The year in TV comedy gets off to an early, profanely brilliant start

Three years ago, HBO brought an Australian TV show—Chris Lilley’s Summer Heights High—to the States. It was a brilliant program,

Three years ago, HBO brought an Australian TV show—Chris Lilley’s Summer Heights High—to the States. It was a brilliant program, but for reasons we’ve never quite fathomed, it failed to find its American audience.

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Happily, HBO is premiering Lilley’s new show, Angry Boys, this Sunday (January 1). Once again, Lilley—who played a number of characters in Summer Heights High—gives himself multiple roles: He’s a reform-school guard, an Asian tiger mother, an ex–surfing champion, etc. Each role lets him push a bit harder against the conventions that govern 30-minute comedy shows—and you’re certain to be offended by some of the things Lilley does (yes, that’s him in blackface). But if Angry Boys is super-irreverent, it’s also extremely funny—and, having watched the first four episodes, we can tell you that it gets better as it goes along.

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The year in TV comedy gets off to an early, profanely brilliant start