Don't Hug Me I'm Scared

Don't Hug Me I'm Scared
Teaser poster for the episode "Dreams"
Also known as	DHMIS
Genre	Musical Surreal humor Comedy horror
Created by	Becky Sloan Joseph Pelling Baker Terry
Written by	Becky Sloan Joseph Pelling Hugo Donkin Baker Terry
Directed by	Becky Sloan Joseph Pelling
Voices of	Baker Terry Joseph Pelling Becky Sloan
Composers	Joseph Pelling Charlie Pelling
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language	English
No. of episodes	6
Production
Executive producers	Becky Sloan Joseph Pelling James Stevenson Bretton Thomas Ridgewell
Producers	Benjamin Lole Hugo Donkin
Cinematography	Max Halstead Edward Tucker
Running time	3–8 minutes
Production companies	THIS IS IT Blink Industries
Original release
Network	YouTube
Release	29 July 2011 (2011-07-29) – 19 June 2016 (2016-06-19)
Related
Don't Hug Me I'm Scared (TV series)
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Don't Hug Me I'm Scared is a British surrealist adult puppet musical comedy horror web series created by Becky Sloan and Joe Pelling that consists of six short episodes released on YouTube between 29 July 2011 and 19 June 2016.^[1] It is notable for blending surrealism and dark comedy with psychological horror and musical elements. Its production is diverse, combining puppetry and live action with styles of animation including stop motion, traditional animation, flash animation, claymation, and computer animation. A follow-up television series, also consisting of six episodes, was released on All 4 and Channel 4 on 23 September 2022.^[2]

Each episode of the series starts like a typical children's programme, consisting of anthropomorphic puppets akin to those featured in Sesame Street or The Muppets. The series parodies and satirises these programmes by juxtaposing its inhabitants and their childlike, colourful environment against disturbing themes; each episode builds up to a plot twist that incorporates psychological horror, surreal imagery, dark comedy, extreme graphic violence, and existentialism, before returning the traumatised characters to their original situation with an altered outlook as a result of their experience.

The six episodes of the web series explore creativity, time, love, technology, food, and dreams; the television series touches on jobs, death, family, friendship, transport, and electricity. Both have received widespread critical acclaim for their story, production design, psychological horror, humour, hidden themes, lore, and characters.