Human Remains

Human Remains is an odd name for a comedy series and thats because its a bleak comedy told in a fly in the wall documentary style and it only lasted one series.

The series stars and was co-written by Rob Brydon and Julia Davis. It was scrip edited by Henry Normal and Steve Coogan was one of the producers.

Each of the six episodes documents a different couple all played by Brydon and Davis and most of the episodes showed that relationships being unhappy and the humour black. Both actors are also heavily and at times bizarrely made up.

Death, violence and depression seem to feature in each of the episodes. For example in the episode 'More than Happy' Brydon plays the optimistic shopkeeper Les while Davis plays his wife Ray, she has suffered the loss of children, business worries, battles with depression and her only solace is to give her husband prolonged anal intercourse through an object she purchased second hand which he finds deeply uncomfortable but she finds immensely pleasurable.

Having only the vaguest of recollections of "Human Remains" from it's initially screening on television back in 2000, I was in for a real treat when I finally got round to re-watching the series on DVD.

The series follows six separate couples (on per episode) with each pair's relationship in varying states of disrepair or marital bliss. The spoof documentary style of the show, brilliantly executed and just as well implemented as it is in "The Office", is one of the two main reasons why the show works so well and justifiably merits such a high rating on this site. The second reason why the show is so brilliant is the writing and performances of Julia Davis and Rob Brydon.

Both Davis and Brydon are not only great writers, but have a great comprehension of the sub-genre they're working in, delving into their characters with such depth that it's not only incredibly easy to believe them as their comedic creations, but barely recognize them from each episode as they don a different disguise and slip into a new persona. They also complement each other fantastically well, with neither overshadowing the other. The regular moments of solid improvisation are also gems in this show, and it's great to see how both Davis and Brydon instantly understand the other, allowing each other to carry off the line.

All in all a brilliant show that unfortunately doesn't have wider recognition. A real showcase of Julia Davis' talents and probably the best thing Rob Brydon has ever done.

There was a lot more I didn't like about it than I did. For the most part it's filled with meandering nonsense, it has the "beating a dead horse" style of British comedy that I never really liked, it's basically the same gag done over and over in different scenarios or circumstances. There are some good bits in there but you really have to have patience to get there. Looking back at this series, I think they should have just picked one or two of these characters and did a fully fleshed out series and made sense of those particular characters and told a well crafted story with them. I even noticed there was a short scene in one of these where it fades in offering nothing to the story and fades out and just looks like it was added to fill time. There are plenty of dud scenes that could have been left out. And also what stands out is just how much better some episodes are than the rest. If your a fan of these actors you'll probably just want to watch for the sake of seeing more of them and that's pretty much the reason I bothered watching.

It's such a shame that this comic gem has passed under the radar slightly but it's probably for the better as Human Remains holds itself better as a "cult" show.

The writing of Human Remains, all done by Julia Davis and Rob Brydon, is superb and the accuracy of the observation is spot on. Chances are, you will have met at least one of the characters they play sometime in your life. They also manage to hit the mark with their performances which variate so much with each character it is a true showcase of their acting and comic talents.

The comedy is very dark in places and sometimes quite sick, but if that's the kind of humour you like then you will love this. But you would also love this if you appreciate great comedy.

Take 6 seemingly normal couples, probe a little deeper into their lives and discover that they are riddled with idiosyncrasies, peculiar sexual proclivities, pitiful, human and, above all, very, very funny.

The writers have written/produced a piece of work that is dark, subtle, fairly original, well acted, well constructed, as believable as any other comedy series, and funny in a way that makes you pity them and thank the heavens that you aren't them.

The first episode is perhaps the weakest, the following four are fantastic, and the final episode is also fantastic but has strong depressing undercurrents.

Perhaps if this show had received more exposure to the mainstream public then each couple could have been developed further and we might have even seen a series for each couple, but then again, comedies like this are often not popular in the mainstream i.e no canned laughter, no 'spot it a mile off' punchlines, dark, and often so subtle that some people might wonder if they've just watched a comedy, or a documentary about a bit of a peculiar couple.

Do watch if you like: Nighty Night, The Thick Of It, Alan Partridge, The Day Today, Saxondale, The Office (maybe)

Maybe give it a miss if you prefer: Friends, two and a half men, my family, everybody loves/hates Raymond/Chris.

Give it a try. You'll know within 10 minutes if it's for you or not. For me, it's pretty much top-notch comedy and years ahead of most.

CM.