Ep 4. The Dress

One of the most beloved sitcoms of recent years, Friday Night Dinner follows the Goodman family as they come together every week in their parents' home for a chaotic, hilarious and often surreal meal. In season 1 episode 4, "The Dress," the Goodmans are faced with yet another challenge to their typically dysfunctional household.

The episode kicks off with Jackie (Tamsin Greig) feeling a little blue after her husband, Martin (Paul Ritter), forgets to book the holiday she's been looking forward to. Meanwhile, their sons, Adam (Simon Bird) and Jonny (Tom Rosenthal), are preoccupied with their own dramas. Adam is dealing with the fallout from a disastrous date with a woman who's perhaps a little too obsessed with his taste in music, and Jonny is struggling to find a way to get his ex-girlfriend back after a break-up.

As they all sit down for dinner, the evening takes a turn when Martin produces a mysterious dress he's found in the loft. None of the family can remember it, but they soon realize it bears a striking resemblance to a dress that Jackie wore to a wedding years ago. Jackie is convinced that Martin has bought it for her as a surprise, but he insists he's simply stumbled across it. The other family members begin to speculate about the dress's origins, leading to a series of hilarious misunderstandings and misadventures.

The beauty of Friday Night Dinner lies in its ability to find humor in the everyday. The Goodman family is far from unusual; we all have relatives who frustrate and bemuse us, and who we often struggle to communicate with. By making us laugh at the Goodmans' quirks and flaws, the show makes us feel like we're not alone. But what really makes the show work is its warmth. Despite their arguments and bickering, the Goodmans love each other deeply. The show often ends with a reminder of this, as they come together for a singalong or a game.

In "The Dress," we see this love on full display. As the family grows increasingly frantic over the dress's origins, they begin to drive each other crazy. But at heart, they all just want to make each other happy. Adam tries to cheer Jackie up with a song, while Jonny goes to increasingly extreme lengths to win back his ex. And, in typical Friday Night Dinner fashion, the misunderstandings and crossed wires all come together in a hilarious climax that cements the Goodmans' bond.

Of course, the show wouldn't work without its excellent cast. Greig and Ritter are pitch-perfect as the bickering couple at the center of the show, while Bird and Rosenthal bring a youthful energy and absurdity to their roles. But what really makes the show is the chemistry between the actors. They feel like a real family, with all the complicated histories and baggage that entails. Even the minor characters, like the Goodmans' neighbor, Jim (Mark Heap), bring an offbeat charm to the proceedings.

Friday Night Dinner is the brainchild of Robert Popper, who has worked extensively in British comedy. Popper has talked about drawing inspiration from his own childhood for the show, and it's easy to see the relatability of the Goodmans' dynamics in that. But what makes the show really stand out is its surreal elements. Each episode features at least one moment of bizarre humor, whether it's Martin accidentally boiling a kettle full of spaghetti or Jonny pretending to be a dog to win back his ex.

"The Dress" is a prime example of this. What starts as a simple mystery quickly spirals into something absurd, as the family members' imaginations run wild. But even in the midst of the chaos, there are moments of tenderness and emotional honesty. The Goodmans may not always get things right, but they're always trying.

Overall, Friday Night Dinner season 1 episode 4, "The Dress," is a wacky but heartfelt installment in this beloved sitcom. With its deft balance of everyday mundanity and surreal humor, it's a show that's easy to fall in love with. So settle in for a night of laughs, karaoke, and maybe even a surprise dress or two.