Ep 3. Laura's Leaving

The Brittas Empire is a British sitcom about the disastrous management of Whitbury New Town Leisure Centre by the inept, pompous and occasionally rather charming Gordon Brittas (played by Chris Barrie). In season 3, episode 3 titled "Laura's Leaving," chaos descends upon the leisure center as Brittas and his team attempt to deal with the departure of one of their employees.

The episode opens with a disheveled Brittas standing in front of a whiteboard, frantically scribbling down ideas for how to keep Laura (Julia St. John) from leaving the leisure center to take up a new job elsewhere. As Brittas plots his next move, the chaos of everyday life at the leisure center unfolds in the background.

The staff is dealing with a number of crises, including an imminent visit from the mayor, a broken-down swimming pool, and various behavioral problems from the center's members. Amid all this, Brittas is increasingly desperate to keep Laura on staff, as he believes losing her would be a blow to the morale of the entire team.

As the episode progresses, it becomes more and more clear that Brittas's frantic attempts to keep Laura on staff are only making the situation worse. His grand gestures and poorly thought-out plans are causing chaos and confusion at the center, and threatening to drive Laura even further away.

Despite Brittas's best efforts, it eventually becomes clear that Laura's decision to leave the center is final. As she prepares to make her exit, the staff at Whitbury bid her farewell with a mix of sadness and relief. Brittas, for his part, seems unsure of how to feel - disappointed that he couldn't keep Laura on staff, but also relieved to have one less problem to deal with.

Overall, season 3 episode 3 of The Brittas Empire is a classic example of the show's blend of absurd humor and genuine emotion. As always, the hapless Gordon Brittas is at the center of the chaos, but the episode also offers a chance to see some of the other characters in action - particularly Laura, who proves herself to be a valuable member of the leisure center team. While Brittas's efforts to keep her on staff are predictably misguided, they are also genuinely touching, and show that even the most bumbling of managers can care deeply about their employees. All in all, it's a funny and heartfelt episode, and one that is sure to delight fans of The Brittas Empire.