Don't Hug Me I'm Scared (TV series) explained

Genre:Comedy horror
Based On:Don't Hug Me I'm Scared
Editor:Nick Armstrong
Country:United Kingdom
Language:English
Num Series:1
Num Episodes:6
Executive Producer:James Stevenson Bretton
Producer:
  • Hugo Donkin
  • Charlie Perkins
Cinematography:Edward Tucker
Camera:Single-camera
Runtime:23 - 24 minutes
Company:
Network:Channel 4

Don't Hug Me I'm Scared is a 2022 British comedy-horror television series created by Joseph "Joe" Pelling, Rebecca "Becky" Sloan and Baker Terry, and produced by Blink Industries. It was released on All 4 and is based on the web series of the same name.[2] Its six episodes are themed around surrealism and dark humour, and revolve around three characters - Red Guy, Yellow Guy and Duck.

After the release of the original YouTube web series from 2011 to 2016 and its resulting popularity, the creators planned a new television series and developed a pilot in 2018 which was eventually scrapped. A new series was announced in 2020 and released on All 4 on 23 September 2022. Episodes 1 - 2, 3 - 4 and 5 - 6 aired on 30 September, 7 October and 14 October respectively on Channel 4.[3]

Premise

The series revolves around the lives of Red Guy, Yellow Guy and Duck, whose names are not explicitly stated in the series. Each episode starts off with the three getting a lesson from a teacher about topics including jobs, death, family, friendship, transport and electronics. The teachers are usually manipulative and malicious, and as the episode goes on, it becomes more horrific. At the end, the teacher fails and usually dies, with the three shown to have not learned anything.[4] [5]

Development

Previous works

From 2011 to 2016, Joe Pelling and Becky Sloan, later along with Baker Terry, created Don't Hug Me I'm Scared, an art project and web series on YouTube.[6] The series consists of six horror-themed puppet videos.[7]

In 2018, a video titled "Wakey Wakey..." was uploaded to the official channel, and teased an upcoming television show, and the pilot premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival.[8] [9] However, the series was later scrapped.[10] In an interview, Terry stated that "we were going to have to actually write jokes that functioned as jokes without a prop in every single instance".[11]

Release

In July 2020, it was announced that the television series was picked up by Channel 4.[10] [12] In September 2021, Becky Sloan announced that production had finished.[13] [14] On 19 June 2022, a teaser trailer titled "FLY" was uploaded to the YouTube channel, announcing the release date of September.[15] [16] [17] The video gained over 2 million views within 24 hours of release and reached No. 1 trending on YouTube.[18] [19]

The series was released on All 4 on 23 September 2022. It was originally scheduled to be released on 12 September 2022, but was postponed following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.[16] Episodes 1 and 2 aired on 30 September, episodes 3 and 4 aired on 7 October, and episodes 5 and 6 aired on 14 October, all on Channel 4.[20] As of 2024, there has been no confirmation of a second series.[21]

Episodes

Pilot (2018)

A long-form TV pilot was produced in 2018 with Super Deluxe, Conaco and Blink Industries.[22] The pilot premiered at 2019 Sundance Film Festival, appearing in the "Indie Episodic Program 1" alongside other short films.[23] [24] The idea, which involved "current affairs", was later scrapped,[25] and the trailer was removed from the YouTube channel.[26] [27] The setting, which Sloan attributed some roots to South Park, did not have "the timelessness and claustrophobia of the originals". On May 13, 2024, it was announced that the unaired pilot would be screened at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival in London during June 6th-9th.[28] However on May 14, 2024, it was revealed that this announcement was a mistake. The screening will actually feature the first episode of the web series, not the unaired pilot. [29] [30]

Television series (2022)

Cast

Sundance pilot cast

Channel 4 series cast

Reception

Don't Hug Me I'm Scared was commended by critics for its use of surreal humour and horror.

Lucy Mangan from The Guardian stated that the series is "clever, bleak, charming, grotesque and funny."[31] Sean Mullins from Webster Journal called it a "wonderfully weird puppet show".[12] Toussaint Egan from Polygon stated that "the series hasn't missed a single beat in its transition from Internet shock humor du jour to a full-fledged animated series".[32] Nicholas Vidal from The Montclarion stated that "it is one of the most interesting and creative things to release this year".[33] Brittney Bender from Bleeding Cool gave the series a 10/10, saying that it "perfectly encapsulates the absurdity and horror of the modern world through the lens of a multi-colored puppet nightmare of epic proportions".[34]

The Guardian ranked Don't Hug Me I'm Scared as the No. 31 best television series of 2022.[35] [36]

Awards and nominations

|-! rowspan="5"| 2023| rowspan="2"| British Academy Television Craft Awards| Best Production Design| Joe Pelling, Becky Sloan| ||-| Best Costume Design| Joe Pelling, Becky Sloan| |[37] |-| Annecy International Animation Film Festival| Best TV Production| Don't Hug Me I'm Scared (for "Family")| |[38] |-| National Comedy Awards| Best Scripted Comedy Series| Don't Hug Me I'm Scared| |[39] |-| Broadcast Awards| Best Original Programme| Don't Hug Me I'm Scared| |[40]

