Up for some dark British humor? Well, keep an eye out for Psychoville then. This comedy-drama series made headlines in UK recently as the brains behind The League of Gentlemen - Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton - wowed the viewers with their unique take of the world.
As the name implies, the series is about psychos. Well, to be fair it also reels in complete weirdos and deviants of society. The writers have bound together the lives of absolute misfits and miscreants by introducing a common friend who blackmails each of these folks. In a truly creative manner, we then get to see the disturbed lives lead by each of these people. Thus, you end up with the rather colorful bunch: the bitter clown; the smothered son who sleeps in the same room as his domineering mother; the blind miser who collects toys; the health care worker with an imaginary baby; and a dwarf who has some sort of psychic abilities ... and nasty friends.
As the story progresses, you find that these guys have something in common. Through the hints provided by the blackmail letters, you know it's something along the lines of “I know what you did sometime or the other”. Except that it's big, bad and ugly and possibly much worse than accidentally running over a fishermen on a winding highway with minimal lighting.
The fact that a handful of actors doubled as most of the characters added to the appeal of the show. It certainly enhanced its creative appeal as well as pushing the boundaries of what we consider to be sitcom material – think pretty-faced leads with wooden acting. Check it out when it comes on BBC America or is released as a DVD.