Mongrels

I’m a newcomer to Mongrels, somehow I missed the first series, which is strange as this is one of only a few shows worth watching on BBC3.

So, what’s Mongrels about?

It is a puppet-based show for adults, as a grown-up Sesame Street and is the closest thing we have in the UK to Family Guy.

Mongrels follows the exploits of a middle-class fox called Nelson (Rufus Hound), Nelson’s foul-mouthed cousin Vince (Paul Kaye), Streetwise pigeon Kali (Katy Brand), a dumb cat called Marion (Dan Tetsell) and a dog called Destiny (Lucy Montgomery). They all live in a pub garden on the Isle of Dogs.

The episode starts with a flashback to Nelson’s childhood where he witnessed his grandfather die during a fox hunt. Now an adult Nelson is in therapy. A former bully from Nelson’s school days turns up. The bully is dying and wants Nelson to put him out of his misery. Nelson reluctantly kills him and asks Marion to get rid of the body. Nelson and Kali share a psychiatrist who accidentally lets it slip. Kali spreads the gossip around the beer garden and Nelson is seen as a hero in the eyes of his friends.  Nelson is then recruited by a secret society of foxes that are planning to assassinate the four remaining dogs that were part of the hunts. Nelson is promised an iPhone and a £30 House of Fraser gift card if he completes the mission. Nelson tracks the four dogs down, but can’t quite bring himself to kill them, so he takes them back to his den under the pub.



What Mongrels excel at is the movie parodies and quick-fire out of the moment sequences that Family guy is famous for. The parody here is any Nazi hunter film that you have ever seen. The dogs speak in German accents and take their own lives when they think Nelson’s bunker is under siege.

The episode’s subplot involves Destiny being signed up to a celebrity dog walking service. She pretends to be Cuba Gooding Jr’s London dog and falls head over heels with John Terry’s dog. After John Terry’s dog turns her down, Destiny decides the only way forward is to treat him mean. John Terry’s dog is completely obsessed with her. Destiny then tells the other dogs to follow her lead, which they all do and this results in the dog’s trust. A passer-by sees the injured dogs and phones the Dogs Trust taking the dogs away.

The episode is genuinely funny. The flashbacks and Grange Hill references had me in stitches, the musical number that Destiny sings is also a genius piece of comedy writing. It’s safe to say that Mongrels has a new fan.

Mongrels airs on Mondays, at 10:30 pm on BBC3



Review: Him and Her

Series 2, Episode 1

Him and Her has returned to BBC3 for a second series. I think it is one of the very few BBC3 shows that are actually worth watching.

It’s hard to explain what Him and Her is actually about. Essentially it is a show about nothing. Nothing really happens, but it’s extremely watchable and funny. The show is set entirely on one location and works all the better for it. The writer,  Stefan Golaszewski, has crafted something that stands heads and shoulders above other sitcoms. Him and Her is so realistic it is almost difficult to watch. It feels so authentic that you feel like a voyeur; you feel like you are in the room for those conversations and awkward pauses, you feel the unease of the characters on screen.



The main strength of the series is the chemistry between the two main characters, Steve and Becky, played by Russell Tovey and Sarah Solemani. These two feel like a real couple. The supporting characters are a masterstroke: we have Becky’s sister, Laura (Kerry Howard), her fiancé Paul (Ricky Champ), an older friend Shelly (Camille Coduri). Joe Wilkinson once again constantly steals every scene he is in as Dan the oddball neighbour from upstairs.

The only thing left to say about this show is that the next series deserves to be on BBC2.

Him and Her airs on Tuesdays at 10:30 pm



Episode 46: Doctor Who The Wedding of River Song

Your trio of heroes return and try to discuss the Doctor Who episode ‘The Wedding of River Song’ but mostly end up talking about their favourite Nu-Who companions.

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Review: Fresh Meat, Episode 1

Channel four recently ended their contract for syndication rights to ‘Friends’ which has freed up a bit of money for them to invest in home-grown comedies. The first of which, is ‘Fresh Meat.’



It’s written by Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain, who are the creative team behind Channel 4’s ‘Peep Show.’

