The Story of Leonard and Hungry Paul Overview: A Calming Show With Narration from the Hollywood Star Brings a Great Cure to Today's World

In a calm neighborhood of the city, a man is standing outside his home, dressed in a vest and expressing his concerns. “I feel my voice is fading. Harder to see,” says the main character, staring toward the stars. “One thing’s led to another and at this point I believe without a change, my life will proceed in this quiet, unremarkable life.” Hungry Paul, Leonard’s best and only friend, reflects on these words. “There's no harm in that,” he responds, his dressing gown flapping gently. “Preferable to attempting to leave an impact only to wind up defacing it.”

For viewers exhausted by the noise and constant stimulation of current streaming offerings, this series steps in like a foil blanket and warming mug of Ribena.

In line with its quiet characters, Leonard and Hungry Paul – a six-episode comedy written by its authors, inspired by Rónán Hession’s subtle book – casts a critical eye at modern life; peering skeptically over its eyewear on everything that involves disturbances, quick actions or – goodness forbid – too much drive. The series on the contrary, a celebration of shyness; a gentle tribute of those satisfied to amble along out of the spotlight. But. He (one more uniquely quirky turn from Alex Lawther) is uneasy. He senses a growing “need to open the doors and windows in my existence … just a bit.” The passing of his parent has yanked the floor away from his feet and Leonard, an anonymous author, now finds himself reconsidering the choices which led him to where he is (alone; with a protective mustache; writing multiple kids' reference books for a man who concludes emails with the phrase “see you later”).

And so Leonard begins an exploration to find happiness, accompanied by the somewhat braver friend Paul (the actor) acting as his close companion, guide and co-conspirator in a weekly gaming session that serves both as discussion (“Is the pool warm because kids pee in it, or do children urinate as it's heated?”) and safe space.

(How did Paul get his nickname? It's unclear. The origin of the moniker appears lost in mystery. It could be that Paul once ate a snack very fast, or responded to a socially fraught incident by hastily opening four scotch eggs with his teeth).

Arriving in Leonard's calm existence cartwheels Shelley (Jamie-Lee O’Donnell), a fresh energetic associate who cheerily offers to eliminate Leonard’s appalling boss (the actor) in a workplace safety exercise. That whooshing sound you can hear is Leonard’s gentle world being turned upside down.

In other scenes in the first episode of the comedy driven less by plot and more on what the under-30s may refer to as “mood”, viewers encounter Hungry Paul’s dad (the ever-wonderful Lorcan Cranitch), a tired character who privately views, saves and reviews television game programs to impress his loving spouse with his general knowledge.

Shepherding us amidst this subtle warmth there is a voiceover that sounds very much like – and truly is – the Hollywood icon. Indeed, Julia Roberts. Should you wonder, “undoubtedly the presence of a major Hollywood star contradicts the show's modest approach and starts off as just an interruption?” you're right. However, the actress performs admirably, and dialogue for example “Leonard's challenge is his absence of a look of sudden insight” help ensure that early misgivings give way if not full admiration, then certainly understanding.

Enough complaining for now. The series' spirit is well-intentioned: that place is “sitting on a park bench alongside similar shows, indicating its favourite duck.” This is a show that moves gently in comfortable attire, sometimes gazing upward into space, at other times looking at its slippers, calmly assured that nothing is in the world as heartening as being with good friends.

Throw open the portals in your existence, slightly, and allow it entry.