Human Remains
Encyclopedia
Human Remains is a British black comedy
television series written by and starring Rob Brydon
and Julia Davis
. It consisted of six episodes that aired in 2000. Each episode documented the relationship of a different couple, all of whom were played by Brydon and Davis and all but two of whom were extremely unhappy, in the style of a fly on the wall documentary. In 2009, The Guardian
called it "one of the best comedies in the past ten years".
Much of the show's humour is derived from very bleak ideas and situations. Domestic violence
, chronic depression and death
all feature prominently throughout the six episodes. Julia Davis later used some of these themes in her solo project, Nighty Night
. Ruth Jones
, who would later work with Davis in Nighty Night, appears in the third episode. She would later co-write the acclaimed series Gavin and Stacey, in which both Brydon and Davis would star.
The apparently bucolic aristo-existence of Peter and Flick is shadowed by an ailment on her part that makes physical intimacy impossible. Still reeling from the death of her true love Geoffrey, Flick has little time for the downtrodden, childish, and possibly mentally handicapped Peter. However, he waits on his reluctant wife hand and foot, nursing her through her struggle with an imaginary illness which, in Flick's own words, means "penile accommodation is impossible". Flick rarely acknowledges this compassion and is more than happy to bury him in the pet cemetery when his time to leave this world comes.
"Ignorance is bliss, that to me is the beauty of a coma". B&B owners Gordon and Sheila fit their swinging lifestyle alongside looking after Sheila's coma stricken sister. Despite a relatively happy marriage Sheila isn't physically attracted to Gordon, describing the first time she saw him naked as "like a road accident. Shocking, but you can't help looking!" Uneasy at the thought of eventually losing her sister Val, Sheila doesn't know how to handle it. Gordon reminds her Val's death will be a blessing, as they can expand their swinging room into the bedroom she currently occupied.
Michelle and Stephen are planning their wedding day. The first dance is R-Kelly's "Bump and Grind" and there's five boxes of Doritos for the reception. The more than a little "simple" Michelle seems oblivious to abusive yob Stephen's latent homosexual tendencies, perhaps more preoccupied with her unhealthy obsession with the late Princess Diana. In fact, Michelle is so obsessed that on the night of Diana's death she drove down to the local underpass to "feel how she must have felt". Stephen was in the driver's seat "rightly or wrongly, speeding like a maniac" and her Uncle Roy was Mr. Dodi, "Laughing and swearing and that."
When not making curly sausage casseroles for the vicar, Beverly and Tony survey their neighbour's Satan-inspired garden and tell of life under the full gaze of the lord. They do have other ways of keeping busy though, to the detriment of Tony's heart. Whilst he isn't conducting bizarre demonstrations at his workplace and Beverly isn't dabbling in a bit of hair and beauty, they can be found attending to their dogs or indulging in Scottish country dancing. The pair also run "top up" meetings for their fellow church goers. As Beverly puts it "If Church is your vaccination against Satan, these meetings are your boosters".
"My songs are like my children", says singer Fonte. "Yet they're also like my parents, or a special uncle who is particularly friendly at Christmas time". Fonte Bund seems to have no reservation at all about passing off the work of Alanis Morissette
as her own, and is often casting aside her more creative musical partner Barne when it comes to singing - now opting to double up with her crippled lesbian pal Susan on stage. After the events of this episode, Fonte is left devastated after Susan's death. But, as Barne puts it; "If you've got an electric wheelchair and a cliffside bungalow, you're asking for trouble, and that's what she got!"
Coastal shopkeeper Les's optimism has carried him and wife Ray through eight traumatic married years, which includes the loss of their children and subsequent suspicion that they were somehow involved. Whilst the two of them try and eke out a living by diversifying their trade, Ray seems to be getting ever more depressed by the loneliness, financial worries and the devastating events of the past. Her fleeting solace comes from an interest in arts and crafts (although she's clearly no Picasso) and a rather painful form of sexual relief. Les comments, "You hear of people who have all sorts of sexual hang-ups...and I'm one of them."
