Mongrels: How to have a TV show broadcast and avoid counselling
As I'm sure regular readers of this blog will have noticed by now, Mongrels started last Tuesday on BBC Three. Last week over on the TV blog, Adam wrote about how the show began. Now he takes stock of the show's reception since the first episode aired.
Adam Miller, creator and director of Mongrels, writes...
What a long strange week it's been; having a TV show that you've poured your heart and soul into for five long years inserted into the living rooms of the country for the first time, it's quite a roller-coaster ride.
First come the previews the week before (aka "hooray, the Radio Times were lovely.")
Then come the Sunday papers (aka "hooray, The Guardian wasn't too mean.")
Then the previews the day before (aka "Yay, Metro seems to like us.")
Then finally the reviews (aka "oops, Metro doesn't like us.")
It's a bizarre process this, and a fascinating one. You're told by everyone in the business from the outset not to read reviews, but realistically, unless you plan a trip to the Gobi Desert over the broadcast, then curiosity will get the better of you. And my god are there a lot of reviews and websites you can beat yourself up with. Surfing the net for Mongrels now is akin to dipping your hand in a box for a particularly nasty I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here trial, where you don't know if it contains a warm handshake, or a four foot spider with a grievance.
On the plus side, I think we're coming out of the minefield in fairly good nick; there seems to be more than a hint of Marmite about the show: reviewers, even within the same publication, seem to either love us or hate us, and I'm not sure that's a bad thing. It would have been a terrible waste to use puppetry and produce a programme that was bland, when I believe it's a medium that allows you so much more leeway in the stories you can tell.
But what an odd thing this exposure is. We've had some wonderful messages from people who truly love the show, some visceral attacks over the edgyness of the content and even some religious debates over a YouTube clip of this coming week's episode (look out for Kalis' "What Kind of God?" song). It's a strange world out there, but you only truly start to realise quite how strange when you pop your head over the parapet.
However, when the dust all settles, what I think I'll remember most from our first week is the good stuff. The lovely messages on Twitter, some of the kind comments on YouTube and our Facebook page, and the reviewers that liked us. As to the rest... well I suppose you just have to stick your hand in the box, and gently stroke the spider.
Watch Episode Two of Mongrels on Tuesday 29th June at 10.30pm on BBC Three. Here's a preview!
Adam Miller, creator and director of Mongrels, writes...
What a long strange week it's been; having a TV show that you've poured your heart and soul into for five long years inserted into the living rooms of the country for the first time, it's quite a roller-coaster ride.
First come the previews the week before (aka "hooray, the Radio Times were lovely.")
Then come the Sunday papers (aka "hooray, The Guardian wasn't too mean.")
Then the previews the day before (aka "Yay, Metro seems to like us.")
Then finally the reviews (aka "oops, Metro doesn't like us.")
It's a bizarre process this, and a fascinating one. You're told by everyone in the business from the outset not to read reviews, but realistically, unless you plan a trip to the Gobi Desert over the broadcast, then curiosity will get the better of you. And my god are there a lot of reviews and websites you can beat yourself up with. Surfing the net for Mongrels now is akin to dipping your hand in a box for a particularly nasty I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here trial, where you don't know if it contains a warm handshake, or a four foot spider with a grievance.
On the plus side, I think we're coming out of the minefield in fairly good nick; there seems to be more than a hint of Marmite about the show: reviewers, even within the same publication, seem to either love us or hate us, and I'm not sure that's a bad thing. It would have been a terrible waste to use puppetry and produce a programme that was bland, when I believe it's a medium that allows you so much more leeway in the stories you can tell.
But what an odd thing this exposure is. We've had some wonderful messages from people who truly love the show, some visceral attacks over the edgyness of the content and even some religious debates over a YouTube clip of this coming week's episode (look out for Kalis' "What Kind of God?" song). It's a strange world out there, but you only truly start to realise quite how strange when you pop your head over the parapet.
However, when the dust all settles, what I think I'll remember most from our first week is the good stuff. The lovely messages on Twitter, some of the kind comments on YouTube and our Facebook page, and the reviewers that liked us. As to the rest... well I suppose you just have to stick your hand in the box, and gently stroke the spider.
Watch Episode Two of Mongrels on Tuesday 29th June at 10.30pm on BBC Three. Here's a preview!
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Comment number 1.
