My Hero (British TV series)

My Hero is a British comedy about a superhero named Thermoman from the planet Ultron. He is the alter ego of George Sunday (played by Ardal O'Hanlon), who has a romantic relationship with Janet Dawkins (played by Emily Joyce). They later marry and have children. It debuted in February 2000 on BBC One, and has had five series with a total of forty-three regular episodes as of 2005, including an additional Christmas special, broadcast in December 2000.

In 2002, a DVD was released, featuring the first five episodes of the third series, plus actor biographies and out-takes. Re-runs air in the UK on UKTV Gold. In the United States, this show is shown regularly on select PBS stations, and on BBC America.

File:Myhero aandjsta.jpg

Ardal O'Hanlon as Thermoman, Emily Joyce as Janet Dawkins

Characters

George Sunday/Thermoman

George Eamon Sunday is an Irish shopkeeper and the alter ego of Thermoman, a world famous superhero. He owns a health food store but tries to avoid attracting customers in order to avoid attention. Only his closest friends know his true identity. The reason he appears to be an idiot is because he is unfamiliar with Earth culture. His speech and behaviour create much of the humour in the show. He is played by Irish comedian Ardal O'Hanlon.

Janet Dawkins

Janet Charlotte Dawkins Sunday is the voice of sanity, a nurse in the Northolt Health Centre. Janet was born in 1969. She first meets Thermoman when he rescues her from certain death after she fell into the Grand Canyon whilst on holiday. Although she loves George/Thermoman, she is frequently exasperated and confused by his behaviour. She is played by Emily Joyce.

Ollie

Apollo 11 "Ollie" Sunday is the son of George and Janet, and was born at the end of Series 2. He also has superhuman powers, although they are somewhat limited. He takes more of a back seat in Series 5, as he fights the sibling rivalry wars with his sister Cassie. His voice is supplied by Finlay Stroud.

Cassie

Cassandra “Cassie” Sunday is the Sunday's newest member of the family, as was born at the beginning of the fifth series. Her only superpower is that she can see into the future. This proved to be of little use as she once thought that the whole Northern Hemisphere was dead when they were really asleep. This led to chaos as everyone flocked to Australia, in the Southern Hemisphere, as they were still awake/alive. She is voiced by Madeline Mortimer.

Piers

Dr. Piers Crispin is Janet's boss and "Britain's favourite TV doctor," though he is not a good doctor (in one episode he accidentally revealed to Janet that he faked his A-Level results to get into medical school) and is more concerned with his television career. To boost his image he has tried things such as releasing his own health drink, sponsoring a tiger cub in Bangladesh (because it was cheaper than sponsoring a child and the tiger was more photogenic), writing a book, supporting a healthy eating campaign in schools, and even appearing on I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here!. His catchphrase in the early series was "I am always here". The narcissistic character is played by actor/writer Hugh Dennis.

Arnie

Arnie Kowalski is George's cousin, originally a superhero himself, called Polarman, he lost his powers because he began charging for his services. In one episode he got his powers back from the Ultron Council, and became the new hero in town, as it were, making George feel redundant. He had them taken back off him though, when he was caught stealing from the people he saved, and for just stealing the Crown Jewels because he felt like it. In Series 1 he lived in New York, where he owned a café, but moved to Las Vegas in Series 2, where he owned a casino and to Northolt in Series 3, where he has remained ever since. Currently in a relationship with Mrs. Raven, he is played by Lou Hirsch.

Mrs. Raven

Mrs. Raven, played by Geraldine McNulty, is the sadistic and misanthropic receptionist in Northolt Health Centre. She has a romantic relationship with Arnie, has triplets from a previous relationship, and despises them no end. Mrs. Raven often says snide comments about people while they are present and seems to pride herself on scaring away potential patients. She often gets the better of her boss Piers Crispin.

Mr. and Mrs. Dawkins

Stanley Dawkins (Tim Wylton) and Ella Dawkins (Lill Roughley) are Janet's parents. Mrs. Dawkins is a typical mother-in-law and thinks Janet should have married Piers and hasn't quite got over it. She dislikes George, believing him to be an idiot and loser. Janet's father, Stanley, humorously complains all the time about his wife and is rather suspicious of George and all other men who are anywhere near his daughter. He seems to be a bit more tolerant of George, as he's had a few good times with him.

Tyler

Tyler (Philip Whitchurch) is Janet and George's crazy neighbour. He knows of George's real identity, but often seems to have his own, even more bizarre ideas and theories about the universe. For instance, he often claims that Gandalf, Frodo, and other fictional characters are staying in his house. George initially denied Tyler's claims that he is Thermoman, but from Series 2 onwards, he just accepted that Tyler knows, and gave him a job as his assistant in his health shop, replacing his original assistant from Series 1, Avril. He is often left to look after the kids, but more often than not, they end up looking after him. Tyler often refers to George as "Master", and occasionally calls Janet "Mistress" as well.

