Jam

Chris Morris is very likely disturbed. But in the way that people buy the paintings and doodlings of the clinically insane, Channel 4 has realised that he's disturbed in a way that makes compelling television - compelling in the sense that it's almost impossible to stop watching because you just have to see what's going to happen next. Maybe I've just lived a very sheltered life, but I had no idea that television could be this deranged or bleak. I'm not sure whether it's genius or pretensious planned lunacy, but I am sure that I'll be watching the rest of the series - though I may never be the same again by the end.

Brilliant, offencive, innovative, hilarious. Just four of the words I would use to describe a programme more surreal than Monty Python and The Mighty Boosh combined. Jam goes beyond the conventional thinking outside the box; it ambitiously and successfully thinks outside the storage depot. You'll find yourself whirling in a pool of confusion, not knowing whether to laugh or maintain the uncomfortable silence that the intro produces. The music score creates a ambiance that either reflects the scene perfectly, or creates a relaxing contrast to an awkward situation. If you're offended easily by taboo topics, then Jam isn't for you. If, however, your evening meal comprises of going to an Indian restaurant and attacking your friend because he broke the popodoms, then welcome in Jam.

I'm not going to break the trend among the comments here, and I have to support those who claim that Chris Morris is disturbed, one way or another. The 'Jam' series though are probably about the most dark, black and weird comedy I've seen in years. And trust me, I'm a big fan of black comedy but this series has no worthy competitors. Some scenes were almost so weird that I barely understood'em, and yet some scenes were really superb and made me burst into laughing. I like the way Chris Morris plays and deranges everyday life happenings such as the visits at the doctor for example. To me, episode 4 was the best (with the lunatic women with no friends) but I recommend anyone to see the series in a chronological correct order.

Jam, the television series, is a work of surrealist genius that is both hilarious and profoundly disturbing, turning on its head the familiar world in a way that Sigmund Freud would no doubt have relished when writing his essay 'The Uncanny', had Freud been alive today. One of the funniest examples of how Jam manages to make unfamiliar the familiar, is in the 'sketch' in which a man robs a convenience store, with gun in hand. He asks for the change, only for the owner to point out that with a gun, he doesn't need to pay for things or wait for the change. The stirring music that accompanies his realisation of the power he now has is both moving and funny. Adding to the strange narratives is a vivid aesthetic reminiscent of many modern art installations: we see this in the interesting use of editing in which collages of colour, unusual lighting,slow motion film, slow motion sound, and visual effects blend one scene into another, and further contribute to the uncanniness of Jam. Layered on top of the narrative and the aesthetic, is the extensive use of ambient music by Brian Eno and Aphex Twin. Jam almost defies definition and to simply call it a comedy is to mislead. All I can say is that for those who despair of the false laughter and intellectual vacuity of Friends, watch Jam. It is like nothing else you've ever seen, unless it's something else by Chris Morris.

I have a unique relationship with Jam, as I'm sure many other viewers do too.

Never before Jam have I watched a comedy show which remains completely compelling even though I found that a good 70% of the sketches weren't conventionally "funny".

That's not to say the series isn't amusing: it is, frequently. A few sketches did have me laughing out loud. But more often than not it produces hushed, disquieted laughs that you almost feel ashamed for producing.

This is to the show's credit, since it deliberately possesses a uniquely weird and disturbing atmosphere. Sketches frequently take familiar situations or concepts and bury them under an insane haze that seems equal parts bad drug trip and delirious nightmare. The visuals and sound frequently distort, rendering even "simple" sketch setups creepy or unusual.

There is almost always an intelligent thought or meaning behind the bleak tone and disorientating effects. One of my favourite sketches features a well-to-do man narrating a story regarding a man's absurd suicide attempt and provides a surprisingly poignant satire of lacklustre mental health care and bystander apathy in society.

The cast is great - Mark Heap is one of my favourite actors/comics, and gives another splendid performance in his varied roles here. Morris' writing and performance is top notch, as is David Cann's and...well, pretty much everyone, really.

The intro clips also bear mention: each episode is opened with Morris performing a very dark and disjointed poetic monologue linking the (usually horrific) fates of several characters. The intros are universally fantastic and really show off the talent of Morris at his best.

The show does have disadvantages: chiefly, the sketch content sometimes goes over borders many viewers will be uncomfortable with. Indeed, sketches featuring disabled people and child abuse/death are quite common, and are universally shocking.

However, if you think you can stomach taboo humour and have a mind open to such an unusual programme, I highly recommend it. It's likely that in between the guilty laughs and shocked silences, you'll find you take away an appreciation for the atmosphere and some of the questions the pitch black humour poses.