It’s happened so quietly, you probably didn’t even notice. Over the last year, though HBO’s stalwart dramas have mostly disappeared (Big Love is back in January!), the pay cable network has been steadily building up a pretty great stable of off-kilter, unique, and damn funny comedies. And no, I’m not talking about Entourage.
It began last year with Flight of the Conchords (also back in January!), continued this fall with the hilariously dry The Life & Times of Tim, and now, the beat goes on with Australian import Summer Heights High. Starring creator/writer Chris Lilley as all 3 major characters, Summer Heights High follows Ja’ime, a stuck up rich girl who’s transferred to the public high school; Jonah, a 13-year-old delinquent (“I said ‘Puck you,’ Miss.”); and Mr. G, the new head of the performing arts department.
Lilley is a comic genius. The fact that he’s written and starred in 2 hit series, in which he plays ALL the major characters (the first series was We Can Be Heroes – Finding the Australian of the Year, which also featured the character Ja’ime) is astounding to me. His acting is spot-on and the writing is hilarious. If there’s one thing American television needs, it’s more mockumentary style comedy. The Office and Reno: 911 are currently the only two American mockumentaries on the air (next spring/fall we’ll get the new Amy Poehler “not-an-Office-spin-off” series too), so SMH is a welcome breath of fresh air.
My advice? Skip the pilot. Like Arrested Development‘s pilot, this episode is all about setting up and introducing the characters and premise of the show. It is not a good example of a typical episode, and so I would say either skip it, or pledge to push through into episode 2, which is hysterical.
There have only been two episodes so far on HBO, so now is a perfect time to jump in, especially since HBO Sunday’s are about to get 30 minutes emptier with the Enotourage Season 5 finale on Sunday. Chris Lilley and HSH have already won a buttload of prestigious awards in Australia. So do yourself the favor and enjoy the best thing to come out from Down Under since Australian red licorice (if you’ve never had it, it’s f’ing great).
Holy crap–I JUST posted a little bit on the blog about how amazing Summer Heights High is. Chris is one of the most perceptive writers/performers working right now. I’m glad others are watching it.
Thanks for the comment, Ethan. It seems we’re of like minds once again. Glad we both agree!
I totally agree — the premise is great, the mockumentary format’s a perfect fit, and Lilley’s portrayals of the three main characters are fascinating. This show is good.
Don’t know if I’d recommend skipping the pilot though — sure you could pick up the story from Episode 2, but you’d miss out on some real comedic gems in the pilot. [Mr. G's drama "lesson"/solo performance and Ja'mie's assembly speech (her "No offense" line is so perfect) had me in stitches, as did many other beats.]
Thanks for commenting, Brian. I understand what you’re saying about the pilot, but I’ve already spoken to a handful of people (myself included) who were unable to get through the pilot and thus wrote off the show.
The pilot is funny, yes, but it’s more of an introduction to the characters than a good indicator of what the actual series is like. At first glance, some might be put off by the pilot- “It’s just a dude playing 3 weird characters?” But in the second episode, as the story lines of the characters pick up, it’s much funnier and much easier to become invested.
So yes, do watch the pilot. But if you don’t like it, don’t let it ruin the rest of the series for you– be sure to push through to the next ep because it only gets better and better from there.