2 point 4 Children

2point4 Children
Title card, used from Series 5-8.
Created by	Andrew Marshall
Written by	Andrew Marshall
Directed by	Richard Boden
Starring	Belinda Lang Gary Olsen Julia Hills Clare Woodgate (series 1 & 2) Clare Buckfield (series 3–8) John Pickard
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language(s)	English
No. of series	8
No. of episodes	56 (list of episodes)
Production
Producer(s)	Richard Boden
Camera setup	Video; Multiple camera
Running time	30 min per average episode
Release
Original network	BBC One
Picture format	576i (4:3 SDTV) (1991–1998) 576i (16:9 SDTV) (1999)
Original release	3 September 1991 – 30 December 1999

2point4 Children is a BBC television sitcom that was created and written by Andrew Marshall. It follows the lives of the Porters, a seemingly average family whose world is frequently turned upside-down by bad luck and bizarre occurrences.

The show was originally broadcast on BBC One from 1991 to 1999, and ran for eight series, concluding with 30 December 1999 special episode, "The Millennium Experience". The September 2000 death from cancer of lead actor Gary Olsen, who played the father, ended the possibility of any subsequent specials. The show is now repeated regularly in the UK on Gold and Drama, and in Australia on UKTV.

The show's title refers to the once-average size of a UK family. There are two children in the Porter family, however Andrew Marshall has indicated that the father, Ben, could almost be considered another child, making up the "point four."

The show regularly picked up large audiences of up to 14 million in the early 1990s, with an average of between 6 and 9 million, the final episode was viewed by 9.03 million people.

In 1997 a remake of the show debuted in the Netherlands: Kees & Co starring Simone Kleinsma.

The Porter family at first seem normal enough. Bill is the sensible, level-headed mother who does the cooking and housework whilst running a catering business with sex-crazed friend Rona. Ben is the father, who is often just as immature as the children. He runs a heating repair business with his slightly sarcastic assistant Christine.

Jenny is the typical teenage daughter, keen on boys, music, and vegetarianism, and David is the mischievous younger brother, who enjoys horror films, aliens, and annoying his older sister.

However, the Porters' world is frequently upended by bizarre occurrences and bad luck. Whether it's dealing with flatulent dogs, having frozen men in freezers in the front room, or even stumbling across Shirley Bassey's warehouse, anything seems possible in the Porters' world.

The show originally ran from 1991 to 1999. 56 episodes were made over eight series, including six Christmas specials in which the cast performed carols or original theme songs.