Everything you need to know about Colin From Accounts… the Australian comedy taking Britain by storm

As a seasoned critic with years of experience under my belt, I must say that the success story of “F**k With Friends” is nothing short of astonishing. The audacity and raw humor displayed by its creators, Patrick Brammall and Harriet Dyer, have captured the hearts (and perhaps other parts) of audiences worldwide.

At first glance, the storyline of a middle-aged man, a young woman from the Millennial generation, and an injured canine, who find themselves in a typical suburban neighborhood far away, may not appear to be a promising formula for television popularity.

However, when the series “Colin From Accounts” premiered on BBC2 in April, it swiftly gained popularity through word of mouth. It attracted 2.2 million viewers and received praise from renowned figures in British television, such as Phoebe Waller-Bridge, the creator of Fleabag, and Richard Curtis, the writer of Four Weddings And A Funeral.

The Australian comedy-drama, penned and acted by real-life couple Harriet Dyer and Patrick Brammall, kicks off as medical student Ashley Mulden (portrayed by Harriet), accidentally causes a moment of distraction for microbrewery owner Gordon Crapp (Patrick) when she exposes a part of her breast while crossing the road.

He hits a stray dog with his car, which ends up in a canine wheelchair, racking up a vet’s bill of $12,000 AU (£6,400).

Portray the tumultuous efforts of the pair as they strive to look after their newfound dog, affectionately named Colin from Accounts, amidst their blossoming relationship, professional dilemmas, and personal hardships.

With the second installment now available on BBC iPlayer, let’s delve into the details of the captivating series that has unexpectedly gripped the hearts of many Britons…

1. A real life romance and whirlwind wedding

In 2015, I crossed paths with Harriet, who was 35 at the time, and Patrick, aged 48, on the Australian set of the comedy series No Activity. To us, they were Harri and Patty, a dynamic duo I’ve had the pleasure to know since then.

Option: Patrick made an appearance on the soap opera, Home and Away, as well as the Australian TV show, Offspring. Similarly, Harriet has starred in the dramatic series, Love Child, and the comedy, Packed to the Rafters.

2016 saw Patrick relocating to Los Angeles in search of employment within the U.S., with Harriet joining him approximately a year later. To this day, they continue to reside in that city together.

They married on a beach in Florida in 2021, five days after Patrick proposed.

Despite being born with a severe case of Prune Belly Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder affecting his kidneys, bladder, and abdomen, Patrick identifies as an outgoing individual or extrovert.

Harriet is the opposite – a ­‘painfully shy kid’ who didn’t leave her dad’s side at barbecues.

In an intriguing contrast, it seems that opposites truly find each other appealing. On Instagram, Harriet refers to Patrick as the ‘eighth wonder of the world’ and a ‘first-rate turnip’; in return, he affectionately calls her a ‘diamond’ and a ‘jazzy nymph’.

2. Adopted daughter comes on set too

5 months following their rapid-paced nuptials, the pair welcomed their new family member, daughter Joni, into their lives. ‘She’s been with us since day one, all thanks to her amazing birth mother,’ Harriet shared on social platforms.

Filming for the show titled “Colin From Accounts,” which premiered in Australia in December 2022, commenced while Joni was still only four months old.

Harriet pinned up an uplifting note, reading ‘you can achieve everything’, on her workspace. She maintains that Patrick didn’t share her worries about balancing career and parenthood: “I asked Patty before he became a father, ‘Aren’t you concerned your job might suffer?’, and he replied casually, ‘Nope’. Isn’t that quite typical of men?

Joni, who was named after Harriet’s late grandmother Joanie who passed away just six months after her birth, accompanies the couple on set and is looked after by a nanny.

Harriet, who bears a tattoo of her daughter’s name on one of her ribs, asserts that “the day never ceases if she isn’t sleeping.” She finds herself reassuring herself that Joni isn’t “enduring pain because her mother works,” but cherishes every moment of motherhood. In her words, “I adore it all – even when it’s challenging.

