12 British Comedy Shows You Absolutely Had To Watch In The '90s

9. Brass Eye

Even before the 2001 'Paedogeddon' special, which appeared to be wilfully misunderstood by many newspapers, Brass Eye was offending the sensibilities of Middle England. It didn't matter if you preferred your humour without a kick to the vitals: you had to watch in order to understand why Daily Mail readers were frothing like rabid dogs. Continuing where The Day Today left off, Morris mercilessly satirised the media's handling of issues such as drugs, sex and crime. The master stroke was the footage of celebrities and politicians duped into spouting baseless and absurdist 'facts' in order to attach their name to a moral cause, or simply make some cash. Publicly expressing your love for Brass Eye pretty much guaranteed a heated argument with anyone who enjoyed Noel's House Party. It wasn't just high quality satire, it was high quality bait. Classic moment: Bernard Manning claiming that the latest street-drug, called 'Cake' or 'LooneyToad Quack', could make you throw-up your own pelvic bone.