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Arts & Culture

MOONE BOY: Season One

Martin (David Rawle) and Sean Murphy (Chris O’Dowd).
Courtesy of ©Baby Cow (2012)
Martin (David Rawle) and Sean Murphy (Chris O’Dowd).

Airs Saturdays April 5 & 12, 2014 at 10 p.m. & 10:30 p.m. & April 19 & 26 at 10:30 p.m. on KPBS TV

This entertaining semi-autobiographical six-part series is written by and stars Chris O’Dowd ("Bridesmaids") as the imaginary friend of 11 year old Martin, the youngest child in the large, loud Moone family. Headed by Martin’s sign writer father, who longs to be an artist and his frazzled mother, this is a family with a lot of love where everyone tends to pull in different directions!

Martin (David Rawle), Jonner and Conner Bonner (Brendan Frayne and Cilian Frayne).
Courtesy of Patrick Redmond/©Baby Cow (2012)
Martin (David Rawle), Jonner and Conner Bonner (Brendan Frayne and Cilian Frayne).
Debra (Deirdre O’Kane) and Linda (Norma Sheahan).
Courtesy of Patrick Redmond/©Baby Cow (2012)
Debra (Deirdre O’Kane) and Linda (Norma Sheahan).
Fidelma Moone (Clare Monnelly), Debra (Deirdre O’Kane) and Linda (Norma Sheahan).
Courtesy of Patrick Redmond/©Baby Cow (2012)
Fidelma Moone (Clare Monnelly), Debra (Deirdre O’Kane) and Linda (Norma Sheahan).
Cowboy (Hope Brown), Sean Murphy (Chris O’Dowd) and Crunchy Danger Haystacks (Johnny Vegas).
Courtesy of Patrick Redmond/©Baby Cow (2012)
Cowboy (Hope Brown), Sean Murphy (Chris O’Dowd) and Crunchy Danger Haystacks (Johnny Vegas).
Sean Murphy (Chris O’Dowd) and two altar boys (supporting actors).
Courtesy of ©Baby Cow (2012)
Sean Murphy (Chris O’Dowd) and two altar boys (supporting actors).

Martin has a unique view of life, dealing with enterprising school bullies with the help of his imaginary friend, who also narrates his adventures. But while most boys would dream up a superhero sidekick, Martin’s pal is a man in his mid-30s with the most common name in Ireland!

Episode One air Saturday, April 5 at 10 p.m. - Martin’s twelfth birthday takes a bad turn when his new bicycle gets trashed by the Bonner brothers. Seeking protection from another bully, Declan Mannion, Martin is forced to play cupid to set him up with his sister.

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Outraged at Martin being bullied, Liam confronts Mr. Bonner, but instead the pair strike up an unlikely friendship, and Liam is welcomed into a clandestine support group for disenchanted fathers.

Episode Two airs Saturday, April 5 at 10:30 p.m. - Martin’s mother Debra hits the campaign trail to support Mary Robinson’s bid for the Irish presidency, but with little funding decides to turn to the owner of local fish factory, Brendan “Touchy” Feely, for support. A neglected Martin soon tires of his sister’s cooking and befriends new boy Trevor whose chef-parents feed the boys like kings - until Martin overstays his welcome.

Episode Three airs Saturday, April 12 at 10 p.m. - Martin decides to shorten his commute to school by demolishing part of his garden wall. However this new shortcut proves all too popular with the other schoolkids and parents, turning the garden into a busy thoroughfare, infuriating his mother who’s trying to launch her new weight-loss business from the garden workshop.

Episode Four airs Saturday, April 12 at 10:30 p.m. - Liam’s younger brother Daniel arrives unexpectedly for a visit after a long absence, causing a lot of tension at home. When Martin makes a strange new discovery, Uncle Daniel tries to tell him about the birds and bees, but Liam insists that he should be the one to do it.

Episode Five airs Saturday, April 19 at 10: 30 p.m. - Martin decides to become an altar boy and is indoctrinated into a group of very cool and very corrupt young Catholics. As he rises through the ranks he discovers that the leader of them all is the earnest, keyboard-playing Dessie. And when his sister Fidelma falls for this corrupt young Don, Martin must face a decision.

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Episode Six airs Saturday, April 26 at 10:30 p.m. - It’s the last week of school and Martin is determined to end his time there with a bang. Sinead’s hard work at exam time causes financial pressure for Debra and Liam, and Fidelma drops a bombshell on the family.

© Baby Cow Productions

Moone Boy - Chris O'Dowd & Nick Murphy Interview