The curious career of Hugo Blick

Starting on Monday night on BBC2 is Black Earth Rising a drama about the genocide in Rwanda, the cast includes John Goodman. It is written and directed by Hugo Blick who has a varied career to say the least. He started out as an actor where one of his first roles was in 1989's Batman where he played the young Jack Napier who in adulthood becomes The Joker as played by Jack Nicholson. However in 1997 Blick stepped behind the camera to co-write, direct and produced Operation Good Guys which pioneered the mockumentary genre that was popularised by The Office. Following a special Police unit Operation Good Guys is a bit more outlandish than those that followed in it's path both in terms of plot (the team have to deal with a cult the forbids the use of toilets) and celebrity cameos including as themselves Jude Law and Johnny Lee Miller follow the team for an upcoming film. Blick followed this Marion and Geoff where Rob Brydon played the titular Geoff a taxi driver who video records his memories of his failed marriage. Then came Blicks turn to more dramatic territory with Sensitive Skin starring Joanna Lumley as a woman going through life changing events. This was followed by the crime drama The Shadow Line. And prior to Black Earth Rising there was The Honourable Woman starring Maggie Gyllenhaal which centred on the Israel-Palestine situation. And now with Black Earth Rising Blick adds to his varied resume.