Leonard and Hungry Paul Review: A Gentle Show With Narration from the Famous Actress Provides the Perfect Cure to Modern Life

In a peaceful neighborhood of the city, an individual is standing outside his home, wearing a tank top and sharing his feelings. “It seems like I'm becoming more silent. Less noticeable,” states Leonard, staring toward the stars. “Circumstances have evolved and now I believe unless I take action, I will continue in this simple, peaceful routine.” His friend Paul, his closest confidant, ponders these words. “Nothing wrong with that,” he answers, his robe moving gently. “Superior to striving for recognition and causing harm instead.”

For viewers exhausted by the chaos and fast pace of today’s TV offerings, Leonard and Hungry Paul comes like a warm cover and warming mug of blackcurrant juice.

Similar to its quiet characters, the series – a six-episode program created by Richie Conroy and Mark Hodkinson, adapted from the author’s understated book – takes a dim view toward today's world; looking disapprovingly over its spectacles toward anything related to unnecessary noise, abrupt changes or – goodness forbid – too much drive. The program is, instead, a celebration of shyness; a quiet celebration of those content to pootle around out of the spotlight. However. The character (a further uniquely quirky performance by the actor) feels restless. He notices a creeping “urge to throw open the doors and windows in my existence … just a bit.” The recent death of his mother has whisked the rug out from under him and this young man, a ghost writer, now finds himself doubting the choices that directed him to where he is (unattached; defensively moustached; creating multiple children’s encyclopedias for a man who concludes emails using the words “goodbye for now”).

And so Leonard begins an exploration for personal satisfaction, alongside his more outgoing Paul (the performer) acting as his close companion, guide and co-conspirator during their regular game night that serves both as discussion (“Is the water heated due to children urinating, or do kids pee in it because it’s warm?”) and sanctuary.

(How did Paul get his nickname? No idea. The origin of the nickname is shrouded in mystery. Perhaps he previously devoured a snack unusually quickly, or responded to a tense moment by nervously peeling several snacks by biting into them).

Entering Leonard's quiet life bursts Shelley (Jamie-Lee O’Donnell), a new spring-loaded associate who lightheartedly proposes to get rid of Leonard’s appalling boss (the character) in a workplace safety exercise. The rushing noise noticeable is Leonard’s gentle world undergoing a shake-up.

In another part in the initial show of this program focused less on story and more by what a modern audience may refer to as “atmosphere”, we meet Hungry Paul’s dad (the consistently great the actor), a tired character who privately views, records then replays trivia competitions to dazzle his loving spouse through his fact recall.

Guiding the audience through all this gentle kindness there is a voiceover that sounds very much like – and actually is – the Hollywood icon. Truly, the celebrity. In case you're considering, “certainly the use of such a famous actor clashes with the series’ unshowy MO and initially serves only as a diversion?” you're right. Nevertheless, Roberts does a good job, and lines for example “Leonard's challenge is that he lacks a ‘eureka’ face” help ensure that first reservations yield though not complete approval, then at least acceptance.

But that’s enough grumbling for now. The show's core is in the right place: the right place being “sitting on a park bench in the company of gentle comedies, showing its preferred bird.” This is a show that ambles along wearing its simple clothes, sometimes gazing upward into space, sometimes downward at its slippers, calmly assured that nothing is in life as uplifting as being alongside good friends.

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