Avoidance, 19 April 2024, BBC One, “Series 2 Episode 3”

In the third episode of the second series of BBC comedy series “Avoidance,” Jonathan (Romesh Ranganathan) and Claire (Jessica Knappett) find themselves trapped in a dinner party from hell. Meanwhile, Jonathan’s sister, Danielle (Mandeep Dhillon), and her wife, Courtney (Lisa McGrillis), struggle with “gentle parenting” when they are tricked into babysitting a friend’s children.

The episode airs as part of the show’s second season, which explores themes of falling in love, messy reconciliations, and the arrival of a new baby. Jonathan, determined to win back his ex-partner Claire, finds himself in a love square with new romantic interests: Megan (Aisling Bea), who wins him at a charity auction, and Brett (Matthew Lewis), a muscled carpenter who captures Claire’s attention.

The series, created by Ranganathan and Benjamin Green, who also directs, offers a blend of humour and weighty relationship themes. It follows Jonathan, a man with severe conflict-avoidance issues, who is forced to change for the sake of his son, Spencer (Kieran Logendra).

“Avoidance” has received mixed reviews, with Lucy Mangan of The Guardian praising it as a “gentle, truthful, beautifully performed comedy about the ultimate beta male,” while Marianka Swain of The Daily Telegraph labelled it a “sad-com bore.”

Avoidance airs on BBC One at 9:30 pm on Friday 19 April 2024.