The summer may boast nice weather but there are times when all you want is to get away from the pounding sun and enjoy the cool shade of your living room.
Still, even when I’m escaping the uncomfortable heat, I don’t want to lose touch with the warming embracy of the sunny season entirely.
As a TV junkie I’ve watched more shows than I’d like to admit (despite it literally being in my job title) and have my rotation of comfort watches come rain or shine.
In this case, as we battle heatwave after heatwave, there’s only one TV show up for the task of immersing me in the season without having to leave the welcome chill of my two tinny fans.
Enter, ITV show, The Durrells which ran for four seasons between 2016 to 2019 and raked in plenty of praise at the time – although its since flown under the radar.
The series is based on memoirs Gerald Durrell’s time living in Corfu in the 1930s and stars Keeley Hawes as widow Louisa who up and moves to the Greek island with her four children when they find themselves floundering in London.
There, we follow the exploits of the eccentric British family including tortured writer Larry (Josh O’Connor), gun-enthusiast Leslie (Callum Woodhouse), the dour Margo (Daisy Waterstone) and nature-loving youngest, Gerry (Milo Parker).
I’m not sure where to begin with the merits of this show which paints such a vibrant picture of the landscape and the ridiculous characters we encounter along the way.
Pre-The Crown Josh is an absolutely delight to watch on screen where his character spends most of his time angrily tapping away at his typewriter, desprately trying to prove his stripes as a very serious author, thank you very much.
Leslie is absolutely hopeless and while he walks around the world as though he owns it, most of the time he just ends up getting embarassed -whether in matters of unreuquited love or not actually being very macho.
Margo’s complete and utter lack of interest in most things (aside from a cute boy) is almost inspirational and Gerry is so endearingly sweet with his love of all things natural you can’t help but feel fond of him.
Not to mention the matriarch herself, Louisa, who has absolutely no idea what she’s doing half the time but somehow makes it work anyway with the help of the kooky, but kind, community she lands herself in.
You can’t help but be drawn into the trials and triumphs of this family-of-five as they try to figure out how to harvest olives, speak a paltry amount ofGreek and do up their falling-apart home.
There’s just enough stakes to keep you hooked (will Larry survive appendiz surgery,is Gerry accidentally hanging with a convicted murderer, will Louisa find love again) while still being a earnest and funny watch.
The amount of times I’ll bark out a laugh at the sarky British humour or beffudled Corfu natives trying to figure out why the new family are so weird and always, always, squabbling in the way only people who really love each other do.
The cherry on top is, of course, the setting. The Grecian sun, rugged coastline, flowy summer clothes and tanned skin will made you feel like you’re enjoying the sea on holiday in no time.
And I’m far from alone.
When critics first reviewed it, there was a boatload of praise.
As the GOQ review put it: ‘A ludicrously dysfunctional very British family relocates to Corfu without a word of Greek, befriends a host of stereotypical locals and the odd, drunken Brit, and everything proceeds to go completely tits up. What’s not to love?’
Radio Times called it a ‘joyful, sun-dappled party’ and another ‘the perfect summer vacation you have probably been aching for’.
So, you know, the people agree with me.
I know what I’ll be watching this summer, and I would urge you to join me, whether your first or fifth time.
The Durrells is available to stream on Disney Plus now.