Uncle

image c BBC

Uncle
4 / 5

Series: 2
Aired: 2014 - present
Channel: BBC Three
Writers: Oliver Refson and Lilah Vanderburgh
Cast: Nick Helm, Elliot Speller-Gillott, Daisy Haggard et al

Oh this series is wonderful. Not living anywhere near London or other big city, I can't keep up with the comedians on the comedy circuit so my only exposure is via television and radio. Nick Helm is one of the more alternative comedians (though what that means these days is lost on me) who I came to know of via 8 Out of 10 Cats. His mixture of music and stand-up is not unique these days (think Bill Bailey, David O'Doherty and 50 other Edinburgh Festival hopefuls) but he certainly has his unique way of doing it.

Uncle concerns Nick Helm's character Andy, who is the uncle of child prodigy Errol (Elliot Speller-Gillott) and they form an unlikely friendship after Andy is asked to babysit. During the first series they form a band, since Errol is a killer on the keyboards and writes lyrics, whilst Andy is a failed musician who can't even get a gig busking. It's a wonderful relationship between two socially awkward failures who find love and kindness through friendship. Andy teaches Errol all about music, the real world and how to survive and Errol helps his uncle come out of his depression and realise there's more to life than video games and drinking.

The main reason I love this series is because of the songs. Dotted throughout each episode there are "music videos": imagined by Andy, these are the music videos he'd probably make if he were a paid musician. The songs are much like Nick Helm's own songs: anarchic, often surreal but always, always funny. Nick Helm is a wonderful singer in his own right and he's a pretty good actor to boot. I think Nick and Elliot carry the series alone, as although the other actors are wonderful, they're not as dynamic as these two.

It's such a lovely series. I'm probably being very generous giving it 4 stars but the songs really do make me laugh and smile so much. No Survivors in particular...