If you've read my review of BBC1, then you'll know that what I hate about the mainstream BBC channels is how virulently middle-class and middle-minded they are, too nervous of upsetting the license payer that they stick with rote and aggressively family-friendly programming that more informed people are fed up with. However, BBC3 is the jewel in their crown in many ways, delivering a far more daring brand of programming that adheres to more fringe, "cult" tastes. Generally the more successful of these shows wind up on one of the two mainstream channels for at least one run. Perhaps the most prominent recent example is how popular comedy Gavin and Stacy began on BBC3 and then "graduated" to the other Beebs.

Perhaps the best example of how diverse BBC3 is belongs to their twisted animation show Monkey Dust, which was an incredibly daring an insanely controversial programme that miraculously managed to run for an entire three series and even manage a run on BBC2 despite joking about paedophilia, rape, suicide bombers, and countless more. This is the sort of programming that the mainstream Beebs are typically missing, and so I was pleasantly surprised to see this lesser-known sister channel pushing the boat out a bit. In fact, I tend to watch BBC3 more than I do the other channels for precisely this reason.

On the downside, it doesn't start until 7pm every night, but then this at least means that we're not treated to a wealth of filler as with virtually every other channel, and the concentrated nature of the programming makes it on the whole very good, from sick animated shows to unique documentaries.

If you're some stuffy conservative, this is not the channel for you, but for programming that is intelligent while also having a classy edge, this is the way to go.