Martha Elliott is a clever, determinedly single, borderline anal retentive who lives with her family: a silent father, a mother who does not notice her, a sister who is inveterately stoned, and a younger brother who makes Martha want, in her own words, 'to disembowel him'. She's not too bad at number crunching, but in the kitchen she is a true artiste, albeit more domestic gorgon than domestic goddess.