the programme centres on life in birch avenue, putney, london, where stationery salesman sid abbott (sidney james) and his wife jean (diana coupland) live with their teenage children. mike, the son, played by robin stewart, is fresh from art college and is more pre-occupied with protests than finding a job. the daughter, sally, played by sally geeson, who is younger than mike, is trendy and her parents are continually worried about her relationships with 'boys'. sid and jean constantly battle to comprehend the new generation's permissive ways and are usually out-of-touch. their neighbours and best friends are trevor (anthony jackson) and his wife betty (patsy rowlands).