2point4 Children

Last updated

2point4 Children
2point4ChildrenTitlecard (fair use only).jpg
Title card, used from Series 6–8.
Genre Sitcom
Created by Andrew Marshall
Written byAndrew Marshall
Directed by Richard Boden
Starring
Theme music composer Howard Goodall [1]
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series8
No. of episodes56 (list of episodes)
Production
ProducerRichard Boden
Camera setup Video; Multiple camera
Running time30 minutes
Original release
Network BBC One
Release3 September 1991 (1991-09-03) 
30 December 1999 (1999-12-30)

2point4 Children is a BBC Television sitcom that was created and written by Andrew Marshall. It follows the lives of the Porters, a seemingly average, working-class London family whose world is frequently turned upside-down by bad luck and bizarre occurrences. [2]

Contents

The show was originally broadcast on BBC One from 1991 to 1999, and ran for eight series, concluding on 30 December 1999 with the special episode "The Millennium Experience". The show is regularly repeated in the UK. In Australia showings are on UKTV. The name of the show comes from the stereotypical average size of a typical nuclear family in the UK at the time of the writing of the first series. [3]

The show regularly picked up audiences of up to 14 million throughout the 1990s, with an average of between 6 and 9 million. [4] The final episode was viewed by 9.03 million people. [5]

Lead actor Gary Olsen died in 2000, effectively ruling out a return of the show for any further series. [6]

Plot summary

The Porters are a working-class family who live in Chiswick, London who at first seem normal enough. Bill is the sensible, level-headed mother who does the cooking and housework whilst working for a bakery with her highly sexed best friend Rona. Ben is the father, who is often just as immature as the children. He runs a heating repair business with his moody and sarcastic assistant Christine.

Jenny is the typical teenage daughter, keen on boys, music and vegetarianism, and David is the mischievous younger brother, who enjoys horror films, aliens and annoying his older sister.

However, the Porters' world is frequently upended by bizarre occurrences and bad luck. Whether it is dealing with flatulent dogs, a frozen body in a freezer in the front room, or even stumbling across a warehouse filled with Shirley Bassey's cast-off ballgowns, anything seems possible in the Porters' world. Traditionally Christmas episodes would feature characters collectively performing a musical number. [7]

Cast

Main characters

Supporting characters

Episodes

The show originally ran from 1991 to 1999. 56 episodes were made over eight series, including six Christmas specials in which the cast performed carols or original theme songs. Although the series was made over the course of eight years, the show's in-universe timeline appears to be much shorter, with Jenny Porter stated to be 14 in series one, yet only just starting university at age 18 in the final series.

Andrew Marshall wrote all of the episodes, except for three in series seven which were written by Paul Alexander, Simon Braithwaite and Paul Smith.

Reception

2point4 Children was critically acclaimed. [8] [9]

In 2004, the series ranked #44 in the BBC television poll, Britain's Best Sitcom . [10]

Home media

BBC Enterprises released a video in 1993, comprising the first three episodes of the series, which are known as: Leader of the Pack, Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, and When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Go Shopping.

The first three series were released on Region 2 DVD by Eureka Video in 2005. A box set of the first three series was also made available in 2008, again through Eureka Video, with music changes within the episodes. Eureka Video stated that "sales were not good" and they released no further series. 2Entertain, part of BBC Worldwide, say they have tried many times to license the series for distribution by a third party but the high clearance costs for music and imagery used has been the main deterrent.

A Facebook campaign for a release of the whole series was started in 2009.

The series was added to Britbox on 16 December 2021 [11] In March 2022, all 56 episodes were made available on the BBC iPlayer for one year.

TitleFormatRelease dateFeatures
2point4 children – Leader of the PackVHS26 February 1996


  • Includes Series 1: Episodes 1–3
  • BBFC rating: PG
2point4 children – The Complete Series OneDVD24 January 2005 [12]
  • 6 episodes
  • 1 disc
  • 177 minutes
  • Dolby Digital AC3
  • Subtitles: English SDH
  • Special features:
    • Tribute to Gary Olsen
    • Stills Gallery
  • BBFC rating: PG
2point4 children – The Complete Series TwoDVD25 April 2005


  • 7 episodes
  • 1992 Christmas special
    (included as special feature)
  • 1 disc
  • 203 minutes
  • Dolby Digital AC3
  • Subtitles: English SDH
  • BBFC rating: PG
2point4 children – The Complete Series ThreeDVD22 August 2005