In addition to the 2000 series, in 2003 a 7th episode was produced:
Follow Fonte and Barne as they try and make a good impression as a support act at a real life music event. Will Fonte's flirting and sugary compliments help their chances of securing a place on the tour bus? Or will creative differences as well as Fonte's total hatred of Barne put a spanner in the works? (Although in many respects a seventh episode, this special that was released as an extra on the DVD was never classed as part of the series as a whole, and differs slightly in terms of writing and visual style to the televised episodes.)
and Rob Brydon
(who were so sure of a commission they wrote all six episodes before finalising the deal). They wrote it in a flat in the same building complex which once housed the late Kenneth Williams
. It was directed by Matt Lipsey
and produced by Alison Mcphail. Executive producers were Henry Normal
and Steve Coogan
.
After creating the concept for the series, Davis and Brydon set about developing the material for the six episodes. Avoiding more conventional methods of writing the scripts, the pair instead opted to record themselves on camera and in character, to develop their various characters and written material. These recordings were then later on used as the basis for the written scripts.
Some of this recorded material is included on the DVD release of the series.
contains the following extras:
Black comedy
A black comedy, or dark comedy, is a comic work that employs black humor or gallows humor. The definition of black humor is problematic; it has been argued that it corresponds to the earlier concept of gallows humor; and that, as humor has been defined since Freud as a comedic act that anesthetizes...
television series written by and starring Rob Brydon
Rob Brydon
Rob Brydon is a BAFTA-nominated Welsh actor, comedian, radio and television presenter, singer and impressionist...
and Julia Davis
Julia Davis
Julia Davis is an English comedy writer and performer, best known for writing and starring in the BBC Three comedy Nighty Night.-Background:...
. It consisted of six episodes that aired in 2000. Each episode documented the relationship of a different couple, all of whom were played by Brydon and Davis and all but two of whom were extremely unhappy, in the style of a fly on the wall documentary. In 2009, The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
called it "one of the best comedies in the past ten years".
Much of the show's humour is derived from very bleak ideas and situations. Domestic violence
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
, chronic depression and death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
all feature prominently throughout the six episodes. Julia Davis later used some of these themes in her solo project, Nighty Night
Nighty Night
Nighty Night is a British dark comedy sitcom written by and starring Julia Davis. It was first broadcast on 6 January 2004 on BBC Three before moving to BBC2....
. Ruth Jones
Ruth Jones
Ruth Jones is a Welsh TV actress and writer. She starred in and co-wrote the multi-award winning TV comedy Gavin & Stacey and has appeared in many other successful comedies over recent years...
, who would later work with Davis in Nighty Night, appears in the third episode. She would later co-write the acclaimed series Gavin and Stacey, in which both Brydon and Davis would star.
Episodes
- "An English Squeak"
The apparently bucolic aristo-existence of Peter and Flick is shadowed by an ailment on her part that makes physical intimacy impossible. Still reeling from the death of her true love Geoffrey, Flick has little time for the downtrodden, childish, and possibly mentally handicapped Peter. However, he waits on his reluctant wife hand and foot, nursing her through her struggle with an imaginary illness which, in Flick's own words, means "penile accommodation is impossible". Flick rarely acknowledges this compassion and is more than happy to bury him in the pet cemetery when his time to leave this world comes.
- "Slither In"
"Ignorance is bliss, that to me is the beauty of a coma". B&B owners Gordon and Sheila fit their swinging lifestyle alongside looking after Sheila's coma stricken sister. Despite a relatively happy marriage Sheila isn't physically attracted to Gordon, describing the first time she saw him naked as "like a road accident. Shocking, but you can't help looking!" Uneasy at the thought of eventually losing her sister Val, Sheila doesn't know how to handle it. Gordon reminds her Val's death will be a blessing, as they can expand their swinging room into the bedroom she currently occupied.
- "All Over My Glasses"
Michelle and Stephen are planning their wedding day. The first dance is R-Kelly's "Bump and Grind" and there's five boxes of Doritos for the reception. The more than a little "simple" Michelle seems oblivious to abusive yob Stephen's latent homosexual tendencies, perhaps more preoccupied with her unhealthy obsession with the late Princess Diana. In fact, Michelle is so obsessed that on the night of Diana's death she drove down to the local underpass to "feel how she must have felt". Stephen was in the driver's seat "rightly or wrongly, speeding like a maniac" and her Uncle Roy was Mr. Dodi, "Laughing and swearing and that."
- "Straight as a Flute"
When not making curly sausage casseroles for the vicar, Beverly and Tony survey their neighbour's Satan-inspired garden and tell of life under the full gaze of the lord. They do have other ways of keeping busy though, to the detriment of Tony's heart. Whilst he isn't conducting bizarre demonstrations at his workplace and Beverly isn't dabbling in a bit of hair and beauty, they can be found attending to their dogs or indulging in Scottish country dancing. The pair also run "top up" meetings for their fellow church goers. As Beverly puts it "If Church is your vaccination against Satan, these meetings are your boosters".
