Rich bitch Ja’mie King gets away with everything
Even if the success of Little Britain and The Catherine Tate Show indicates that sketch comedies remain popular, mockumentaries have also attracted large audiences in recent years.
The funny faux documentary People Like Us, which starred Chris Langham as an interviewer who was incapable of doing a decent interview, never delved into its characters much more than programs that create humour from costumes.
However, the acclaim enjoyed by The Office (in its British and American incarnations) and Summer Heights High suggests people not only get pleasure from comedies that appear semi-real, they also derive satisfaction from shows that aspire to be more than just amusing.
Ricky Gervais allowed us to see the loneliness that drove David Brent to try too hard to be liked in The Office, while the depth in Lilley’s effort came from the disintegrating circumstances of unruly adolescent, Jonah Takalua, and the endeavours of those with authority over him.
By the last episode of Summer Heights High we’d not only seen Jonah repeatedly behaving badly, but also Ms. Wheatley, the English teacher, refer to the racial identity of Jonah and his mates in a negative way (“Oh look, it’s the Islander boys late again. Why’s it always you lot?”).
Ironically, Ms. Wheatley’s class was studying The Outsiders.
She also dealt with the territorial dispute over the amphitheatre by ceding it to Kieran and his “All Aussie Breakdancing Crew”.
Although Ja’mie King’s false declaration that she was self-harming was met with an immediate compromise over the issue of the formal, when Jonah’s dad said he was going to give his son a belting when he got home it didn’t inspire anybody to act (allegations of sexual abuse were treated much more seriously).
It should be acknowledged that boys like Jonah are hard work in a way that only thirteen-years-olds who aren’t suited to conventional schooling can be.  Â
Whereas the irredeemably awful Ja’mie and Mr. G respectively return to a posh girls’ school and to teaching complete with a demountable (i.e. there’s no consequences for their vile treatment of others), Jonah is sent back to Tonga to live with his uncle even though he’d rather stay in Australia with his mates.
The scene in which Mr. Peterson drags Jonah out of the remedial reading lesson at Gumnut Cottage in the last episode is terribly sad. Â
While Gervais concentrated on small “p” politics, Lilley wasn’t afraid to contend that class and race still matter today.
Leon, Jonah’s friend, seemed well-acquainted with the sort of language that’s regularly used against minorities when he attempted to justify his group’s bullying of a red-headed boy (a “ranga”) by arguing that “…there’s heaps of ‘em, they’re everywhere”.  Â
An article in The Australian discussed some of Ja’mie’s attitudes:
In the first episode Ja’mie (the girl with the strange name is reprised from We Can Be Heroes) King, the most accomplished student at exclusive Hillford Girls’ Grammar, joins Summer Heights.
She’s there as part of the “It’s All About Education” campaign, a state-sponsored program to bridge the divide between private and public schools. On her first day she addresses the school. “Studies show that students from private schools are much more likely to get into uni and make a whole lot of money,” she says with her exuberant tactlessness. “While wife-beaters and rapists are almost all public-school educated.”
Later she tells the camera she knows already that she is the girl most likely to succeed in Year 11 because she’s the brightest non-Asian student and she’s good at sport, which most Asians aren’t.
Summer Heights High is out now on DVD.
If you’re so inclined, go to the show’s website and get Jonah to do a tag for you.Â
Have to admit I thought People Like Us had very good characterisation! Particularly in the episodes about the Photographer (Bill Nighy) and the Actor (David Tennant).
The Bill Nighy one was the best, I reckon Nick. Not sure I saw the one about the actor. It’s my understanding that they only made two series and then pulled the plug in favour of making The Office.
SHH was by far the best comedy I have seen. Its poignancy was superb as was its viscious depiction of private school tosserdom. I wander past Lowther Hal this afternoon on a walk, the place was full of Ja’mies.
Human Remains is another heavy going piece of comedy satire. Very good stuff. Then, of course, there’s Alan Partridge.
Chris Lilley is a genius. I’ll be interested to see if ‘Librarians’, which replaces Summer Heights High, is derivative or worth watching…
It’s hard to fault Summer Heights High. What amazed me was that, even though Lilley’s own three characters were scripted and performed on a par with Dr Strangelove, all the other characters were well-rounded and thoroughly believable as well. They were completely recognisable — I’m sure I had that headmistress, that counsellor, and that group of vapid girls in my school too — without being cardboard cut-outs.
The Jonah story had it all. I was in tears, Darlene. Great review, btw.
I must second Kymbos’ endorsement of Human Remains. The character acting in that is just awesomely good, though the humour is pretty black. (Which is right up my proverbial street, but if its not your thing, you might find it a bit wince-inducing)
The amazing thing about it was that not only are the characters impressively different in each installment, the pair as a couple always come across as people who have been together for a while, often when they probably shouldn’t have.
