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Friday Night Dinner

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Friday Night Dinner
Main title screen
Genre
Created byRobert Popper
Written byRobert Popper
Directed by
Starring
Opening theme"Animal (Punks Jump Up Remix)"byMiike Snow
Composers
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No.of series6
No.of episodes37(list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
ProducerRobert Popper
Production locationLondon
Editors
Camera setupSingle-camera
Running time21–25 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkChannel 4
Release25 February 2011(2011-02-25)–
1 May 2020(2020-05-01)

Friday Night Dinneris a Britishsitcomcreated byRobert Popperthat aired onChannel 4from 25 February 2011 to 1 May 2020. StarringTamsin Greig,Paul Ritter,Simon Bird,Tom Rosenthal,andMark Heap,it follows the regularFriday night dinnerexperience of the Jewish middle-class Goodman family inNorth London.[1]Following the conclusion of the sixth series and Ritter's death in 2021, it was announced that the show would not return.[2][3]The show is filmed using asingle-camera setup.[4]

The show received twoBAFTAnominations in 2012. The first series was nominated forBest Situation Comedy,while Greig was nominated forBest Female Comedy Performance.[5]In 2021, for his performance in the final series of the show, Ritter received a posthumous BAFTA nomination forBest Male Comedy Performance.[6][4]

Premise

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Friday Night DinnerdepictsShabbat dinnerin themiddle-classsecular JewishGoodman family, reflecting series creator Popper's own secular Jewish upbringing.[7]It is set and filmed in suburbanNorth London,[8]with filming taking place inMill Hill.[9]

The family consists of mother Jackie, father Martin, elder son Adam, and younger son Jonny. The episodes follow the family as the sons arrive at the family home and proceed to their dinner, which is often interrupted by numerous things. Although some episodes are centred around Jackie's eccentricities, she is usually thestraight characterwho tries to run a normal household but is disrupted by the rest of the family. Dinner is usually disrupted by Adam and Jonny pranking each other (for example, putting salt in each other's drinking glasses) or Martin's strange habits, such as walking around the house shirtless or eating out-of-date food.[10]When something goes wrong, Martin is often heard shouting hiscatchphrase"shit on it".[11]They are frequently interrupted by their strange but good-hearted neighbour Jim Bell, who is attracted to Jackie and visits them due to his loneliness; he is usually accompanied by his dog, Wilson, of whom he is afraid. After Wilson's death, Jim adopts a new dog, whom he names Milson.

Jackie'sneuroticbest friend Valerie Lewis, known as "Auntie Val" to Adam and Jonny, is a frequent visitor; Jackie's mother Nellie "Grandma" Buller also visits. Occasional guest appearances were made by Martin's mother Cynthia Goodman, nicknamed "Horrible Grandma" by the boys due to her cruel and condescending treatment of the family. Other guest appearances featured Nellie's suitor Mr. Morris, who appeared in three episodes while Val's husband Larry briefly appears in two episodes.

There are elements of farce throughout.

Cast

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Main

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Recurring

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Episode list

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Main article:List of Friday Night Dinner episodes
SeriesEpisodesOriginally airedAverage UK viewers
(millions)
First airedLast aired
1625 February 2011(2011-02-25)8 April 2011(2011-04-08)—
267 October 2012(2012-10-07)11 November 2012(2012-11-11)—
Special24 December 2012(2012-12-24)1.54
3620 June 2014(2014-06-20)25 July 2014(2014-07-25)1.45
4622 July 2016(2016-07-22)26 August 2016(2016-08-26)1.66
564 May 2018(2018-05-04)8 June 2018(2018-06-08)2.09
6627 March 2020(2020-03-27)1 May 2020(2020-05-01)4.70

Legacy

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For the 10th anniversary of the show, a special 90-minute documentary episode aired on Channel 4 on 28 May 2021, entitledFriday Night Dinner: Ten Years and A Lovely Bit of Squirrel.[12]The documentary was dedicated to Paul Ritter, who had died of a brain tumour seven weeks earlier.[13]

American version

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In September 2011,Deadline Hollywoodannounced thatGreg Daniels,who had adaptedThe Officefor American television, would spearhead an American remake of the series for the broadcast networkNBC.[14]The remake was picked up for apilot,written by Daniels and directed byKen Kwapis[15]and starringAllison Janney,Tony Shalhoubas the parents[16]andGary Anthony Williamsas Jim (now renamed Mark). The pilot did not go to series.

