Boiling Point (the series and film) spoilers follow.
Boiling Point started on BBC One on October 1, and right off the bat, we're introduced to a bunch of very dedicated but very stressed kitchen staff, as well as a very drunk and very angry man named Andy (played by Stephen Graham).
If it feels like a whole story has unfolded before our impressive one-shot introduction to Point North in episode one, it's because it has. You may or may not be aware that the BBC's Boiling Point is a sequel to a film of the same name.
What's more, the opening episode answers a burning question left behind by the film's dramatic ending, which is estimated to have unfolded around nine months before the series is set.
The show's introduction to Andy puts him in an awful place. He has a scar down his chest, he's taking some medication and he seems miserably confined to a messy house. We also see him poring over a photograph of the chefs at the restaurant — but what led him here?
Boiling Point on BBC One: What happened to Andy?
To fill in some gaps and answer this question, we need to draw from the film's events.
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Stephen Graham's character Andy Jones was, at one time, a head London chef juggling a bustling restaurant, Jones & Sons, while also battling some personal struggles.
His alcohol addiction had led him to separate from his wife and son, and it was also causing him problems in holding things down at work. Drinking on the job, lateness and poor decisions under pressure drove his restaurant down the pan, and Andy's relationship with his kitchen team was also suffering as a result.
Andy's sous-chef Carly (Vinette Robinson) — now head chef at Point North — and Freeman (Ray Panthaki) did all they could to try and keep everything ticking along, but it eventually became too much. It reached boiling point, you might say.
A dramatic confrontation kicked off between Andy, Carly and Freeman when everything else was exacerbated by a customer with a nut allergy being served a garnish that contained walnut oil.
Carly threatened to quit, and Freeman lost his temper. The argument ended with Andy hiding in his office, drinking more and taking cocaine. He phoned his wife with promises of change and a visit to rehab, but the possibility of this was snatched away when he suffered a sudden collapse.
As we mentioned earlier, the film ended on a fairly dramatic cliffhanger that left viewers wondering whether or not Andy had even survived.
Of course, the BBC show has now confirmed that Andy made it. When Stephen Graham's involvement in the series was announced, this seemed pretty likely, although there was always the possibility that Andy would have appeared only in flashbacks.
Boiling Point cast: Which film characters are in the BBC series?
The BBC show now centres around Carly. She's working hard on a new venture: her own restaurant, Point North, which takes inspiration from classic northern food and puts a fine-dining spin on it.
She's taken most of the Jones & Sons crew with her, which means there'll be some familiar faces for those who watched the film.
With Carly's promotion, Freeman (Ray Panthaki) is now second-in-command as sous-chef. Emily is now the pastry chef (actor Hannah Walters also happens to be Stephen Graham's real-life wife, seeing them reunite for yet another on-screen project). Jamie (Stephen McMillan) also returns, this time as the Chef de Partie.
Other returning characters include Camille, played by Izuka Hoyle, Jake (Daniel Larkai) and Holly (Hannah Traylen).
Former restaurant supervisor Dean (Gary Lamont) is now working as the Maitre d', and waitress Robyn (Áine Rose-Daly) and bartender Billy (Taz Skylar) also make up the front-of-house staff.
Newcomers for the series include Shaun Fagan as Bolton and Stephen Odubola as Johnny, two new starters in Carly's kitchen.
Other new cast members for the show are Ahmed Malek as Musa, Missy Haysom as Kit and Steven Ogg as Nick.
Boiling Point airs on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
TV Editor, Digital Spy Laura has been watching television for over 30 years and professionally writing about entertainment for almost 10 of those. Previously at LOOK and now heading up the TV desk at the UK's biggest TV and movies site Digital Spy, Laura has helped steer conversations around some of the most popular shows on the box. Laura has appeared on Channel 5 News and radio to talk viewing habits and TV recommendations. As well as putting her nerd-level Buffy knowledge to good use during an IRL meet with Sarah Michelle Gellar, Laura also once had afternoon tea with One Direction, has sat around the fire pit of the Love Island villa, spoken to Sir David Attenborough about the world's oceans and even interviewed Rylan from inside the Big Brother house (housemate status, forever pending).
