Brass Eye

This was the show that finally brought Chris Morris, the director, writer and frontman of this show, into the world of popular conscience, though all for the wrong reasons. The 2001 special edition of this Panorama/Newsnight parady on paedophiles caused a barrage of complaints from ignorant viewers who didn't see the irony that it was those sort of moral bandwagon-jumpers that the show was laughing at. Anyhow, ignoring the paedophile special for now, the show took news programmes to the absolute edge of comedy. Over the top news graphics, irrelevant statistical analysis. A bossy Paxmanesque frontman who's clean cut appearance could get away with saying ...  Read the complete review

I will begin by simply saying for me Chris Morris is fantastic, his television, radio shows and his spoof newspaper columns pretty much always hit the mark for me, I know the humour goes so far past the line of decency that you can't even see the line, but his work also goes beyond comedy and takes satire really deeply into issues that are taboo or unspeakable. Brasseye - What is it about? Brasseye was a series of mock documentaries fronted by Chris Morris, his character is very similar to his serious and yet absurd news anchor man on the day to day, he asks ridiculous questions in a serious manner and by doing that gets some quite astonishing ...  Read the complete review

Hard to believe it's over 10 years since the original Brass Eye series aired - watching the 'Animals' episode just last night reminded me how fresh, relevant and funny it all is. The series transplanted Chris Morris's psychotic Paxman-type character from spoof news show The Day Today into a mock investigative journalism/unhinged Newsnight-type prog which, if it investigated itself, might be titled 'When Journalism Goes Bad'. Morris plays several regular reporting characters, including firm favourite Ted Maul, as well as interviewees. Familiar supporting faces include Mark Heap (Brian in Spaced, that doctor in Green Wing) and the fabulous Gina McKee ...  Read the complete review

Brass Eye was at the cutting edge of satirical programming, but not everybody warmed to it. Certain issues were raised by some of the tabloid 'news' papers, who, despite showing sordid images in their publications, found the programme tasteless. The media could have chosen a better thing to pick on, as Chris Morris (main writer/main performer on the show) would have probably wanted to produce such a provocative piece of television, and the media coverage it recieved would have probably been taken as a complement by someone who's key aim is to shock, but still to entertain. The special episode of Brass Eye, Paedophillia caused much controversy upon ...  Read the complete review

A lot of the ops written in this category are irrelevant. They are merely about the controversy raised recently over the excellent brass eye television programme's depiction of paedophiles. If you want to read my op on such matters, then check the censorship section, that's where it is. People moan and whinge about a lot of things, usually because they don't understand them, or are afraid of them. Brass Eye has fallen victim to narrow minded people obsessed with political correctness who simply don't understand that the real value of the program lies in the context and presentation rather than the subject matter. Brass Eye is a ...  Read the complete review