Summer Heights High
Summer Heights High
TV-MA | 05 September 2007 (USA)

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SEASON & EPISODES
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    WakenPayne

    Okay, I'm going to be a tad more reasonable than the last review I wrote for this show. Chris Liley does have a talent for imitating stereotypes as clearly seen in this show. I first started watching this in High School during my English Class's free time, I hated it at the time even more-so because I can escape from my schooling life to go into a reflection of unlikeable characters' schooling lives.The premise of the show is to take three cardboard cut out stereotypes, one being a 13 year old boy named Jonah who likes Rap, break dancing, insulting teachers and blaming all the negative things in his life on everyone around him. There's a 17 year old high school girl named Ja'mie who is snobby, racist, prejudice, materialistic, vain and like Jonah, blames everybody else for all the negative things in her life. Then there's the drama teacher named Mr G. He is controlling, whiny, sees himself as some kind of messiah and like the other 2 characters blames everybody else for all the negative things in his life.The biggest problem I have with the show is (what a shock!) none of the characters are likable. But if we see unlikeable characters then the best thing to do would be to put them in constant misery right? Liley does that only half of the time. The other half is tasteless shock humour or offensive humour. There's even one episode where Ja'mie wants to fund the formal dance and tricks everyone into thinking it's an AIDS charity drive... Really? You had to do that? I personally don't find stuff like that funny, it's annoying to me and offensive to the people who suffer from this problem.Pretty much all the show is jam packed with humour like that. These unlikeable characters make life for everyone around them miserable and when the consequence of that happens they find a way to say it's their fault. I know some people like this kind of humour and if you like that, then that's fine. I personally don't. I can see some talent behind Chris Liley, I really do. I just don't find over-exaggerated stereotypes of people doing horrible things then blame the consequences on everybody else funny.

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    Simon Rodgers

    This is quite an interesting spoof documentary and it does have its little moments of humour where the children misbehave and start swearing and all sorts. It's not the sort of thing that people associate with Australia, although of course trouble and distractions occur everywhere and have done since the start of time.I find sometimes it can be quite funny where the school bullies are playing up again and just can't bring themselves round to genuinely apologising to their victims even though they do try, or do they? Some times it can be a little silly with that Ja'mie character and her friends, even though she is quite clearly played by a man and everyone can tell and it's supposed to add to the humour but to me it really dumbs it down.Okay to watch a few times but I wouldn't rush out and buy the whole series or anything.

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    miriam_eryan

    Taking a Borat approach to High School here is a tongue-in-cheek series brilliantly directed and performed by Chris Lilley. In a hilarious no-holds barred representation of 'school these days – with boys and perves and sex and drugs (where) it's not like it used to be ...' Lilley's theatrical vividness comes to life. Three characters equivalently blunt in their opinions co-exist at Summer Heights High School. The three main characters all acted by Lilley; Mr G – the eccentric, 'camp' drama teacher, Jonah Takalua the Polynesian school scapegoat and smart-arse and Ja'mie the pretentious and elitist Hilford Girls exchange student all guarantee a laugh in the series. This is a satirical look at public schools, 'the worst place in Australia, where you can go get anorexia.' Playing on various truths and myths about public education, the school has all the necessary ingredients to prove microcosmic of schools today. There is Mr G's drama production, where a school play is written, directed and performed about the dangers of public education, discrimination towards Jonah and attitude to counter attacks made on him. There is also discrimination in Mr G's casting of his play towards disabled and less talented children , and bitchiness within Ja'mie's friendship group of 'public school skanks,' as well as the typical unruly classroom environment created by the class clown - Jonah. The show offers a students view of school as we know it. Though satirical, it makes a serious point about the need for change in public schools and public perception of public schools as seen through Ja'mie's character. Mr G in his musical production composes the song 'School these days –(stating) you'd have to be a fool these days, to wanna go to school these days.' Just one of the many musical scores bound to sound in your head for days and even months after viewing the series. This is a show that resonates with its audience while having us in stitches. With the suggestion of it being integrated into schools' syllabus, it may also stitch up school wrongs in time to save nine before a 'puck you with a P' revolution. For those who can't handle the candor of the series, in the words of Ja'mie, need to 'learn what a sense of humour is and just build a bridge and get over it.' This is a must see for adults and children alike.

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    dobbin-4

    Now having just finished doing a review for We Can Be Heroes this might sound a little samey but this is a great comedy that Chris Lilley has really put his all into. The show is about 3 people at Summer Heights High. The first is Ja'mie who in this series has been transferred to Summer Heights High from her private school, Mr G the music and drama teacher who is gay but I do not think he knows it yet and Jonah the Grade 9 delinquent who has been expelled from 4 schools in 3 years. The show is not as good as We Can Be Heroes but is definitely better then a lot of shows out there and I certainly hope Chris Lilley makes a third show as he is that clever to make it good. Overall this show is another classic from the likes of Chris Lilley and this is a must watch for all fans of comedy. I rate this great show 92%.

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