The Story of Leonard and Hungry Paul Review: A Soothing Show Featuring the Voice of Julia Roberts Provides an Ideal Antidote to Modern Life

In a peaceful area of the city, a man can be found in his driveway, sporting a sleeveless jumper and expressing his feelings. “I notice I'm becoming more silent. Harder to see,” remarks the main character, looking into the darkness. “One thing’s led to another and currently it seems without a change, I will continue in this quiet, unremarkable life.” Paul, his closest confidant, ponders these words. “That's perfectly fine,” he answers, his robe moving in the breeze. “Superior to striving for recognition only to wind up defacing it.”

For those weary by the chaos and fast pace of current streaming terrain, the show arrives as a foil blanket and a comforting beverage of a sweet cordial.

In line with its quiet characters, the series – a six-part program created by the writing duo, adapted from Rónán Hession’s quiet story – takes a dim view on contemporary society; looking critically above its prematurely middle-aged glasses at anything related to loud sounds, sudden movements or – goodness forbid – too much drive. The program is, instead, a celebration of shyness; a subtle homage for those content to amble along out of the spotlight. But. The character (a further uniquely quirky performance by the actor) feels restless. He notices an increasing “urge to throw open the doors and windows within my world … a little.” The passing of his parent has yanked the floor from under his slippers and the 32-year-old, a writer for others, now feels reconsidering the decisions that directed him to where he is (alone; defensively moustached; working on a range of educational volumes for a man who ends messages using the words “see you later”).

And so Leonard begins himself on a quest for emotional fulfilment, alongside his more outgoing Paul (the performer) serving as his confidante, mentor and partner during their regular board games evening functioning as both discussion (“Is the water heated due to children urinating, or is it that kids pee since it's warm?”) and safe space.

(What's the origin of "Hungry" Paul? No idea. The beginning of the moniker is shrouded to the mists of time. Perhaps Paul once ate some food in record time, or reacted to a tense moment by hastily opening four scotch eggs using his teeth).

Into Leonard’s gentle world comes a new colleague (the actress), a fresh energetic associate who lightheartedly proposes to eliminate the awful manager (the actor) at a fire practice. That whooshing sound noticeable signals Leonard's peaceful routine experiencing a revolution.

In other scenes in the initial show of a series driven less by plot and centered around what the under-30s may refer to as “vibes”, we are introduced to Hungry Paul’s dad (the consistently great Lorcan Cranitch), a worn-out individual who privately views, records then replays television game programs to amaze his adoring wife through his fact recall.

Shepherding the audience throughout this gentle kindness we hear a narrator that is unmistakably – and truly is – the Hollywood icon. Indeed, the celebrity. Should you wonder, “undoubtedly the inclusion of such a famous actor is at odds with the program's low-key style and initially serves only as a diversion?” that's accurate. However, Roberts acquits herself well, and dialogue like “Leonard’s problem is his absence of an expression of discovery” contribute to ensuring that initial doubts yield if not quite to appreciation, then at minimum tolerance.

Enough complaining currently. Leonard and Hungry Paul’s heart has good intentions: which is “located on a seat in the company of gentle comedies, pointing out the duck it loves.” This is a show that strolls leisurely wearing its simple clothes, occasionally looking up toward the sky, at other times looking at its slippers, serenely certain that nothing is in the world as cheering as spending time in the company of close companions.

Throw open the portals of your life, a little, and allow it entry.