Even more ‘right royal’ goings on in King Gary

If this suburbia-set sitcom does anything well, it shines a light on how co-creator and leading man Tom Davis has managed to find even more depths to plumb in the character of Gary King who, at first glance isn’t all that likeable but, the more time you spend in his company, the harder it is to let him go.

Davis, a stalwart of many a panel show, came up with the programme’s format with his Murder In Successville colleague James De Frond, and it seems that King Gary may even overshadow its predecessor – we’re already onto the second series, and it’s clear there’s plenty more to come from the residents of Butterchurn Crescent.

“King Gary is big on laughs, big on heart and big on talent,” says Shane Allen, controller of Comedy Commissioning at the BBC.

“Landing a mainstream family sitcom with a modern tone is a tough nut to crack but these scripts are bursting with great lines and well-earned set pieces.”

This week, there’s even more going on than usual, as Gary and his beloved Terri have a huge row at the gym when she tells him Kay will replace Chloe as their wedding planner. He, it’s fair to say, doesn’t think Kay is up to the job, and the massive argument that erupts means that by next morning the pair still aren’t talking.

But that’s not the only matter Gary has to contend with – he also chairs a meeting involving residents who are getting increasingly fed up with Aaron and his disruptive, noisy, partying ways.

The neighbours want Gary, as Crescent Warden, to do something, but what? Big Gary thinks smashing Aaron’s car up and scaring him out of the area is a good idea, but nobody else does – for now.

Gary confronts his neighbour and begs him to behave, but to no avail: Gary is a laughing stock, and it proves to be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.

As a result he ropes in Stuart, but before they can set to work, our hero has a huge panic attack. Later, when he comes round on the sofa, Terri is back home and his parents have rushed round, full of sympathy and understanding.

Then, the doorbell rings… Aaron says someone has wrecked his car and stolen his cat. Gary seizes the moment and claims responsibility, telling Aaron his moggie will be returned if he clears out of the Crescent and never looks back.

While a beaten Aaron retreats, his victor assumes Big Gary and Winkle were behind the cat’s napping, and congratulates his Dad on a job well done. But Big Gary doesn’t know anything about the feline…

Also this week, Terri, Kay and Alison have a pre-wedding lunch in the West End while Gary and his groomsmen have their suit fitting. Neither event goes all that well: Terri has gone past the point of no return with the ‘fully dark’ and Gary is feeling even more stressed, as neither his friends nor his family seem able to behave themselves at the posh tailor.

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