2point4 Children (TV Series) Leader of the Pack (1991) User Reviews

A fine start for the Porters.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 16 March 2019]

The Porters, an ordinary family that extraordinary things happen to. Leader of the pack is Bill, the matriarch, in charge of husband Bill, kids David and Jenny. We're also introduced to Bill's sexy, man mad neighbour Rona.

This is a great start, no wonder the show had so much longevity, the characters are all utterly lovable.

The show had a familiar family feel, with everyday ups and downs, domestic issues, but there was always something utterly random happening, here it was Bill meeting the dishy biker.

A favourite show of mine, the first episode is full of jokes, it managed to establish the characters instantly. Great stuff, 8/10

Leader of the Pack

[Prismark10 · 7/10 · 14 March 2019]

The opening episode starts off brightly and is also very funny. I laughed several times.

The focus is on Bill Porter, mother of two kids, works in a bakery and keep house. We see her early in the morning rushing to put the bags in the bin van as it goes up the street.

Bill then goes to school and gives the headmaster a telling off.

Her husband Ben is a plumber, a bit of a slob and in the first episode makes his client jealous by mentioning how much money he earns and how much sex he has.

There is almost a surreal part to the first episode as Bill keeps bumping into a biker that she kinds of takes a shine to. Maybe he is some kind of angel.

A strong episode for what was a consistently funny show.

In at the deep end

[keysam-02610 · 9/10 · 24 February 2023]

2.4 Children drops us all in straight at the deep end, with main character Bill leaping out of bed to try to catch the bin men, after she's forgotten to put her rubbish out for collection. Not only is she unsuccessful, but she ends up with someone else's rubbish too.

This very deftly sets the tone for the whole series really - Bill (& to some extent her husband Ben) is valiantly trying to get through life with too little time or money, too much work & too much annoyance from their kids & various officials and relatives, but the universe keeps sending curve balls at them. It is mainly Bill that takes the brunt; Ben's a bit too oblivious to notice half the time!

Meanwhile Bill's neighbour, great friend & work mate Rona is entertaining a series of blokes on one-night stands, which doesn't exactly make Bill jealous, but does keep reminding her of another way life could be.

The comedy set-ups here are great but it's often the dialogue that really brings the entertainment, usually when Bill loses her rag. The bit where she scolds the headmaster & form teacher at Jenny's school in exactly the manner they use toward pupils is hilarious & something I suspect many of us would wish to do in the same situation.

For a first episode, this is a very confident start.