 The episode 's action revolves around the practical joke involving the cake and , in particular , viewers ' attempts to guess what has caused injury , as they know that the paramedic will be coming . Both Angela and the alcoholic Carol are " ticking time @-@ bomb [ s ] " . Angela is the central character , and is similar to a more anxious version of Sue Brockman , Skinner 's character from Outnumbered . She is stressed and obsessive @-@ compulsive , but aspirational , fastidious , and dutiful . The comedy critic Bruce Dessau compared Ashbourne 's characterisation of Carol to Elizabeth Taylor 's characterisation in Who 's Afraid of Virginia Woolf ? ; as the episode progresses , Carol becomes increasingly abusive . Commentators variously described Pat as " appalling " , " tiresome " , an " irritating tit " and " an insufferable booby " . For Chris Bennion , writing in The Independent , Pat 's character is more complex : " Behind Pat 's cheesy jokes and schoolboy tomfoolery lies a desperately sad and dignified man , standing by and caring for a wife whose love for him has long gone . " Pat and Carol , for Pemberton and Shearsmith , have a more honest relationship than Jim and Angela , despite the problems in their relationship . 
