Acting, writing, directing: two Australian brothers take on global comedy with their anarchic Superwog brand.
In the tradition of anarchic Australian comedy, Theo and Nathan Saidden, with their Superwog brand, are now going global with their first Netflix series, Son of a donkey.
The brothers, who first appeared on YouTube before ABC showed two seasons, are also writers, stars and directors, following prolific and multi-talented acts like Chris Lilley, Paul Fenech, Paul Hogan, Garry McDonald and more.
They chart their own path, they rail against authority, they are equal opportunity offenders and are brazen in their transgressions. They also know their audience better than most, using physical, ill-mannered and extreme characterizations that are thicker than kebab sauce.
In Son of a donkey it’s as if the two have been released from the constraints of public broadcasting (assuming there were any) and the stunts in the opening scene suggest they’re also working with a bigger budget.
When Theo (Theo Saidden) loses his driver’s license, his proud and joyful 1988 Twin Cam Corolla is confiscated, which, along with being thrown out of the house by his Neanderthal father (Nathan Saidden), sets up a series arc for the duo.
Now this man-child, who never has a comeback, teams up with porn addict friend Johnny (Nathan Saidden) to retrieve his car before it is sold. But getting the money isn’t easy and there are diversions to Burger King’s headquarters and the island of a notorious billionaire that offer plenty of social commentary, often bordering on decency.
Meanwhile, Theo’s hysterical mother, who doesn’t even try to hide the 5:00 shadow of Theo Saidden himself, splits from her out-of-control husband and returns to her wealthy parents’ nest, only to be referred to Kardashian-esque fillers to divorce and remarry. Without cooking and his whipping boy, daddy starts working with alcohol, garbage dumps, a baby pig and a kidney transplant. Don’t resist, just go with it.
The comedy is unfiltered, frenetic, often violent all in one Three Stooges– In a way, full of swearing and chaos. Nathan Saidden’s physical comedy is in full swing, as he throws himself at glass doors, wooden doors, wheelie bins and rubbish bins and gorges himself on the free-flowing drink that splashes over his body. Sometimes even Theo can’t stop laughing at his brother’s efforts…
But look beyond the big, bad bravado for nods to films like 2001: A space odyssey, The Shining and more. There are cameos from Mark Mitchell, Akmal Saleh and Paul McCarthy. There’s even a whimsical, Hollywood-esque score to some scenes, and astute commentary on the modern workplace where ‘small talk’ is mandatory.
In episode 4, “Billionaire Island,” you won’t know whether to laugh or cringe, or possibly both, as the storyline dares to draw on events in the news, some of which are incredibly current. Now check out the clickbait headlines…
Through it all, Theo, with raised eyebrows and arms dangling forward, is the ‘worthless, idiot’ son of the delirious, growling father and the screeching, oppressed mother. I can only wonder what the rest of the world thinks of this dysfunctional family on a global streaming platform, but that’s part of the “charm.” No excuses, get on board or get out of the way.
That said, it’s not for everyone. Like Chris Lilley, I suspect that young men are the target audience for this duo, and there may ultimately be a ticking clock on how long the joke remains funny before it needs to evolve (how long can Theo keep up the man-child act, for example?).
If you want a disruptive, ass-rooting ethnic Australian comedy right now, it’s as funny as ever. Yes grunt.
Son of a Donkey is now available on Netflix.
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