by FilmInk Staff
Animated Sketch Series “Finally, A Show About Men!” bravely asks: what if men had feelings?
Gold Coast animation studio Sad Man Studio launches satirical sketch series with Aunty Donna’s Grouse House, featuring comedians Lawrence Mooney, Danielle Walker and Alexei Toliopoulos.
Gold Coast based Sad Man Studio has released the first episode of their animated sketch comedy series Finally, A Show About Men!, with new episodes dropping weekly from Sunday May 24 on Aunty Donna’s popular Grouse House YouTube Channel, responsible for launching some of Australia’s most deranged internet comedy.
The satirical animated series tackles the radical proposition that men may, in fact, have feelings, blending absurdity and vulnerability to explore what it means to be a man in modern day Australia. The series features voice performances from Lawrence Mooney, Danielle Walker and Alexei Toliopoulos, and Chris Alosio.
Finally, A Show About Men! is produced by husbands and creative duo Samuel Leighton-Dore and Bradley Tennant, co-directors of Sad Man Studio, with support from Screen Queensland through its Online Production Funding initiative.
Leighton-Dore and Tennant previously produced animated short Sensitive Gym Bros, and co-created the animated sitcom WILLY, currently in development with Ludo Studio (Bluey) and Mad Ones Films (Jimpa), ahead of its release as a graphic novel through Penguin Random House Australia.
Samuel Leighton-Dore, writer and producer of FINALLY, A SHOW ABOUT MEN! and co-director of Sad Man Studio, said: “We never imagined a day when men would be allowed to work in television, let alone see themselves represented on screen. It’s been a huge honour to create what we believe is the first ever series about men.”
Aunty Donna said: “When Sad Man Studio pitched us Finally, a Show About Men! we assumed the show was about us and commissioned it for Grouse House right away. After viewing the content we have decided we cannot endorse it.”
Julie Eckersley, Executive Director, Screen Content at Screen Queensland, said: “Screen Queensland is proud to support FINALLY, A SHOW ABOUT MEN! through our Online Production Grants, which champion emerging talent across the state. This bold animated series shows how online platforms are opening up space for voices to experiment with personal themes and connect meaningfully with audiences. We congratulate Sad Man Studio and the entire team on their commitment to unique storytelling and their exploration of big emotions.”
The first episode, titled A Scrum Is A Safe Space, premiered Sunday night ahead of this year’s State of Origin, exploring the rich emotional inner lives of rugby league players trapped in the intimacy of a scrum.
Early audience reactions to the episode included: “I love a show about men that passes the Bechdel test within first 20 seconds.”
“Delete this now. What goes on in a scrum is between us boyz.”
“You solved world peace.”
