4. Mongrels (BBC3, 2010 2011)
Mongrels is a masterclass in making a sitcom with a difference. Were far away from the clichés of bumbling dads and incompetent bosses here with all of the characters being fundamentally flawed individuals and, more often than not, complete monsters. Oh, and theyre animals portrayed by puppets but that was obvious. The series is set in the yard behind a pub on the Isle Of Dogs and focuses on a small collective of animals including middle class fox Nelson, his murderous cousin Vince, dim-witted cat Marion, sociopathic pigeon Kali, and spoiled Afghan Destiny. Its beautifully dark with constant swearing and an immense amount of violence (which is largely just out of shot) usually committed by Vince who savages or murders something in pretty much every episode. And its that darkness that really makes the series great because this is what animals are like. Theyre creatures of impulse who act for their own interests. Something which is wonderfully realised here. The programme is somewhat innovative since its puppetry for adults (although there were accusations of plagiarism from the creators of Channel 4s Pets, which was broadly the same concept) and has three major elements that stop it being from a straight (if bizarre sitcom). A number of Family Guy-esque cutaway gags that tend to work very well but occasionally fall flat, a couple of minor celebrities appearing as themselves each week such as Paul Ross and Christopher Biggins, and a musical number that is included in all but one episode including What Kind Of God, Everybody Loves A Lesbian, and the truly moving Im Gonna Murder Justin Bieber. Its flat-out lunacy but its a brilliant kind of lunacy. If youre easily offended, its definitely not for you but if youre fine with blue humour, youve got no excuse for not checking this out. Nowhere else will you find a pigeon planning to murder Harry Hill or a discussion on the age of consent for cats.