Rory Kinnear

This truly excellent series plumbs new heights (or depths) of logical surrealism as Arthur invites Michael to a "soupover". This involves pyjamas, although it takes place in the afternoon, and numerous rituals including watching VHS tapes of black-and-white horse races from yesteryear. Rory Kinnear draws on all his Royal Shakespeare Company training to do justice to the horror of it all.

All sitcoms must arrive here eventually: an episode where the whole gang visit a safari park, with near-death consequences. But the Count makes everything his own by playing on the pseudo-paternal bond between the two leads. Either can be the dad and today it's Arthur (Steve Delaney), taking Michael (Rory Kinnear) on a well-meant but disastrously cheap birthday trip. As they go, comic seeds are, as always, deftly planted for harvesting later.

Steve Delaney's catastrophically befuddled Count continues his welcome return and continues to make the life of Rory Kinnear's Michael a surreal misery. This week, Michael receives a summons for jury service, Arthur discovers the joy of doing good deeds and John the Watch runs into some of his old criminal associates, leading to a moment of sitcom genius comprising the exchange: "Have they now?" "Yes." Looks nothing on paper but just you watch it ...

Preview - Count Arthur Strong

While Mrs. Brown's Boys currently holds the title of the most divisive comedy in Britain, Count Arthur Strong surprisingly also seems to split opinion.

Steve Delaney's catastrophically befuddled Count continues his welcome return and continues to make the life of Rory Kinnear's Michael a surreal misery. This week, Michael receives a summons for jury service, Arthur discovers the joy of doing good deeds and John the Watch runs into some of his old criminal associates, leading to a moment of sitcom genius comprising the exchange "Have they now?" "Yes." Looks nothing on paper but just you watch it.

Count Arthur Strong will make you laugh & make you cry

Looking for something to make your Friday nights funny? The farce is Strong with this one...

Is Count Arthur the comedy the BBC is looking for?

The BBC One sitcom has finally got a prime-time slot - and co-writer Graham Linehan could not be more delighted.

TV show: Count Arthur Strong, BBC1

It's been a while since the last Count Arthur Strong series but the third run does not mark a significant change.

Five minutes with... Rory Kinnear

Rory Kinnear talks about the new series, speeding down the Thames for Bond and the terrible things he's had to do in the name of acting.