Romesh Ranganathan: Rom Wasn't Built In A Day

Romesh Ranganathan's newcomer nomination for the comedy awards last year hasn't dulled his cynicism. We pick up more or less where we left off, with him reluctantly seeking some kind of redemption.

The father of two doesn't feel like an adequate dad, or indeed husband. He can't give up on his bad—or at least perceived bad—habits. According to his wife these include playing rap in the car when the kids are there and loving the sweary consequences.

But if he is flawed, we are going down with him. It's human nature is to have the wrong priorities and Ranganathan pinpoints numerous examples in others with something approaching a grumpy glee. Selfies for charity? Selfies for vanity more like. Baby showers? Where are the presents for those whose lives are going to be impaired by these new additions to the human race, ones that grow up to value status over wisdom?

As a former teacher, Ranganathan clearly has plenty of bones to pick with the world around him. He does so with a seeping sardonicism rather than an explosive anger. Sometimes you think it might be good for him to have a little bit of a blow-up every now and then.

However, it's not the absence of a good old-fashioned rant that arrests the closing sequences of the show but the distance he's travelled away from some of the family hearth material. When he tries to reintroduce this context it feels disjointed – a hiccup in what is otherwise another solid showing.