There’s not much TV everyone in my family can agree to watch together, let alone excitedly sit on the sofa together to catch. But when the 2024 Outnumbered Christmas special was announced, we did just that. And as a family of five who grew up watching the exploits of the Brockman clan, I felt that the 2024 Christmas special was the realest the hit BBC comedy series has been so far.
Image Credit: Metro [Television programme: Outnumbered Picture shows: (l/r) Karen (Ramona Marquez), Mum (Claire Skinner), Jake (Tyger Drew-Honey), Dad (Hugh Dennis) & Ben (Daniel Roche) TX: BBC One]
The beloved family show ran for five seasons between 2007 and 2014, returned for a Christmas special in 2016 and has now capped the show off with a controversial finish almost a decade later with the kids all grown up. The Brockmans – mum Sue (Claire Skinner), dad Pete (Hugh Dennis), and siblings Karen (Ramona Marquez), Ben (Daniel Roache) and Jake (Tyger-Drew Honey) – have become a staple on British TV for over a decade, and with good reason.
Image Credit: Metro [Undated BBC Handout Photo from Outnumbered. Jake (TYGER DREW HONEY), Rani (KERENA JAGPAL), Ben (DANIEL ROCHE), Karen (RAMONA MARQUEZ). PA Feature SHOWBIZ TV Quickfire Outnumbered. WARNING: This picture must only be used to accompany PA???Feature SHOWBIZ TV Quickfire Outnumbered. PA Photo. Picture credit should read: BBC/Hat Trick Productions/Adam Lawrence. NOTE TO EDITORS: This picture must only be used to accompany PA Feature SHOWBIZ TV Quickfire Outnumbered. WARNING: Use of this copyright image is subject to the terms of use of BBC Pictures' BBC Digital Picture Service. In particular, this image may only be published in print for editorial use during the publicity period (the weeks immediately leading up to and including the transmission week of the relevant programme or event and three review weeks following) for the purpose of publicising the programme, person or service pictured and provided the BBC and the copyright holder in the caption are credited. Any use of this image on the internet and other online communication services will require a separate prior agreement with BBC Pictures. For any other purpose whatsoever, including advertising and commercial prior written approval from the copyright holder will be required.]
The fictional household – created by Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin – hit the nail on the head when it came to encapsulating the chaos of raising a young family against the backdrop of a rapidly changing Britain. In years past the show has been praised for its unscripted style of humour, outrageously hilarious ad-libbing from the kids and its knack for capturing that quintessential British awkwardness that fuels each ridiculous situation they find themselves in.
Image Credit: Metro [Undated BBC Handout Photo from Outnumbered. Pictured: Karen (RAMONA MARQUEZ). PA Feature SHOWBIZ TV Quickfire Outnumbered. WARNING: This picture must only be used to accompany PA???Feature SHOWBIZ TV Quickfire Outnumbered. PA Photo. Picture credit should read: BBC/Hat Trick Productions/Adam Lawrence. NOTE TO EDITORS: This picture must only be used to accompany PA Feature SHOWBIZ TV Quickfire Outnumbered. WARNING: Use of this copyright image is subject to the terms of use of BBC Pictures' BBC Digital Picture Service. In particular, this image may only be published in print for editorial use during the publicity period (the weeks immediately leading up to and including the transmission week of the relevant programme or event and three review weeks following) for the purpose of publicising the programme, person or service pictured and provided the BBC and the copyright holder in the caption are credited. Any use of this image on the internet and other online communication services will require a separate prior agreement with BBC Pictures. For any other purpose whatsoever, including advertising and commercial prior written approval from the copyright holder will be required.]
But times change, so when they returned in 2024, I knew it was only natural that some of the unpredictable, child-like whimsy of past episodes would be gone. I was intrigued to see how the show would tackle this new stage of the Brockman household’s life, especially as there were so many parallels to my own. And especially discover how the humour would translate into adulthood (something we got a small taste of in the 2016 special).
Image Credit: Metro [Outnumbered cast Hugh Dennis as Pete Brockman, Claire Skinner as Sue Brockman, Tyger Drew-Honey as Jake Brockman, Daniel Roche as Ben Brockman and Ramona Marquez as Karen Brockman]
![[Television programme: Outnumbered Picture shows: (l/r) Karen (Ramona Marquez), Mum (Claire Skinner), Jake (Tyger Drew-Honey), Dad (Hugh Dennis) & Ben (Daniel Roche) TX: BBC One]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/AY_40437007-40e8.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
![[Undated BBC Handout Photo from Outnumbered. Jake (TYGER DREW HONEY), Rani (KERENA JAGPAL), Ben (DANIEL ROCHE), Karen (RAMONA MARQUEZ). PA Feature SHOWBIZ TV Quickfire Outnumbered. WARNING: This picture must only be used to accompany PA???Feature SHOWBIZ TV Quickfire Outnumbered. PA Photo. Picture credit should read: BBC/Hat Trick Productions/Adam Lawrence. NOTE TO EDITORS: This picture must only be used to accompany PA Feature SHOWBIZ TV Quickfire Outnumbered. WARNING: Use of this copyright image is subject to the terms of use of BBC Pictures' BBC Digital Picture Service. In particular, this image may only be published in print for editorial use during the publicity period (the weeks immediately leading up to and including the transmission week of the relevant programme or event and three review weeks following) for the purpose of publicising the programme, person or service pictured and provided the BBC and the copyright holder in the caption are credited. Any use of this image on the internet and other online communication services will require a separate prior agreement with BBC Pictures. For any other purpose whatsoever, including advertising and commercial prior written approval from the copyright holder will be required.]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SEI_233420899-84a8.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
![[Undated BBC Handout Photo from Outnumbered. Pictured: Karen (RAMONA MARQUEZ). PA Feature SHOWBIZ TV Quickfire Outnumbered. WARNING: This picture must only be used to accompany PA???Feature SHOWBIZ TV Quickfire Outnumbered. PA Photo. Picture credit should read: BBC/Hat Trick Productions/Adam Lawrence. NOTE TO EDITORS: This picture must only be used to accompany PA Feature SHOWBIZ TV Quickfire Outnumbered. WARNING: Use of this copyright image is subject to the terms of use of BBC Pictures' BBC Digital Picture Service. In particular, this image may only be published in print for editorial use during the publicity period (the weeks immediately leading up to and including the transmission week of the relevant programme or event and three review weeks following) for the purpose of publicising the programme, person or service pictured and provided the BBC and the copyright holder in the caption are credited. Any use of this image on the internet and other online communication services will require a separate prior agreement with BBC Pictures. For any other purpose whatsoever, including advertising and commercial prior written approval from the copyright holder will be required.]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SEI_233420991-0701.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
![[Outnumbered cast Hugh Dennis as Pete Brockman, Claire Skinner as Sue Brockman, Tyger Drew-Honey as Jake Brockman, Daniel Roche as Ben Brockman and Ramona Marquez as Karen Brockman]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/SEI_222906128-0755.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
