Summer Heights High: Comedic E-E-E-E-Ecstasy
If there's one thing you can count on with satellite TV and cable, it's racy television that the American media doesn't deem appropriate for all audiences. No, this is not a promotion of the pornography industry, but rather a celebration of the tongue-in-cheek genius of Chris Lilley, star and writer of the Australian mockumentary Summer Heights High.
The comedy parodies high school life by following the lives of three main characters, all played by Chris Lilley himself. Lilley really puts his versatility on display by taking on the roles of Mr. G, the flamboyant and narcissistic drama teacher, Ja'mie (pronounced Juh-may), the self-absorbed private school princess, and Jonah Takalua, the vulgar delinquent from Tonga.
Shot in documentary style and with the rest of the cast non-actors, Lilley does an unbelievable job convincing you that he's not a grown white male playing the parts of a high school girl or a Tongan boy. The illusion is not so much a matter of Hollywood-worthy make-up and costumes, as there's no mistaking the fact that Ja'mie is a man in a wig and that Jonah is clearly as Anglo as the day is long and about twice the age he's supposed to be (especially when watched in HD). Rather, it's a monumental feat of acting.
Mr. G (full name Greg Gregson) is easily the most believable character at first. A cliché drama teacher, he is not only under the impression that he is widely popular and admired among his students, but also that they share his passion for the performing arts (neither of which is true). His egotistic nature often results in him butting heads with faculty, yelling at his students and worst of all, being outwardly peeved by special ed students' participation in his productions because he fears they will degrade their quality.
The second most plausible character, only by count of being the same sex as the actor, is Jonah Takalua. Unlike other 13 year old boys who like to spend their time playing sports, Jonah's offensive and disobedient behavior has led him to Summer Heights High only after being expelled from two other schools, once for setting fire to a student's locker and the other time for spray-painting a penis on the principle's car. Many of the show's taglines come from this character's disrespectful tendencies, including "Puck you, miss" and his graffiti tag, Dick-tation.
Lastly, there is Ja'mie King, who is possibly Lilley's greatest achievement if only for allowing you to think even for an instant that he is actually an extremely attractive, popular teenage girl. Clearly, at first sight, you are inclined to either laugh or scoff, but over time and many catty and snobbish antics, you grow to accept him as a she. A transfer student from a private school, Ja'mie instantly tries to seek out the popular girls and become their leader. She's generally accepting of the girls as far as public school people go, although she makes several attempts to ostracize Bec for being Asian.
As the episodes go on, the mockumetary follows the overarching goals of the three protagonists, leading up to one great finale. For Mr. G, it's putting on a Broadway-worthy musical about a student's recent ecstasy overdose. For Ja'mie, it's organizing the best formal dance to ever hit Summer Heights High. And for Jonah, well, Jonah doesn't really have goals, but suffice it to say he goes out with a bang as well.
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