Tom Rosenthal (I)

After something of a hiatus (the last series screened in 2012) we're back at the North London home of the bickering Goodman family for more middle-class Jewish mayhem. Writer and producer Robert Popper's sitcom may have a modest canvas - it rarely strays beyond its four suburban walls and plot development is minimal - but the show packs plenty of colourful farce into its frantic half-hour slot.

The opener of tonight's third run is no exception, hinging on a premise rife with comic opportunity. Eldest son Adam (Simon Bird) is bringing his new girlfriend Emma (Sophia Di Martino) round for dinner. As expected Mum (Tamsin Greig) has an eye on marriage potential, brother Jonny (Tom Rosenthal) sets out to embarrass and Dad (Paul Ritter) makes no attempt to curb his eccentricities.

Whilst the family dynamics are sharply observed and pleasingly quirky, this is soft-centred, amiable stuff bolstered by some top-notch performances. Ritter, as ever, is superb as shamelessly shirtless Martin, imbuing the character's oddities with pathos. A witty Di Martino also stands out, sweetly unfazed by the chaotic clan she's been invited into.

One-liners are thin on the ground but Popper's real skill is in his structuring, pulling together the episode's separate comic strands into a satisfying, climactic whole. There's no breaking new ground here and a fourth series might stretch things too far, but for now the Goodmans are still worth spending part of your evening with.

Ponderings from the Friday Night Dinner cast

Simon Bird and Tom Rosenthal give an insight into life in their own homes - from mischief to solitary playtime.

Tom Rosenthal, Soho Theatre, review

His opening act is a breathless and deftly daft rant about Bulgaria's infamous footballer Nicklas Bendtner and the time he got arrested for driving up the motorway the wrong way.

This week's new live comedy

Previews of Tom Rosenthal, Lucy Beaumont and Jason Cook.

Tom Rosenthal review

Bang bang, he shot me down. Bang, bang, he hit the ground running. It was a joke offensive, a stream of mirthful mockery from the moment Tom Rosenthal took to the mic.

Tom Rosenthal interview

Tom Rosenthal got the idea for his stand-up show while working in Bulgaria on TV show Plebs. Gemma Collins meets the Former Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year.

Tom Rosenthal interview

Tom Rosenthal returns in two hit sitcoms this year, Friday Night Dinner and Plebs. We lend him an ear.

Video: British Comedy Awards interviews

Sara Shulman interviews Johnny Vegas, Steve Coogan, Jack Whitehall, Vicki Pepperdine, Joanna Scanlan, Tom Rosenthal and Ryan Sampson at The British Comedy Awards.

Who better to host highlights from hotly tipped comics at the Edinburgh festival fringe than seasoned funnyman Seann Walsh? This selection features Tom Rosenthal (c]Friday Night Dinner], Plebs), a quirky comic whose travels in Bulgaria formed the basis of his 2013 show. There's also Aisling Bea, the Irish comedian who scooped last year's So You Think You're Funny? award, and the Rubberbandits, the Limerick troupe whose hilarious hip-hop antics are YouTube hits.