Edna Doré

As we revisit the Gallaghers and their scallywag cohorts, Frank is turning 50 and has got a job. It's actually community service but the nation's most feckless man never lets the truth get in the way of trying to prove he's not a complete waste of space.

And he has to put on the mother of all acts this week when he sees the new woman of his dreams, Libby (Father Ted's Pauline McLynn), a bonkers Byron-obsessed librarian who steps out in front of a car while he's being a lollipop lady (and no, that's not a typo. I know he's male but his hair certainly isn't).

If almost getting run over wasn't enough of a sign that Libby should have gone to Specsavers, she soon falls for Frank.

It's widely accepted that Giles from Buffy The Vampire Slayer boosted the street-cred of librarians but this character may single-handedly destroy all that good work and give them the image of strange nymphos with bad glasses.

Not only do we get a disturbing scene involving Libby using a book to flirt with Frank, there's a sex scene so funny it rivals any of the comical horizontal aerobics randy Samantha got up to in Sex And The City.

Elsewhere, we have Glasgow kisses galore, Mimi talking about her lady bits (you'll have nightmares for weeks) and Frank Butcher's mum from EastEnders turning up as this Frank's grandmother Nin. It's a scene-stealing performance by actress Edna Dore but make the most of it because it's her only episode.

Jane Simon, The Mirror, 26th January 2010