walk home, having lost the car keys. By now the children are bursting with enthusiasm and energy but Mr and Mrs Large are exhausted.
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Mrs Large's Big Night
October 4, 2010
Mr and Mrs Large are going to the school dinner-dance and Mrs Large goes off to have her hair done at Guido's salon as a special treat, leaving her one evening dress drying on the washing line. Unfortunately, during some rather boisterous activities in the garden, the children manage to cover it in paint and jam, and then make things worse by trying to scrub it off with pan cleaner! Just in time, Laura comes up with an idea to save the day (and the dress) by making it fashionably floral.
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Rotorwhizzers
October 3, 2010
Lester's old remote controlled plane now flies rather erratically. So when he sees that Sebastian has got a new "Rotorwhizzer ", the very latest flying toy, he is very envious. Determined not to be defeated, he sets about doing jobs for his neighbours, and soon saves up enough for his very own rotorwhizzer....only to find that everywhere has sold out. Lester is in the depths of despair until Sebastian pleads with him to help him get his rotorwhizzer down from the roof where it has got stuck. Maybe Lester's old plane is not so useless after all...
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Four Go Away Together
September 30, 2010
Mr and Mrs Large have been invited to a wedding so Granny and Grandpa have agreed that all four children can stay with them. Lester and Laura think it will be fun, but Luke is worried that he'll miss his Mum and Dad. To smooth over the situation Mrs Large offers a prize to either Lester or Laura, for whichever one proves to have been the best at looking after Luke. Luke's early unhappiness gradually disappears as Lester and Laura enter into the spirit of their Mum's idea, but when Mr Large's old toys are discovered in the attic, it is Luke himself who comes up with the idea that makes him forget all his earlier worries.
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Happy Birthday Luke!
September 29, 2010
It is only a few days until Luke's birthday. He makes a present list and issues his party invitations. Everyone accepts, including Peter Perfect. Luke is worried because Peter always has amazing parties. He decides he will have to rehearse all the games, and what about an entertainer? Peter will expect an entertainer. Luckily Mr Large offers his skills as a magician. Come the big day and all goes well in spite of Luke's worries. And Luke's life is made complete when the next day, Peter and his Mum call round to say just how great the party was, and how Peter has asked for one just like it next time around!
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Girl Power
September 28, 2010
Laura invites her friend Julia to play after school. Lester asks Mrs Large if he can have Sebastian round to play as well. But his Mum says one friend at a time is enough. Lester thinks this is very unfair and enlists Luke to help him have some fun, by disrupting the girls' activities. Mrs Large is not amused, and it's only the arrival of Mr Large back from work that prevents her blowing her top. Mr Large calms things down by suggesting that he organises a boys versus girls contest in the garden. The boys have no doubt who'll win, but they hadn't counted on the talents of the smallest girl in the family.
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The E-Factor
September 27, 2010
Mammoth Radio are holding a talent contest. Unfortunately children are not allowed to enter. But undeterred Mr and Mrs Large say they will enter instead. Mrs Large's self-penned song and Mr Large's jokes do not impress Lester, Laura and Luke! They decide that they can at least make sure their parents don't embarrass them. So Lester teaches his Dad to rap and Laura teaches her Mum to sing the Loud Girls' latest hit. Neither are great at first, but when they combine their talents all looks set fair, until an attack of stage fright on the night threatens to ruin everything. Can the children come to the rescue.
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The School Fete
September 26, 2010
The school's minibus breaks down, and the garage says that it is beyond repair. Miss Lovely is delighted when Lester comes up with the idea of having a school fete to raise money for a new one, and she suggests the child whose idea/stall takes the most money, can choose where to go for the first trip in the new minibus. Lester is determined to win and go to the Adventure Park; but Sebastian is equally determined to go to the seaside. Will Lester's "Gunge Machine" make more money than Sebastian's "Splat the Rat"? And how come Mrs Smart finds herself covered in gunge before the end?
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You Are What You Eat
September 23, 2010
Lester, Laura and Luke are having their supper. It's fish fingers and pasta - yet again. Mrs Large sighs and admits that that maybe she could be more adventurous. That evening she sees an advertisement in a magazine for cooking lessons with the great chef, Samuel Omelette. The next day she enrols and from then on the children are treated to more and more exotic dishes (which they like less and less), until in the end they have to find a way to curb their Mum's enthusiasm.
