HBO, Australia's ABC TV Set To Begin Preproduction On 'Angry Boys'

Comedy Series, Starring Chris Lilley, Will Be Produced Down Under

Mike Reynolds -- Multichannel News, 10/2/2009 11:02:00 AM

Preproduction work will begin this month in Australia on a new HBO comedy, Angry Boys.
A co-production of HBO and Australia's ABC TV and the BBC, the series' rookie season will encompass a dozen episodes. The show will be filmed in a mock documentary style, as Angry Boys explores what it means to be a 21st-century boy by putting the male of the species under the microscope.
The series comes from Chris Lilly, the creator and star of the comedy Summer Heights High and Princess Pictures. Summer Heights High debuted on HBO in November 2008, taking a humorous and brutally honest look at life in an average public school. It focused on a self-important, high-strung drama teacher, a haughty, private-school female exchange student, and a break-dancing obsessed delinquent, with Lilley playing all three of those roles. The show aired on ABC TV in Australia, where it remains the highest-selling comedy series DVD in Down Under history.
"Chris Lilley combines a wicked sense of humor with fearless insights into human nature, which gives his comedy a universal appeal," said Sue Naegle, president of HBO Entertainment in a statement. "We were thrilled to share Summer Heights High with the U.S. audience and are sure that Angry Boys will connect with our subscribers and the media."
Noted Courtney Gibson, executive head of content creation for ABC TV: "The scripts are absolutely terrific. Once again Chris is pushing comedy and character somewhere really challenging and ambitious. Moving forward with HBO and the BBC as partners means the series will play on the world stage right after we premiere it here in Australia."