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In a peaceful suburb of the Irish capital, an individual is standing on the pavement, wearing a tank top and sharing his concerns. “I feel myself getting quieter. Less noticeable,” remarks the protagonist, looking toward the stars. “Events have unfolded and at this point it seems without a change, I’ll just carry on in this simple, peaceful routine.” His friend Paul, his only confidant, reflects on these words. “There's no harm in that,” he replies, his robe moving in the breeze. “Preferable to attempting to leave an impact and causing harm instead.”

For those weary by the bluster and rat-tat-tat of modern television landscape, the show comes like a warm cover and a comforting beverage of a sweet cordial.

In line with its gentle leads, this comedy – a six-part program created by Richie Conroy and Mark Hodkinson, inspired by Rónán Hession’s quiet story – casts a critical eye toward today's world; peering critically above its spectacles on everything related to disturbances, abrupt changes or – goodness forbid – an abundance of ambition. The series on the contrary, a tribute to quiet people; a gentle tribute to people content to amble along out of the spotlight. But. He (another sublimely idiosyncratic performance by the actor) is unsettled. He feels an increasing “desire to unlock the doors and windows of my life … a little.” The loss of his mother has yanked the floor out from under him and this young man, a ghost writer, now feels doubting the choices that have brought him to his current situation (alone; with a protective mustache; writing a range of educational volumes for a man who signs off correspondence with the phrase “see you later”).

Therefore Leonard begins himself on a quest to find happiness, with the slightly bolder friend Paul (the actor) acting as his confidante, guide and partner in a weekly game night which acts as debate (“Is the water heated from kids relieving themselves, or is it that kids pee because it’s warm?”) and safe space.

(How did Paul get his nickname? No idea. The beginning of the nickname is shrouded in mystery. It could be that he previously devoured a snack in record time, or reacted to a socially fraught incident by hastily opening some food items by biting into them).

Into Leonard’s gentle world bursts Shelley (the performer), a new energetic colleague who happily suggests to kill Leonard’s appalling boss (Paul Reid) in a workplace safety exercise. The swift movement noticeable signals Leonard's peaceful routine being turned upside down.

In other scenes in the initial show of the comedy focused less on story and centered around what younger viewers might call “atmosphere”, we meet Paul's father (the consistently great the actor), a worn-out individual who privately views, saves and reviews trivia competitions to amaze his loving spouse using his trivia skills.

Guiding viewers through all this gentle kindness there is a voiceover that sounds very much like – and truly is – the Hollywood icon. Indeed, Julia Roberts. Should you wonder, “certainly the inclusion of a big-name celebrity clashes with the show's modest approach and at first acts merely as a distraction?” you're right. However, the actress performs admirably, and dialogue for example “The issue with Leonard is the missing a ‘eureka’ face” contribute to ensuring that early misgivings yield if not full admiration, then at least acceptance.

Enough complaining for now. The series' spirit is in the right place: that place is “sitting on a park bench next to the Detectorists, pointing out its favourite duck.” The program that ambles along wearing its simple clothes, sometimes gazing upward toward the sky, occasionally down toward the ground, quietly confident that no experience is in life as heartening as spending time with good friends.

Open the doors and windows of your life, just a bit, and allow it entry.