# Back (2017)

> Two estranged foster brothers scramble to inherit their late father's business and end up tangled in each other's grief and grudges.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/64197

## Facts

- Seasons: 2
- Episodes: 12
- Episode runtime: 24 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: comedy, drama
- Created by: Simon Blackwell
- Network: Channel 4
- Cast: David Mitchell, Robert Webb, Penny Downie, Jessica Gunning, Oliver Maltman, Olivia Poulet, Louise Brealey, John Macmillan
- TMDB rating: 7.3/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5676590/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: mild
- Tone: deadpan, irreverent, bittersweet, awkward, sardonic

## What critics say

Audiences rate the series positively, valuing its deadpan dark comedy and the sharp chemistry between its leads.

## Synopsis

Back (2017-2021) is a British dark comedy series created by Simon Blackwell for Channel 4. Estranged foster brothers Stephen (David Mitchell) and Andrew (Robert Webb) are pitted against each other when their father dies and both want to take over the family business. Their rivalry, pettiness and reluctant bonding drive every episode, and the supporting cast, including Penny Downie as Ellen, Jessica Gunning as Jan and Louise Brealey as Cass, widens the household's complications. The show runs for two short seasons of twelve episodes in total, each episode roughly twenty-four minutes, so the comedy is compact and sharply paced rather than sprawling. The tone is deadpan and irreverent, with awkward silences and sour humour cutting against moments of genuine grief. Fans of Fleabag, Succession and Ghosts will find resonance in its prickly family dynamics, wry British sensibility and comedy that treats loss with a sideways glance. It suits viewers who enjoy uncomfortable family comedy with a bruised heart.

## Shows like Back

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- [Uncle (2014)](https://ember.film/tv/55217)
- [Extras (2005)](https://ember.film/tv/2558)
- [Flowers (2016)](https://ember.film/tv/58425)
- [Mum (2016)](https://ember.film/tv/58530)
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