In a quiet area of Dublin, a person can be found outside his home, sporting a tank top and voicing his thoughts. “I notice myself getting quieter. Less noticeable,” remarks Leonard, gazing up at the night sky. “Circumstances have evolved and at this point it seems if I don’t do something, my life will proceed in this simple, peaceful routine.” Paul, his only companion, ponders the idea. “That's perfectly fine,” he replies, his bathrobe swaying in the breeze. “Superior to striving for recognition only to wind up defacing it.”
For anyone weary by the noise and fast pace of today’s TV terrain, this series arrives like a cozy wrap with a hot drink of a sweet cordial.
In line with its harmless protagonists, this comedy – a six-episode show developed by the writing duo, adapted from the author’s understated book – takes a dim view at modern life; peering skeptically above its eyewear at anything that involves unnecessary noise, quick actions or – heaven forfend – an abundance of ambition. The series rather, a celebration of shyness; a gentle tribute to people happy to wander out of the spotlight. However. The character (one more uniquely quirky performance by the actor) feels restless. He feels an increasing “urge to throw open the entryways of my life … a little.” The passing of his parent has whisked the rug from under his slippers and the 32-year-old, a writer for others, now realizes questioning the choices which led him to his current situation (single; defensively moustached; writing multiple educational volumes for a boss who concludes correspondence using the words “goodbye for now”).
Thus Leonard begins himself on a quest for personal satisfaction, accompanied by the somewhat braver Hungry Paul (the performer) serving as his close companion, mentor and partner in a weekly gaming session that serves both as symposium (“Does the pool feel warm due to children urinating, or do kids pee in it since it's warm?”) and sanctuary.
(How did Paul get his nickname? No idea. The source of this name is shrouded in history. Maybe Paul on one occasion consumed some food very fast, or reacted to a socially fraught incident by nervously peeling some food items with his teeth).
Into Leonard’s gentle world comes Shelley (the performer), a recent spring-loaded co-worker who cheerily offers to eliminate Leonard’s appalling boss (the character) at a fire practice. The swift movement noticeable represents Leonard's calm life experiencing a revolution.
Elsewhere in the initial show of the comedy focused less on story and centered around what the under-30s may refer to as “mood”, we are introduced to Paul's father (the ever-wonderful Lorcan Cranitch), a worn-out individual who covertly observes, tapes and rewatches television game programs to amaze his loving spouse using his trivia skills.
Guiding the audience amidst this gentle kindness is a narrator that is unmistakably – and truly is – Julia Roberts. Indeed, the star. In case you're considering, “undoubtedly the inclusion of a big-name celebrity contradicts the program's low-key style and at first acts merely as a diversion?” that's accurate. Still, Roberts does a good job, and phrases for example “Leonard's challenge is that he lacks a ‘eureka’ face” help ensure that initial doubts give way if not full admiration, then at minimum tolerance.
Enough complaining currently. Leonard and Hungry Paul’s heart is in the right place: that place is “located on a seat alongside similar shows, showing the duck it loves.” The program that moves gently in its sleeveless jumper, at times staring toward the sky, at other times looking at its feet, quietly confident that nothing is on Earth as heartening as being alongside dear pals.
Unlock the entryways in your existence, just a bit, and welcome it inside.
Lena Hoffmann is a seasoned journalist with a passion for uncovering stories that matter, specializing in German current affairs and digital media trends.
