The Guardian's TV critic delivers an enthusiastic review of Colin from Accounts, the Australian sitcom returning for its third and final series on BBC Two on Monday 7 September at 10pm. Despite its notoriously dull title, the reviewer argues the show has become a standout comedy thanks to fearless writing, sharp satire and the real-life chemistry between co-creators and stars Patrick Brammall and Harriet Dyer, who play on-off couple Gordon and Ashley.

Written by Brammall and Dyer as a couple in real life, the series follows brewery owner Gordon and now-qualified GP Ashley, whose romance began after an unlikely street encounter involving a disabled dog named Colin. The final season picks up three years after the previous run's finale, reshuffling the ensemble cast, including Ashley's mumfluencer best friend Megan, colleague Chiara and Ashley's mother Lynelle, whose husband's scandal has spawned a satirical men's rights group. The critic praises the show's willingness to portray messy, unglamorous romance rather than typical romcom fantasy, calling the central will-they-won't-they dynamic between Gordon and Ashley the heart of its appeal.