The second series of Dinosaur opens on the Isle of Wight, a seven-hour drive and ferry ride from heroine Nina's beloved Glasgow. Nina (Ashley Storrie) is eight months into a dig, homesick for her almost-boyfriend Lee, her sister Evie, and their Glasgow routines. She faces a choice: stay another year for her precious rocks or head to Knutsford to reunite with Lee. What follows is a madcap rush to a park bench, marking the happy return of this hilarious, heartwarming sitcom.
At first glance, Dinosaur treads familiar ground—loving yet dysfunctional families, regional quirks, and a will-they-won't-they romance. But Nina's autistic perspective covertly undercuts this normality, making the show feel refreshing and unique. The biggest joke is that neurotypicals are the ones who are too much. Nina's autism is fundamental to every scene yet not what the show is about, avoiding thoughtless stereotypes.
Back in Glasgow, everything has changed: Nina's office has been moved, her sandwich shop no longer sells tuna melts, and a tuna meltdown nearly ensues. The odd-couple dynamic between the sisters shines, with their finger hooks, Real Housewives accents, and rapid-fire Glasgow banter. When Nina is distressed, Evie simply says “weighted blanket?” and lies on top of her. This series is more self-assured, piling up jokes about Mary Anning, Gloria Steinem, and David Attenborough.
The ensemble cast is top-notch: Bo frets about getting Amber pregnant, Ranesh buys a dehydration machine, and Lee performs an open mic song with the chorus: “It doesn't matter what you do / As long as what you do is true.” Glasgow is a major character, looking lovelier than ever in glossy tenement closes and bougie bars. This quietly radical portrayal of the city is rarely seen on television.
Both Dinosaur's integrity and its Glaswegian gag rate are undeniable. This is a classic in the making.
