The Mimic

Series one, episode four
Finally, Martin’s hit paydirt. Well, kind of. Steven has sorted him out with some work voicing Satnav commands – however, a day of intoning ‘turn left at the roundabout’ in the voice of Barack Obama leads to a gentle meltdown. Martin’s array of voices aren’t just impressions – there’s something genuinely confused and schizophrenic about him and this gives ‘The Mimic’ its heft. When Martin’s wig-out goes viral, it’s apparent that, while everyone else is excited, he’s vaguely ashamed.

Elsewhere, Neil’s artistic bent is revealed, Jean deals with an inevitable dumping and Dione’s reasons for encouraging Steven to get to know his dad become clear – this last development will have to be handled carefully if the show isn’t to descend into Coldplay montages, group hugs and emotional manipulation. Still, thanks to the nicely observed writing and excellent performances, ‘The Mimic’ continues to sustain itself pretty well.