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In a calm neighborhood of the city, a person is standing outside his home, sporting a vest and sharing his feelings. “I feel myself getting quieter. Harder to see,” remarks the main character, gazing toward the stars. “Circumstances have evolved and currently I believe without a change, my life will proceed in this quiet, unremarkable life.” Hungry Paul, his only confidant, ponders the idea. “Nothing wrong with that,” he replies, his robe swaying gently. “Superior to trying to make a mark and causing harm instead.”

For anyone exhausted by the bluster and rat-tat-tat of today’s TV terrain, this series steps in as a cozy wrap and a comforting beverage of Ribena.

In line with its gentle leads, Leonard and Hungry Paul – a six-part comedy written by the writing duo, inspired by the author’s understated 2019 novel – takes a dim view on contemporary society; gazing critically over its eyewear toward anything in the way of loud sounds, sudden movements or – heaven forfend – an abundance of ambition. The series rather, a celebration of shyness; a quiet celebration to people happy to pootle around below the parapet. But. The character (one more distinctly original turn by the actor) is unsettled. He senses a growing “urge to throw open the doors and windows in my existence … a little.” The loss of his parent has pulled the carpet out from under him and this young man, a writer for others, now feels reconsidering the choices that directed him to this point (alone; with a protective mustache; writing a range of children’s encyclopedias for a boss who concludes messages using the words “ciao for now”).

Therefore Leonard starts an exploration for emotional fulfilment, with the slightly bolder Paul (the performer) acting as his close companion, guide and co-conspirator in a weekly board games evening which acts as discussion (“Is the water heated due to children urinating, or do kids pee in it because it’s warm?”) and refuge.

(Why “Hungry” Paul? It's unclear. The beginning of the moniker seems forgotten to the mists of time. It could be that Paul on one occasion consumed some food very fast, or answered to a tense moment by panic-peeling some food items by biting into them).

Arriving in Leonard's calm existence comes a vibrant character (the performer), a fresh spring-loaded co-worker who cheerily offers to kill Leonard’s appalling boss (the actor) at a fire practice. The swift movement audible signals Leonard's peaceful routine experiencing a revolution.

In another part during the opening installment of the comedy not heavily plotted and centered around what a modern audience might call “vibes”, we are introduced to the older generation (the brilliant the actor), a worn-out individual who privately views, saves and reviews trivia competitions to dazzle his loving spouse through his fact recall.

Shepherding viewers amidst this minor-key niceness is a narrator that is unmistakably – and actually is – the famous actress. Truly, the celebrity. In case you're considering, “certainly the use of a major Hollywood star contradicts the show's modest approach and initially serves only as an interruption?” that's accurate. Still, the actress performs admirably, and phrases such as “Leonard’s problem is that he lacks an expression of discovery” assist in making sure that first reservations fade though not complete approval, then at minimum tolerance.

But that’s enough grumbling at this time. Leonard and Hungry Paul’s heart is well-intentioned: that place is “sitting on a park bench in the company of gentle comedies, indicating its preferred bird.” It’s a series that ambles along wearing its simple clothes, sometimes gazing upward at the stars, sometimes downward toward the ground, quietly confident that nothing is in life as cheering as passing time alongside good friends.

Unlock the entryways in your existence, a little, and let it in.