Comedy Inc.

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Comedy Inc. (The Late Shift)
Genre Sketch comedy
Starring Current Cast
Paul McCarthy
Jim Russell
Mandy McElhinney
Emily Taheny
Katrina Retallick
Genevieve Morris
Scott Brennan
Simon Mallory
Country of origin Australia
Production
Running time 60 minutes per episode (inc. commercials)
Broadcast
Original channel Channel Nine
Picture format Widescreen (16:9)
Original run 2003 –
Comedy Inc. is also the name of a Canadian Television series. See Comedy Inc. (Canadian TV series)

Comedy Inc. (2005-2006 seasons: Comedy Inc: The Late Shift) is an Australian sketch comedy television program produced by Crackerjack Productions. It originally aired in early 2003 in the new wave of Australian sketch comedy shows following the demise of Full Frontal, along with Big Bite and skitHOUSE. It is shown on the Nine Network and regional affiliates such as WIN and NBN.

The show has proved to be more commercially successful in Australia than its rivals, and was the first to release a DVD of content.

From what is widely considered to have been a rocky start in 2003, the show has evolved into an unlikely critical favourite with numerous nominations for a number of major Australian and international awards (see below).

Contents

[edit] Comedy Inc: The Late Shift (2005-2006)

Beginning with its 2005 season, the show aired in a later timeslot, in the process changing its name to Comedy Inc.: The Late Shift. This version was a success with both audiences and television critics, due to its slightly more risque content, as well as original new characters like "Blokeman" and "Matt and Bray". The new show marked the beginning of a collaboration between new head writer Rick Kalowski and producer/director David McDonald, widely credited with the revivification of the show. The series was a 2005 "Australian Film Institute" Awards nominee for Best Television Comedy Series, as well as a 2006 Logie Awards nominee for Most Outstanding Comedy Series, and a 2006 Rose D'Or Award nominee for Best International Comedy Series. David McDonald received a nomination for Best Direction in Television at both the 2005 and 2006 "Australian Film Institute" Awards for his work on the show.

The fourth series of Comedy Inc. debuted on Tuesday 30 May 2006 again on the Nine Network. The new series marked the departure of Ben Oxenbould and Gabriel Andrews from the show, and their replacement with the popular Australian comedian Scott Brennan and actor Simon Mallory. In a new 10.30pm timeslot on Sundays, it again dominated its timeslot, proving especially popular with younger viewers. The fourth series, characterised by darker and even more risque material than the first series of 'Comedy Inc. - The Late Shift'(the 'F' word, for example, is no longer censored), ran 25 1-hour episodes in total, following an extension of the series by the Nine Network, making it the longest running series of the show to date.

On Thursday 19 October 2006, the show was nominated at the 2006 "Australian Film Institute Awards" in five categories, including Best Television Comedy Series, Best Direction in Television, and two nominations for Best Performance in a Television Comedy Series, one each for Paul McCarthy and Genevieve Morris.

The fifth series of the show is currently in production, for airing midway through 2007. The new series is directed by Damian Davis, previously director of The Ronnie Johns Half Hour. New head writers are Kevin Brumpton and Angus Fitzsimons.

An international version of the show, comprising a series of 20 half-hour episodes, has aired on cable television in several countries. A second series of the international version of the show is due to be aired later in 2007. The international version focusses on sketches, character pieces and parodies of overseas programs, and excludes parodies of Australian programs with which a foreign audience would be unfamiliar.

[edit] Comedy Inc: Specials (2005)

In 2005 two one-hour specials called "Comedy Inc: Takes out TV" were aired, the first during the series and then the week following the final episode of "The Late Shift". They featured mostly television parody sketches with a few general sketches.

[edit] Critical Response

Although critical reaction to the series on its debut in 2003 was mixed, reviews of the show have improved with each series. The 2005 and 2006 series of the show, in particular, have received positive reviews from most major Australian newspapers, the consensus being that the later timeslot has made for a darker, more interesting and funnier show. Consistent with that critical response, it is the 'later timeslot' series of the show that have been nominated for various awards. Most recently, Jim Schembri, notoriously tough television critic for the Melbourne newspaper The Age has described the show as "the hands-down funniest and smartest local laughfest on TV in 2006"[1].