In 2014, CBS bought an adaptation of the British show for the American market, as a "put pilot".[17]

In 2016, a third attempt at an American remake was under development by CBS, with the titleSunday Night Dinner.[18][19]

In July 2022,Amazon Freeveeordered an American remake of the sitcom, with the titleDinner with The Parents.[20]The series premiered on 18 April 2024,[21]receiving poor to mixed reviews.[22][23]

See also

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References

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  1. ^Plunkett, John (12 February 2010)."Tamsin Greig and Pulling's Paul Ritter to star in Channel 4 comedy".The Guardian.Archivedfrom the original on 29 May 2020.Retrieved13 February2011.
  2. ^"Friday Night Dinner documentary dedicated to Paul Ritter".The List.8 April 2021. Archived fromthe originalon 30 September 2021.Retrieved11 April2021.
  3. ^"Season Six Of Friday Night Dinner Was The Last One, Creator Robert Popper Confirms".Lad Bible.25 May 2021.Archivedfrom the original on 25 May 2021.Retrieved25 May2021.
  4. ^abGuide, British Comedy."Friday Night Dinner - C4 Sitcom".British Comedy Guide.Retrieved3 March2024.
  5. ^"Television Awards Winners in 2012".BAFTA.24 April 2012.Archivedfrom the original on 22 January 2015.Retrieved26 April2020.
  6. ^"BAFTA TV 2021: The Winners and Nominations for the Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards and British Academy Television Craft Awards".BAFTA.28 April 2021.Archivedfrom the original on 7 June 2021.Retrieved28 April2021.
  7. ^Saner, Emine (4 March 2011)."Tamsin Greig: 'I always think I'll never work again'".The Guardian.Archivedfrom the original on 28 January 2023.Retrieved11 December2016.
  8. ^"Friday Night Dinner. House, Cast and why we won't get another series. Dailytap".Dailytap.19 June 2021.Archivedfrom the original on 19 June 2021.Retrieved21 June2021.
  9. ^"Friday Night Dinner stars Simon Bird and Tom Rosenthal talk returning to the show".Archivedfrom the original on 19 May 2018.Retrieved18 May2018.
  10. ^"Top 10 Underrated British Shows You May Not Have Heard Of".Collider.26 May 2022.Archivedfrom the original on 26 May 2022.Retrieved27 May2022.
  11. ^Levine, Nick (6 April 2021).""Shit on it!": Paul Ritter's funniest moments on 'Friday Night Dinner'".NME.Archivedfrom the original on 27 May 2022.Retrieved27 May2022.
  12. ^"'Friday Night Dinner' anniversary documentary to air this spring ".NME.13 January 2021.Archivedfrom the original on 11 April 2021.Retrieved11 April2021.
  13. ^West, Amy (7 April 2021)."Friday Night Dinner documentary to be dedicated to late star Paul Ritter".Digital Spy.Archivedfrom the original on 11 April 2021.Retrieved11 April2021.
  14. ^Andreeva, Nellie (6 September 2011)."Greg Daniels To Adapt British Comedy 'Friday Night Dinner' For NBC".Deadline Hollywood.Archivedfrom the original on 23 March 2014.Retrieved4 February2012.
  15. ^Andreeva, Nellie (3 February 2012)."Ken Kwapis Set To Direct NBC Pilot 'Friday Night Dinner', Reunites With Greg Daniels".Deadline Hollywood.Archivedfrom the original on 8 April 2012.Retrieved4 February2012.
  16. ^Andreeva, Nellie (7 February 2012)."Allison Janney & Tony Shalhoub To Star in Greg Daniels' NBC Pilot 'Friday Night Dinner'".Deadline Hollywood.Archivedfrom the original on 19 June 2014.Retrieved7 February2012.
  17. ^Nellie Andreeva (21 August 2014)."CBS Buys Adaptation Of British Comedy 'Friday Night Dinner' As Put Pilot".Deadline.Archivedfrom the original on 18 January 2021.Retrieved4 April2020.
  18. ^Nellie Andreeva (30 August 2016)."CBS Developing New Adaptation Of UK Comedy Series 'Friday Night Dinner'".Deadline.Archivedfrom the original on 8 November 2020.Retrieved4 April2020.
  19. ^Jeffery, Morgan (31 August 2016)."They're remaking Friday Night Dinner for the US – again".Digital Spy.Archivedfrom the original on 8 November 2020.Retrieved4 April2020.
  20. ^White, Peter (13 July 2022)."Amazon Freevee Hands Straight-To-Series Order To U.S. Remake Of British Comedy 'Friday Night Dinner'".Deadline Hollywood.Archivedfrom the original on 13 July 2022.Retrieved13 July2022.
  21. ^Koo, Sonia (7 March 2024)."Dinner is Served! Amazon Freevee To Premiere New Comedy Series Dinner with the Parents on April 18".Amazon Studios.Retrieved7 April2024.
  22. ^"Dinner with the Parents Review: Decent Family Comedy That Becomes Repetitive".FILMZZINE.19 April 2024.Retrieved26 April2024.
  23. ^Miller, Bruce R. (20 April 2024)."Streaming review: 'Dinner with the Parents' has a hefty helping of laughs".Wisconsin State Journal.Retrieved26 April2024.
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