HBO Snags Aussie Comedy "Summer Heights High," Why You Need to Watch

Jonah might have something to say about it but, frankly, such language isn't appropriate for this column.

I was pleasantly shocked and surprised to learn that HBO had acquired the hysterical eight-episode Australian comedy Summer Heights High. (Originally, HBO intended to pair Summer Heights High with animated comedy The Life and Times of Tim in a late-night Friday comedy block in June, but the pay cabler will now launch Summer Heights High in November.)

For those of you not in the know, Summer Heights High is an absolutely brilliant and gut-bursting Australian mockumentary created, written, and starring breakout comedic star Chris Lilly (We Can Be Heroes), which aired Down Under last fall and spawned a Top 10 dance hit single "Naughty Girl." (Seriously!)

Astonishingly, Lilly plays three vastly different characters: spoiled rotten 16-year-old private school girl Ja'mie King on a student exchange program from exclusive Hilford Academy; 13-year-old troubled breakdancing-obsessed Pacific Islander Jonah Takalua, constantly in trouble with the teacher and administrators at the school; and Helen "Greg" Gregson (a.k.a. Mr. G), the school's overly ambitious and narcissistic drama teacher who seems to be related in spirit to Christopher Guest's Corkie St. Claire, launching elaborate productions and on a mission to get the school district to built a massive theatre center named after himself.

It's entirely amazing to see Lilly disappear completely into these characters, each of whom starts off the series more over the top and unbelievable than the next. Yet Lilly's talents really do allow these characters to come to life over the next eight episodes and he imbues them with genuine pathos. In particular, his portrayal of Jonah is not only hysterical but heartbreaking: illiterate, aggressive, and rash, Jonah has a host of issues that Lilly brings to life and it becomes incredibly easy to forget after a while that he's not actually a Tongan kid but a white, 30-something performer.

That semblance is helped by the fact that the rest of the cast feels so naturalistic. The series is shot at an actual school and the scenes between Lilly and his young co-stars (and the hapless adult staffers) have a naturalistic feel to them. The result is a raucous comedy that is just as likely to have you laughing, crying, and then laughing again to the point that you might just wet yourself.

Summer Heights High walks the fine line between satire and emotional comedy and brings the best of both camps to the table. To see the complex transformation that Jonah goes through over the course of the series is absolutely as touching as it is hilarious; while you can't help but root for Jonah (while at the same time being repelled by him), you hope that Ja'mie and Mr. G get their deserved comeuppance: she for her egocentrism, he for his hubris.

If you haven't yet had the pleasure of seeing this remarkable series (and don't want to wait until November for HBO to air it), I suggest you do whatever possible--whether it be hopping on a plane to Australia, begging, stealing, or coercing your way--to obtaining a copy of Summer Heights High. You'll thank me afterwards.

In the meantime, check out the trailer (warning: NSFW!) for the series:



Summer Heights High launches November 9th on HBO.