Martin Goodman

Martin Goodman
“ Shit on it! „ ― Martin's Catchphrase "
Vital statistics
Names	Martin Goodman Dad,
Gender	Male
Race	Human
Occupation	Unknown
Origin	Friday Night Dinner Series One, Episode One: "The Sofa-Bed" February 25th, 2011
Alignment	Good
Age	45-56
Created By	Robert Popper
Height	1.78 m (5ft 10in)
Weight	70 kg (154 lbs)

Martin Goodman is a fictional character from the British sitcom Friday Night Dinner, portrayed by actor Paul Ritter. The character is a central figure in the series, known for his eccentric and often bizarre behavior, which provides much of the show's humor. Martin Goodman is the father of the Goodman family, which includes his wife Jackie and their two sons, Adam and Jonny. The family is Jewish, and each episode revolves around their weekly Shabbat dinner, where the family gathers, and various comedic situations unfold

Appearance

Martin is typically seen in his signature outfit: a blue checkered shirt with buttons, a brown belt, blue jeans, and laced trainers. He has grey hair, dark and bushy eyebrows, and a five o'clock shadow. His nose is fairly long but not pointed. While Martin mostly sticks to his usual style, he occasionally dresses differently when the situation calls for it.

As the series progresses, Martin often ends up shirtless because he frequently complains of being "bloody boiling." The boys humorously refer to him as "Professor Bosoms," and Jackie often tells him to put his "bosoms" away. When cooking, Martin is sometimes shown wearing a black apron with a tuxedo image on the front, humorously draped over his exposed chest.

Martin Goodman is the father of the Goodman family, which includes his wife Jackie and their two sons, Adam and Jonny. The family is Jewish, and each episode revolves around their weekly Shabbat dinner, where the family gathers, and various comedic situations unfold.

Personality:

Martin is a quirky, unconventional, and somewhat oblivious character. He is known for his odd habits, such as rarely wearing a shirt inside the house, obsessing over saving money (often by reusing old items), and his fascination with things like mold and his constantly malfunctioning hearing aids. Despite his peculiarities, Martin is a loving father and husband, though his strange behavior often frustrates or embarrasses his family.

His catchphrase, "Shit on it!" is a frequent outburst in response to various mishaps, and it has become iconic among fans of the show. Martin also has a tendency to get words or phrases hilariously wrong, adding to his comedic appeal.

Martin is hard of hearing and typically uses a Huawei 6SUPER hearing aid. Often, people need to repeat themselves more loudly for Martin to understand. He sometimes uses his hearing difficulty as an excuse to buy time, often responding with "What?" to stall. Despite having more time to think, Martin usually comes up with an answer that doesn't make much sense, which people quickly realize he's making up. He tends to do this around Jackie, knowing what she likes and how to shift her mood. So when she questions him, he can easily change the subject to something she enjoys.

The Goodman family are secular Jews. While they are Jewish, they still celebrate Christmas, though they have certain limitations when it comes to traditional Christmas customs.

Relationship with Family: Martin's relationship with his family is central to the show's dynamic. He often clashes with his wife Jackie due to his odd behavior and his sometimes inappropriate comments. Despite this, the couple shares a deep bond and care for each other. Martin's interactions with his sons, Adam and Jonny, are filled with affectionate teasing and light-hearted banter, although he sometimes struggles to understand their more modern sensibilities.

He is also known for his rivalry with his eccentric neighbor, Jim Bell, who often intrudes on the Goodman family dinners.

Trivia

• He constantly asks Adam if he has any “females”, often to the annoyance of Adam and amusement of Jonny.
• He has a keen interest in science, especially physics.
• Has a recurring joke where he refers to his dinner as a "lovely bit of squirrel".
• He is a terrible cook, as seen in The Mercedes, when he drastically overcooks the beef.
• He is aware of his inability to cook, as said in The Mouse.
• He often greets his sons by calling them "bambinos" - the masculine Italian noun for children.
• He dislikes most modern technology, such as e-mail and internet food services.
• Until the episode, The Loft, he hadn't been to a pub since 1997, but only went in "to use the loos".
• He went to the University of Leeds in his youth, as revealed in The Two Tonys.
• He once had a short-lived romantic relationship with Sheila Bloom, as revealed in The Mercedes.
• He likes magnets.
• He has a disliking to his mother, "Horrible Grandma" similarly to his family as directly proven in "Dad's Birthday".
• He doesn't like wearing a shirt and is commonly seen shirtless.
• He occasionally eats out of the bin or off the floor, much to his family's disgust.
• He has a tin of expired meat in his shed that has been there for 20 years and refuses to throw it out. He opens it with a tin opener and eats it to prove to the others it's fine. Only he ends up being taken to hospital in a stretcher with an oxygen mask.
• He has a coarse catchphrase which he always says at least once in every episode. Eg: "Shit on it!" or, "Shitting hell!"
• He read "some of September" in Adam's diary.
• He uses a Samsung E1080T.