It can often be difficult for comedy television series' to strike the perfect balance between making their audience laugh, and highlighting important issues.
Apparently, however, there's one particular show that delighted viewers say is successfully paving the way when it comes to keeping things light-hearted, even when simultaneously highlighting the harsh realities of mental health.
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Starring huge British stars - including the likes of Michelle Keegan (Fool Me Once; Our Girl), Joseph Gilgun (This Is England, Misfits), and Dominic West (The Crown; Pride) - the series initially launched on Sky One, all the way back in 2019.
In the years that followed, it went on to become one of the most successful sitcoms of modern day telly, having been nominated for a grand total of four TV BAFTAs, and being recommissioned for a further five series.
The much-loved series - which landed on Netflix last week, before shooting straight to the No. 1 spot, overtaking the likes of Emily In Paris and the brand new Laci Peterson documentary - follows the lives and crimes of Vinnie O'Neill and his friends, who live in the fictional northern English town of Hawley.
The squad are prone to committing petty crime as a means of making some money, but it's often their relationships with one another that get them into mayhem.
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We are, of course, talking about Brassic.
Apparently, however, it isn't just the show's big name cast or rib-tickling plot line that has kept viewers coming back for more, but its focus on mental health.
As well as main character Vinnie having bipolar disorder, Brassic also includes several other storylines which emphasise the highs and lows of numerous personality disorders.
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The show also touches on body-image - specifically in the case of 'Cardi' - and demonstrates the realities of addiction.
And as we say, this hasn't come unnoticed by viewers, many of whom have taken to social media to heap praise onto bosses.
"BRASSIC: A very enjoyable Netflix series. It deals with mental health and unconventional family setups in a clever way, mixing light humour (shambolic petty crime capers) with the dark (heavy duty novellas within the series)," one penned online.
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Another wrote: "I love Brassic so much. Vinnie is such a compelling main character and it tackles subjects like poverty and mental health really, really well. also it just mixes drama and comedy in a way that really works. FANTASTIC SHOW."
A third added: "One of the best written, ad-libbed, funny programmes on TV at the moment. The emotion and mental health discussions in season 5, in between the shenanigans, really empathise the struggles people go through."
A fourth continued: "Vinnie is one of TV's most important characters regarding men and mental health. And Joe Gilgun is one of our best actors #Brassic."
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Brassic seasons one to four are streaming now on Netflix.
If you're experiencing distressing thoughts and feelings, the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is there to support you. They're open from 5pm–midnight, 365 days a year. Their national number is 0800 58 58 58 and they also have a webchat service if you're not comfortable talking on the phone.
Topics: Mental Health, TV And Film, Netflix
Rhianna Benson