The glorious Frances Barber guest stars in this episode: she's an old flame of dad Martin (so bumping into her again seriously ruffles Jackie's feathers) and has such an obsession with her Mercedes that it routinely sends Adam and Jonny into fits of giggles. It's also Adam's birthday, which Martin ruins by cooking an hilariously awful dinner and giving his son the worst present you could possibly give a young Jewish boy.

Tonight's Friday Night Dinner, chez the Goodmans, is cooked by hopeless dad (Paul Ritter) as mum (Tamsin Greig) is immobile after spraining an ankle. Of course, it's a disaster as the meat is rigid with overcooking and makes terrible noises when dad tries to carve. "Should meat squeak?" the family wonders aloud. Poor Adam - this is supposed to be his birthday treat, along with a coffee table book on "heroes of the SS", a thoughtful gift for a young Jewish boy from his dad. It's another gloriously silly episode of Robert Popper's utterly endearing sitcom, which strays into Curb Your Enthusiasm comedy of embarrassment territory when dad bumps into an old girlfriend, the brassy Sheila Bloom (Frances Barber). Or Bitchface, as she is ungallantly known. Sheila is obsessed with her Mercedes to the delight of her tormentors, who find new and inventive ways of sniggering at her - not behind her back, but right in front of her face. It's packed with minor pleasures, including mad neighbour Jim and his supernaturally calm dog, and a piece of farce involving grandma in unsuitable clothing.

Robert Popper's soft-centred but sharply observed sitcom about a suburban Jewish family continues. Tonight it's hapless elder son Adam's (Simon Bird) birthday. Barmy Martin (Paul Ritter), his father, makes a disastrous attempt at a celebration roast. "Is it clay?" asks Grandma. The family decamp to the local Chinese where they run into blousy, Mercedes-obsessed neighbour Shelia Bloom (a sparkling Frances Barber). Popper's deft plotting and a top-notch cast make this a small-scale gem.

'Friday Night Dinner' piles on viewers

Friday Night Dinner rose to nearly 1.5m last night, outperforming Channel 4's 10pm slot average, early viewing figures indicate.

A thunderingly brilliant episode. Dad finally capitulates over the science magazines, but he soon reveals his secret world at the bottom of the garden to the boys. Adam's under pressure to bring his girlfriend to a family wedding and mum's excited about Auntie Val's imminent arrival with a new dress. "Emotions," exclaims dad, as Val fills up when she tries the dress on. The rhythm of this show is constantly funny. Everything leaks laughs; the body language, the gags, even the dog.

Interview: Mark Heap ('Friday Night Dinner')

If you haven't got around to watching Channel 4's Friday Night Dinner yet, then you have been missing out. The Robert Popper-penned sitcom is deliciously funny and, thanks to the legendary Mark Heap, who plays oddball neighbour Jim, it has a lovely dark and surreal edge. We caught up with Heap, whose credits include Brass Eye, Green Wing and Spaced, to chat about the show.

I love this series and I love Mum and Dad Goodman (Tamsin Greig and Paul Ritter). When the "bambinos" turn up for dinner on this particular Friday night, dad - mildly deaf and obsessed with his aged copies of New Scientist - emerges from the garage clad in a vest, shorts and cut-off wellies. "Why are you dressed like that like a sex attacker?" wonders Adam (Simon Bird). What follows is the usual collision of family in-jokes, misunderstandings and general silliness. Dad has been ordered by mum to burn his beloved magazines, but he's mapped out a ruse designed to pull the wool over her eyes. Meanwhile Aunty Val (Tracy-Ann Oberman) is on her way round to show off her mother-of-the-bride dress. I am delighted to admit that I laughed immoderately all the way through; at the gag about the mobile stuck on speakerphone; at neighbour Jim (super-twitchy Mark Heap) and his supernatural fear of his perfectly timid dog. And at dad's Join The Dots Sex Book. Don't miss.

Have you been watching ... Friday Night Dinner?

Despite being mauled by the critics and riddled with flaws, the sitcom is finding its groove and starting to show promise.

Simon Bird sitcom hurt by Japan coverage

Channel 4 sitcom Friday Night Dinner lost viewers last night as news bulletins saw their audience increase on the day of the tsunami in Japan.