Big Boys Season 3 on Channel 4 review: as warming as a bowl of hot chicken soup

The loveable lads of Big Boys are backmost connected our screens, and not a infinitesimal excessively soon.

When it archetypal aired connected Channel 4 backmost successful 2022, the amusement won fans instantly, but if you missed it here’s a recap. The amusement is simply a coming-of-age communicative from award-winning comedian and writer Jack Rooke, focused connected his aboriginal years astatine Brent Uni successful the aftermath of his dad’s death.

We get present astatine the past and last - sob! - series, acceptable successful the summertime of 2015 (“pre-COVID, pre-Brexit, pre-air fryers” - halcyon days), earlier young Jack, played by Dylan Llewellyn from Derry Girls, Danny (Jon Pointing, Sweetpea) and pals commencement their past twelvemonth of uni.

Jack's household are backmost too: mum Peggy (Camille Coduri), Nanny Bingo (Annette Badland) and relative Sharon (Harriet Webb), a triptych of huns truthful dazzling they warrant their ain spin-off.

Things prime up from the tail-end of play two, the archetypal bid of concern dissecting the greenish shoots of Danny and Corinne's (Izuka Hoyle) caller romance portion soaking up the prima connected swan-themed pedalos.

They soon scope a large milestone successful immoderate caller couple's timeline: the archetypal holiday. But they're not alone. Sharon spends her bingo winnings connected a travel to Greece, covering everyone but Corinne and Danny who tag on buoyed by their ain “free” wealth - a.k.a the pupil loan. “You batch ace maine up with each your debt," Sharon cackles.

Loan splurged connected flights, Danny's solution to sorting the accommodation is simply a structure successful 36°C heat, a show truthful shambolic it makes Fyre Festival look similar Necker Island. Peggy comes to miffed Corrine’s rescue with a enarthrosis to outcry on, a edifice country to share, and a calming spliff connected the balcony smuggled successful her manus luggage. Wait a minute! Just however lax was airdrome information successful 2015?

While Big Boys 1 was astir uncovering your feet and the 2nd astir chosen family, bid three's large acquisition focuses connected leaps of faith.

Danny has a agelong mode to go. Aside from vacation debacles, helium astir stands Corrine up due to the fact that he’s truthful engrossed successful watching Billy Elliott, his preferred dissertation theme. Lucky for him, Corinne is (mostly) afloat of 2nd chances. She knows the soft-centred lad is worthy the trouble.

Jack’s straight-talking relative Sharon yet gives her ASOS transportation operator babe daddy Tariq a due chance, a gamble that leaves her happier than ever. Widow Peggy, piecing unneurotic a breached heart, gets backmost connected the dating saddle with minicab operator beau Russell, winching herself into knockoff Spanx and sending her archetypal sext. And past there's Jack and Yemi (Olisa Odele), whose relationship crosses implicit into thing antithetic - for Jack, astatine slightest - aft a landmark nighttime successful that abandoned structure successful Faliraki.

Big Boys 3 is arsenic bully arsenic ever: feel-good, endearing and arsenic comforting arsenic a steaming vessel of chickenhearted soup. There are moments of startling tenderness, maturity and intimacy wedged betwixt uni bro bants, which support things buoyant and showcase Rooke’s originative prowess. Despite immoderate silliness, it feels similar an antidote to toxic masculinity. I lone privation Rooke would prevention immoderate of the kinder lines for his ain quality alternatively of wearing slapstick schtick.

Above all, Big Boys is simply a tribute to the friends and household who signifier Jack, particularly successful the aboriginal years erstwhile you’re not rather definite who you are yet, ne'er caput who you’ll become. It truly is thing special. Watch without hesitation: it volition lukewarm you from the wrong out.