Major James Prentis VC is a British spy of World War II and war hero who goes under the code name of "Shuttlecock". Alienated from his family and children, he ends up in a mental institution in Lisbon, Portugal.

One for the Road follows Jimmy, Paul, Richard and Mark who meet on a rehabilitation course for drink drivers. Jimmy is young, ambitious and desperate to sell his late father's business; Paul has been salesman of the year three times running, however, that was five years ago; Richard is a retired millionaire property developer and Mark is a taxi driver with a weakness for weed and philosophy.