SERIES 2 - First Broadcast 2005

1. Bzzzzzzzzz

Janet's nephew, Dominic, is conducting a psychological study into workplace dynamics for his university thesis. As a basis for this, Janet has suggested that he shadow Robin for a day - a day he is now doomed to spend entirely in the smoking room.

First broadcast: BBC3, Tuesday 26th July 2005

2. No Place Like Home

It's the end of the working day, but a heavy snowstorm has brought chaos to public transport and gridlock to the roads, thus trapping everyone in the smoking room after hours.

Sharon is forced to spend an uncomfortable half hour in the company of her staff as she waits for her car to turn up - small talk not exactly being her strong point. Fortunately, Sally has been to the shops at lunchtime and happens to have bought a bottle of vodka; unfortunately the only thing she has to mix it with is a bottle of pasta sauce.

First broadcast: BBC3, Tuesday 2nd August 2005

3. 1987

Robin has discovered a box of photographs in his office dating back to the company brochure of 1987. A wave of nostalgia washes over the older smokers as they're reminded how they used to look nearly 20 years ago. Only Lilian enjoys the experience, being significantly slimmer and more glamorous now than she was then.

First broadcast: BBC3, Tuesday 9th August 2005

4. Smashed

There has been a break-in overnight and the smoking room has been vandalised. The police have been called, but in the meantime the smokers set about trying to identify the culprit themselves.

Led by Sharon, the finger of suspicion points at just about everyone in a skewed version of a classic 'whodunnit'. Robin hasn't helped his cause by turning up to work with a black eye, and doesn't appreciate it when his friends, or colleagues anyway, turn on him. Meanwhile, Sally and Annie have hatched a plan to turn the whole affair to their advantage.

First broadcast: BBC3, Tuesday 16th August 2005

5. Pity the Fool

It's April Fool's Day and despite Sharon's protestations, Head Office have given instructions that the occasion should be marked with suitable practical jokes to boost staff morale.

Janet has been issued with a box of 'amusing' props to distribute around the building, but the smokers are having none of it - for once, most of them share Sharon's viewpoint on this pointless enterprise.

Talk instead turns to the cruel jokes life plays on you, and the general mood isn't improved when Clint arrives, uncharacteristically down at heart and stubbornly refusing to share the source of his woes with his friends.

First broadcast: BBC3, Tuesday 23rd August 2005

6. Quitters

An anti-smoking seminar has been organised in the smoking room and all the smokers have been ordered to attend - not because Sharon fears for their health, but because too much time is being wasted on breaks.

The general atmosphere isn't helped when Derek, the unfortunate man charged with running the session, manages to alienate most of the smokers in turn with his overly jolly and patronising manner.

In the end even Sharon is moved to join forces with her staff to put an end to matters before they get out of hand.

First broadcast: BBC3, Tuesday 30th August 2005

7. Last Night a Graphic Designer Saved My Life

Sally has made the front page of the local paper by saving an old lady from a vicious mugger. Len and Clint are both slightly star-struck to be suddenly in the presence of a celebrity, whilst Robin wonders if all the attention might be going to her head.

Gordon arrives and immediately launches into some detailed and passionate advice on how to best exploit her new found fame, but then events take a sudden and dramatic turn that will test Sally's heroic qualities to the full.

First broadcast: BBC3, Tuesday 30th August 2005

8. Significant Others

Janet's new boyfriend Noel has unexpectedly asked her to marry him, and she has joyfully accepted. All of the smokers, or most of them anyway, are delighted for her - even more so when she decides to celebrate with champagne over lunch in the smoking room.

It's supposed to be a happy occasion but Robin is concerned that she might be rushing into things, and his constant sniping eventually causes Janet to snap - setting in motion a series of revelations that will change the lives of more than one of the smokers for ever.

First broadcast: BBC3, Tuesday 6th September 2005