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In a quiet area of the Irish capital, an individual stands in his driveway, dressed in a vest and voicing his thoughts. “It seems like myself getting quieter. More invisible,” says the protagonist, staring into the darkness. “One thing’s led to another and now I feel like if I don’t do something, I will continue in this simple, peaceful routine.” Paul, his only and only friend, ponders this statement. “That's perfectly fine,” he replies, his robe moving with the wind. “Superior to striving for recognition and ending up damaging things.”

For anyone weary by the noise and fast pace of current streaming landscape, Leonard and Hungry Paul arrives as a cozy wrap and warming mug of a sweet cordial.

Similar to its gentle leads, Leonard and Hungry Paul – a six-episode show created by the writing duo, adapted from the author’s quiet 2019 novel – casts a critical eye on contemporary society; peering skeptically through its prematurely middle-aged glasses at anything related to disturbances, sudden movements or – heaven forfend – excessive aspiration. This show on the contrary, an ode to introversion; a gentle tribute to people satisfied to pootle around out of the spotlight. But. He (another distinctly original portrayal by the actor) feels restless. He feels a growing “desire to unlock the entryways in my existence … a little.” The loss of his beloved mother has yanked the floor away from his feet and Leonard, an anonymous author, now realizes doubting the decisions which led him to this point (single; with a protective mustache; writing several educational volumes for an employer who ends emails with the phrase “ciao for now”).

And so Leonard begins himself on a quest for emotional fulfilment, with the slightly bolder Hungry Paul (the actor) functioning as his close companion, life coach and partner in a weekly game night functioning as both discussion (“Is the pool warm from kids relieving themselves, or is it that kids pee since it's warm?”) and safe space.

(How did Paul get his nickname? It's unclear. The beginning of this name seems forgotten in mystery. Perhaps the postal worker once ate a sandwich very fast, or responded to an awkward situation by nervously peeling some food items with his teeth).

Into Leonard’s gentle world cartwheels Shelley (the performer), a new spring-loaded associate who lightheartedly proposes to get rid of his terrible supervisor (the character) in a workplace safety exercise. That whooshing sound you can hear is Leonard’s gentle world being turned upside down.

In another part in the first episode of the comedy not heavily plotted and centered around what younger viewers may refer to as “atmosphere”, we meet Paul's father (the consistently great the performer), a tired character who secretly watches, records then replays television game programs to amaze his adoring wife through his fact recall.

Shepherding the audience throughout this subtle warmth there is a voiceover who closely resembles – and, indeed, very much is – the famous actress. Yes, Julia Roberts. Should you wonder, “undoubtedly the inclusion of a big-name celebrity is at odds with the show's modest approach and at first acts merely as an interruption?” that's accurate. However, the actress performs admirably, and dialogue for example “Leonard's challenge is the missing a ‘eureka’ face” assist in making sure that early misgivings give way though not complete approval, then at least acceptance.

Enough complaining for now. The show's core has good intentions: which is “sitting on a park bench alongside similar shows, indicating the duck it loves.” This is a show that ambles along in its sleeveless jumper, occasionally looking up toward the sky, occasionally down at its feet, quietly confident that nothing is in life as heartening as spending time with dear pals.

Open the doors and windows in your existence, a little, and welcome it inside.