Uncle Danny is back from his travels and Sean feels rejected.

Martin is on the journey from boy to man, but none of the guides on his journey seem particularly suitable!

This episode deals with quite a sensitive issue that all boys go through on entering puberty and while it was handled delicately, there was also a great source of humour. I suppose being female and not having to go through the situation myself, I perhaps didn’t find it as hilarious as I might but I still sympathised with the mysteries of growing up. Even when told of what you will face in your teenage years, I remember feeling confused and horrified so it is no wonder that when faced with bodily changes, Martin is baffled and doesn’t know who to turn to.

At twelve years old, Martin is taken aback when he experiences an odd sensation while watching a female tennis match and he is embarrassed further as his sensations are very much noticeable to his family. He asks his school friend Padraic who seems slightly more clued up than him but neither boy truly knows what is going on. In the meantime, Martin’s Uncle Danny is back and is causing delight and annoyance in the family in equal measure. The kids love the tales of their Uncle Danny’s travels and touring with U2 but Liam is finding his brother a little hard to take, especially when Danny suggests he should talk to Martin about the birds and the bees. Liam’s chat to Martin is quite a highlight in the show. Danny also ruffles Sean’s feathers as he suggests that having an imaginary friend is childish leading Martin to deny that he still speaks to him. Liam is not impressed with his brother but after making a surprising discovery, Danny is forced to make a confession.

While not particularly laugh out loud this week, the tales of a confused young man were easy to identify with and there is still such a warmth throughout this show that makes it a joy to watch. The gentle comedy and cultural references to the times are a great combination and one that the cast and writers blend to perfection. Martin is easy to like, resourceful and intelligent and his family each have their own special qualities that make Moone Boy work so well. Sinead’s reactions at being told about menstruation were absolutely phenomenal and I would like to see more comedy from Martin’s sisters as they don’t seem to get much focus. Johnny Vegas‘s performance as an imaginary wrestler is such a brilliant touch too.

All in all, this episode may have been about a sensitive subject but growing up is something that every adult can identify with and everyone has their own story of how they were told about the birds and the bees. Martin’s story was well handled and Uncle Danny’s appearance perturbing Liam made for a fun trip through family life. Enjoyable sitcom fun.