View source for 2point4 Children

{{Short description|British TV sitcom (1991–1999)}}
{{more citations needed|date=December 2014}}
{{EngvarB|date=June 2021}}
{{Infobox television
| image                = 2point4ChildrenTitlecard (fair use only).jpg
| caption              = Title card, used for Series 8.
| genre                = [[Sitcom]]
| creator              = [[Andrew Marshall (writer)|Andrew Marshall]]
| writer               = Andrew Marshall
| director             = [[Richard Boden]] <small>(Series 1-5)</small><br />Nick Wood <small>(Series 6-7)</small><br />[[Dewi Humphreys]] <small>(Series 8)</small> 
| starring             = {{Plainlist|
* [[Belinda Lang]]
* [[Gary Olsen]]
* [[Julia Hills]]
* [[Georgina Cates|Clare Woodgate]] <small>(Series 1 and 2)</small>
* [[Clare Buckfield]] <small>(Series 3-8)</small> 
* [[John Pickard (British actor)|John Pickard]]
}}
| 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>
| country              = United Kingdom
| language             = English
| num_series           = 8
| num_episodes         = 56
| list_episodes        = List of 2point4 Children episodes
| producer             = Richard Boden
| camera               = [[Video camera|Video]]; [[Multiple-camera setup|Multiple camera]]
| runtime              = 30 minutes
| company              = [[BBC Television]]
| network              = [[BBC One]]
| first_aired          = {{Start date|1991|09|03|df=y}}
| last_aired           = {{End date|1999|12|30|df=y}}
}}

'''''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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/other/2point4childre_7776570.shtml|title=BBC - Comedy Guide - 2 Point 4 Children|date=5 December 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041205023042/http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/other/2point4childre_7776570.shtml |archive-date=5 December 2004 }}</ref>

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". The show is regularly repeated in the UK. In Australia showings are on [[UKTV (Australia and New Zealand)|UKTV]]. The name of the show comes from the stereotypical average size of a typical [[nuclear family]] in the UK at the time of the writing of the first series.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://blog.ons.gov.uk/2019/08/02/whatever-happened-to-2-point-4-children/|title=Whatever happened to 2 Point 4 Children|publisher=Office of National Statistics}}</ref>

The show regularly picked up audiences of up to 14 million throughout the 1990s, with an average of between 6 and 9&nbsp;million.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2012/may/21/six-to-watch-tv-best-parents|title=Six to watch: TV's best parents|first=Daniel|last=Bettridge|date=21 May 2012|newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref> The final episode was viewed by 9.03&nbsp;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>

Lead actor [[Gary Olsen]] died in 2000, effectively ruling out a return of the show for any further series.<ref>{{cite web |date=2000-09-13 |title=Sitcom star Olsen dies |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/923900.stm |website=BBC News}}</ref>

==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>

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

===Main characters===
* [[Belinda Lang]] as Wilhelmina "Bill" Porter
* [[Gary Olsen]] as Ben Porter
* [[Georgina Cates|Clare Woodgate]] (series 1 and 2) and [[Clare Buckfield]] (series 3 onward) as Jenny Porter
* [[John Pickard (British actor)|John Pickard]] as David Porter
* [[Julia Hills]] as Rona Harris
* Kim Benson as Christine Atkins

===Supporting characters===
* [[Liz Smith (actress)|Liz Smith]] as both Bette and Aunt Belle, Bill's mother and her twin sister
* [[Annette Kerr]] as Dora Grimes, the Porter family's neighbour
* [[Patricia Brake]] (series 1) and [[Sandra Dickinson]] (series 2 onward) as Tina Porter, Ben's sister
* Leonard O'Malley (series 1) as Gerry
* [[Andrew Hall]] (series 2) as Gordon, Rona's fiancé
* [[Barbara Lott]] (series 2 to 6) as Auntie Pearl, Rona's biological mother
* [[Roger Lloyd-Pack]] (series 3 to 6) as Jake "The Klingon" Klinger, Ben's business rival
* Tom Roberts (series 3 onwards) as Tony, Rona's DJ boyfriend
* Nathan Valente (series 4 to 7) as Clive, Jenny's boyfriend
* Arbel Jones (series 4 to 6) as Laura, Clive's mother
* Mitchell Ray (series 7) and Alex Kew (series 8) as Declan, a homeless boy fostered by the Porters

===Guest appearances===
{{cast list|
* [[Annette Badland]] as Dawn
* [[Ed Bishop]] as Chet
* [[Owen Brenman]] as a yuppy
* [[Dominic Brunt]] as a petrol station attendant
* [[Patsy Byrne]] as Peggy
* [[Peter Cartwright (actor)|Peter Cartwright]] as an auctioneer
* [[Mark Charnock]] as Duane
* [[Nathan Constance]]
* [[Windsor Davies]] as Uncle Lon, Ben's uncle
* [[Sharon Duncan-Brewster]] as Maureen
* [[Richard Durden]] as John Crudaal
* [[Idris Elba]] as a parachute instructor
* [[Jeremy Hawk]] as Fletcher
* [[Don Henderson]] as Frank Porter, Ben and Tina's father
* [[David Kelly (actor)|David Kelly]] as Paddy
* [[James Lance]] as Keith
* [[Stephen Lewis (actor)|Stephen Lewis]] as a driving instructor
* [[Victor McGuire]] as Doctor Brook
* [[Ursula Mohan]] as a market researcher
* [[Deborah Norton]] as Martha Christie
* [[Julie Peasgood]] as Pauline
* [[Anneka Rice]] as herself
* [[Michael Troughton]] as Mr Barstow
* [[Nina Wadia]] as Sharma
* [[Danny Webb (British actor)|Danny Webb]] as Malcolm
* [[Tessa Wyatt]] as Carol
}}

==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]].

