White Teeth (TV serial)

It is 1974, and recently divorced Archie Jones (Phil Davis) is one of life's losers, with a dead end job, who makes important life decisions on the toss of a coin. Archie's old war comrade, Samad Miah Iqbal (Om Puri) returns to fulfil an arranged marriage to a woman half his age, Alsana (Archie Panjabi). After being unable to find work, Samad reluctantly asks his cousin, Ardashir (Kammy Darweish), for a job in his restaurant, Curry Heaven.

Meanwhile, Jamaican-born, Clara Bowden (Naomie Harris), with the encouragement of her Jehovah's Witness mother, Hortense (Mona Hammond), proselytises door-to-door of the end of the world. When she meets Ryan Topps (Charlie Creed-Miles), she loses her virginity, abandons her religion and after an encounter with a commune takes up his rebellious ways. After Ryan and Clara have an accident in Ryan's scooter, Ryan himself becomes a believer. Merlin (Russell Brand) from the commune takes Clara from hospital to the End of the World party.

It is 1984, and Samad works as a waiter in his cousin's restaurant and is forced to sleep in the loft by his feisty wife, Alsana, who is on sex-strike.

After Samad meets Poppy Burt-Jones (Maggie O'Neill), his twin sons' teacher, on his way to a PTA meeting, a frustrated Samad embarks on a passionate, adulterous affair. Meanwhile, Millat, Magid, Josh and Irie deliver their harvest festival offerings.

It is 1992, and Millat (Christopher Simpson) is a 17-year-old, attractive, streetwise, drug-dealer, who is idolised by Archie's diffident daughter Irie, who is in turn adored by nerdy Josh Malfen (James McAvoy). When all three are caught with a joint at school, their punishment is study classes with Josh's eccentric parents, controversial geneticist Marcus (Robert Bathurst) and author Joyce (Geraldine James).

Alsana worries about Magid and resents Samad for sending him away. Samad is angered by Millat's rebellious behaviour and in a drunken rage burns Millat's belongings. Millat leaves home and moves in with the Malfen's. Irie gets a job as Marcus's secretary, and develops a desire to visit Jamaica to discover her roots. After Clara objects, Irie runs away and moves in with Hortense.

Samad's work colleagues, Shiva (Deepak Verma) and Mo attempt to recruit Millat into an Islamic sect, K.E.V.I.N (Keepers of the Eternal and Victorious Islamic Nation). Millat joins K.E.V.I.N after finding his girlfriend Karin (Annie Cooper)'s immodesty irritating. Joyce worries about Millat's disappearance and whereabouts. After being canvassed by Joely (Sophie Winkleman), a neglected Josh is smitten and leaves home to join F.A.T.E (Fighting Animal Torture and Exploitation), an animal rights group with plans for mouse liberation, whose number one target is Marcus.

In 1992, Magid arrives home and moves in with his benefactor, Marcus Malfen. They are preparing for the launch of Malfen's breakthrough in genetic engineering - FutureMouse, an £8 million, genetically modified, terminally-ill mouse. Joyce, concerned about Millat, suggests to Alsana that Millat and Magid should meet. Alsana blames the Malfen's for her sons leaving home, Joyce alleges that the Iqbal's were already dysfunctional provoking Alsana to assault Joyce.

When Irie goes to deliver the launch tickets to Millat, she finds him naked and has sexual intercourse with him. When Millat regrets his actions, Irie runs to Magid and has sexual intercourse with him. Later, Irie, disgruntled by Marcus's sexist treatment of her, gives Hortense launch tickets for the Jehovah's Witnesses to attend. F.A.T.E are stopped by police, so Josh and Joely drive away leaving the other members behind.

At the FutureMouse launch: Magid reunites with Alsana, and Marcus introduces his mentor, Professor Archibald (the Devil of Dachau (Vernon Dobtcheff), who Archie was supposed to have killed during the war). Josh and Joely capture the mouse. Whilst attempting to shoot Marcus, Millat changes his mind and fires at the mouse cage subsequently shooting Archie. Archie survives due to a coin in his pocket.