Ep 9. Gregory - Diary of a Nutcase

In the ninth episode of season three of The Comic Strip Presents, titled "Gregory - Diary of a Nutcase", viewers are introduced to the titular character Gregory (Robbie Coltrane), a working-class man who has just been released from a mental institution. The episode follows Gregory as he tries to navigate his way back into society, all while grappling with his own mental health issues.

The episode is shot in a faux-documentary style, with Gregory speaking directly to the camera throughout much of the runtime. As he wanders the streets of London and interacts with the various people he meets, we get a glimpse into his increasingly unhinged mind. He becomes fixated on a woman named Marion (Camille Coduri), whom he believes to be his soulmate, and begins to stalk her.

As the episode progresses, it becomes clear that Gregory's mental state is deteriorating rapidly. He begins to experience vivid hallucinations, including one in which Marion is a horse that he is trying to saddle up. He also starts to believe that he has a psychic connection to rodents and begins to spend an alarming amount of time with a rat that he has befriended.

Despite all of this, there are moments of dark humor scattered throughout the episode. One particularly memorable scene sees Gregory getting into an argument with a group of businessmen in a pub, resulting in him throwing a chair through a window. Later, he tries to convince a group of street preachers that he is the Second Coming of Christ.

The tone of the episode is undeniably bleak, as we watch Gregory's mental state spiral out of control. However, it also has a certain rawness and authenticity to it thanks to Coltrane's committed performance and the scrappy, handheld nature of the filming.

Ultimately, "Gregory - Diary of a Nutcase" is a challenging and often uncomfortable watch, but one that is well worth the effort for fans of dark comedy and experimental storytelling. It is a raw and unflinching portrayal of mental illness, and the toll that it can take on individuals who are struggling to find their place in an unforgiving world.