Notes and References

  1. Joe Pelling . japelling . 1531614103013314561 . Yes. (not with Coco but yes) . 31 May 2022.
  2. Web site: Don't Hug Me Im Scared TV Series. Joseph Pelling. Rebecca Sloan. August 23, 2022. Internet Archive.
  3. News: 2022-09-09 . Don't Hug Me I'm Scared: your guide to the cult webseries making the jump to TV . 2022-09-10 . Nationalworld . en.
  4. Web site: 'Don't Hug Me I'm Scared': inside 2022's weirdest new cult show. Gary. Ryan. . September 22, 2022.
  5. Web site: Latest Young Audiences Content Fund production slate announced. 8 July 2020. British Film Institute. en.
  6. Web site: 8 Creepiest Characters From The Don't Hug Me I'm Scared TV Show. October 2, 2022. Game Rant.
  7. News: The decade-long journey to bring 'Don't Hug Me I'm Scared' to television. Sab. Astley. September 22, 2022. Rolling Stone UK.
  8. Web site: don-t-hug-me-i-m-scared-08fc1516-a01a-45c6-912f-22995f07b722. 12 April 2020. sundance.org. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20211110183738/https://www.sundance.org/projects/don-t-hug-me-i-m-scared-08fc1516-a01a-45c6-912f-22995f07b722. 10 November 2021.
  9. Web site: 2019 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL: INDIE EPISODIC, SHORTS AND SPECIAL EVENTS ANNOUNCED - sundance.org. December 3, 2018.
  10. Web site: What Is Don't Hug Me I'm Scared? The Cult British Comedy Explained. November 24, 2020. ScreenRant.
  11. Web site: The creators of Don't Hug Me I'm Scared offer us a glimpse behind the puppets. www.itsnicethat.com.
  12. Web site: Review: 'Don't Hug Me I'm Scared' is a lesson in making great TV. Sean. Mullins. October 22, 2022.
  13. Web site: Don't Hug Me I'm Scared on Instagram: "Life's a laugh when you are making a TV show with the BEST TEAM EVER 3 months of filming done….woo! #dhmis" . Instagram.com . 2022-08-04.
  14. Web site: Don't Hug Me I'm Scared - C4 Sitcom. British Comedy. Guide. British Comedy Guide.
  15. Web site: FLY . .
  16. Web site: The Long-Awaited Don't Hug Me I'm Scared TV Series Will Debut This September. June 19, 2022. TheGamer.
  17. Web site: Watch the new teaser for long-awaited 'Don't Hug Me I'm Scared' TV show. June 19, 2022. Mashable.
  18. Web site: Don't Hug Me I'm Scared Team Drops Teaser for Upcoming Series. June 23, 2022. MovieWeb.
  19. News: Cooper. Gael Fashingbauer. 14 September 2018. Don't Hug Me I'm Scared is making new episodes. CNET. 15 September 2018.
  20. Web site: Don't Hug Me I'm Scared - Rotten Tomatoes. www.rottentomatoes.com.
  21. Web site: Don't Hug Me I'm Scared ending explained: Creators unpack trippy finale. Radio Times.
  22. Web site: Cooper . Gael Fashingbauer . Don't Hug Me I'm Scared is making new episodes . 2022-09-19 . CNET . en.
  23. Web site: 2018-12-03 . 2019 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL: INDIE EPISODIC, SHORTS AND SPECIAL EVENTS ANNOUNCED - sundance.org . 2022-09-16 . en-US.
  24. Web site: 2019-05-18 . don-t-hug-me-i-m-scared-08fc1516-a01a-45c6-912f-22995f07b722 Sundance Institute . 2022-09-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190518042711/https://www.sundance.org/projects/don-t-hug-me-i-m-scared-08fc1516-a01a-45c6-912f-22995f07b722 . 18 May 2019 .
  25. Web site: Healy . Rachael . 2022-09-12 . 'People might cry': welcome to the hilariously creepy world of Don't Hug Me I'm Scared . 2022-09-25 . The Guardian.
  26. Web site: 2022-05-15 . Don't Hug Me .I'm Scared - YouTube . . 2022-09-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220515062510/https://www.youtube.com/c/donthugmeimscared . 15 May 2022 .
  27. Web site: 2022-06-07 . Don't Hug Me .I'm Scared - YouTube . . 2022-09-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220607221033/https://www.youtube.com/c/donthugmeimscared . 7 June 2022 .
  28. Web site: Sundance Institute . May 13, 2024 . Sundance Film Festival: London 2024 Announces Repertory Shorts Programme, Three Repertory Features And Three Public Talks . Sundance.org.
  29. Web site: SFFL 2024: Sundance 40th Edition Shorts . 2024-05-17 . Picturehouses.
  30. https://twitter.com/LostMediaBuster/status/1790411881384952253
  31. News: Don't Hug Me I'm Scared review – you'll want to watch this brilliantly horrible comedy again and again. Lucy. Mangan. September 23, 2022. The Guardian.
  32. Web site: Don't Hug Me I'm Scared is suddenly back in wonderful, chaotic form. Toussaint. Egan. . September 23, 2022.
  33. Web site: Felt, Laughs and Blood Return in 'Don't Hug Me I'm Scared'. Nicholas. Vidal. November 13, 2022.
  34. Web site: Don't Hug Me I'm Scared Season 1 Proves Shockingly Brilliant: Review. Brittney Bender . Comments. September 24, 2022. bleedingcool.com.
  35. News: The 50 best TV shows of 2022. December 21, 2022. The Guardian.
  36. Web site: Don't Hug Me I'm scared channel 4. Blinkink.
  37. Web site: BAFTA Television 2023: The Winners & Nominations. March 16, 2023. www.bafta.org.
  38. Web site: Annecy > Festival > Official Selection > Film index. CITIA. www.annecyfestival.com.
  39. Web site: National Comedy Awards 2023 results. British Comedy. Guide. February 17, 2023. British Comedy Guide.
  40. Web site: SHORTLIST 2023. Broadcast Awards.

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