2point4 Children

2022-08-31T23:45:44Z

82.9.151.99: /* Plot summary */

{{Short description|British television sitcom}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{more footnotes|date=December 2014}}
{{more citations needed|date=December 2014}}
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{{EngvarB|date=June 2021}}
{{Infobox television
| image = 2point4ChildrenTitlecard (fair use only).jpg
| caption = Title card, used from Series 6–8.
| genre = [[Sitcom]]
| runtime = 30 min per average episode
| creator = [[Andrew Marshall (writer)|Andrew Marshall]]
| writer = Andrew Marshall
| producer = Richard Boden
| director = [[Richard Boden]]
| theme_music_composer = [[Howard Goodall]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mfiles.co.uk/composers/Howard-Goodall.htm|title=Howard Goodall – big bangs for television|publisher=mfiles|access-date=15 July 2020}}</ref>
| starring = [[Belinda Lang]] [[Gary Olsen]] [[Julia Hills]] [[Georgina Cates|Clare Woodgate]] (series 1 & 2) [[Clare Buckfield]] (series 3–8) [[John Pickard (British actor)|John Pickard]]
| country = United Kingdom
| language = English
| camera = [[Video camera|Video]]; [[Multiple-camera setup|Multiple camera]]
| picture_format = [[PAL]] (1991–1998) [[DVB-T]] 576i [[16:9]] (1999)
| network = [[BBC One]]
| first_aired = {{start date|1991|9|3|df=yes}}
| last_aired = {{end date|1999|12|30|df=yes}}
| num_series = 8
| num_episodes = 56
| list_episodes = List of 2point4 children episodes
}}
'''''2point4 Children''''' is a [[BBC Television]] [[British sitcom|sitcom]] that was created and written by [[Andrew Marshall (writer)|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.

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". Lead actor [[Gary Olsen]] (who played the father) died from cancer in September 2000.<ref name=bbc-olsen-dies>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/923900.stm |title=Sitcom star Olsen dies |work=[[BBC News]] |date=13 September 2000 |access-date=6 November 2014}}</ref> The show is regularly repeated in the UK. In Australia showings are on [[UKTV (Australia and New Zealand)|UKTV]].

The show regularly picked up audiences of up to 14 million throughout the 1990s, with an average of between 6 and 9 million. The final episode was viewed by 9.03 million people.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.barb.co.uk/whats-new/weekly-top-30 |title=Top 30 Programmes |publisher=BARB |date=9 February 2014 |access-date=21 February 2014}}</ref>

In 1997 a remake of the show debuted in the [[Netherlands]]: ''Kees & Co'' starring [[Simone Kleinsma]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://beeldengeluidwiki.nl/index.php/Kees_%26_Co |title=Kees & Co – Beeld en Geluid wiki |language=nl |publisher=Beeldengeluidwiki.nl |date=19 July 2012 |access-date=21 February 2014}}</ref> The remake ran for eight seasons between 1997 and 2006. The first five seasons were adapted from the original English scripts, while the last three seasons featured original storylines and characters. In 2018 it was announced that the remake would return for a ninth season with Simone Kleinsma reprising her role.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ad.nl/show/komedieserie-kees-enamp-co-terug-op-de-buis~a2d8811a/ |title=Komedieserie Kees & Co terug op de buis |language=nl |work=Algemeen Dagblad |date=17 September 2018 |access-date=17 September 2018}}</ref>

==Cast==
{{Main|List of 2point4 children characters}}

===Main characters===
* Bill Porter ([[Belinda Lang]])
* Ben Porter ([[Gary Olsen]])
* Jenny Porter ([[Georgina Cates|Clare Woodgate]], series 1 & 2; [[Clare Buckfield]], series 3–8)
* David Porter ([[John Pickard (British actor)|John Pickard]])
* Rona Harris ([[Julia Hills]])
* Christine Atkins (Kim Benson, guest appearance series 1, regular series 2–8)
* Aunt Belle, Bette – ([[Liz Smith (actress)|Liz Smith]] played both characters)

===Supporting characters===
* Tina ([[Patricia Brake]], series 1; [[Sandra Dickinson]], series 2–8)
* Auntie Pearl ([[Barbara Lott]])
* Gerry (Leonard O'Malley)
* Tony (Tom Roberts)
* Dora Grimes ([[Annette Kerr]])
* Adam ([[Paul Raffield]])
* Jake 'The Klingon' Klinger ([[Roger Lloyd-Pack]], series 3–6)

==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.<ref>{{cite news|first=James|last=Leyfield|date=11 August 2016|url=https://uk.news.yahoo.com/why-2point4-children-is-one-of-britains-most-215617530.html|title=The Tragic Story Behind 2Point4 Children – One Of Britain's Most Underrated Sitcoms|publisher=[[Yahoo! News]]|access-date=15 July 2020}}</ref>

==Episodes==
{{main|List of 2point4 children 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 (British writer)|Paul Alexander]], Simon Braithwaite and [[Paul Smith (television writer)|Paul Smith]].

==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 page to campaign for a release has existed since 2009.

The series was added to [[Britbox]] on 16th December, 2021<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.itv.com/presscentre/britbox/press-releases/britbox-december-2021-highlights | title=BritBox December 2021 Highlights }}</ref>
In March 2022, all 56 episodes were made available on the [[BBC iPlayer]] for one year.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Title
! Release date
|-
| ''2point4 children'' – Leader of the Pack (VHS)
| style="text-align:center;"| 26 February 1996
|-
| ''2point4 children'' – Complete Series 1 (DVD)
| style="text-align:center;"| 24 January 2005
|-
| ''2point4 children'' – Complete Series 2 (DVD)
| style="text-align:center;"| 25 April 2005
|-
| ''2point4 children'' – Complete Series 3 (DVD)
| style="text-align:center;"| 22 August 2005
|-
| ''2point4 children'' – Series 1–3 Boxset (DVD)
| style="text-align:center;"| 22 September 2008
|-
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{BBC programme}}
*{{BBC Online|comedy/guide/articles/other/2point4childre_7776570.shtml|''2point4 children''}} Comedy Guide
*{{British Comedy Guide|tv|2point4_children}}
*[http://www.phill.co.uk/comedy/children/ ''2point4 children''] at Phill.co.uk Comedy Guide
*{{IMDb title|0101032|2point4 children}}
*{{epguides|2point4children}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:2point4 Children}}
[[Category:1991 British television series debuts]]
[[Category:1999 British television series endings]]
[[Category:1990s British sitcoms]]
[[Category:BBC television sitcoms]]
[[Category:Chiswick]]
[[Category:English-language television shows]]
[[Category:Television series about dysfunctional families]]
[[Category:Television series about marriage]]
[[Category:Television series about siblings]]
[[Category:Television shows set in London]]

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2point4 Children