Arts

Bedtime story

I've discovered the best way of watching a good TV series: one episode each night, just before bed.

This week I've been watching the remarkable second series of Marion and Geoff.

I'd caught the first series on TV back in 2000, but seen none of the second. It was hard to imagine a sequel that would match those early shows. They don't match; they far surpass the original series.

This is British comedy at its best: tender storytelling, an oblivious central character and lashings of pathos. There's no happy endings here, but no need for them either. This is life that we all recognise: a bittersweet narrative with occasional minor triumphs.

The one big difference: Keith, the narrator, couldn't be more optimistic. While retelling his everyday sorrow, he somehow always finds genuine reason for happiness. And that, as far as I can see, is the real reason for the show's success.

Nothing fake; no tidy endings; just a permanent, positive shine.