2 Point 4 Children - Series 1

Willemena (known as 'Bill') holds the fort in the Porter household juggling a job in the bakery with housewife duties as her husband Ben earns his share running a heating repair service. They have two children Jenny and David.

Released in 1991, 2point4children series 1 holds up for the most part over 20 years on. This means there are some dated media references of the day like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and MC Hammer but the plot-lines remain solid, choosing an almost detached sense of timing when incorporating drama and comedy. The surrealism, though important to the plot, doesn't quite gel for me but that may be an execution thing more so than anything else (the mysterious biker could have been better cast for example).

Belinda Lang is the stand-out in this series as the strong-minded woman in a world full of immature men, pretty much being the glue that keeps everything together. Gary Olsen's supporting role compliments Lang's well with his balance of immaturity, naivety, stubbornness and oblivious contentment.

The children are played with enthusiasm by Claire Woodgate and John Pickard. Their characters are more one-dimensional and conventional but are still as important to the plot as anyone else and not there merely for the sake of the title. Bill's friend Rona (played by Julia Hills) starts off as a sexually active stereotype but you learn more about her as the series continues. Liz Smith as Aunt Belle seems to be wasted but that may be because I felt she played a similar role better in 'The Royle Family' as Norma.

Overall, if you can get past the clunkiness of the separate elements working together in this series (drama, comedy, surrealism) you will find it is a nice light-hearted watch that will bring a smile to your face even if most of it may not make you belly laugh.