Ep 8. The Mouth Trap

The Mouth Trap is the eighth episode of the fifth season of the British sitcom My Family, which originally aired on BBC One on October 29, 2004. The episode is directed by Dewi Humphreys and written by James Hendrie and Ian Brown.

In this episode, Susan (played by Zoë Wanamaker) is stressed out due to her upcoming book launch, which is just a week away. Ben (played by Robert Lindsay) tries to cheer her up by taking her out to a fancy restaurant, but things go awry when they order from a menu they can't understand and Susan accidentally orders a dish with fish eyes in it. Meanwhile, Nick (played by Kris Marshall) is annoyed when Abi (played by Siobhan Hayes) keeps nagging him about finding a job, so he decides to use his talents as a magician to earn some money. However, his first attempt at performing on the street is a disaster as he ends up accidentally swallowing a mouthful of coins and choking.

Later, Ben's goddaughter Emily (played by Holly Earl) comes to stay with the Harpers while her parents are away, but things get complicated when Michael (played by Gabriel Thomson) develops a crush on her. Janey (played by Daniela Denby-Ashe) tries to discourage Michael's advances by telling him that Emily is too old for him and that their parents would never allow it, but Michael is determined to win her over. Meanwhile, Nick's magic shows continue to go wrong, including a particularly disastrous one at a children's birthday party where he accidentally sets fire to the birthday boy's hair.

As the book launch approaches, Susan becomes increasingly paranoid about her appearance and becomes convinced that she needs to get plastic surgery. Ben and Janey try to talk her out of it, but she is adamant and goes to speak to a plastic surgeon. However, when she finds out how much the operation will cost, she changes her mind and decides to embrace her flaws instead. Meanwhile, Michael's attempts to impress Emily lead to a series of mishaps, including accidentally drenching her in water and getting them both stuck in a lift together.

In the end, Nick's magic show finally goes right when he performs a trick that impresses everyone, including Abi. Michael is heartbroken when Emily's parents come to pick her up and she reveals that she has a boyfriend her own age. Susan's book launch is a success and she is thrilled when her mother finally compliments her on her appearance. The episode ends with the family gathered around the table, enjoying a celebratory meal and reflecting on their various misadventures.