Came across this comedy totally by accident, and what a great find it has proved to be. The family dynamic is so reminiscent of most families I know, but this family takes it to a totally new level. The father is by far the star of the show, only for his total ignorance of what the mother is trying to achieve each weekend. With hilarious consequences. The crazy neighbour Jim and his terrifying, yet obviously timid dog, are beyond comedic value. The hand over mouth, and laugh out loud moments Jim is involved with seriously does make him a main character in this show. All in all, this comedy makes you think you've seen all a family get together can produce. Then Friday Night Dinner happens. It is a beautiful show. Well written, well directed, well acted, and well received.

This " the family-based sitcom" is the most universal TV concept around. From Birmingham to Bangalore, a dom-com is a safe bet for TV executives.And although Friday Night Dinner is slightly niche given that its characters are Jewish, it still retains universality. Plus, America has a sizeable Jewish population which will help the series considerably, providing that it doesn't rely on clichés and offensive racial stereotypes.Brilliant prose, tightly crafted script with hilarious situations, a believable family dynamic, engaging close to perfection in a comedy as I have seen. Simon Bird is clearly destined for great things. You can depend on all of the players being on screen as long as the wish to be, the don't throw away actors in British Television; they enjoy them as they age!

my Mrs put me on to this saying that she thought I'd love it. Well she was right - we have just watched the whole 3 series on 4OD catchup. Its the only recent TV comedy that you get right into the characters straight away. The initial draw to watching it for many would be simon Bird playing a slightly more grown up version of the kid he plays in The Inbetweeners. I need to say that the other characters are even stronger, especially his Mum and Dad and their VERY weird next door neighbor Jim and his dog Wilson. Can honestly say this is as more enjoyable than The Inbetweeners and only slightly off Only Fools and Horses in my humble opinion. PLEASE C4 AGREE TO A FOURTH SERIES!!!!!

I am American and resent the myth that all British shows are better than all American shows. Yeah, because In with the Flynns is better than Arrested Development. That makes so much sense. NOT! As a matter of fact, I don't think there is a single show better than Arrested Development. In with the Flynns is much worse than Grounded for Life, the show it was based on.I found out about Friday Night Dinner when I heard about the American remake (which to my surprise, didn't get picked up). So I decided to watch the British version in anticipation. The show is hilarious. Tasmin Greig (Episodes) delivers, as the immature mother. Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners) and Mark Heap (Stressed Eric) are also hilarious, as the oldest son and creepy neighbor respectively. Paul Ritter is outstanding as the deaf father, and I plan on checking out his previous show Pulling. Rounding out the cast is newcomer Will Rosenthal, as the younger song. He shows a lot of promise, proving that you can make a good show with fresh meat. The show is about a Jewish family, and their insane shabbat dinners. There are tons of pranks, lies, and whatnot. Of course this is always played for laughs (without a laugh track!). Great show, recommended to all (British and American, and whatever else).