Smell of Deceit

”Smell of Deceit” is the 3rd episode of Cleaner Close, originally airing in 2002.

Plot
Pat storms down Cleaner Close, struggling to keep her handbag on her shoulder. (Maybe she’s struggling because the bag is at capacity due to the box of Daz she’ll inevitable brandish later on. Ed.) Through narration, Tony Hirst tells us that Pat’s en route to confront Jackie Strong, who she suspects is sleeping with her husband, Mick. After breaking in to Jackie’s house (presumably — somehow Pat manages to get into the house and up the stairs to the bedroom with considerable ease), Pat finds Jackie in bed, and confronts her. Jackie behaves suspiciously as Pat seemingly changes the subject onto the new limited edition Daz Citrus Blast tablets. Concerned for her psychological well being (or just trying to cover her arse), Jackie asks if Pat’s “Feeling alright?” Pat weirdly sings the praises of the new Daz Citrus Blast tablets whilst sniffing the air. “Beautiful... fresh... unmistakable citrus fragrance. Out ya come, Mick!” Jackie and Mick have been rumbled, and immediately Mick steps out of the wardrobe wearing nothing but an almost evangelically white pair of underpants. The pants are too bright for Jackie, who shields her eyes. Mick apologises to Pat (“I’m sorry, babes”), as Pat continues to praise the new limited edition Daz Citrus Blast tablets (“Brilliant white, aren’t they Jack? Or hadn’t you noticed?”). In a series of freeze frames, Jackie throws the box of new limited edition Daz Citrus Blast tablets at Mick, and Mick runs out of the bedroom. As Mick chases after Pat down Cleaner Close, still only wearing his boxer shorts, Tony Hirst summarises: “So will new Daz Citrus Blast be fizzing through Jackie’s sheets? Will Mick’s fragrant boxers be back between Pat’s? Find out with Daz, the soap you can believe in.”

Cast

 * Tony Hirst as the Narrator
 * Martine McKitchens as Pat
 * Rachel Fielding as Jackie Strong
 * Matt Allwright as Mick

Reception
“Smell of Deceit” was met with overwhelmingly positive reviews. KT926 wrote, “I remember this one, it was the first one I ever saw”