  • 6 episodes
  • 1993 Christmas special
    (included as special feature)
  • 1 disc
  • 206 minutes
  • Dolby Digital AC3
  • Subtitles: English SDH
  • BBFC rating: PG
2point4 children – Series One to ThreeDVD22 September 2008


  • 19 episodes
  • Special features:
    • Tribute to Gary Olsen
    • Stills Gallery
    • 1992 Christmas special
    • 1993 Christmas special
  • 3 discs
  • 586 minutes
  • Dolby Digital AC3
  • Subtitles: English SDH
  • BBFC rating: PG

Remake

In 1997 a remake of the show debuted in the Netherlands: Kees & Co starring Simone Kleinsma. [13] The remake ran for eight series between 1997 and 2006. The first five series were adapted from the original English-language scripts, whilst the last three series featured original storylines and characters. In 2018 it was announced that the remake would return for a ninth series with Kleinsma reprising her role. [14]

Related Research Articles

<i>Dad</i> (TV series) British TV series or programme

Dad is a BBC1 sitcom that ran for 13 episodes over two series and a Christmas special. Described by the BBC as a 'generation-gap comedy', it centered on the trials and tribulations of Alan Hook and his father Brian. Alan would often find himself getting increasingly frustrated with the endeavours of his father, whilst the world seemed to be forever against him.

<i>Are You Being Served?</i> British TV sitcom (1972–1985)

Are You Being Served? is a British television sitcom that was broadcast from 1972–1985. It was created and written by David Croft, who also served as executive producer and director, and Jeremy Lloyd. Michael Knowles and John Chapman also wrote certain episodes. Produced by the BBC, the series starred Mollie Sugden, Trevor Bannister, Frank Thornton, John Inman, Wendy Richard, Arthur Brough, Nicholas Smith, Larry Martyn, Harold Bennett and Arthur English.

<i>The Brittas Empire</i> British TV sitcom (1991–1997)

The Brittas Empire is a British sitcom created and originally written by Andrew Norriss and Richard Fegen. Chris Barrie played titular character Gordon Brittas, the well-intentioned but hugely incompetent manager of the fictional Whitbury New Town Leisure Centre.

<i>My Family</i> British TV sitcom (2000–2011)

My Family is a British sitcom created and initially co-written by Fred Barron, which was produced by DLT Entertainment and Rude Boy Productions, and broadcast by BBC One for eleven series between 2000 and 2011, with Christmas specials broadcast from 2002 onwards. My Family was voted 24th in the BBC's "Britain's Best Sitcom" in 2004 and was the most watched sitcom in the United Kingdom in 2008. As of 2011, it is one of only twelve British sitcoms to pass the 100-episode mark. In April 2020, BBC One began airing the series from the first episode in an 8 pm slot on Friday nights; along with this all 11 series were made available on BBC iPlayer.

Andrew Paul Marshall is a British comedy screenwriter, most noted for the domestic sitcom 2point4 children. He was also the inspiration for Marvin the Paranoid Android in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Although he had also previously adapted stories for Agatha Christie's Poirot, in 2002 he made a further move into writing "straight" drama, with the fantasy horror series Strange. He has also written several screenplays.

<i>Comedy Playhouse</i> 1961–1975 British television series

Comedy Playhouse is a long-running British anthology series of one-off unrelated sitcoms that aired for 128 episodes from 1961 to 1975. Many episodes later graduated to their own series, including Steptoe and Son, Meet the Wife, Till Death Us Do Part, All Gas and Gaiters, Up Pompeii!, Not in Front of the Children, Me Mammy, That's Your Funeral, The Liver Birds, Are You Being Served? and particularly Last of the Summer Wine, which is the world's longest running sitcom, having run from January 1973 to August 2010. In all, 27 sitcoms started from a pilot in the Comedy Playhouse strand.

Gary Olsen was an English actor. He played Ben Porter on the BBC television sitcom 2point4 Children from 1991 to 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Addison</span> British comedian, writer, actor, and director

Christopher David Addison is a British comedian, writer, actor, and director. He is perhaps best known for his role as a regular panellist on Mock the Week. He is also known for his lecture-style comedy shows, two of which he later adapted for BBC Radio 4.

Pauline Perpetua Sheen better known by her stage name Pauline Quirke, is an English actress who has played Sharon Theodopolopodous in the long-running comedy series Birds of a Feather. For this role, she won the 1990 British Comedy Award for Best Newcomer. She was nominated for the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress for her role in the 1996 BBC miniseries The Sculptress. Her other television credits include Maisie Raine (1998–1999), Down to Earth (2000–2003), Emmerdale (2010–2012) and Broadchurch (2013–2015).

