If you’re looking for a soft comedy drama where nothing bad happens, then Ralph & Katie (BBC One) might be for you. The Ralph and Katie from the title are newlyweds in a charming Lake District town. The show is a spin-off of It’s a wordthe BBC series about a family with autism, but don’t worry if you haven’t seen that as this show stands on its own.
Ralph (Leon Harrop) and Katie (Sarah Gordy) are the couple navigate married life. Both have Down syndrome, but this is not a series about disabilities. It’s a series about two people who experience the usual relationship mini-dramas – misunderstandings, a mother who won’t stop sticking her oars – while living at Down’s. It’s an important distinction.
The show is heartwarming – the production values seem to bathe everything in a pink glow – but that’s not because of the handicap. It’s just one of those fun kinds of shows, like Doctor Martinwhere every character is a good person and every situation can be happily resolved at the end of each episode (and they only last half an hour).
In addition to the two main roles, there are several recurring characters. Danny (Dylan Brady) is Ralph and Katie’s supporter, and Emma (Jamie Marie Leary) is Katie’s friend and colleague. Craig Cash is the neighbor, Brian, who was introduced to us with his musings on living alongside a disabled couple: “You can’t stop the tide of progress, can you? Solar, Islam, Deliveroo…” Cash brings the same level of quirkiness that he brought to Early Doors, which all in all is too much quirkiness for me, but your tolerance could be higher.
The show can turn saccharine and sanitized, and something about the set – the couple’s house is so perfectly decorated it doesn’t seem like it has been lived in – says CBBC instead of 9pm on BBC One. Especially Danny could use some more bite. But it survives with charm and two winning main performances. Harrop has great comedic timing and the best character to play as Ralph has a deadpan delivery and can be downright rude.
As cynical as you are, a party scene in episode two where Ralph leads Danny through a dance routine will brighten up your day.