Avril

Avril (her surname was never mentioned) was George's nervous assistant in his health shop in Series 1. She only appeared in Series 1. Tyler took her job from Series 2 onwards.

Episode List

Series 1

Episode 1

It's just an ordinary day at the Northolt surgery.

Dr. Piers Crispin, the publicity-mad TV doctor, fancies Nurse Janet almost as much as he fancies himself. Mrs. Raven, the sarcastic receptionist, is frightening patients. And Janet's mother has dropped in to wonder why her daughter is bent on passing up such an eligible husband as Piers.

Janet, however, is trying to get back to normal after her recent holiday, during which she was rescued by Thermoman when a freak gust of wind blew her into the Grand Canyon.

Janet has fallen for Thermoman but never expects to see her superhero savior again, so when an odd hypochondriac Irishmen called George Sunday visits her at the health center, she doesn't make the connection.

Episode 2

George Sunday has moved in with his new girlfriend, nurse Janet Dawkins, though why on earth she is attractedd to the peculiar Irishman is beyond her colleagues.

Piers can't wait for Janet to introduce George to her parents, knowing that George is bound to make the wrong impression. Janet's mother, Ella, disapproves of everything Janet does and her father, Stanley, is pathologically protective of his little angel so, understandably, both George and Janet are very nervous when her parents arrive for Sunday lunch.

George is under strict instructions to try to behave 'normally', but he can't resist helping to cook the chicken and heat the soup with his breath. After that disaster, George decides not to use his special powers to extinguish the burning oven gloves...

Episode 3

Thermoman is called upon to save Grimsby from being destroyed by an abandoned Russian space station. Unfortunately, he has his own domestic disaster to deal with first: he's gotten Marmite over the front of his Thermo-uniform.

Janet insists on washing his costume, which not only makes him late for his rescue mission but makes him itch like crazy due to an allergic reaction to the washing powder. Piers becomes suspicious when George appears in his surgery scratching all over, shortly before a news bulletin mentions Thermoman scratching himself.

Episode 4

Thermoman's repeated visits to the health center to save Janet from a wasp sting or a spider are baffling patients and staff.

Piers thinks he has made a new celebrity friend and invites him to be guest of honor at the fund-raising party he has organized to boost his own public image. Janet's parents insist both George and Janet attend the party so that George can personally thank Thermoman for saving Janet from falling into the Grand Canyon. Not easy given that George IS Thermoman.

Episode 5

George receives a visit from his father, the original Thermoman, who now resides in a home for retired superheroes in Florida.

George's father, Seamus (Peadar Lamb), is unhappy that his son is cohabiting with an Earth girl. Apart from the smell, she is interfering with his work.

Having given the couple two days to try to prove him wrong, Janet has a plan: Seamus should meet her parents!

Episode 6

Janet is turning 30 and George plans a surprise party for her, which proves to be a slightly confusing concept for a superhero. Will he be able to keep the party a secret?

Series 2

Episode 1 - Christmas

George tries to get into the spirit of Christmas by creeping into the houses of Janet's parents, Mrs. Raven, and her boss Piers on Christmas Eve dressed as Santa to leave them all presents.

This doesn't go down as well as he had planned, and Christmas dinner is a bit of a miserable affair until George appears with the real Father Christmas who has a special present for everyone.

Episode 2 - Parents

George ruins Janet's parent's amateur dramatic performance, so Janet tries to deflect their anger by telling them the truth - that he is really superhero Thermoman. Although Janet's mum and dad now love him, life gets more complicated when everyone knows, particularly when Mrs. Raven tries to offer him her body.

Episode 3 - Girlfriend

Disaster strikes at the heart of Thermoman's domestic bliss when his long-lost fiancee, Xil, arrives from Ultron. Janet is horrified to learn that George is bound by Ultron law to marry her, but she is determined not to lose her man.

Episode 4 - Car

Thermoman's defrocked superhero cousin wants his powers back. George agrees to intercede with the Ultron High Council on condition that Arnie behaves himself and will take care of saving the world while George saves up for a car for Janet.

Sadly though, temptation is too much for Arnie, and when he steals the Crown Jewels things have to revert to the way they were.

Episode 5 - Nemesis

A vengeful schoolmate, Rovi, comes to Earth intent on making George (aka Thermoman) miserable.