[edit] Cast

[edit] Recurring sketches

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Please improve the article, or discuss the issue on the talk page.
  • "Blokeman" - An Aussie superhero who is a complete slob and only does most jobs if he is paid, which he does with little effort. Recently he acquired a partner, "Wonder Mole", a parody of Wonder Woman. In the 2006 season, Blokeman is now forced to compete with "Metrosexual Man"
  • "Matt + Bray" (2005 only) - 2 brothers, an overly cheerful man and his mentally challenged brother, move in next door to an overly-suspicious barrister.
  • "Answer Man" - A sketch which normally begins with a group of friendes discussing over a subject (Best Movie of All Time, Best Musician, etc.) and end saying that no one will ever know the true answer. But then comes Answer Man, a super hero who has the answers to every question they make.
  • "Honest Dad" - A father tucks his son into bed, where the son asks him a question and he answers "honestly." Topics range from abortion to illegitimacy to "special" children. What the father says is less than comforting.
  • "Sexually Harassed Woman" - A woman who believes what men says is directed towards her and is sexually explicit, causing her to break out in rages which promptly terrifies the men.
  • "Selina: She Grows on You" - A rich woman ("Mrs. B") deals with her gardener Selina and her unorthodox methods of gardening, ranging from using her own faeces as manure to growing drugs to pay for the new reticulating system, to running over the rich woman's dog with a lawn mower and running a prostitution business from the garden of Mrs. B.
  • "Ernest the Engine and Others" - An adult version of Thomas the Tank Engine which includes:
    • Ernest - A train with several issues including repressed sexuality, wanting to change jobs and to overthrow the "Overweight" Controller.
    • Stevie the Steam Train - A train that stutters at inappropriate moments and is highly intelligent.
    • Gail the Guards Compartment - A female train car that surprisingly has women's issues including attractiveness and women's lib. All characters are voiced by Paul McCarthy.
  • "Napoleon Bonaparte writing at his desk" - Where Napoleon Bonaparte writes bizarre, out of 18th Century, letters including to his wife Josephine, to a newspaper concerning immigrants and to a Sony PlayStation competition.
  • "Creepy Kayleen" - A strange, bizarre dressing stalker, who constantly pops up out of nowhere, helping people with their problems and making them feel uncomfortable about themselves.
  • "Dave "I'm Not Gay"" (2005 only) - A gay or formerly gay man attempts to stay straight despite showing brief homosexual activity involving sausages and prostate examinations, all the while saying "I'm not gay."
  • "Berni with an "I"" (2005 only) - A mockumentary of an almost talentless showgirl spanning over 10 episodes as she and a host of colourful characters attempt to bring her into the limelight.
  • "Prime Minister John Howard's addresses to the nation" - Not so much as a parody as these addresses do not occur for real but this skit features John Howard often alerting the nation on irrevelent national matters and personal details of his life. Examples include confirming he would like to have a gay relationship with Peter Costello, identifying some members of parliament as terrorist suspects and naming a certain television network (the ABC) as a terrorist organization.
  • "Helpful Hooker" - A man usually with passengers drives up in his car and asks a hooker various questions. Examples include asking the hooker to help his son with his algebra homework and the hooker telling him he can have some fun by going down to the Rollerama (Roller skating rink) instead of sex. Often the Hooker tries to discourage the men.
  • "The Trenches" - ANZAC soldiers during the First World War get up to several weird antics in the trenches.
  • "Assassins" - Where suit-wearing men often come across stumbling blocks in their profession, such as confusion over assembling an assault rifle or knocking off a housekeeper just to steal bath soaps.
  • "Gangsters" - Where a couple of 1920s-esques Mafia types take some unlikely person into the forest to kill, often making them dig their own grave...with hilarious results.
  • "Baby Shower" - An expectant mother often experiences unfortunate events or receive unusual gifts at her own baby shower.
  • "War Room" - Where top (United States) military officials (sometimes including the president) meet and discuss relative issues of 'national security' including spying on people having sex, and watching Die Hard on a plasma screen TV.
  • "Gas Station" - Not even an ordinary gas station is safe, when it comes to unattentive cashiers, buying Rembrandts from the shelves and frequent robberies by mostly unorganised, desperate men and women.
  • "The Department Store Santa" - Where a fake Santa always had his work cut out for him, whether it comes towards his vehemence of Cowboys and Indians sets, dealing with his estranged son, fangirls and towards other department store Santas.
  • "Support/Councilling Groups" - Where people attend rather unusual self-help groups including owning an outdated car, a group for people who get lost and groups that are organised through name (ie. John).
  • "Boxing Matches" - A boxer deals with his weird coach, an annoying referee, numerous interruptions and where he would mostly always get knocked down by his opponent as a result.
  • "Colonial Australia" - Wherever it would be in a penal colony, a village or with the town crier giving his message and with a highwayman trying to rob a coach, hilarity always insures.
  • "At Sea" - Set on a siling ship during the 1800s, a 'Master and Commander' style captain deals with various situations including mutiny, walking the plank, sighting land or burial at sea.
  • "On A Plane" - This sketch is shot in the studio, where one wall of the flight cabin of a plane is removed so cameras can get inside. It features situations invloving captains' announcements, fear of flying, terrorists attacks, impending disaster and travel destinations.
  • "Drug Deals"
  • "At Church"
  • "Playing Pool"
  • "The Dry Cleaners" - The people who work at the cleaners have their work cut out for them trying to remove seemingly impossible stains, or trying to rip-off the customer.
  • "Nature Walk" - Where people often go on long hikes through the forest, either to plan how the burn everything or to kill any endangered wildlife they can find.
  • "The Police Station"
  • "The Hospital" - The unfortunate people sent there often deal with incompentant/lazy/inept surgeons in the Operating Room, or long stays in the Waiting Room, waiting for rather hilarious news.
  • "Caught In A Blizzard" - Very unlucky explorers get trapped in their tent in the middle of a storm, and mostly try to make the best of it.
  • "The Commentator's Box" - Where normally motor-mouthed commentators talk about rather bizarre events happening on the field, or sometimes stumble over their words as they forget their scripts.
  • "The Woman Finishing Everyone's Sentences"

[edit] 2006/07

Today Comedy Inc is a very popular show on the Comedy Channel, along with Full Frontal and skitHOUSE.

[edit] Shows / Films / Advertisements Parodied (all seasons)

This article or section is incomplete and may require expansion and/or cleanup.
Please improve the article, or discuss the issue on the talk page.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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