==Reception==

''2point4 Children'' was met with mixed to positive reviews. In a 1994 article for ''[[The Independent]]'', [[Jim White (journalist)|Jim White]] is critical of Andrew Marshall's scriptwriting saying that Marshall "[...] appears to labour under the belief that by grafting a few stock comedy moments on to his parade of the ordinary he can pass the thing off as a fully integrated sitcom", and White calls the show "unrelentingly average."<ref>{{Cite news |title=REVIEW / Ordinary situations make for ordinary comedy |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/review-ordinary-situations-make-for-ordinary-comedy-1447091.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250120180537/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/review-ordinary-situations-make-for-ordinary-comedy-1447091.html |archive-date=2025-01-20 |access-date=2025-05-01 |work=The Independent |language=en-GB}}</ref> A 1999 review from the ''[[The Guardian|Guardian]]'' is positive, writing that "it's odd but when people ask why the BBC doesn't make decent mainstream sitcoms anymore, Andrew Marshall's glorious saga of the hapless Porters rarely gets a mention. Going strong since 1991, the new series is as sharp as ever".<ref>{{Cite news |date=1999-11-16 |title=Watch this |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/1999/nov/16/tvandradio.television3 |access-date=2025-05-01 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

In 2004, the series ranked #44 in the BBC television poll, ''[[Britain's Best Sitcom]]''.<ref>{{cite web| title=Top 50 British TV sitcoms| url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/top/| website=comedy.co.uk| access-date=23 October 2023}}</ref>

==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 campaign for a release of the whole series was started in 2009.

The series was added to [[Britbox]] on 16 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, however as of 27 July 2024, all 8 series' are still available to watch on BBC iPlayer.<ref>{{Cite web |title=More classic box sets than ever before on BBC iPlayer to mark the BBC's centenary year |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2022/bbc-iplayer-classic-boxsets-centenary |access-date=2025-05-01 |website=www.bbc.co.uk |language=en}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Title
! Format
! Release date
! Features
|-
| ''2point4 children'' – Leader of the Pack 
| style="text-align:center;"|VHS
| style="text-align:center;"| 26 February 1996
| {{Hidden|{{align|left|}}|

* Includes Series 1: Episodes 1–3
* [[British Board of Film Classification|BBFC]] rating: PG
}}
|-
| ''2point4 children'' – The Complete Series One
| style="text-align:center;"|DVD
| style="text-align:center;"| 24 January 2005<ref>{{cite web| title=2 Point 4 Children - The Complete Series One| url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/2point4_children/shop/3304/2_point_4_children_the_complete_series_one_dvd/| website=comedy.co.uk| access-date=30 July 2023}}</ref>
| {{Hidden|{{align|left|}}|
* 6 episodes
* 1 disc
* 177 minutes
* [[Dolby Digital|Dolby Digital AC3]]
* Subtitles: English SDH
* Special features: 
** Tribute to Gary Olsen
** Stills Gallery
* [[British Board of Film Classification|BBFC]] rating: PG
}}
|-
| ''2point4 children'' – The Complete Series Two
| style="text-align:center;"|DVD
| style="text-align:center;"| 25 April 2005
| {{Hidden|{{align|left|}}|

* 7 episodes 
* 1992 Christmas special<br />{{small|(included as special feature)}}
* 1 disc
* 203 minutes
* [[Dolby Digital|Dolby Digital AC3]]
* Subtitles: English SDH
* [[British Board of Film Classification|BBFC]] rating: PG
}}
|-
| ''2point4 children'' – The Complete Series Three
| style="text-align:center;"|DVD
| style="text-align:center;"| 22 August 2005
| {{Hidden|{{align|left|}}|

* 6 episodes 
* 1993 Christmas special<br />{{small|(included as special feature)}}
* 1 disc
* 206 minutes
* [[Dolby Digital|Dolby Digital AC3]]
* Subtitles: English SDH
* [[British Board of Film Classification|BBFC]] rating: PG
}}
|-
| ''2point4 children'' – Series One to Three
| style="text-align:center;"|DVD
| style="text-align:center;"| 22 September 2008
| {{Hidden|{{align|left|}}|

* 19 episodes
* Special features:
** Tribute to Gary Olsen
** Stills Gallery
** 1992 Christmas special
** 1993 Christmas special
* 3 discs
* 586 minutes
* [[Dolby Digital|Dolby Digital AC3]]
* Subtitles: English SDH
* [[British Board of Film Classification|BBFC]] rating: PG
}}
|}

==Remake==
In 1997 a remake of the show debuted in the [[Netherlands]]: ''Kees & Co'' starring [[Simone Kleinsma]].<ref>{{cite web |date=19 July 2012 |title=Kees & Co |url=http://beeldengeluidwiki.nl/index.php/Kees_%26_Co |access-date=21 February 2014 |website=Beeld en Geluid wiki |language=nl}}</ref> The remake ran for eight series between 1997 and 2006. The first five series were adapted from the original English-language scripts, whilst the last three series featured original storylines and characters. In 2018 it was announced that the remake would return for a ninth series with 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>

==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}}
*[http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/1374494/index.html ''2point4 Children''] at [[BFI Screenonline]]
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:2point4 Children}}
[[Category:1991 British television series debuts]]
[[Category:1999 British television series endings]]
[[Category:1990s British multi-camera sitcoms]]
[[Category:1990s British sitcoms]]
[[Category:BBC television sitcoms]]
[[Category:Chiswick]]
[[Category:British 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]]
[[Category:Television series by BBC Studios]]