First he takes over Piers' body and makes Janet fall in love with him. Then he takes over as the world's superhero. In a desperate attempt to win Janet back, Thermoman issues the terrible challenge of Chang-Ching.

Episode 6 - Pregnant

When Janet discovers she is pregnant, Thermoman is over the moon and gives her special powers to protect herself and the unborn baby. Janet isn't keen at first, but as she gets used to being a superhero, she is even better at it than Thermoman!

Episode 7 - Wedding

Janet's Dad is insisting that her baby be born in wedlock, and Thermoman's bosses on Ultron are of the same mind. But as usual, things don't go smoothly for the world's favorite superhero as the baby starts to arrive during the marriage ceremony.

Series 3

Episode 1 - Baby Talk

George and Janet's life is becoming more and more stressful when their new baby takes after George.

The baby talks like an adult and flies like a turbo-charged bird. And to make matters worse, George is teaching him to sniff out tidal waves and forest fires! Janet's parents are due for a visit to meet their new grandchild - how will George and Janet keep the secret from them?

Episode 2 - Zero Tolerance

Life at the health center takes an unexpected turn when a gun-toting man shows up demanding access to the drug cabinet. Mrs. Raven isn't given the chance to deal with this addict as George enters to save the day - and doesn't even have to call on Thermoman to do so!

Now George is known as the "local" hero - rather than a "super" hero. He is being celebrated all over town and asked to join the Neighborhood Watch Scheme by Janet's father. Will George's new-found popularity with his in-laws last?

Episode 3 - Pet Rescue

Janet's parents have the decorators in so Janet has offered to watch their dog, Biggles - something that George isn't too thrilled about.

But George is committed to bonding with Biggles, so he buys an ear-piece which allows him to talk to animals. George discovers that Biggles (whose real name is Malcolm) dislikes Ella and Stanley. Thermoman goes on a mission to reunite Biggles with his mom and rescue him from a one-way trip to the vet.

Episode 4 - The Older Man

It's George's birthday! At the age of 327, he's a mere spring chicken on the Planet Ultron. But the lease on George's earthly body has run out and he starts to look his real age quickly.

In a state of desperation, George resorts to extreme measures in a bid to turn back the clock.

Episode 5 - Puttin' on the Writs

It's just an ordinary morning in the supermarket parking lot - that is until Mrs. Raven has a run-in with a stack of wayward trolleys and is pushed over the edge of a building.

Once again, it is Thermoman to the rescue! But when he refuses Mrs. Raven's kind offer of Battenberg cake in return for saving her life, retribution is swift!

Meanwhile, Janet's father has had enough of Ella's nagging and has moved in with Tyler. It appears to be a perfect arrangement but Ella misses the old fool - will that be enough to make her apologize for the first time?

Episode 6 - Shock, Horror!

Baby Ollie has a fever so George has to turn his attention away from saving the world to come home and check on the baby. All of this dashing about is making George a bit careless and before long, a journalist advantage of the situation and takes a picture of George as Thermoman!

Meanwhile, Mrs. Raven keeps falling asleep at work because the triplets have insomnia. In a desperate attempt to get some rest, she plans to build a shed in her garden so she can lock them up when it gets too much. The problem is that the shed costs money and needs a reference from Dr. Piers for a part-time job.

Episode 7 - Little Green Men

Janet thinks George is taking her for granted. After all, most husbands would react badly after finding their wife in a compromising position with the handy man.

Mrs. Ravens thinks Janet needs to work harder at making George jealous. But it turns out that all Janet needs to do is share a bit of Arnie's carrot cake, and George is beside himself. He literally turns green with envy! And now even Mrs. Raven thinks Arnie has been unfaithful to her.

Episode 8 - Mine's a Double

George has to attend a Super-Heroics Conference... which means leaving Janet home alone with the baby. The Ultron Council provides a "George clone" with the unlikely name of Hilary to keep Janet company. While Hilary looks like the real thing, his character couldn't be more different.

Hilary talks and dresses like a gangster rapper and is given to nights out on the town with Dr. Piers and, oddly enough, romantic dinners with Ella.

Episode 9 - A Little Learning

George is devastated when Ella and Stanley ban him from their anniversary party. Quite reasonably, they don't want him embarrassing them in front of their friends.

Admittedly, George's attempts to make new friends via the calling cards in telephone booths backfire somewhat, but when he gets some magic pork scratchings which increase his brain power, miraculous effects occur.Suddenly George is an intellectual genius and can charm the birds off the trees - so much so that not only do Ella and Stanley invite him to their party, they ask him to make a speech!

For Janet, however, the new thoughtful George is insufferable.

Episode 10 - A Day to Remember

It's a bad day for Earth when George accidently erases his own memory to the point where he can't remember who Thermoman is, let alone that he IS Thermoman!

