Mongrels
Mongrels, formerly known under the working titles of We Are Mongrels and The Un-Natural World, is a British puppet-based situation comedy series first broadcast on BBC Three between 22 June and 10 August 2010, with a making-of documentary entitled "Mongrels Uncovered" broadcast on 11 August 2010. A second series of Mongrels began airing on 7 November 2011. The series revolves around the lives of five anthropomorphic animals who hang around the back of a pub in Millwall, the Isle of Dogs, London. The characters are Nelson, a metrosexual fox; Destiny, an Afghan hound; Marion, a "borderline-retarded" cat; Kali, a grudge-bearing pigeon; and Vince, Nelson's friend, a sociopathic foul-mouthed fox.
Seasons
1. Nelson the Online Predator
Air Date: 2010-06-22
Nelson uses Toby Anstis's social networking login to set up a blind date with a human. However, he gets a shock when he discovers the Wendy he was planning to meet isn't a human being after all, but a chicken. Destiny joins owner Gary for the canine horror show that is Strictly Dog Dancing and falls for badboy Rivers from the dog disobedience class. If she is to see Rivers again, Destiny has to start behaving really badly. When Marion's owner dies, Kali sees an opportunity for Marion to pose as a missing cat called Chopsticks in order to rob his owner for all she's worth. Marion finds his new life most comfortable, until his new owner takes him to be neutered.
2. Destiny the Reluctant Sniffer Dog
Air Date: 2010-06-29
When his neighbor Vince has a litter of fox cubs Nelson is thrilled to be an uncle at last, until he finds that Vince has eaten all of his cubs except one - the runt of the litter. Nelson decides to save the runt, only to discover that he's the sickliest, saddest, most difficult animal you could ever wish to meet. Destiny meets a handsome dog called James who teaches her the art of the bottom sniff. Destiny quickly discovers that when it comes to sniffing bottoms she is an artist with special powers. Marion gets addicted to catnip and goes crazy. Nelson steps in with some aversion therapy in a bid to save his friend. Kali is reunited with an old partner in crime, the dove Dean. She is irritated to discover that Dean has no interest in helping her terrorise the neighbourhood since he has now found God and seen the error of his ways. Annoyed, Kali plots to tempt Dean back to the dark side.
3. Marion the Young Lover
Air Date: 2010-07-06
Nelson discovers that the animals in Springwatch are actors, but auditions when he hears that Destiny loves the show. Marion falls for the beautiful but underage Lollipop. Destiny decides that guiding is for her and Kali reveals that she used to nest in Amy Winehouse's hair.
4. Nelson the Stroke Virgin
Air Date: 2010-07-13
Destiny is awarded Animal of Courage 2010 and enjoys her moment in the spot light. Tension in the yard builds though as tomcat Marion is the true hero, but Destiny refuses to tell the truth about what happened. When things backfires though she is forced to admit the truth. Urban fox Nelson is determined to experience the feeling of being stroked by a human.
5. Kali the Genetic Engineer
Air Date: 2010-07-20
Nelson's French penfriend Christian arrives for a visit, but brings rabies with him. Destiny discovers that her new boyfriend is a pimp organized by her owner Gary to get her to produce pups. When Kali is caught up in a pigeon cull, she resolves to take revenge on humankind.
6. Destiny the Infection Risk
Air Date: 2010-07-27
Afghan hound Destiny persuades her owner Gary to enter her into the local dog show, at last. But when she gets infected with boorish fleas who delight in quoting comedy catchphrases, she struggles with her preparations for the canine intelligence round. Destiny decides to pull out until the fleas persuade her that they have the brains to help her win. Pigeon Kali decides to protest against the new anti-pigeon spikes that Gary has put down to reduce vermin, by throwing herself upon them. Finding Kali impaled, Gary looks after her, and feeds her up to several times her normal size.
7. Marion the Superfluous Feed Character
Air Date: 2010-08-03
With his nasty neighbor Vince in a coma, Nelson must look after his territory for him. It's time for Nelson to invoke middle-class techniques to keep the dangerous occupants under control. Just as she gets fed up with her latest controlling boyfriend, fate gives Destiny the chance to date her dream partner. He's unresponsive, he'll do anything she asks and he won't even answer back - it's the comatose Vince. When You've Been Framed broadcasts her mum's tragic death on nationwide TV, Kali decides to take revenge on the show's presenter Harry Hill, with the help of a Thai bride and some Genesis.
