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In a peaceful suburb of the city, a person stands outside his home, dressed in a vest and expressing his thoughts. “I feel my voice is fading. Harder to see,” remarks the main character, staring up at the night sky. “Events have unfolded and now it seems if I don’t do something, I will continue in this minor, harmless existence.” Paul, Leonard’s best companion, considers the idea. “Nothing wrong with that,” he responds, his dressing gown swaying with the wind. “Superior to trying to make a mark and ending up damaging things.”

For those exhausted by the chaos and fast pace of today’s TV terrain, this series arrives similar to a cozy wrap and a comforting beverage of Ribena.

In line with its gentle leads, Leonard and Hungry Paul – a six-part program developed by the writing duo, based on the author’s subtle 2019 novel – looks disapprovingly at modern life; peering critically above its spectacles at anything that involves unnecessary noise, abrupt changes or – heaven forfend – too much drive. This show is, instead, a tribute to quiet people; a quiet celebration of those happy to amble along away from attention. But. He (another uniquely quirky portrayal by the actor) is unsettled. He senses an increasing “urge to throw open the entryways of my life … a little.” The passing of his parent has yanked the floor from under his slippers and Leonard, a ghost writer, now feels reconsidering the choices that directed him to where he is (unattached; sporting facial hair; working on a range of children’s encyclopedias for an employer who ends emails with the phrase “see you later”).

And so Leonard starts on a journey for personal satisfaction, accompanied by the somewhat braver Hungry Paul (the actor) functioning as his close companion, life coach and ally in a recurring game night functioning as both symposium (“Is the pool warm because kids pee in it, or do kids pee in it as it's heated?”) and safe space.

(What's the origin of "Hungry" Paul? The reason is unknown. The origin of the moniker is shrouded in history. Maybe Paul once ate a snack very fast, or answered to a tense moment by hastily opening four scotch eggs using his teeth).

Into Leonard’s gentle world cartwheels Shelley (the performer), a new lively associate who lightheartedly proposes to kill his terrible supervisor (the actor) during the office fire drill. That whooshing sound audible signals Leonard's peaceful routine being turned upside down.

In another part during the opening installment of this program focused less on story and centered around what younger viewers may refer to as “vibes”, we are introduced to Hungry Paul’s dad (the ever-wonderful Lorcan Cranitch), a worn-out individual who secretly watches, records then replays daytime quiz shows to dazzle his loving spouse through his fact recall.

Leading us throughout this gentle kindness there is a voiceover that is unmistakably – and, indeed, very much is – the famous actress. Truly, the celebrity. In case you're considering, “undoubtedly the presence of a big-name celebrity clashes with the series’ unshowy MO and starts off as just a diversion?” you would be correct. However, Roberts acquits herself well, and lines such as “The issue with Leonard is that he lacks an expression of discovery” help ensure that early misgivings give way if not full admiration, then at least acceptance.

No more criticism currently. The show's core is in the right place: which is “located on a seat in the company of gentle comedies, showing its preferred bird.” It’s a series that moves gently in comfortable attire, sometimes gazing upward toward the sky, occasionally down at its feet, calmly assured that no experience is on Earth as heartening as passing time alongside good friends.

Throw open the portals within your world, a little, and welcome it inside.