Character Arc
Jonny is the younger Goodman brother, a salesman with the emotional maturity of a mischievous twelve-year-old and a permanent gleam of trouble in his eye. He delights in tormenting Adam, whether by hiding his belongings, mocking his love life or inventing nicknames designed to provoke maximum irritation. His sheer commitment to winding up his brother makes him the engine of much of the household's chaos.
Though he presents himself as the cooler, more easygoing sibling, Jonny is just as immature and just as prone to disaster, and his schemes routinely backfire in spectacular fashion. He clashes constantly with Adam while uniting with him whenever a common enemy appears, usually their father's antics or one of Jim's excruciating visits. The brothers' double act is the beating heart of the comedy.
Over six series Jonny changes remarkably little, and the show wrings huge affection from his stubborn refusal to grow up. His petty triumphs and humiliations feel utterly true to the rhythms of sibling life, and Tom Rosenthal gives him a manic, lovable energy that bounces brilliantly off Bird's dry restraint.