It focuses on six “Freshers” sharing a house together. The affable bunch are Vod (Zawe Ashton), Oregon (Charlotte Ritchie), Howard (Greg McHugh), Josie (Kimberley Nixon), Kingsley (Joe Thomas) and  JP (Jack Whitehall).

The characters are the stereotypes we’ve seen a thousand times before:

  • The wild-child with a chip on her shoulder (Vod).
  • The insecure girl who’ll change her opinion to please (Oregon).
  • The strange loner that that doesn’t really know he is strange (Howard).
  • The annoying toff that tries to be ‘street’ (JP).
  • The shy guy that can’t quite talk to girls (Kingsley) and
  • the small-town Welsh girl, fish out of water type (Josie).

Despite the stereotypical characters, there are some great moments: Howard begging a pub full of students for one-twentieth of people’s pint was genuinely funny. As was the post-sexual tension between JP and Josie.

The performances are great all round. The character of Oregon reminded me a lot of Daisy from ‘Spaced’ – I imagine that is exactly what Daisy was like at university.

The person who surprised me the most, however, was Jack Whitehall. Now, I’m not a Jack Whitehall fan; I don’t find him funny and, I’m not alone. To quote a friend, “He makes my piss boil.” But he worked well in this. Okay, he is playing a posh-cock so granted it isn’t much of a stretch for him, but he suits the narrative.

Even with the two-dimensional characters, I enjoyed ‘Fresh Meat.’ I think over time it will evolve into a decent comedy and a worthy replacement for Peep Show.

Fresh meat airs Wednesdays at 10 pm on Channel 4.



Review: Two and a Half Men

The episode starts with the funeral of  Charlie Harper (Sheen) which is a star-studded affair, filled with a lot of Charlie’s ex-girlfriends who say lines that are clearly the writers attacking Sheen. Present at the funeral is old flames such as Courtney (Jenny McCarthy) and Mia and more recent women like Sherri (Jeri Ryan).

The humour is classic Two and a Half Men. Evelyn even tries to sell Charlie at the funeral.



It’s back at the house during the second act that things get interesting. It’s Alan and the entire supporting cast including Berta, Evelyn, Judith and even Herb.

The thing is, Jon Cryer and the rest of his supporting cast could have carried things without Sheen. Seeing as the actor playing the ‘half-man’ is twenty it would have been a good idea to have Jake become a father, taking the whole thing full circle and becoming two and a half-men, again. But I guess the money men at CBS did not have confidence in their existing cast so they had to bring in the big-name Ashton Kutcher.

But, before we get to Kutcher we get a few cameos from various TV actors including John Stamos and ‘Dharma’ and ‘Greg’ (from Chuck Lorre’s 90’s sitcom) talking divorce.

It’s after the cameos we meet Walden Schmidt (Kutcher). Walden is a depressed billionaire that tried to drown himself in the ocean but couldn’t do it as “The Ocean is really cold.” Walden’s entrance just seems a little too forced but thinking about it, I’m not sure how they could have done it without it feeling forced.

The writers have tried to make us feel sympathy for Walden by introducing him as a broken man whose wife has left him. It doesn’t quite work. I don’t know if it’s Kutcher or if it’s the way the character is written but something just didn’t sit right with me. Walden is meant to be bright but he never comes across like that; he just comes across as lucky. Having said that, this is part one of a two-parter so he may well switch it around.

Two and a Half-Men airs on CBS on Mondays in the US and on Tuesdays on Comedy Central in the UK.



Review: Doctor Who-The God Complex

After the past three episodes, The God Complex had a lot to live up to and on first viewing, I wasn’t sure if I liked it. The set up just seemed a little strange. But on second viewing I think it’s a strong contender for my favourite episode of Nu-Who. It’s written by Toby Whithouse who wrote the second-series story, School Reunion and the fifth-series story, Vampires in Venice.

The hotel made for a creepy, atmospheric setting. It was even shot like a horror movie, with elements of the shining added. Visually it is spectacular; director Nick Hurran worked wonders with the setting like he did with the last episode, The Girl Who Waited.



Everything in this hotel screamed creepily. The framed photos on the wall added to this; not only did we see pictures of the current residents but also previous, including some past Doctor Who monsters: there was a Sontaran, a Judoon and a Tritovore.