Belinda Lucy Lange, known professionally as Belinda Lang, is an English actress. She is known for playing Liza in the ITV sitcom Second Thoughts (1991–94), and Bill Porter in the BBC sitcom 2point4 Children (1991–99). Her theatre credits include London productions of the Noël Coward plays, Present Laughter (1981), Blithe Spirit (1997), and Hay Fever (2006). Her radio/audio credits include voicing narrator Madeleine in the podcast Wooden Overcoats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Lewis (actor)</span> English actor

Stephen Lewis, credited early in his career as Stephen Cato, was an English actor, comedian, director, screenwriter and playwright. He is best known for his roles as Inspector Cyril "Blakey" Blake in On the Buses, Clem "Smiler" Hemmingway in Last of the Summer Wine and Harry Lambert in Oh, Doctor Beeching!, although he also appeared in numerous stage and film roles.

<i>The Office</i> (British TV series) British TV sitcom (2001–2003)

The Office is the original British mockumentary television sitcom first broadcast in the UK on BBC Two on 9 July 2001. Created, written and directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, the programme follows the day-to-day lives of office employees in the Slough branch of the fictional Wernham Hogg paper company. Gervais also starred in the series, playing the central character David Brent.

<i>The IT Crowd</i> British TV sitcom (2006–2013)

The IT Crowd is a British sitcom originally broadcast by Channel 4, written and directed by Graham Linehan, produced by Ash Atalla and starring Chris O'Dowd, Richard Ayoade, Katherine Parkinson, and Matt Berry. Set in the offices of the fictional Reynholm Industries in London, the series revolves around the three staff members of its IT department: technical genius Maurice Moss (Ayoade); work-shy Roy Trenneman (O'Dowd); and Jen Barber (Parkinson), the department head/relationship manager who knows nothing about IT. The show also focuses on the bosses of Reynholm Industries: Denholm Reynholm and later, his son Douglas. Goth IT technician Richmond Avenal, who resides in the dark server room, also appears in a number of episodes.

Julia Hills is an English actress, known for portraying the role of Rona in all eight series of the BBC sitcom 2point4 Children. She also portrayed various roles in Channel 4's first late night satirical sketch show Who Dares Wins, Beryl in two series of the sitcom Dad and Caroline Joyner in Casualty.

Justin Matthew Edwards is an English actor and writer.

Clare Buckfield is an English actress, best known for playing the role of Jenny Porter in the BBC sitcom 2point4 Children for most of the nineties and Natasha Stevens in the CBBC series Grange Hill.

John Pickard is an English actor, best known for playing David Porter in the BBC sitcom 2point4 Children, and Dominic Reilly in Channel 4's Hollyoaks.

<i>Outnumbered</i> (British TV series) British TV sitcom (2009–2016)

Outnumbered is a British sitcom about the Brockman family, starring Hugh Dennis as the father, Claire Skinner as the mother and their three children played by Tyger Drew-Honey, Daniel Roche and Ramona Marquez.

References

  1. "Howard Goodall – big bangs for television". mfiles. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  2. "BBC - Comedy Guide - 2 Point 4 Children". 5 December 2004. Archived from the original on 5 December 2004.
  3. "Whatever happened to 2 Point 4 Children". Office of National Statistics.
  4. Bettridge, Daniel (21 May 2012). "Six to watch: TV's best parents". The Guardian.
  5. "Top 30 Programmes". BARB. 9 February 2014. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
  6. "BBC News | ENTERTAINMENT | Sitcom star Olsen dies".
  7. Leyfield, James (11 August 2016). "The Tragic Story Behind 2Point4 Children – One Of Britain's Most Underrated Sitcoms". Yahoo! News . Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  8. "Watch this". The Guardian. 16 November 1999.
  9. "REVIEW / Ordinary situations make for ordinary comedy". The Independent. 5 September 1994.
  10. "Top 50 British TV sitcoms". comedy.co.uk. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  11. "BritBox December 2021 Highlights".
  12. "2 Point 4 Children - The Complete Series One". comedy.co.uk. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  13. "Kees & Co – Beeld en Geluid wiki" (in Dutch). Beeldengeluidwiki.nl. 19 July 2012. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
  14. "Komedieserie Kees & Co terug op de buis". Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch). 17 September 2018. Retrieved 17 September 2018.