3. Separate desks to stay sane 

In a burst of energy fueled by too much coffee, Harriet penned the pilot episode for “Colin From Accounts” in merely four whirlwind days back in 2017, barely a month after moving to LA. Her work left even the skeptical Patrick impressed.

I find it beneficial for us to work independently at the moment, as Harriet puts it, since we tend to push each other’s limits when collaborating. My inspiration often stems from genuine interactions in real life.

As a lifestyle expert, I’d rephrase it like this: In the dynamic between Ashley, who is 29, and Gordon, who is in his forties, there seems to be an exploration of their significant age difference. To be honest, there were moments when I questioned whether we were treading on questionable territory or not, as Harriet puts it.

Similar to many authors, they seem proficient in the skill of delaying tasks – Patrick observes his wife postponing work to enroll in a tap-dancing course instead. However, this habit has surprisingly created equality within their relationship, she explains, further stating: ‘Now there’s no pedestal, which I believe is beneficial because I think pedestals and relationships don’t mix well.’

Despite jokingly referencing Stockholm Syndrome due to their extended time spent together, she characterizes a sense of detachment created by the turmoil as follows: ‘When the cameras are on, I no longer perceive it as us.’

4. PC statement at the start of the show

At the start of every episode, a message is displayed: ‘We at Binge, the Australian streaming platform responsible for this series, acknowledge the traditional owners and caretakers of the location where this program was made.’

In contemporary Australia, acknowledgment of ancient Aboriginal possession is increasingly prevalent in both media and artistic circles. While some see this as an excessive political correctness, others view it as a due honor for the countless indigenous individuals who suffered or were uprooted by European colonizers.

5. Their first dog was called Colin

The couple own a rescued chihuahua named Wally, or Walter Mary Patrick, who sports bow ties on walks due to the unpredictable encounters in Hollywood. Unfortunately, biosecurity regulations prevent them from taking him along while they film Colin From Accounts in Australia. This means they must leave him for extended periods, up to six months at a time, for a show about a dog. ‘It’s just absurd!’, Patrick exclaims.

Prior to Wally, they temporarily cared for another pooch with an unremarkable name as per Harriet. As they pondered over a new name for him, she proposed humorously, “How about we call him ‘Colin from Accounts Payable’, since he’s in the midst of a major merger?

Originally, we thought it would be funny to call the dog Colin. However, due to his numerous problems and frequent attempts to bite me, I found myself unable to care for him properly. So, I bid him farewell, but his name has since remained with us. (This phrase can also apply in a fictional context.)

6. Border terriers take the title role

An animal trainer for TV and movies presented the pair with a collection of pictures of dogs who could play the role of Colin. They selected Border Terrier Zac and his doppelganger, Buster, due to their friendly, everyday dog personality that made them seem like a trustworthy choice, avoiding any resemblance to Wally that might be considered too close.

They mention that there were more elegant-looking breeds such as French bulldogs, dachshunds, and larger dogs, but the two dogs had eyes that seemed very human to them and a scruffy appearance that they found appealing.

Fortunately, despite Colin becoming wheelbound following an accident and being unable to use his hind legs, Zac remains in excellent health. In light of this, Harriet humorously comments on social media that ‘even stars need their downtime’, suggesting they sometimes employ a towel named Terry, secured with a belt, as a substitute if Zac or Buster grow weary.

Simultaneously, the Australian brewery Hop Nation developed a dog-friendly non-alcoholic beer named Colin’s Pale Ale as a tribute to our canine friends.

7. The eight-second Kevin Bacon cameo

Look for A-Listers and you’ll be disappointed – the couple hire their actor friends.

‘There’s a great deal of ­nepotism,’ jokes Harriet. ‘We just want to give our mates jobs.’

Among the talented cast I’m part of, I find myself alongside Helen Thomson, who portrays Ashley’s narcissistic mother Lynelle; Emma Harvie, playing Ashley’s best friend Megan; and Michael Logo and Genevieve Hegney, who embody Gordon’s brewery colleagues Brett and Chiara respectively.

Growing up, Harvie, who is of Sri Lankan descent, didn’t notice anyone on television who shared her ethnicity, which made her question whether acting was a viable career choice for her, especially in Australia.

