Monkey Dust
Dark animated satire that pushed boundaries on BBC Three.
Monkey Dust is a British adult animated satirical sketch comedy series created by Harry Thompson and Shaun Pye. The series is characterised by its dark humour, frequent shifts in animation styles, and handling of taboo topics such as bestiality, murder, suicide and paedophilia. Three series were broadcast on BBC Three between 2003 and 2005. Following co-creator Thompson's death, no further series were made.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Black comedy
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Language
- English
- Runtime
- 29 minutes
- Creator
- Harry Thompson; Shaun Pye
- Starring
- Simon Greenall
- Sharon Horgan
- Morwenna Banks
- Rebecca Front
- Frances Barber
- Enn Reitel
- Kate Robbins
- Shaun Pye
- Channel
- BBC Three
- Company
- Talkback; Baby Cow Productions
Facts from the source article.
Episodes
Each episode was animated by multiple companies including Slinky Pictures, Nexus Productions, and Sherbet Animation, linked by recurring themes and seamless transitions. Episodes are untitled, known instead by characters or sketches introduced. Principal writers were Thompson and Pye, with other contributors sometimes collaborating or providing fully formed sketches. A nocturne segment, set in characters' bedrooms with no dialogue and a depressing song, typically precedes the final section.
Music
The show uses contemporary songs to bridge scenes, with frequent tracks from Goldfrapp, Boards of Canada, and Black Box Recorder. Eels’ “That’s Not Really Funny” from Souljacker serves as the theme across all three series. Goldfrapp’s music appeared in the first series before their debut album came out, but by the time it aired, they were nearly releasing their second album—a fact Thompson and Pye mention on the Series 1 DVD commentary.
Release
The first series was released on UK DVD on 8 November 2004, with musical substitutions for artists like Cliff Richard and David Gray who refused permission; cover versions replaced the original songs. The second and third series aired on BBC Two and BBC Three respectively. Only the first series saw a commercial DVD release; in September 2009, eight episodes from series 2 and 3 plus four from series 1 were made available on iTunes but are no longer available. The lack of later DVD releases is thought partly due to teenage jihadi sketches being considered unsuitable after the 7 July 2005 London bombings.
Reception
The Observer named Harry Thompson one of the 50 funniest or most influential people in British comedy in 2003, pointing to Monkey Dust as proof. They called it the most subversive show on television, dark and willing to handle taboo topics like paedophilia, depicting a grim Britain where the public is tricked by arrogant politicians and celebrities. Vice and Digital Spy also gave it positive reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who stars in Monkey Dust?
Monkey Dust stars Simon Greenall, Sharon Horgan, Morwenna Banks, Rebecca Front, Frances Barber, Enn Reitel, Kate Robbins and Shaun Pye.
How many episodes of Monkey Dust are there?
Monkey Dust has 18 episodes across 3 seasons.
When did Monkey Dust first air?
Monkey Dust first aired on 9 February 2003.
When did Monkey Dust end?
Monkey Dust last aired on 8 February 2005.
More in 2000s British Satirical Television Series
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