Thursday, May 18, 2017 — Celia Pacquola and Luke McGregor head back to Tasmania this June for a second series of the acclaimed comedy Rosehaven.

The eight episode season, created by, written by, and starring Pacquola and McGregor, will premiere later this year both in the U.S. on SundanceTV and in Australia on ABC. The series will also be streamed on SundanceNow in the U.S. and Canada and ABC iview in Australia after its linear run.

When Rosehaven premiered on ABC in 2016, not only did it captivate audiences and critics alike with its fresh take on the small town comedy, but it fast became ABC’s top rated comedy series for the year.

“’When making our show in a small town in Tasmania, it’s hard to imagine, next stop Hollywood! But here we are. We are so excited about Rosehaven making it all the way to the U.S.,” said co-creator and co-star Celia Pacquola.

“The first season is quirky, charming, relatable, sweet, and hilarious – all the ingredients of great comedy,” said Jan Diedrichsen, General Manager SundanceTV and SundanceNow.  “We’re thrilled to partner with the ABC to bring this amazing show not only back for a second season but also to U.S. audiences.”

“Rosehaven is a show very close to my heart – among my favourite comedies we’ve ever done at ABC. To bring it back for more and to an even bigger audience thanks to our U.S. partners at SundanceTV is a wonderful honour”, said Rick Kalowski, Head of Comedy, ABC.

With the continued support of the Tasmanian Government through Screen Tasmania and the Victorian Government through Film Victoria, Rosehaven will shoot in and around Hobart and the Huon Valley. Post production will again take place in Victoria.

“The best thing about filming in Tasmania (apart from how nice it looks) is that I get to walk past my old high school where I got bullied, and yell at it every night: ‘I HAVE A TV SHOW NOW!!’ A lot of people have told me it’s not healthy but it’s a really long walk to get there so I disagree.” said co-creator and co-star Luke McGregor.

Rosehaven is a crisply written comedy set at the bottom of the world on the picturesque island of Tasmania, hovering in the Southern Ocean below Australia’s mainland. In season two Daniel (McGregor) has to prove that he has what it takes to earn his place in the family business and Emma (Pacquola) needs to decide whether small town life, and its dangerously disinhibited locksmith (Damien, played by David Quirk) are enough for her.

Also returning for season two will be Kris McQuade as Daniel’s fearsome mother Barbara; Katie Roberston as Daniel’s girlfriend Grace; Sam Cotton as Daniel’s bully Bruce; and Noela Foxtrot as the octogenarian receptionist Mrs. Marsh. Season Two will also see Jonathan Brough and Tasmania’s own, Shaun Wilson, rejoin the team directing four episodes each.

Seasons One and Two will launch on SundanceTV in the final quarter of 2017. Season Two will also premiere in Australia on ABC TV and iview in the final quarter of 2017.

Geez, even we thought we were exaggerating when we kept going on about how the only way scripted comedy gets made on the ABC is with overseas cash. Good news for the shows that can get it, obviously – just don’t be pitching Auntie anything that’s too uniquely Aussie.

Concerns about the dilution of Australian culture aside – seriously, is nobody else worried that the National Broadcaster seems to only make shows now when overseas interests pay for them? – this is… good news-ish? Considering we called the first season “not a complete disaster” and said that “hopefully it’ll improve as the two leads get a better handle on what kind of show they’re making,” lets say we’re keeping our expectations manageable.

And with Utopia also coming back, that means in 2017 we’ll get two separate series where Celia Pacquola and Luke McGregor get to do their thing. Steady work on Australian television; who’d have thunk it?