As for the believability of SHH’s supporting cast; a friend of the family who has been teaching high-school for more than 20 years says she’s worked with or taught just about everyone in the show.
Good review Darlene!
SHH was brilliant. And what wbb said.
Just a friendly quibble here – he’s not exceptional, if you talk to many teachers. And at the state high school I went to, he was definitely there too, though the 80s Jonahs weren’t Samoan but rather “wogs” and “Aussies”. I make that point just to counter all the Donnelly-esque narratives about the good old days. It was interesting to see so many teachers comment on how true to life SHH actually was.
I still haven’t watched SHH, but if it’s anywhere near as good as “We Can Be Heroes” then it can’t be bad.
The twin brothers in We Can Be Heroes were just about the funniest thing ever seen on TV.
“SHH was by far the best comedy I have seen. Its poignancy was superb as was its viscious depiction of private school tosserdom. I wander past Lowther Hal this afternoon on a walk, the place was full of Ja’mies.”
A place full of Ja’mies is a very frightening thought. Yikes. Yes, SHH was a terrific effort. Given the dross Australians have had to put up with of late (for example, The Wedge), SHH is like finding water in a desert.
“Chris Lilley is a genius. I’ll be interested to see if ‘Librarians’, which replaces Summer Heights High, is derivative or worth watching…”
Indeed he is, Kymbos. Librarians got a bad review in the paper the other day. Wait and see. I think to pull off a mockumentary these days, it has to be good. Even Christopher Guest had lost the plot by the time of A Mighty Wind. I’ll have a look out for Human Remains.
Of course, James, the headmistress is a real headmistress. She did a great job. Fancy having to put up with Mr G sulking in her face.
Thanks, wbb. Yes, the Jonah story had me in tears as well. That scene was exceptional, and Jonah’s mates (particularly Leon) did such a good job. The scene also made me angry because Ja’mie had pretty much got away with fraud over the AIDS charity thing, and she gets to have fun at the formal.
“As for the believability of SHH’s supporting cast; a friend of the family who has been teaching high-school for more than 20 years says she’s worked with or taught just about everyone in the show.
Good review Darlene!”
Thanks, bwp. Absolutely true about the believability of the cast. I was amused to read something the other day from some kid claiming it wasn’t at all true: it wasn’t like his school. Well, that’s not how most of us remember it, I suspect.
Agreed, Mark. In the good old days Jonah wouldn’t have been there at all, and it was other kids getting into mischief and failing to achieve. Of course, back in those days a kid could get an apprenticeship or some other low-skilled job when he/she left school. Conventional schooling hasn’t suited lots of people (boys in particular?) for a long time.
I left high school in 1982 (yes, I am that bloody old), and it was the Aussies getting into strife back then. I did remedial English and General Maths and General Science (the “veggie” subjects, they were called), but there was no Mrs Palmer back then.
“The twin brothers in We Can Be Heroes were just about the funniest thing ever seen on TV.”
The twins were a hoot, and also very believable. Just regular knockabout boys, really.
“wbb on 30 October 2007 at 10:46 pm
The Jonah story had it all. I was in tears, Darlene. Great review, btw.”
Lilley is immensely talented and and it looks like it’s paid off for him with SHH. Discussion of SHH in the distinguished company of the UK’s best is most valid. Thank goodness ABC hasn’t been completely neutered under El Rodente’s reign.
As Lilley vivisects national sterotypes it’s clear that he loves them dearly. That’s very difficult to do with aplomb. He has more than earned another series. He’s done “fundraising” and “high school”. There’s a wealth of material left before fame and fortune lure our natural heir to Barry Humphries elsewhere.
Lilley drew tears from me with Jonah in the last episode too, wbb, as easily as Chaplin did with his tramp in “The Gold Rush”.
Yes, a very funny show.
My comment though would be that Mr. G and Ja’mie were caricatures or hyper-real, whereas Jonah wasn’t nearly as much. Sure private school girls can be a bit daft, vapid, and self-centered, but I think you’d struggle to find many who were that downright racist and oblivious to the outrageousness of her class-based social commentary (“all rapists from public schools” etc). (Although, I didn’t go to an all girls private school, so maybe i’m being too charitable.) Same goes for Mr. G. Does anyone seriously believe a drama teacher would attempt a musical based on the drug overdose of a student?
Perhaps, the more true-to live nature of Jonah was because he was a new character, whereas the other two were from the previous series?
also, looking forward to the librarians tonight.
m
I thought SHH was a good show, but I liked the NZ series 7 periods with Mr Gormsby better. I thought the teacher characters in that show had a bit more depth, as a group, compared with the focus on Mr G in SHH. Lilley’s humour always seems to me to be contrived.
