British Comedy Guide
Man Down. Dan (Greg Davies). Copyright: Avalon Television
Man Down

Man Down

  • TV sitcom
  • Channel 4
  • 2013 - 2017
  • 26 episodes (4 series)

Sitcom starring Greg Davies as Dan, a teacher with crushing character flaws. Also features Roisin Conaty, Mike Wozniak, Gwyneth Powell, Stephanie Cole, Jeany Spark and more.

  • JustWatch Streaming rank this week: 913

F
X
R
W
E

Character guide

Man Down. Dan (Greg Davies). Copyright: Avalon Television

Dan

AKA: Dan Davies.  Drama Teacher.   Played by: Greg Davies

Dan's world is at near collapse: his girlfriend has left him; his two friends are as dysfunctional as he is; his teaching career consists of delivering a version of the same drama lesson every day; and his father spends most of his time working out how to pull pranks on his son.

His ineptitude would seem to know no bounds.

Man Down. Jo (Roisin Conaty). Copyright: Avalon Television

Jo

Played by: Roisin Conaty

Jo is one of Dan's two best friends.

She has the loosest of grasps on reality and bounces from one job to the next. Her relationships follow much the same pattern.

Man Down. Brian (Mike Wozniak). Copyright: Avalon Television

Brian

Played by: Mike Wozniak

It is hard to see why Dan and Brian are friends as they are nothing alike... but Dan counts Brian as one of his two best friends.

Brian is as straight-laced as they come. He works as a financial adviser and his idea of a good weekend away is a tour of the European Union Headquarters.

Brian is regularly dumbfounded by the complete idiocy of Dan and Jo.

Man Down. Mum (Gwyneth Powell). Copyright: Avalon Television

Mum

AKA: Polly.  Played by: Gwyneth Powell

Dan's mother, Polly, very much loves her son... to the extent she is still happy to wash his underwear for him.

Somehow she seems to have failed to spot that her husband keeps coming up with more and more elaborate ways to humiliate their son.

Man Down. Nesta (Stephanie Cole). Copyright: Avalon Television

Nesta (Series 2-4)

Played by: Stephanie Cole

Nesta is Dan's aunty. She administers her unique brand of tough love on Dan.

We first met Nesta in the 2014 Christmas special when Dan went to visit his aunt on her farm in order to tell her about the death of her brother (Dan's dad). She since seems to have moved in with Dan and his mum.

Man Down. Emma (Jeany Spark). Copyright: Avalon Television

Emma

AKA: Emma Lipsey.  Headteacher.   Played by: Jeany Spark

Emma is the headteacher at the school Dan works at... so is Dan's boss.

Despite witnessing Dan repeatedly failing to deliver a rounded curriculum, and on one occasion seeing him failing to turn up to school with any trousers on, somehow she hasn't yet fired him. Is there a spark between them?

Man Down. Dad (Rik Mayall). Copyright: Avalon Television

Dad (Series 1)

Played by: Rik Mayall

Dan is tormented daily by his father, whose driving motivation in life seems to be to ensure his son is humiliated at every turn, and physically injured whenever possible.

In Series 2, Dad is dead and very much missed by the family.

Man Down. Naomi (Deirdre Mullins). Copyright: Avalon Television

Naomi (Series 1)

Ex-Girlfriend.   Played by: Deirdre Mullins

Naomi is Dan's girlfriends. Actually, sorry, correction - she was.

Having run out of patience with Dan's inability to navigate the simplest of life tasks, she has ended their relationship.

Even if Dan won't accept it, Naomi has moved out and is now attempting to go somewhere in life... without Dan.

Can Dan win her back?

Share this page