Brass Eye - Morris at his biting best (Brass Eye)

Member Name: Neenawneenaw

Product:	Brass Eye
Date:	11/12/08 (25 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Funny, intelligent, silly, challenging

Disadvantages: Can lead to boring arguments over the ethics of the paedophilia episode

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 ("I'm going inside now, like a bad boy", she speaks to camera before interviewing a group of young offenders)

Each episode takes a theme such as Animals or Drugs (including the classic 'cake' piss-take) and shows us the ridiculousness of media hypocrisy and how bad investigative journalism can be. Self-important politicians and thick bandwagon-jumping celebs are mercillessly ribbed as they fall for spoof campaigns and interviews, some of which have to be seen to be believed.

So much for the satirical message though - in the past decade it seems as though TV news and journalism is actively imitating much of what we see in Brass Eye. Good job it does its main job of being very very funny then, eh.

Summary: Remember, cake is a made up drug