Mongrels

The first time I watched Mongrels I was instantly captivated. I always loved the muppets and other "puppet" TV shows when I was younger, and during my 20's I missed that feeling of inanimate objects projecting an unreal world that is so close to our own in feeling and depth.

I have rarely laughed so much before watching Mongrels, with it's on-the-edge sarcasm and casual use of inappropriate language and scenarios, which most older people might find offensive.

The fact is, the creators and animators and writers have found a pleasant and modern blend of comedy, puppetry and life dilemmas which make this show so addictive. If they don't commision another season then I will be devastated.

This show holds no bars, and is not for the faint hearted but it has certainly given me many, many laughs in it's first season.

Thank you to all who were involved in it's making :-)

OK, if your looking through Mongrels to see if its worth watching on BBCiPlayer or whenever its re-airs then I'm going to tell you go for it, its like Shameless meets the Muppet's with the characteristics of Family Guy. At first I to thought it would be one of the ghastly shows BBC 3 produce, but I was wrong and I am proud I was because I love it.

Who can't love a metro-sexual fox, Nelson who's main companion is a Siberian or Russian cat called Marion, who was modelled after a shirtless picture of James Cordon. Also we are given the delightful character Destiny a diva dog who is very much the character who reflects of all the modern day brainless low self-esteemed girls who what nothing more than fame and beauty. Finally we have a paranoid cynical pigeon Kali and a Fox Vince who is crude, racist and "potty mouthed" in almost every single way.

Used to really enjoy this when I was a teenager. I can still see the appeal: ambitious premise, raunchy humour, parody musical numbers, etc. But wow this hasn't aged very well. As of this review I've reached episode 3. I'm not one to clutch my pearls at edgy jokes but it comes at the cost of making the characters relatable/likeable (Marion dating THAT character). I forgot how many cutaway gags there were. There are way too many. It feels derivative of Scrubs or Family Guy. I think one got a genuine laugh from me and it was a blink and you'll miss it Trainspotting reference. That's another thing; the mileage will vary depending on how familiar you are with british culture. This show expects you to be very well-versed. Some of my favourite shows skew towards universal humour, and while it can be broad it usually hits the target. There are so many politicians, micro celebrities and quirks that went over my head given that I live in North America.

The show also feels a little too mean-spirited. Not in a fun way like It's Always Sunny. Just nihilistic. I don't need sacharin, but a little pathos wouldn't hurt. The show is also very hyperactive and contemporary. So much EDM. I can appreciate the energy but in some instances, the sound mixing can overlap with dialogue to the point of inaudibility. It's not a terrible show, but this could use a soft reboot. I do like the puppets and the craft is very impressive. However, the writing leaves a LOT to be desired.

Tired of middle class, middle of the road, Vicar of Dibley toss? Then this maybe the show for you. Sharper than a new addicts needle, Mongrels gets closer and closer to the bone, til you feel like a onanists knuckle. As well as taking shots at minor celebs and serious personalities alike(all in bad taste of course), Mongrels has sex, violence, death, drugs and uhhh...mice. It leaves nothing sacred. The characters are all pretty unique and at the same time cliché enough to be familiar. Influenced by the Young Ones, this goes way beyond that in the darkness of it's humour, but it never seems bleak, perhaps because it has bunnies... And while it is black it is rarely lacks a cutting edge and If these were humans this would never get on telly. Bravo.

Mongrels in simple words is about city animals showing the true essence of urban dwellers. There's the scumbag Vince, the foreigner Marian, total bitchy teen Destiny and of course the modern meterosexual Nelson + the psychotic pigeon which does show some of the government hating people of the world. And after watching every episode around three times I can honestly say that this show is different in every manner- The characters are funny, the humor is so slapstick and crazy to a point that you wonder how the puppeteers get all the energy as well as the quick edits and frequent use of songs that are so well known they give a sense of sentimentality to the whole show. I think the show mainly works because of the male characters for unlike the two girls who are so over the top sometimes its hard to relate, most of the males are tamed down a little. The shows plots are inventive to say the least with story lines you wouldn't ever have imagined which I think is because unlike most adult comedy shows, it has animals as its characters which give a range of different stories that one could not usually use. Mongrels does tread the line a few times even going way past it in some of they jokes which a lot of people would find distasteful and would flick the channel over but after watching the first three episodes I eventually got accustomed and new that when watching the show there was always going to be something shocking but put in a comedic way. So if you want something that's fresh and new that has actually had some thought put into it, check out this show and maybe you'll be pleasantly surprised. 10 stars.