Watch Fungus the Bogeyman

Fungus the Bogeyman is a British television series that aired on BBC One back in 2004, starring Martin Clunes as the titular character and Alice Connor as his daughter, Mildew. It is based on the children's book of the same name by Raymond Briggs, which was published in 1977 and quickly became a classic.

The show is a live-action adaptation of Briggs' story, which takes place in an underground underworld inhabited by bogeymen. Fungus, Mildew, and the rest of their family live in this shadowy realm, hidden from human eyes and emerging only at night to do their gross work. The bogeymen's job is to scare humans by making disgusting sounds, producing awful smells, and generally behaving in a repugnant manner.

In this world, everything is covered in slime and muck, and the bogeymen consider themselves the supreme beings of their ecosystem. However, Fungus goes beyond the call of duty, and his duties of collecting snot, toenails, and other such things are never enough as Fungus is drawn into the human world. Little by little, he starts to discover that there is more to life than scaring young children.

The series follows the adventures of Fungus, his wife Mildew, his son Mould, and his daughter Mildew's journey from their subterranean home to the world above. Fungus finds himself torn between his love for his family and his growing curiosity about the human world. He is aided in his quest by a friendly female tree named Eve, who is fascinated by the bogeymen's world but has never been able to enter it.

As Fungus and his family journey in the human world, they begin to appreciate the beauty of the things that scared them. Fungus falls in love with a human named Wendy and begins to unravel the mysteries of the human world, trying his best to fit in, but things never seem to go his way.

The show is a breath of fresh air in children's television programming, with its focus on the gross and the disgusting things that children tend to love so much. It is a comedic show, managing to bring out the humor in our fears, and the entire family has a great time.

Martin Clunes' portrayal of Fungus is captivating, and he makes the character quite likable, despite his disgusting habits. Alice Connor gives a great performance as Mildew and is instantly likable. The supporting cast is pretty much kept to a minimum, but they all do their part, and no one feels out of place.

The show's visuals are impressive, considering the show was produced in 2004. The bogeymen's world is consistently dark and seedy, with lots of practical effects used throughout to give the show an extra dimension. The makeup and costume design are top-notch, with plenty of attention to detail, and the practical visuals work excellently where they're used.

The score and sound design are commendable, with the show's music being whimsical but never detracting from the performance. Sound effects are used incredibly well throughout the show, keeping up with the bizarre world the show is set in. The sound is more prevalent in some of the episodes when the bogeymen are rolling around in the muck and slime, but it's always appropriate and never overwhelming.

Overall, Fungus is a unique show that tries to breathe new life into the classic children's book of the same name. Fungus' journey from the underground bogeymen's world to the human world is both heartwarming and comical, and the show manages to strike a great balance between the two elements. The visuals and sound design are superb, and Martin Clunes and Alice Connor give possibly the best performance of their careers in this show. Fungus The Bogeyman is a great watch for families and kids in particular.

Fungus the Bogeyman is a series that ran for 1 seasons (4 episodes) between December 27, 2015 and on BBC1