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In a quiet suburb of the city, a man can be found outside his home, dressed in a sleeveless jumper and voicing his concerns. “It seems like myself getting quieter. More invisible,” remarks the main character, gazing into the darkness. “One thing’s led to another and now I believe unless I take action, I will continue in this simple, peaceful routine.” Hungry Paul, Leonard’s best and only friend, ponders the idea. “Nothing wrong with that,” he responds, his robe swaying in the breeze. “Better than attempting to leave an impact and ending up damaging things.”

For viewers exhausted by the noise and constant stimulation of modern television landscape, this series arrives as a warm cover and a comforting beverage of a sweet cordial.

Like its gentle leads, the series – a six-episode program developed by Richie Conroy and Mark Hodkinson, adapted from the author’s understated story – casts a critical eye on contemporary society; looking critically above its spectacles at anything in the way of loud sounds, quick actions or – heaven forfend – too much drive. The program is, instead, an ode to introversion; a quiet celebration of those satisfied to wander below the parapet. However. He (one more sublimely idiosyncratic turn from the star) is unsettled. He notices a creeping “urge to throw open the doors and windows of my life … slightly.” The passing of his parent has whisked the rug away from his feet and this young man, a ghost writer, now realizes questioning the paths that directed him to his current situation (alone; with a protective mustache; writing a range of kids' reference books for a boss who concludes emails using the words “see you later”).

Therefore Leonard starts on a journey for personal satisfaction, accompanied by the somewhat braver friend Paul (the actor) acting as his trusted friend, life coach and ally in a weekly game night that serves both as discussion (“Is the water heated because kids pee in it, or do children urinate because it’s warm?”) and refuge.

(How did Paul get his nickname? No idea. The origin of this name is shrouded in mystery. Maybe he on one occasion consumed some food unusually quickly, or answered to a tense moment by hastily opening several snacks using his teeth).

Into Leonard’s gentle world comes a new colleague (the actress), a new spring-loaded co-worker who cheerily offers to kill the awful manager (the character) at a fire practice. That whooshing sound noticeable signals Leonard's peaceful routine undergoing a shake-up.

In another part in the initial show of the comedy not heavily plotted and centered around what younger viewers could describe as “vibes”, we are introduced to Hungry Paul’s dad (the ever-wonderful Lorcan Cranitch), a tired character who covertly observes, saves and reviews television game programs to impress his adoring wife using his trivia skills.

Guiding the audience throughout this gentle kindness is a narrator that is unmistakably – and actually is – the famous actress. Yes, Julia Roberts. If you are thinking, “certainly the presence of such a famous actor contradicts the series’ unshowy MO and initially serves only as an interruption?” you would be correct. However, Roberts acquits herself well, and lines such as “The issue with Leonard is the missing a look of sudden insight” assist in making sure that early misgivings fade if not full admiration, then at minimum tolerance.

Enough complaining at this time. The show's core is in the right place: that place is “sitting on a park bench next to the Detectorists, pointing out the duck it loves.” This is a show that moves gently in comfortable attire, occasionally looking up at the stars, occasionally down at its feet, serenely certain that there is nothing in the world as uplifting as spending time in the company of good friends.

Unlock the entryways in your existence, a little, and let it in.