The Other Sitcom

Press release time!

AUSTRALIAN COMEDIAN MATT OKINE TO WRITE & STAR IN

NEW STAN ORIGINAL COMEDY SERIES THE OTHER GUY

Production has begun, led by the award-winning team at Aquarius Films (Lion, Berlin Syndrome) and global indie studio Entertainment One, and featuring Harriet Dyer, Valene Kane, Magda Szubanski and Christiaan van Vuuren  

MONDAY, APRIL 24, 2017 – Australia’s leading local streaming service Stan announced today that production has begun on its latest Stan Original Series, The Other Guy, starring and written by popular Aussie comedian and broadcast personality Matt Okine. From global independent studio Entertainment One (eOne), The Other Guy is a comedy-drama based on Okine’s own experiences, which he developed into an award-winning stand-up show, and now a TV series for Stan. The show is co-written by Becky Lucas (Please Like Me) and Greg Waters (Soul Mates, Dance Academy).

The Other Guy joins a slate of award-winning Stan Original Australian productions that have been commissioned by the streaming service, including Logie Award-nominated and AACTA Award-winning drama series Wolf Creek, recently picked up for a second season, AACTA-Award winning comedy No Activity, and One Night Stan, a series of full-length stand-up comedy specials.

A 6 x half hour series, The Other Guy is the story of a successful radio host who finds himself unexpectedly back in the dating pool for the first time in a decade, after discovering his long-term girlfriend has been having an affair with his best friend. The series will be directed by Kacie Anning (Fragments of Friday) and comes from producers Aquarius Films, whose credits include Berlin Syndrome (currently in cinemas) and the critically acclaimed Lion – nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Picture – and eOne, who will also distribute the series internationally. The Other Guy has received production investment funding from Screen Australia in association with Screen NSW.

Stan’s Chief Content Officer, Nick Forward says, “The Other Guy demonstrates Stan’s ongoing commitment to creating fresh, engaging local content you won’t find anywhere else, showcasing the wealth of talent we have in Australia. Matt is one of the country’s most in-demand comedians and we’re delighted to have Kacie Anning on board – she’s undoubtedly one of the most talented young directors coming out of Australia.”

The series also stars Harriet Dyer (No Activity, Love Child), Valene Kane (The Fall, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story), Magda Szubanski (Kath & Kim, Bran Nue Dae), Christiaan van Vuuren (Soul Mates, Bondi Hipsters), along with composer, performer and rising star Amali Golden (Australian Idol).

Producers, Angie Fielder, Polly Staniford and Cecilia Ritchie from Aquarius Films say, “We are absolutely thrilled to be collaborating with Matt on his first foray into narrative TV. Co-written by brilliant stand-up comic Becky Lucas, The Other Guy is a comedy series full of humour and heart that reminds us that breaking up is hard to do, and it can be funny too. We are also delighted to be working with very talented director Kacie Anning and such a wonderful cast.”

“eOne is thrilled to partner with Stan and the teams at Aquarius, Screen Australia and Screen NSW on The Other Guy and are also honoured to represent the series on an international basis. Together, we have assembled a really exciting team to support Matt, Becky and Kacie in bringing this show to life,” says Jude Troy, Executive Producer for The Other Guy and EVP, TV Development and Acquisitions, Australia & New Zealand, eOne.

The series will be shot on location around Sydney and will be produced in partnership with Screen Australia and Screen NSW.

“The Other Guy is an incredible career opportunity for exciting new talents Matt Okine and Kacie Anning to collaborate with this group of highly experienced producers and showcase their comedic voice on a premier platform. For our third partnership with Stan on a piece of original Australian content, we couldn’t be prouder to support this show,” says Mike Cowap, Investment Manager – Multiplatform at Screen Australia.

Michael Brealey, CEO of Create NSW says, “The Other Guy brings together an exciting group of talented NSW screen creatives to produce a highly engaging, original series.  We are particularly delighted to support a project which sees one of the newer content players, Stan, investing in local talent and ideas.”

The Other Guy is set to premiere exclusively on Stan in late 2017.

Having a former Triple J breakfast host playing a “successful radio host” seems like it’s going to be safely within Okine’s wheelhouse as an actor, and considering he was clearly doing his best with a very bad deal in How Not to Behave, we’re going to set the dial on this one to “guardedly positive”.

… even if it is a show about a dude looking for love, which presumably is only going to be a small part of the finished show because otherwise we’re just seeing three hours of him looking at his phone and making various swiping gestures. But you never know – maybe they’ll be really flamboyant gestures?