I don’t normally review the same show week after week because, well, by and large, I’ve exhausted what I think about it. This is why I’m not sure what to tell you about My Name Is Earl (Channel 4, Thursday, 10pm). It’s still brilliant. It still makes me laugh. I can’t relay the jokes unless you saw them. I suppose I could turn this into one of those dry reviews where I tell you exactly what happened in the show, but I find reading that kind of thing a bit dull.

Anyways, we’ll have to see how it all goes. Fact is, My Name Is Earl is superb. I can’t believe that there is a show on TV that I like so much. I can’t believe there is a show that is consistently funny and touching. More shocking to mine eyes… I can’t believe that it’s not on a Friday night when Channel 4 is supposed to show their best comedy shows.

As ever with …Earl, the show focused on someone else. Last night looked at his brother Randy (who is superbly played by the wonderful Ethan Suplee) and his relationship with Earl’s number 56. Now, if I was a good reviewer, I’d tell you her name… but I’ve slept since then and I don’t want to make something up and lie to you… I think too much of you to do such a dastardly thing.

Anyway, number 56 on the list centred on a prize winning cat back. Earl had to give it back to its owner after sabotaging a cat show in Joy’s favour. The ever present flashback showed Earl making off with a prize cat while Joy’s hideous feline was found wearing lipstick, contact lenses (which she’d borrowed from a neighbour) and the judge declared a “code C”. C stands for cruelty case and off the cat was carted.

In his attempts to right-his-wrongs, or provide karmic balance (you don’t get to write that everyday I tells yer) Earl got the cat back from where it was stowed and returned it to the rightful owner. That’s when the real fun started. Randy formed a love interest with the kitty fanatic… even though he was allergic. Cue Randy featuring streaming eyeballs and bright red chops.

Earl, in an attempt to avoid Randy getting heartache… as a further flashback showed Randy’s previous bungled attempts at love – namely hanging around with an arty goth and pissing on a piece of art and pretending to be Jewish – Earl told his doting Brother to wise up and to be himself. This he did, and the object of his affections got rid of her cat and Randy became her new pet… literally.

Earl took ownership of the prize winning cat, in some great scenes that showed him massaging the mog and entering it for a show after some hilarious likenings to Carl Lewis (like likeness discovered after gazing into its eyes). Number 56 (I really wish I could remember her name…) then realised that she was a “cat lady” after buying Randy a collar and a ID necklace/disc. As a touching break-up scene unfolded between Randy and his gal, Earl, with champ cat fresh out of a second place finish to a Persian blasted “They think they’re so good… just because it’s a French cat! We’ll beat that slut next week!”

As ever, …Earl jokes are all in the delivery, and you’re probably wondering why it’s even worth mentioning. Well, it was hilarious and if you’re not watching this yet, you’re missing the finest show currently on the box. Miss it, miss out. [Mof Gimmers]