TV: Friday Night Dinner, C4

Is there a sitcom at the moment with a stronger cast than Friday Night Dinner? Tamsin Greig and Paul Ritter both have CVs that stretch from classic comedy to proper drama (Ritter was seriously brilliant in Chernobyl), while Simon Bird, Tom Rosenthal and Mark Heap all have comic chops coming out of their ears so to speak. 

So it feels like quite an achievement for creator Robert Popper to get them all back together for a sixth series. But then with scripts as rude, shouty, sharp and funny as this it is no surprise they said yes. The new series kicks off in style with some classic domestic chaos in the Goodman household. There is lots of big news to get across too. Firstly Jonny (Rosenthal) and Adam (Bird) both have girlfriends simultaneously, which they don't want to tell mum Jackie (Greig), though of course when they do she is delighted and can't wait to meet her future daughters-in-law round. 

More importantly, however, dad Martin (Ritter) has bought a filthy old caravan, variously referred to as a "dustbin on wheels" and a "murder van", and dumped it in the drive. But worst of all, no sooner is he in it than he has got his shirt off and is trying to persuade everyone to have dinner in it, smuggling food out of the kitchen whenever Jackie is not looking.

You know everything is going to end in tears, particularly when very early on we see that there is a sewage team working on a drainage problem nearby. But rest assured things don't necessarily work out as badly as you think. They work out even badlier, with some gloriously gross humour spoiling Jackie's meal. Let's just say Martin's catchphrase "shit on it" has never been more apt. 

Oh, and one other spot of news. Jim (Heap) has a new dog following the tragic demise of Wilson. The name was revealed tonight, but in case you haven't watched it I won't make a stink about it just now. 

Friday Night Dinner, C4, Fridays from March 27, 10pm. 

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