"A one-off Christmas special must have the following traditional ingredients to be entitled to the name. First and most vitally, it must have a grumpy character to soften over the hour. (And it must be an hour 75 minutes, tops. Anything longer and we're out of letting-the-children-stay-up-and-watch-as-a-treat territory and that disqualifies it as a contender. Yes it's a hangover from the days when television was broadcast at fixed points, instead of thrown into the digital ragbag to be pulled out at any time, but what is tradition if not such harkings-back? Come on)."
"Third, the main parts must be played by great actors throwing their all into a family show and making it work despite a preposterous plot with a particularly unbelievable inciting incident that will be loudly objected to by both the very youngest and very oldest member (these being the most pedantic and exacting viewers) of every household's audience, before the cosy story its edges limned with melancholy works its magic upon them and a blissful silence, interrupted only by the munching of Quality Street and muttered reminders not to put the wrappers back in the box, descends."
"Stuffed (58 minutes) fits the bill perfectly. Guz Khan (co-creator and star of Man Like Mobeen) plays Arslan Farooqi, a grumpy but loving husband to Hannah (Morgana Robinson or Morgana the Magnificent as she is known in this house, so wholeheartedly do we worship her borderline bonkers turn as Pippa Middleton in The Windsors), and father to their two daughters, Layla and Fern (Sophia Hussain and Eloide Bains)."
A one-off Christmas special should include a grumpy character who softens, snow, and an hour-long runtime (up to 75 minutes). Traditional festive tropes welcome preposterous plots and an unbelievable inciting incident that will annoy the most pedantic viewers before warming them. Stuffed runs 58 minutes and exemplifies these expectations. Guz Khan stars as Arslan Farooqi, a grumpy but loving husband and father. Morgana Robinson plays Hannah, who watches a video of her late mum and struggles not to cry. The tone balances cosy humour with edges of melancholy and heartfelt family moments.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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