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In a calm suburb of Dublin, a person stands on the pavement, wearing a tank top and expressing his feelings. “It seems like I'm becoming more silent. Less noticeable,” says the main character, staring up at the night sky. “Events have unfolded and at this point I believe without a change, I’ll just carry on in this simple, peaceful routine.” His friend Paul, his closest confidant, considers the idea. “Nothing wrong with that,” he replies, his bathrobe flapping with the wind. “Superior to trying to make a mark and ending up damaging things.”

For viewers exhausted by the chaos and rat-tat-tat of modern television landscape, Leonard and Hungry Paul arrives similar to a warm cover and a comforting beverage of blackcurrant juice.

In line with its gentle leads, Leonard and Hungry Paul – a half-dozen installment show created by its authors, inspired by the author’s quiet book – looks disapprovingly on contemporary society; gazing skeptically through its eyewear at anything in the way of disturbances, sudden movements or – goodness forbid – too much drive. The series rather, a celebration of shyness; a subtle homage to people happy to pootle around away from attention. But. The character (another sublimely idiosyncratic performance from Alex Lawther) feels restless. He feels a growing “desire to unlock the openings of my life … slightly.” The recent death of his parent has yanked the floor from under his slippers and the 32-year-old, a writer for others, now realizes reconsidering the choices which led him to his current situation (single; defensively moustached; working on a range of educational volumes for a man who concludes correspondence with the phrase “see you later”).

And so Leonard begins himself on a quest to find happiness, alongside his more outgoing Hungry Paul (the actor) acting as his confidante, life coach and ally in a recurring gaming session functioning as both discussion (“Does the pool feel warm from kids relieving themselves, or is it that kids pee as it's heated?”) and safe space.

(How did Paul get his nickname? The reason is unknown. The beginning of this name appears lost in history. Maybe he previously devoured a snack in record time, or responded to an awkward situation by nervously peeling several snacks with his teeth).

Entering Leonard's quiet life comes a vibrant character (the actress), a new energetic co-worker who cheerily offers to eliminate the awful manager (the character) during the office fire drill. The swift movement noticeable signals Leonard's peaceful routine experiencing a revolution.

Elsewhere in the first episode of this program focused less on story and centered around what a modern audience could describe as “vibes”, viewers encounter Paul's father (the brilliant the actor), a worn-out individual who covertly observes, tapes and rewatches daytime quiz shows to amaze his devoted partner with his general knowledge.

Shepherding the audience through all this gentle kindness we hear a narrator who closely resembles – and truly is – the Hollywood icon. Yes, Julia Roberts. In case you're considering, “certainly the presence of such a famous actor is at odds with the program's low-key style and starts off as just a distraction?” you would be correct. Nevertheless, Roberts does a good job, and phrases like “Leonard’s problem is his absence of an expression of discovery” assist in making sure that initial doubts yield if not quite to appreciation, then certainly understanding.

Enough complaining for now. The series' spirit is in the right place: the right place being “resting on a bench alongside similar shows, pointing out the duck it loves.” The program that moves gently in comfortable attire, sometimes gazing upward toward the sky, at other times looking toward the ground, serenely certain that no experience is in the world as heartening as spending time in the company of dear pals.

Open the doors and windows within your world, just a bit, and allow it entry.