- "Hairless"
"My songs are like my children", says singer Fonte. "Yet they're also like my parents, or a special uncle who is particularly friendly at Christmas time". Fonte Bund seems to have no reservation at all about passing off the work of Alanis Morissette
Alanis Morissette
Alanis Nadine Morissette is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter, guitarist, record producer, and actress. She has won 16 Juno Awards and seven Grammy Awards, was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards and also shortlisted for an Academy Award nomination...
as her own, and is often casting aside her more creative musical partner Barne when it comes to singing - now opting to double up with her crippled lesbian pal Susan on stage. After the events of this episode, Fonte is left devastated after Susan's death. But, as Barne puts it; "If you've got an electric wheelchair and a cliffside bungalow, you're asking for trouble, and that's what she got!"
- "More Than Happy"
Coastal shopkeeper Les's optimism has carried him and wife Ray through eight traumatic married years, which includes the loss of their children and subsequent suspicion that they were somehow involved. Whilst the two of them try and eke out a living by diversifying their trade, Ray seems to be getting ever more depressed by the loneliness, financial worries and the devastating events of the past. Her fleeting solace comes from an interest in arts and crafts (although she's clearly no Picasso) and a rather painful form of sexual relief. Les comments, "You hear of people who have all sorts of sexual hang-ups...and I'm one of them."
In addition to the 2000 series, in 2003 a 7th episode was produced:
- "The Fonte Bund Band Live"
Follow Fonte and Barne as they try and make a good impression as a support act at a real life music event. Will Fonte's flirting and sugary compliments help their chances of securing a place on the tour bus? Or will creative differences as well as Fonte's total hatred of Barne put a spanner in the works? (Although in many respects a seventh episode, this special that was released as an extra on the DVD was never classed as part of the series as a whole, and differs slightly in terms of writing and visual style to the televised episodes.)
Writing and production
The series was written by Julia DavisJulia Davis
Julia Davis is an English comedy writer and performer, best known for writing and starring in the BBC Three comedy Nighty Night.-Background:...
and Rob Brydon
Rob Brydon
Rob Brydon is a BAFTA-nominated Welsh actor, comedian, radio and television presenter, singer and impressionist...
(who were so sure of a commission they wrote all six episodes before finalising the deal). They wrote it in a flat in the same building complex which once housed the late Kenneth Williams
Kenneth Williams
Kenneth Charles Williams was an English comic actor and comedian. He was one of the main ensemble in 26 of the Carry On films, and appeared in numerous British television shows, and radio comedies with Tony Hancock and Kenneth Horne.-Life and career:Kenneth Charles Williams was born on 22 February...
. It was directed by Matt Lipsey
Matt Lipsey
Matt Lipsey is a British television and film director. His work includes Baby Cow Productions sitcoms Human Remains and Saxondale, and Hartswood Films series Supernova, The Cup and Jekyll. His first film, Caught in the Act, was released in 2008...
and produced by Alison Mcphail. Executive producers were Henry Normal
Henry Normal
Henry Normal is an English comedian, television producer, poet and writer. He is Managing Director of Baby Cow Productions Ltd which he set up with Steve Coogan....
and Steve Coogan
Steve Coogan
Stephen John "Steve" Coogan is a British comedian, actor, writer and producer. Born in Manchester, he began his career as a standup comedian and impressionist, working as a voice artist throughout the 1980s on satirical puppet show Spitting Image. In the early nineties, Coogan began creating...
.
After creating the concept for the series, Davis and Brydon set about developing the material for the six episodes. Avoiding more conventional methods of writing the scripts, the pair instead opted to record themselves on camera and in character, to develop their various characters and written material. These recordings were then later on used as the basis for the written scripts.
Some of this recorded material is included on the DVD release of the series.
DVD
The DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
contains the following extras:
- Commentary with Rob Brydon and Julia Davis
- Fonte Bund Band Live - following Fonte and Barne on tour
- Multi-angle option to view original character improvisations
- Deleted Scenes
- Outtakes
- Make Up and Wardrobe Tests
- Three BBC trailers
- Photo gallery
- Les's songs