Outnumbered

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I've been meaning to talk about this TV show for ages because I've enjoyed it but I think it has just finished in Australia.  Series one has just been released on DVD so you can always ask for it for Christmas.

'Outnumbered' is a show about the Brockman family. Pete (a history teacher), Sue and their three kids, 13yo Jake, 9yo Ben and 6yo Karen set in South London. It's a very understated, meandering sort of show which some people might find irritating after the slickness of a show like 'Modern Family' (which we thoroughly enjoy too).  This is because it semi-improvised and you can see that in the realness of the children's conversations and comments.  But 'Outnumbered' portrays the everyday 'joys' of family life with humour and dryness that I found therapeutic.  Their middle child, Ben, is completely mad, and I have to say does remind me a lot of one of my children.

Ultimately it is Pete and Sue's constant look of bewilderment that is the highlight for me.  I often feel like that.  'How did we get here?  With all these children?  Doing crazy stuff.  That we have no control over.'

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