BACK
Channel 4, 10pm
MISERABLE as ever, Stephen (David Mitchell) has just returned home to the uncomfortable fold of his dysfunctional family after a stint in therapy.
The revelation that recently departed dad Laurie might not be his biological father contributed to his breakdown, especially since the blood connection gave him an edge over annoying foster brother Andrew (Robert Webb).
But everything gets turned on its head once again with the return of Charismatic Mike (Anthony Head) from his travels, one of his mum Ellen’s ex lovers.
“I can feel the charisma,” gushes Ellen (Penny Downie). “It makes me feel like we’ve been in 2D black and white all the time he’s been away.”
On further investigation of his mum’s “vague sex memories”, it turns out that Charismatic Mike could be in the running as Stephen’s biological dad.
Instead of being a poor copy of Laurie, could Stephen actually be Charismatic Stephen?
Unfortunately, it doesn’t have quite the same ring to it…