The Story of Leonard and Hungry Paul Analysis: A Gentle Series Narrated by the Famous Actress Offers an Ideal Antidote to Today's World

In a quiet area of the city, a person can be found outside his home, sporting a sleeveless jumper and expressing his concerns. “I notice myself getting quieter. Less noticeable,” states the main character, gazing up at the night sky. “Circumstances have evolved and now I feel like if I don’t do something, I’ll just carry on in this minor, harmless existence.” His friend Paul, his only companion, ponders the idea. “That's perfectly fine,” he replies, his bathrobe moving gently. “Better than striving for recognition only to wind up defacing it.”

For viewers weary by the chaos and constant stimulation of today’s TV offerings, Leonard and Hungry Paul arrives as a warm cover and warming mug of a sweet cordial.

Like its quiet characters, the series – a half-dozen installment show developed by the writing duo, inspired by the novelist’s quiet book – looks disapprovingly on contemporary society; peering skeptically above its eyewear at anything in the way of disturbances, quick actions or – heaven forfend – an abundance of ambition. This show is, instead, a tribute to quiet people; a quiet celebration to people content to wander out of the spotlight. And yet. The character (one more uniquely quirky portrayal by the actor) is unsettled. He feels an increasing “need to open the entryways of my life … slightly.” The recent death of his mother has yanked the floor out from under him and this young man, an anonymous author, now realizes questioning the paths that directed him to this point (alone; defensively moustached; writing multiple educational volumes for an employer who ends messages using the words “see you later”).

Thus Leonard starts on a journey for emotional fulfilment, alongside his more outgoing friend Paul (the actor) acting as his confidante, mentor and partner during their regular game night functioning as both discussion (“Is the water heated from kids relieving themselves, or do children urinate as it's heated?”) and refuge.

(Why “Hungry” Paul? It's unclear. The origin of the nickname is shrouded in history. It could be that the postal worker previously devoured a snack in record time, or answered to a tense moment by panic-peeling several snacks by biting into them).

Entering Leonard's quiet life cartwheels a new colleague (the actress), a fresh energetic associate who happily suggests to kill his terrible supervisor (the actor) at a fire practice. The swift movement audible is Leonard’s gentle world experiencing a revolution.

In another part in the initial show of a series focused less on story and centered around what the under-30s might call “vibes”, we are introduced to Paul's father (the consistently great the actor), a battered sofa of a man who covertly observes, saves and reviews daytime quiz shows to dazzle his loving spouse with his general knowledge.

Shepherding the audience through all this gentle kindness is a narrator who closely resembles – and, indeed, very much is – the famous actress. Truly, Julia Roberts. In case you're considering, “undoubtedly the use of a major Hollywood star clashes with the series’ unshowy MO and starts off as just a distraction?” you would be correct. Still, the actress performs admirably, and lines such as “Leonard’s problem is the missing a ‘eureka’ face” contribute to ensuring that early misgivings yield if not quite to appreciation, then certainly understanding.

No more criticism currently. The series' spirit is in the right place: that place is “located on a seat in the company of gentle comedies, pointing out the duck it loves.” It’s a series that strolls leisurely in comfortable attire, occasionally looking up into space, sometimes downward at its slippers, quietly confident that nothing is in the world as uplifting as being alongside dear pals.

Open the doors and windows of your life, slightly, and let it in.