8. Nelson the Naughty Arsonist
Air Date: 2010-08-11
It's 5/11 (November 5th) and Marion falls in with the wrong crowd of animals. They are determined to stop humans from celebrating bonfire night forever by blowing up the pub. It's up to Nelson to take heroic action to save Destiny from certain death. Whilst walking in the park, Destiny is chosen to become a photographer's model. The trouble is that the photographer's idea of glamour is quite different to Destiny's. When Kali has her wings clipped by the over-zealous firewarden Nelson, nasty neighbour Vince decides he's going to eat her. Kali must keep Vince fed, or she'll be appearing in her own version of Come Dine with Me.
1. Marion and the Goldfish
Air Date: 2011-11-07
Destiny finds a knock-out strategy to win her dream man - John Terry's dog. Recruited by a secret society of bloodthirsty foxes, it's time for Nelson to kill or be killed. Marion is entranced by a peculiarly knowledgeable goldfish.
2. Nelson and the Fortnight of the Living Dead
Air Date: 2011-11-07
With Destiny on heat and trapped inside the pub by sex-crazed zombie dogs, Nelson has a once-in-a-lifetime chance to woo her. Marion's night in is ruined when Vince reveals he's a karaoke hog. And after a rickshaw driver runs over her dinner, Kali seeks explosive revenge.
3. Destiny and the Vets
Air Date: 2011-11-14
Vince bumps into his old mate Danny Dyer. Kali struggles to win back her perch from a bolshy immigrant. Nelson falls for a feisty older vixen and runs into trouble with a disapproving relative. When Marion adopts Destiny's owner Gary, Destiny has to compete to regain his affection.
4. Vince and the C***'s Speech
Air Date: 2011-11-21
It's Vince's wedding day and Nelson is thrilled to be his best man. Now all he has to do is to find just one nice thing to say about Vince in his speech - or die. Destiny adopts a high-risk strategy to avoid sitting at the singles' table. Kali is faced with a difficult dilemma over the wedding buffet - is it acceptable to eat your own cousin?
5. Nelson and the Chimp
Air Date: 2011-12-05
Nelson's bid to salvage the showbiz career of a depressed chimpanzee is thwarted when his protege reveals an embarrassing personal habit. Marion takes a spin in the washing machine. Kali seeks revenge when her put-downs are outclassed by Destiny's fabulously bitchy new gay best friend.
6. Nelson and the Human
Air Date: 2011-12-12
Kali embarks on a campaign of psychological warfare against Vanessa Feltz. Marion tries to impress a long lost son with his special brand of fatherly advice. Destiny adopts extreme measures to get her paws on a decrepit old dog's unusually squeaky toy. Nelson tries his hand at matchmaking.
7. Nelson and the Red Squirrel
Air Date: 2011-11-28
Marion becomes a YouTube sensation after getting his head stuck in a car tyre. When building work threatens his den, Nelson must find a flatmate from an endangered species or lose his home. Destiny uncovers a shocking secret about her owner Gary.
8. Kali and the Urinary Infection
Air Date: 2011-12-19
It's New Year's Day and the night before is a complete blur. With a police dog hot on their trail, Nelson and the gang must solve the mystery of what happened to them on New Year's Eve before the law catches up with them. Where did Marion find his Siamese wife? Why are they now two identical Destiny's? And how did a dead horse end up in Nelson's den?
9. Highlights Special
Air Date: 2011-12-19
With help of the acclaimed cast, Miquita Oliver presents a hilarious celebration of the multi-award-winning, critically-acclaimed, global smash-hit phenomenon that is BBC Three's Mongrels. Yes, it's the obligatory clip show. But no, it's not like any obligatory clip show you've ever seen before.
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Rating
7.8/10
Release Date
2010-06-22
Episodes
17 (2 seasons)
Status
Ended
Cast
Production Companies
BBC