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Trendy Trouble
September 22, 2010
A new girl, Susan Special, arrives at the school and Laura is awestruck. Susan is so trendy! Laura can't help but want to look and act like her and she drives her family to distraction. On school non-uniform day Laura is determined to wear a dress like the one she saw Susan wearing at the weekend. But Mrs Large's well-intentioned efforts to make such a dress do not impress Laura's classmates. Laura is devastated by the reaction, but she cheers up when her whole family say they prefer her as she was and help her create something that is truly her. It is now Susan's turn to be impressed....
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Don't Do it Yourself!
September 21, 2010
A storm is forecast. In the night some tiles blow off the roof, creating a hole in the boys' bedroom ceiling, and damaging the drainpipe as they fall. In the morning, Mr Large says he can do the repairs himself! He manages to fix the tiles but climbing down the ladder, he drops a tile through the boys' bedroom window, and then slips and pulls the guttering away from the house. There is now twice as much to repair as before! Things go from bad to worse and he even ends up dislodging the tiles he fixed, when he tries to repair the hole in the boys' ceiling.
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Rock Star
September 20, 2010
Lester can't see the point of learning to play music, when you can just listen to it. But when Sarah expresses her admiration for her cousin Sebastian's trombone playing, and says how she's looking forward to attending the school concert next week, Lester rashly says that of course, he will be performing. Unfortunately, he finds that mastering Laura's recorder or Mrs Large's old trumpet is impossible in the time available. He decides he'd like to be a drummer but a drum kit is too expensive, and Mr Large's efforts to make one, don't sound great..! Lester is in despair until Laura suggests he uses the one instrument he doesn't need to buy or practise - his voice.
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Mrs Large's Birthday Boogie
September 19, 2010
It is nearly Mrs Large's birthday. The children want to know what Mr Large is giving her. He replies mysteriously that he intends to take her on "a trip down memory lane" - he has bought the last two tickets for a night of nostalgia at the Disco Delight, where he first met Mrs Large many years ago. But disaster strikes when he leaves the tickets in his trouser pocket and Mrs Large washes the trousers!! The tickets are ruined. Mr Large is in despair. But he hasn't counted on the resourcefulness of Lester, Laura and Luke who suggest they convert the garage into their very own disco.
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Dino Disaster
September 16, 2010
Mr Large takes Laura and a reluctant Lester to the dinosaur exhibition at the local museum, while Mrs Large enlists Luke to help her get Lucy to let her wash her favourite toy dinosaur ! Despite himself, Lester gets drawn into the dinosaur experience, especially when he discovers some of the exhibits are interactive. Meanwhile, disaster has struck at home - Lucy has fallen asleep but her toy dinosaur has disintegrated in the wash. Luckily, Laura's skill at the museum's dinosaur quiz (helped by Lester's computer game talents), wins her a prize, which saves the day when Lucy wakes up.
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Father's Day
September 15, 2010
It's Fathers' Day and Lester, Laura and Luke have all planned surprises for their Dad, surprises which unintentionally he almost spoils! Meanwhile, Mr Large has planned a surprise for Grandpa, his own father, and Grandpa unearths some presents Larry prepared for him many years ago. Grandpa and The Large Family all get together to end the day with a big tea party and some more surprise presents, while next door, Sebastian surprises his Dad with some unexpected artistic skills.
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Pachyderm Park
September 14, 2010
The Large Family are at Pachyderm Park. Lester promises Luke a really exciting day out, but when he bumps into Sebastian's cousin Sarah he forgets all about that and instead concentrates on trying to impress Sarah, without much success! Lester is frustrated, Luke is miserable. So they join forces and decide just to enjoy themselves with Laura and Dad - with such success that they forget to meet Mrs Large as pre-arranged. A chase around the park to try and find each other ends when Lester comes up with an ingenious plan and Luke's ring toss skills save the day.