For Janet, it is a dream come true. George is now the model husband who volunteers to change diapers and takes the baby for walks in the park.

This new domestic bliss isn't set to last. A meteor is headed for Earth and in twenty-four hours all life will be obliterated. Frantic attempts are made to avert the impending disaster, including an appeal on TV for Thermoman to help - but where is he?

Series 4

Episode 1 - A Sporting Chance

As a peace-loving Ultronian, George knows nothing of the psychology of competition. So when Piers asks George to join his team, George hasn't a clue what he's in for.

After a crash course on the rules of cricket from Janet, George takes the field and decimates his own team with his over-zealous fielding, then surprises everyone by scoring a near-impossible 24 runs off the last 4 balls.

Finally George knows the sweet taste of victory and becomes horribly attracted to it!

Episode 2 - The Living Dead

George buys a Life Assurance policy and immediately walks under a bus to cash in his new policy. Even though George is perfectly fine after his encounter with a bus (being a superhero he is, of course, indestructible), Janet has to explain to everyone that her husband is dead.

It is not long, however, before George is feeling trapped by his non-existence and he and Janet hatch a plot to bring him back to life at his own funeral.

Episode 3 - Taking The Credit

George doesn't have the hang of managing domestic finances. Never having seen a credit card before, he goes on a massive spending spree and is highly impressed with the Welfare State that literally gives him money to do so.

When the bills arrive, Janet finds out what has been happening but it is too late. Janet is forced to take advantage of Ollie's supertalent of correctly predicting the Lottery numbers. But it isn't long before Thermoman draws the attention of the Lord High Arbiter of Abuses of Power.

Episode 4 - It's All In The Mind

George is asked by the Ultron Council to write a progress report on humanity. All seems to be going well, until his mind-reading powers reveal the true nature of human thought.

The unpleasant thoughts of Stanley, Ella, and Mrs Raven in particular leave George in a state of despair. His sense of honesty forces him to write a damning report and the Ultron Council condemns the human race to death by laser. Only Janet can save the world by giving her sanctimonious husband a tongue-lashing.

Episode 5 - Space Virus

On the way back from a trip to Ultron Thermoman picks up a rather nasty space virus, which is fatal to humans. It isn't long before Janet, Stanley, Ella, and Mrs Raven catch it off him and Thermoman has to administer the Thermo-Kiss-Of-Life.

During the exchange George accidentally passes his superpowers to Stanley and Ella with minimal troubles. But not so Mrs Raven who is transformed into The Raven!

Episode 6 - The Mayor of Northolt

A faulty streetlight outside Stanley and Ella's bedroom is keeping them awake at night, and getting the Council to mend it proves impossible. George stands for Mayor, promising to fix the streetlight if elected, only to find that his opponent is the over-confident Piers.

George wins unanimous approval when the voters respond positively to his refreshingly honest approach, but unfortunately, the pressures of Mayoral Office put an unreasonable strain on his marriage.

Episode 7 - Big

Ollie's half-human, half Ultronian physiology causes a few problems when he starts to grow at an accelerated rate. In 24 hours, he grows from a nine-month-old baby into a 19-year-old boy with a 'serious' girlfriend.

Janet and George are distraught at being robbed of the pleasure of watching their only son grow up. They employ the services of an eminent Ultronian doctor to cure their son, who, despite her impeccable qualifications, looks and sounds like Britney's irritating kid sister.

Episode 8 - The Consultant

Arnie turns consultant when the Ultron Council sends him to check up on Thermoman's performance.

Arnie conducts a Time and Motion study on George and makes some changes. A plethora of customer satisfaction forms quickly hamper Thermoman's ability to rescue the victims of natural disasters.

Arnie's strict regime over-stresses George to such a degree that he starts making mistakes and ultimately ends up bringing home an armed intercontinental ballistic missile.

Fearing for the world's safety, George retires.

Series 5

1. The Foresight Saga

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10.

Notable Errors

• In the episode "Little Green Man," it is established Ultronians turn green when they become jealous, but, in the episode "Nemesis," George is clearly jealous, yet he doesn't turn green.

• In Series 2, Episode 2, "Parents", George says that he is 842 years old. But in the opening scene of Series 3, Episode 4, "The Older Man", George is celebrating his 327th birthday. And in Series 4, Episode 2, "The Living Dead", he's under 65. This may be explained by the fact the Ultronian bodies need to be exchanged every 327 years, so he may actually be 842 years old, while his body is younger.

External links

• British Sitcom Guide
• Phill.co.uk Comedy Guide
• BBC Comedy Guide
• click for listings