The Mimic

Pharmaceutical maintenance man Martin Hurdle livens up his tedious workdays by doing celebrity impressions. He learns that he has an 18-year-old son named Steven and, pausing only to impersonate Ronnie Corbett stuck in a pillar box, joins the lad for lunch. The meeting is a success but when Martin's attempt at getting a promotion to impress Steven backfires, he uses his mimicry skills to get revenge.

Première diffusion : 13 mars 2013

Martin rings his ex Dionne to complain about her keeping Steven a secret before being given dubious dating tips by desperate newsagent Neil. Come the weekend, he heads off for the pub where he puts on a convincing accent to fool the residents. Steven tracks him down and is amazed by his father's talent, suggesting he profit from it.

Première diffusion : 20 mars 2013

After the flood damage caused by Jean from upstairs leaving the bath taps on, Martin takes his computer for repair and narrowly avoids being arrested when a photo of himself as an infant is found on it. His plans to meet Steven at the zoo are interrupted so Martin does an impression of Sir David Attenborough as he escorts blind Della around and gives commentary on the animals. He moves in with Neil, who arranges a disastrous double date but introducing Steven to his family goes more smoothly.

Première diffusion : 27 mars 2013

Martin and Neil comfort a recently dumped Jean, and Martin returns to the flat to share a - platonic - bed with her. Steven gets him a job doing celebrity voices for SatNav and whilst the engineer is out, Martin ad-libs and is caught on the security camera. His impressions end up onlinr and he becomes an anonymous celebrity with a possible television career.

Première diffusion : 3 avril 2013

Martin prepares for his television debut though, thanks to Jean's makeover, his skin is considerably darker and on the eve of the appearance, he loses his voice. Neil takes him to a doctor, who diagnoses nerves but gives him tablets nonetheless. The voice returns as Martin makes it to the studio and finds himself in a talent contest pitted against a clever dog.

Première diffusion : 10 avril 2013

Following the failed voice over session, Martin is now jobless and doen an agent as Steven, depressed by his mother's death, wants time to himself. Neil, newly dumped by Jean, agrees to be Martin's agent and gets him a spot busking at the mall. However, he pales in comparison to the violinist and the human statue and is nearly arrested for not having a licence. Back home, Martin is visited by the revenue man regarding unpaid tax.

Première diffusion : 16 juillet 2014

After suffering an ant infestation, Martin attempts to console a heartbroken Neil, who believes his lacking estrogen is at fault. Martin sees Steven off, who is travelling abroad, before going on a blind date Jean arranged with her friend Harriet. Despite the presence of a depressed Neil, the date goes well and Harriet loves Martin's mimicry, even encouraging it during sex.

Première diffusion : 23 juillet 2014

Martin gets a job in site management at a deserted building but quits after discovering indigents sleeping there. He does, however, find a diamond ring that Neil's father assesses as being valuable. Whilst Neil sees a psychoanalyst to get over Jean, Harriet gets Martin onto the books of ventriloquist and theatrical agent Kingsley, though there is initial resentment from competing impressionist Nigel Lord.

Première diffusion : 30 juillet 2014

Whilst Neil finds working out the perfect therapy, Martin opts to swap mimicry for stand-up but it's a disaster, finally redeemed when he switches back to impressions. To the dismay of the adoring Jean, he proposes to Harriet, largely to give Steven a family, telling her that the ring he found is a family heirloom. She accepts but on the condition he convert to Judaism, which involves him being circumcised!

Première diffusion : 6 août 2014

Though his career is flourishing, Martin is perturbed by Harriet's enthusiastic wedding planning and, particularly, the prospect of circumcision. Harriet has Sunday dinner with the Hurdles, where Nan lets slip that the ring was in fact found in a drain. On his stag spa weekend, Martin meets Harriet's laddish, non-kosher brother Glen, who reveals that Harriet was recently dumped by Nigel Lord and that her possessive father is requiring the circumcision to put Martin off the wedding.

Première diffusion : 13 août 2014

Against Jean's advice, Martin goes ahead with the wedding, financing it himself since Harriet's father has dropped out. Harriet, apparently more attracted to his impressions than Martin himself, criticises him, and on the way to the honeymoon, Martin makes the definite choice for his future.

Première diffusion : 20 août 2014