Will Brian heed Debbie’s advice to consider retirement? Will Kate ever get the message?

Radio Times: There’s a party at Home Farm, and Debbie realises what she has been missing.

Characters: Adam, Brian, Charlie, Debbie, Helen, Ian, Jennifer, Kate, Peggy

• At Home Farm, arrangements are underway for Debbie’s party, Kate is starting on the wine early while Jenny hopes that it all passes off amicably. Charlie Thomas walks in having had a meeting with Brian. He admits to being disappointed. Debbie walks in and meets Charlie for the first time.
• Arriving for the get together, Ian urges Adam to go carefully with his plans for Home Farm, and Brian in particular, but Adam’s still basking in his new role as arable supremo. They meet up with a very elegant Helen as they go in.
• Debbie is delighted to embarrass Charlie, reminding him of her sacking by email. He eventually admits to a tinge of regret, having met her, and makes a sharp exit. He’s not at all what Debbie expected! Elsewhere, Brian is dispensing champagne and Kate is getting progressively “merry”. Peggy arrives and Jenny ushers them all into the garden.
• Outside, the general conversation is about weddings, Adam and Ian’s and Helen and Rob’s. Helen also mentions Tony’s relinquishing of the day to day running of the farm. It’s Brian’s cue to leave to refresh his drink. Debbie follows him. Suddenly, the air is full of Kate shrieking at Phoebe in the house.
• Jenny suggests that a garrulous Kate should take a little water. Peggy’s treated to a Kate diatribe about how her mother is urging Phoebe to go on the pill. Peggy is aghast. Jenny defends her actions on the grounds of having a mature conversation with her granddaughter, which is more than Peggy did with her. Apologising quickly, she hopes that the evening will bring no more quarrels.
• Debbie joins a disheartened Brian. She’s decided to stay on for a few more days. She gently tells him that passing the arable to Adam isn’t an attack on Brian, it’s just seems like the natural thing to do. Look at what Tony’s done. Adam must take his turn at moving things forward. At 71, Brian should relax and enjoy life. Perhaps it really is time to retire.