Ralph & Katie: a gentle comedy-drama about a couple with Down’s syndrome
Set in the Lake District, this BBC show is a spin-off from The A Word – but it ‘stands on its own’

“If you’re in the market for a gentle comedy-drama in which nothing bad happens, then Ralph & Katie may be the thing for you,” said Anita Singh in The Daily Telegraph.
Leon Harrop and Sarah Gordy play the Ralph and Katie of the title, a newlywed couple going through the normal relationship mini-dramas – misunderstandings, a mother who won’t stop sticking an oar in – while living with Down’s syndrome.
Set in the Lake District, the show is a spin-off from The A Word, the BBC series about a family living with autism; but don’t be put off it if you haven’t seen that, because it “stands on its own”. It’s also very heartwarming – one of those “cosy sorts of shows, like Doc Martin, where every character is a good person and every situation can be happily resolved by the end of each episode (and they are only half-an-hour long)”.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Comedy-dramas have got more “whizzbang” over the years, said Ben Dowell in The Times: higher concept, faster-paced, maybe bolder. Ralph & Katie, by contrast, plays out in a “cruelty-free world” in which the dramatic tension stems from miscommunication. It has a feeling, at times, of children’s TV drama; but there’s enough grit in the oyster to keep it fresh and alive.
It’s true that Ralph & Katie can be on the twee side, said Jack Seale in The Guardian. But it “isn’t just good-humoured, it is funny”; and in its best moments it recalls a bygone era of British soaps, Coronation Street in particular, before they became overrun with killers, adulterers and cast-obliterating catastrophes.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The bougie foods causing international shortages
In the Spotlight Pistachios join avocados and matcha on list of social media-driven crazes that put strain on supply chains and environment
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK
-
Strep infections are rising in the US
Under the radar The cases have more than doubled in 10 years
By Devika Rao, The Week US
-
Sudoku medium: April 22, 2025
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff
-
Exploring the three great gardens of Japan
The Week Recommends Beautiful gardens are 'the stuff of Japanese landscape legends'
By The Week UK
-
One-pan black chickpeas with baharat and orange recipe
The Week Recommends This one-pan dish offers bold flavours, low effort and minimum clean up
By The Week UK
-
G20: Viola Davis stars in 'ludicrous' but fun action thriller
The Week Recommends The award-winning actress plays the 'swashbuckling American president' in this newly released Prime Video film
By The Week UK
-
6 must-see homes in Boston
Feature Featuring a factory-turned-loft in South Boston and a wraparound roof deck in South End
By The Week US
-
Cartier at the V&A: a 'dazzling' show
The Week Recommends A 'once-in-a-lifetime' display of the French jeweller's 'exquisite' objects
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK
-
What is Free Speech?: a 'meticulous' look at the evolution of freedom of expression
The Week Recommends Fara Dabhoiwala provides both history and critique while 'correcting misconceptions'
By The Week UK
-
Rupert Gavin shares his favourite books
The Week Recommends The theatre impresario picks works by Dan Jones, Annie Ernaux and Floella Benjamin
By The Week UK
-
What They Found: Sam Mendes's powerful debut documentary
The Week Recommends The Oscar-winning director's harrowing film features footage and first-hand accounts of the liberation of Bergen-Belsen concentration camp
By The Week UK