Although it’s been almost three years since the previous episode aired, in the show’s narrative just six months have passed since the flatmates’ visit to the Quantocks. We left the El Dude brothers rolling in a meadow fighting over the affections of Dobbie, and we return to them seemingly estranged but about to reunite for the stag do of newly re-nicknamed Sober Hans, the “crack-addled maniac” who has apparently completely detoxed for his upcoming nuptials. That isn’t the only surprise in tonight’s episode though. Jez has been swiftly replaced as roommate with Jerry, a bearded and even dryer version of recent bank employee Mark. Before we meet him though, there are several rounds of juice drinks to imbibe at the stag, Hans’s new passion, along with Pret and Zoella. The façade falls away after a pitcher of alcohol is brought to the table, with Hans loudly declaring his love of cocaine and Jeremy flirting with a barmaid using his life-coaching skills. He’s living in Hans’s bathroom, causing difficulties when Hans needs to go for a “longie”, during which Jez tries to apologise for the “Dobbie thing”.
Back at Apollo House, Jez is introduced to Jerry, aka Mark if he were played by Lee Mack. Clearly Jez hates him immediately, but Mark doesn’t seem too fond of his housemate either, as they drag the sorry out of Jez. Faced with eviction after taking a (non-wank-, this time) bullet for Hans taking coke, Jez takes out a loan from Mark’s bank, where his boss is none other than Alan Johnson, and his colleague is Jerry.
After noticing through Facebook updates that Mark is playing Candy Crush rather a lot, Jeremy heads to the flat. After debating the merits of Jerry, Jez apologises. In a bizarre poker faced sequence, a plan is enacted which includes a “normal” kidnapping by Hans, and he moves back in. Mark changes tack at remarkable speed, and it’s clear that he has indeed missed Jeremy in the flat, though he would never admit it.
It’s a decent first episode back, and I’ve a feeling we haven’t seen the last of the fallout from the Quantocks incident, not least because we haven’t seen the Dobster herself yet. This final series already has a few more loose ends to tie up by the end, so we’ll see what next week brings.
**** / *****