However, the bit where Jonah was removed from the remedial class was poignant – I felt sorry for the Mr Peterson character, who had been Jonah’s biggest supporter in earlier episodes. I’m sure that well meaning teachers are often put in that position by the difficult behaviour of students.
Darlene, did you see NZed’s six Periods with Mr Gormsley. Covered the race and sex issues very well, esp as the polynesians alternatly squared off against and then teamed up with each other.
Ciao
“Lilley is immensely talented and and it looks like it’s paid off for him with SHH. Discussion of SHH in the distinguished company of the UK’s best is most valid. Thank goodness ABC hasn’t been completely neutered under El Rodente’s reign.”
Some of the best shows are still on the old ABC. History will be kinder to Lilley than El Rod.
“As Lilley vivisects national sterotypes it’s clear that he loves them dearly. That’s very difficult to do with aplomb. He has more than earned another series. He’s done “fundraisingâ€? and “high schoolâ€?. There’s a wealth of material left before fame and fortune lure our natural heir to Barry Humphries elsewhere.”
National heir to Barry, hey? That’s a big call, Enemy, but probably a good one. Yes, he’s not disrespectful, but he challenges us at the same time. A great skill.
“Perhaps, the more true-to live nature of Jonah was because he was a new character, whereas the other two were from the previous series?”
Michael, I think that’s a good point. G and J were kind of established, and it was going to be difficult to show that there was more to them. I hope most private school girls aren’t so unreflective as J.
I think Lilley was able to balance out the over-the-topness of G and Ja’mie with the Jonah storyline, not unlike Gervais was able to balance out the ridiculousness of Brent by showing other sides to him (e.g. when Brent is seen sitting alone in a coffee shop drinking in the Christmas episodes).
“However, the bit where Jonah was removed from the remedial class was poignant – I felt sorry for the Mr Peterson character, who had been Jonah’s biggest supporter in earlier episodes. I’m sure that well meaning teachers are often put in that position by the difficult behaviour of students.”
Mr Peterson was well-meaning and he certainly tried hard. His efforts didn’t work with Jonah, which doesn’t mean they wouldn’t work with other kids. I think at the end he was just frustrated, which is perfectly understanable. Ms Wheatley was more explicitly racist.
“Darlene, did you see NZed’s six Periods with Mr Gormsley. Covered the race and sex issues very well, esp as the polynesians alternatly squared off against and then teamed up with each other.
Ciao”
Haven’t heard of that one dylwah, but we give it a Google. Thanks for telling me about it.
Dunno, I watched the first two episodes and a bit of the last. It is brutal, cruel, accurate satire, but seems to be relentlessly, and boringly one-note in its characterisations. It is accomplished in many ways, not least the acting. But have to say, Darlene, it’s the most depressing unfunny tv show I’ve seen in along time. I couldn’t bear to watch any more.
Perhaps it will do some good amongst the community portrayed therein.
“…relentlessly, and boringly one-note in its characterisations”.
I agree and disagree, jinmaro. There’s not a lot of complexity to Mr. G and Ja’mie (mind you, we’ve all met people who are as deep as teaspoons), but I think the depth grows as the show goes on. The circumstances surrounding Jonah add the complexity, I think. It might sound like a paradox, but comedy is cruel by nature. Certainly some of the best British comedians were both cruel to themselves and cruel to others (e.g. Hancock). Lilley balances the over-the-topness with humanity well. Of course, everyone has got different tastes in comedy. We’ve all watched shows that some people think are hilarious, and just sat there and thought, “what the?”
Darlene, just did a quick poll at work. Half had never heard of it. The other half either were evenly divided between those who thought it great, amusing, cutting satire (and said it did get better in the later episodes), and those who said they could only watch it, and no more than a couple of episodes, cringing, and through splayed fingers.
Your work poll seems like a good representation of attitudes to the show. I am interested in those who’ve never heard of it. Perhaps they don’t watch the ABC.
SHH-first rate. All three Lilley’s terrific. Accurate and nuanced. Insitutional b-shit well portrayed too: counselling, factions in staff room etc.
People Like Us – even better, loved the Photographer, the Airline Pilots, the Policeman, the Real Estate persone, etc.
I know some who STILL can’t watch “Fawlty Towers” for pleasure, after all these years: it’s Basil’s lying, leading to excvruciating tangled web.
cheerio
“Insitutional b-shit well portrayed too: counselling, factions in staff room etc.”
Ahh, yes. If you want the extras to the SHH DVD you’ll learn that Rodney and Mr G are called Batman and Robin in the staff room. Of course, Rodney is Robin and Mr G is Batman.
Basil is such a classic comedy character. You can see him in so many other characters that followed. Mind you, Basil’s wife is almost as hard to watch.