Character Arc
Martin is the gloriously eccentric Goodman patriarch, a man who roams his own house shirtless, hoards inexplicable junk in the shed and reacts to almost any situation with his beloved catchphrase. Forgetful, stubborn and entirely oblivious to social norms, he treats broken radios, dead foxes and questionable leftovers with the seriousness most people reserve for genuine emergencies. He is the unpredictable wild card at every dinner.
His deadpan oddness drives much of the show's funniest material, from his bizarre eating habits to his baffling enthusiasms and his long-suffering marriage to the ever-patient Jackie. Whatever scheme the brothers concoct, Martin can be relied upon to wander in at the worst possible moment and make everything stranger. Yet there is real warmth beneath the weirdness, and his devotion to his family always shines through.
Martin became one of British comedy's most cherished creations, a character quoted and adored by fans far beyond the show itself. The late Paul Ritter, who died in 2021, brought him to life with extraordinary precision and total fearlessness, and his performance remains the unforgettable heart of Friday Night Dinner.