Almost-companion Rita is brilliant but we’ve seen that set up before and knew she wouldn’t make it. It would have been a nice surprise for her to stay on and travel with the Doctor. Retcon please, Mr Moffat. Maybe Rita was a ganger?

The fear inside the rooms was a really intriguing idea; just what did the Doctor see behind door number 11? The Valeyard? Himself?

Also, what did Amy’s door number mean? 7th Nu-Who companion? Or did the door represent the age she was when she first met the Doctor? Or am I just over-thinking it?

It was interesting after last week to see how Rory had completely lost faith in the Doctor and could have effectively saved everyone by walking them through an exit.

Once again, we get echoes of McCoy’s manipulative, calculating Doctor in Smith’s portrayal. The scene in which he convinces Amy to lose faith in him was very reminiscent of the 7th Doctor and Ace in the curse of Fenric. I also felt that the monster was a reflection on the Doctor himself. We even get the Doctor having to make quite possibly the most grown-up decision he has made in the whole of his travels in space and time: he can see what he has done to Rory; he can see what he has done to Amy. The only thing that didn’t sit right with me is why have Amy and Rory stuck with him for so long? They’ve been through worse. Or maybe this wasn’t the reason but the catalyst for the Doctor to see things how they are.

I feel bad for writing this as the man has just swum 140 miles in sewage invested water for charity but I felt David Walliams was the weak link of the episode. It could just be that he is too famous and I couldn’t get past that to truly buy his portrayal as Gibbis. Which is a shame really as I know Walliams is a life-long fan of Doctor Who. He actually had my favourite line of the whole episode: “We’re lining all the streets with trees so invading forces can march in the shade.”

Overall it’s a great episode, sharp script, great acting and great directing and has made this half of the series four-for-four. Let’s just hope next week’s – Closing Time – makes it five-for-five.



Review – Doctor Who: The Girl Who Waited

The Girl Who Waited is an exceptional episode that heralds a rare streak of quality in Doctor Who’s recent episodes. Written by the talented Tom MacRae, the episode presents an intelligent and timey-wimey adventure that deals with parallel time streams, paradoxes, and moral dilemmas.

The dynamic between the TARDIS crew is permanently altered as Rory is deeply affected by meeting an older and more cynical Amy, who spent 36 years alone.

Karen Gillan delivers a magnificent performance, particularly as the older Amy, where she subtly portrays stiffness in her joints and deepens her voice. The scene where the two Amys discuss their love for Rory is truly moving.

The episode also provides insight into the darker side of the Doctor, and the risks and dangers involved in travelling with him.

The Girl Who Waited is a visual delight, featuring a clean and white future setting. Murray Gold’s musical score further enhances the emotional impact of the episode. It is an impressive achievement, given the limited number of guest stars, and the focus on the principal cast.

The episode deserves all the high praise it will undoubtedly receive, and it is hoped that next week’s episode, The God Complex, can continue this impressive streak of quality episodes.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Listen to our podcast review here.

Torchwood: Miracle Day, Episode One. Spoiler-free review

Each incarnation of Torchwood has been vastly different from the last. Series one started on the digital channel BBC3, series two was moved to BBC2, and series three was promoted to a prime time BBC1 slot. So where does Torchwood go for its fourth series? To America, of course. The joint venture between BBC Worldwide and Starz has given Torchwood the budget it deserves.

The tone of this series is slightly different; it’s not as dark as series three but not as light-hearted as series one and two. This is a BBC drama with a sci-fi theme that raises significant moral and social questions. The pace is quick and action-packed, and the clashes between the US and Welsh cast to provide the episode’s funniest moments. The action truly takes off once Jack arrives, although the focus on the US cast is understandable since this is series one for the Americans and series four for the UK. But don’t worry, it’s not long until Jack, Gwen, and Rhys are in full swing. The new cast adds depth, with Bill Pullman delivering a chilling performance as convicted child molester Oswald Danes. He brings an understated menace to the role that makes him genuinely creepy.

The theme tune and title sequence have been updated, and they work well, as does Murray Gold’s musical score throughout the episode, setting the tone of each scene perfectly. Episode one leaves the viewer wanting more, and the series trailer promises an exciting ride. The only concern is where Torchwood can go after Miracle Day – the only logical next step would be a movie, which fans would welcome with open arms.