Annie Maynard, who portrays Gordon’s former partner Yvette the Vet on the show, is also the one who gives safety instructions to passengers before take-off on Virgin airplanes in Australia. In an interview, she mentioned, “I’m the one who says ‘Don’t vape in the restrooms.’

Harriet’s sibling, either Harriet (nicknamed Madge), or simply Madeleine, has taken charge of several episodes on the series. Jokingly, Harriet remarked, “If I don’t lend a hand, I suppose I wouldn’t be able to attend Christmas celebrations, would I?

In a fascinating twist, I’ve had the pleasure of sharing the screen with Kevin Bacon in a cameo for a show he graciously agreed to be part of. You see, I had previously worked alongside his talented wife, Kyra Sedgwick, on the popular sitcom “Call Your Mother.” Later, when Brett’s parents needed someone to deliver a message, they turned to the celebrity messaging platform Cameo, and who better than the legendary Kevin Bacon himself! It was quite an experience.

Patrick mentioned that we previously had more of him, but instead, we opted for a brief appearance by Kevin Bacon, which lasted only eight seconds – wow, amazing of him! said Patrick.

8. That breast-flashing scene

Following the provocative scene where Harriet exposes her breasts (she was intrigued by how men react to women and vice versa, there’s attraction and sometimes mishaps, leaving you feeling exposed like an animal, she explains), the crude humor persists. This ranges from Ashley chucking waste out of Gordon’s window when the flush didn’t work, to the recurring focus on Gordon’s masculinity, given his testicular cancer diagnosis and last name Crapp.

In addition to facilitating ­physical comedy, it makes the characters feel ‘real’ says Harriet.

And Patrick joked that viewers ‘come for the nipple and stay for the heart’.

Regarding the humor related to toilets, it’s not open for discussion – when a foreign broadcaster suggested removing the scene involving a toilet that doesn’t flush, they firmly rejected the idea.

Patrick suggested, which might seem unconventional in Hollywood, that we might not proceed with the sale. It appears it doesn’t align with their interests.

9. Imelda ‘the Queen’ Staunton’s a fan

Overwhelmed by the show’s achievement in Australia, Patrick and Harriet remark that its popularity in Britain elevated it to an even greater height.

Harriet responds, “I believe it was because we shared a comparable sense of taste and it offered something new and distinct.

Patrick believes Brits ‘share that same sense of embarrassment’.

I find that the setting of the show, which predominantly features unremarkable suburbs of Sydney, adds to its appeal. It somehow resembles one’s own backyard yet offers a sense of detachment.

Despite facing pressure, they firmly decided against toning down the use of Australian colloquialisms for international viewers.

Harriet explains, “I’ve said no to complications; we’re going to stick with a truly Australian style here. If someone needs to look up words, rewind, or turn on captions, that’s fine with me.

Following an invitation to present a BAFTA at the TV awards held in London last May, they were spoken to by British actress Imelda Staunton, who portrayed the Queen in Netflix’s The Crown series. She introduced herself as Imelda Staunton and expressed her fondness for Colin: “You may not recognize me, but I’m Imelda Staunton, and I adore Colin!” she said to them.

‘We said, “We do know you, mate. We know you, Your Majesty!”,’ says Patrick.

10. Expect a third series…

In the finale of series one, it was decided that Colin would move to reside with different owners, a choice that Ashley and Gordon soon found themselves regretting.

In the second series, we find ourselves only two weeks forward, as the couple cohabit and ponder if their bond will endure over time.

Harriet suggests the ending is ‘frustrating enough that many might feel annoyed!’, but Patrick points out that this implies there could be ‘another chapter to come’.

Since the program is now airing in the U.S. as well, possibilities for success have never been more promising, and they are presently working together to pen a movie script.

Harriet mentions that while we initially hoped the byproduct would lead to great acting opportunities, it’s turned out differently as now people are asking us to create content for them instead.

Instead, Harriet explains that they can’t constantly rely on their chemistry as it’s a living plant that needs care. Moreover, she confesses that another romantic comedy isn’t an option, even though their collaboration has been successful.

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2024-09-13 03:51