‘The Letdown’.
The Letdown was one of six pilots aired last year on the ABC via the broadcaster’s and Screen Australia’s Comedy Showroom initiative, and the episode went on to pick up an AACTA Award for Best Screenplay in Television.
Now production is underway on a full six-part series for the ABC and Netflix.
Netflix has international distribution rights, but will also make the series available on its Australian platform after it initially airs on ABCTV and iview.
A Giant Dwarf production, created and written by Sarah Scheller and Alison Bell, The Letdown follows a mother’s group thrown together through the circumstance of timing.
“We are thrilled to be working with the ABC and Netflix on a full series of The Letdown. We’ve learned that making a TV show is actually not unlike motherhood… floods of tears, bursts of love and unhinged hormonal meltdowns – all in the name of comedy,” said the writers.
Bell will also star in the lead alongside Duncan Fellows, Sacha Horler, Leon Ford, Lucy Durack, Celeste Barber, Leah Vandenberg, Xana Tang, Sarah Peirse and Noni Hazelhurst.
Martin Robertson will produce, with Trent O’Donnell to direct.
“From the moment The Letdown’s pilot went out as part of our Comedy Showroom, it was clear the show had struck a chord with its brilliant blend of laughs and heartbreak – the very stuff early parenthood is made of,” said ABC Head of Comedy Rick Kalowski.
“It is an absolute thrill to partner with Netflix on an ABC Comedy for the first time, and to bring this series to the rest of the world.”
Other Comedy Showroom projects turned full series include Ronnie Chieng: International Student.