At 18:53 28th Jun 2010, Anna Fruen wrote:For what it's worth, I and my friends love it. It's clever, funny, musical (in a very Booshy way, which is not a bad thing), and unique. Looking forward to seeing ep 2 :)
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Comment number 2.
At 20:34 29th Jun 2010, jacqua wrote:Watched first episode 3 times. Very rarely do I do that. Told friends etc. It's brilliant refreshingly different. Marvellous
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Comment number 3.
At 00:01 30th Jun 2010, JumpinJackFlash wrote:What's the name of the pub?
I saw it once and it's annoying me no end.
This is the best series since Rex the Runt!
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Comment number 4.
At 03:11 30th Jun 2010, Allicorn wrote:Amen Jack. Rex was terrific, as is Mongrels.
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Comment number 5.
At 08:35 30th Jun 2010, carmencoles wrote:I would like to see BBC making a comedy using the Koran instead! Or it is too offensive? If it is why offend the Christians then?
Answer: Because there are a lot of big cowards behind this big POO!
Funny how BBc decides what is and what is not ofensive depeding in their own fears of course!
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Comment number 6.
At 08:37 30th Jun 2010, carmencoles wrote:Big Big Big POO!
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Comment number 7.
At 23:59 1st Jul 2010, JumpinJackFlash wrote:Well carmencoles you're accurate in that there are probably more people reading the Koran than the Bible in that part of the East End; but the thing is, it would not be so funny! A sign of a great nation is its ability to laugh at itself and celebrate all it foibles, that's two of the reasons I love this series and love this country.
Everyone knows what's in the Koran just as everyone knows what's in The German Ideology, so it's just a matter of time. Big Big Big SMILE!
Name of the pub anyone?
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Comment number 8.
At 15:42 3rd Jul 2010, Hammy Butty wrote:I can't stop watching the first minute of EPISODE 2, the clubbing catnip scene. I was crying with laughter. BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BRILLIANT !!!
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Comment number 9.
At 15:24 6th Jul 2010, strondy wrote:How does one get something onto TV? We've just come up with a brill concept, using a couple of rough gems as our protagonists:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Av3FysOqPLs
Over the next few weeks they'll be doing some weird and wacky challenges, and we'll be filming them.
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Comment number 10.
At 21:30 22nd Jul 2010, JumpinJackFlash wrote:Does the Lord Nelson pub actually exist and what road is it on?
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Comment number 11.
At 12:56 27th Jul 2010, chrisjo wrote:This is the best comedy series that has appeared on TV for many years.
Has a new series been commissioned and are DVD's available or to be made available??
Well done the creators (and creatures!)and the Beeb. But please repeat on BBC 1 or 2 asap.
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Comment number 12.
At 19:33 9th Aug 2010, fffffffion wrote:Mongrels best thing going I say!!!!! love it xxxx
in order my fave characters are
1. Nelson- because he's so sweet, adorable funny and awesome voice
2. Vince- because he's everything I look for in a crazy friend! (speaks his mind, He is tough and outrageously funny)
3. Marion- because his voice cracks me up and because he is so funny!
4. Kali- because she is so evil!!!!
5. Kieran the runt- because he is so cute and hard done by when i look at him the song "Mr Cellophane" from Chicago plays in my head!!!! xxx
Keep te episodes coming ;)
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Comment number 13.
At 15:38 10th Aug 2010, zelda wrote:Loved Mongrels, absolutely loved it!
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Comment number 14.
At 22:09 24th Aug 2010, BigWob wrote:@ JumpinJackFlash
I was convinced I'd seen the pub somewhere too, turns out not to be the case. Looks like it's a photoshop job based on The Royal Standard on Pelton Road, Greenwich - here's the gmaps link:-
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Pelton+Road,+Greenwich&sll=51.455338,-0.095756&sspn=0.007996,0.020492&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Pelton+Rd,+Greenwich,+Greater+London,+United+Kingdom&ll=51.486581,0.004442&spn=0.003608,0.020492&z=16&layer=c&cbll=51.486587,0.004441&panoid=fHKT8G_umauoAfpdTsy83Q&cbp=11,314.55,,0,-3.34
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Comment number 15.
At 23:10 23rd Nov 2010, hiccup2011 wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 16.
At 23:12 23rd Nov 2010, hiccup2011 wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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