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What a Load of Rubbish
September 13, 2010
Miss Lovely is organising a recycling campaign, and all the children are encouraged to come up with ideas to implement at home. Lester, Laura and Luke soon have it all organised, and Mrs Large is an enthusiastic convert. But Sebastian is not finding it so easy with his mother, who can't really see the point. Laura takes it on herself to persuade Mrs Smart to take part, and comes up with just the plan.
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The Babysitter
September 12, 2010
Mr and Mrs Large have been invited out to dinner and have arranged for Suzie Small to look after the children for the evening. But Suzie phones up at the last minute to say that she has flu, and can't come. In desperation, Mrs Large asks Mrs Smart if she can babysit, and to the children's horror, she accepts. At first Mrs Smart's determination to organise absolutely everything really irks the children. But then Lester has an idea! What would Mrs Smart do if the "new model" Large children gave her nothing to criticise or complain about ....
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The Play's the Thing
September 9, 2010
Mrs Large has had a hectic day and hardly responds when Lester, Laura and Luke enthuse about the play they have just watched at school. And to cap it all she has forgotten to buy anything for supper. As she dashes out of the house to get to the shop before it shuts, Lester suggests to the others that when she comes home they should put on a play to help her relax. So as Mr Large does the housework and on Mrs Large's return, cooks the supper, the children rehearse their version of Robin Hood. With Lucy as a very mischievous Baby Outlaw.
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Blackout
September 8, 2010
The Large Family are just settling down to watch "Super Elly" when suddenly all the lights go out. There is a power cut! Surprisingly, the Smarts' house seems not to be affected - the Smarts have their own generator. But despite Sebastian's pleas, Mrs Smart won't let Mrs Large use her cooker to make the supper. Determined not to be upset by Mrs Smart's meanness, the Large Family rallies round and Lester comes up with the idea of enlisting the whole street in a communal effort to cook supper. The result - a fantastic party at the Large's house, one that even the Smarts are reluctantly forced to join when Mr Smart overloads the generator and it explodes.
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While the Cat's Away
September 7, 2010
The Smarts have gone on holiday and Mrs Smart has entrusted Mrs Large with the care of her precious potted plants. All goes well until one day, feeling a bit tired, Mrs Large responds to the kind offer of Lester and Luke to water the plants for her. Unfortunately, Lester's plan to speed the process up with the use of the hose, results in disaster and a frantic race ensues to come up with a scheme to hide the damage before Mrs Smart's return.
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No Place Like Home
September 6, 2010
Granny has hurt her ankle and Grandpa has a cold, so Mr and Mrs Large suggest that they come and stay for a few days rest. Unfortunately, even with the best of intentions, life with the Large children can be anything but restful; and Mrs Smart's kind offer to let them sleep round at her house doesn't prove the relaxing experience they had counted on. They soon realise that sometimes there really is no place like home.
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Not Again
February 26, 2008
Lester, as usual, has left his latest homework project until the very last minute. And when it all starts to go wrong, it seems there is no hope for him.
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The Big Race
February 21, 2008
Mrs. Smart shows off her new designer tracksuit as she explains to Mrs. Large how it feels to be fit - which Mrs. Large wouldn't know anything about. Outraged, the Large family children challenge Mrs Smart to a race with their Mum - without telling Mrs Large.
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Me Too
February 20, 2008
Laura is trying to practise her recorder so that she can get into the school band. But at every stage she is thwarted by Lucy - why does she always have to look after her?
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Super Elly
February 19, 2008
Mrs. Large has promised to take the family to see the new Super Elly movie after she finishes all her jobs. Lester, Laura, Luke and Lucy are too excited to help - until Mrs. Large goes on strike.
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Mr. Short Takes a Holiday
February 14, 2008
When the Large family discover that Mr Short, the shopkeeper, has never had a holiday, they offer to look after the shop for him for a day.
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Sebastian's Cousin Sarah
February 13, 2008
Sebastian's cousin Sarah comes to stay for a few days, and Lester rather likes her though he would never admit it. Then on a trip to the park, Lester's skateboard skills come to her rescue.
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Baby Chilly
February 12, 2008
Mr, Large helps Lester, Laura and Luke build a snow elephant. Soon "Mr Chilly" is Lucy's new best friend. But what will happen when the sun comes out and Mr. Chilly starts to melt?
