Jonathan Smith’s intimate portrait of family life continues with mum Jane and dad Simon locked in a battle of wills with headstrong daughter Emily. As dawn creeps into the Hughes household, so does Emily, returning home after another night out on the town. But all the partying seems to be taking its toll, not just on Emily but on the rest of the family. During one argument, Tom notes that Emily has “gone into major angry mode” while Jane expresses the exasperation of mothers everywhere when she complains that her daughter “doesn’t take any notice of me”.

With her job looking like it’s come to an end, Emily takes time to reassess her life. In a moment of self doubt, she breaks down in tears and asks her father: “What am I doing? What am I doing with my life?” One of the things she isn’t doing, according to her parents, is pulling her weight around the house, and that, combined with another all-night disappearance, ratchets up the tension between mum and daughter. And the problems between Jane and Emily are affecting the rest of the house. “Is it ok for her to be so rude and aggressive all the time?” Jane asks Simon. “And stop standing up for her… you keep giving in to her all the time. It’s not ok and it’s not teaching her anything.” Can mum and dad restore peace without having to take the ultimate sanction: showing Emily the door?

Wednesday 15 October 2008, Channel 4 9PM