Plausible Deniability review: Australian web series is worth the buzz – ScreenHub
BZZZZZZZZZZZT
In a time when disinformation and flat-out lies spew forth from the mouths of politicians, newsreaders and so-called celebrities and onto the cesspool of social media, it’s undeniably rewarding to listen to the honk of the ‘Bullshit Buzzer’ blast repeatedly all through goofy good, pulls-no-punches internet collection Believable Deniability.
Created by Ian Crittenden and produced by Random Photos, this sharply comedian reckoning eviscerates the empty platitudes which can be rife across the homelessness discourse in Australia (and past). In its sights are the grown-ups who’ve manifestly failed to handle the basis causes of a scourge that sees north of 120,000 folks expertise homelessness on any given night time, and even perceive what that appears like. If it appears like a troublesome ask for a ‘comedy’ collection, suppose once more.
Co-written by It’s Wonderful, I’m Wonderful producer Crittenden in tandem with writer and theatre director Claire Christian, Believable Deniability is a snort-fest of savage takedowns, all delivered from the mouths of babes AKA 11-year-old highschoolers Abeba (Naomi Ejigu), Tron (Lennox Lee) and Harriet (Mae White), every with zero tolerance for grownup’s bullshit.
They’ve hit on the thought of making a brief doco addressing the disaster that sees one in seven folks experiencing homelessness being round their age or youthful. Inviting six (fictional, however you’ll recognise the kind) high-profile Australians to enlist their assist tackling it, the youngsters quickly tire of the self-centred disconnect they’re listening to again and again.
Therefore the buzzer, and also you’ll quickly want that the interviewees honked by this harsh horn additionally skilled a minor electrical shock besides. Which segues neatly to first ep interviewee, clueless footballer Jaxn ‘JJ’ Jones.
As performed by Toby Derrick, who popped up in Of an Age, he’s accompanied by Surviving Summer season actor Jane Allsop as his micro-managing membership president who’d fairly he stored his mouth shut, regardless of her being the one who addresses Tron, of Vietnamese heritage, with a Japanese welcome. ‘Yeah so I’m within the ballpark then.’
Epitomising the magnetic pull of z-listers to children who’ve gone viral on TikTok, it quickly turns into clear this pair need to trip off their public profile, fairly than supply any concrete assist to homelessness charities. JJ is, in spite of everything, carrying a black armband not as a result of anybody he loves has died, however as a result of it elicits sympathy for him when he’s dealing with DUI costs.
And, no, honking (automotive horns) for homelessness received’t assist, any greater than clapping or frontline employees through the pandemic. HONK goes the Bullshit Buzzer.
Issues can solely get higher?
Crittenden and Christian are joined on writing duties by Amal Awad, Samuel Gebreselassie and Meg Mundell, with Grace Fang Juan Feng and Victoria Thaine sharing directing duties throughout six roughly ten-minute episodes, slyly delivering the message that homelessness isn’t nearly people sleeping beneath bridges, but in addition sofa browsing, bunking of their automobiles, in short-term disaster lodging that’s already buckling or different insecure choices.
We’ll additionally meet Milo Hartill and Zenya Carmellotti’s pitch-perfect ‘social entrepreneurs’ in season-highlight episode two, hoping to harness the youngsters’ social attain with a collab and spewing a near-constant stream of right-on language that’s horribly (hilariously) flawed.
Sure, they went on a ten-day journey constructing colleges with an NGO and really feel they linked with the tradition. Sure they need to empower folks by wristbands utilizing utilized color concept, however don’t ask the place the $5 per band goes. ‘Unhealthy decisions result in folks main unhealthy lives,’ they parrot.
There’s additionally a consistently ‘pivoting’ politician performed by The Hollowmen actor David James, dwelling as much as that collection title together with his administration converse and incapability to handle why, when in authorities, he funnelled cash to property builders who not solely didn’t construct social housing, but in addition bulldoze current inventory. The ABS are apparently ‘Commies’.
If Emily Taheny’s married-to-a cricketer kids’s writer and influencer is a bit an excessive amount of just like the social entrepreneurs, it’s price it for her disgust when offered with a non-almond milk chai latte. ‘Oh my god, how poor is that this college?’
Wellmania’s Keegan Joyce is spot on as a white rapper who sings in regards to the homelessness he didn’t expertise as a result of nobody will purchase love songs, and the ultimate ep doesn’t miss when Darren Gilshenan’s Archbishop is pressed on why his church doesn’t use extra of its multimillion greenback property profile to really home people.
By every ep, Ejigu, Lee and White are a pleasure to behold as they deadpan roast every wannabe. Because the interviews go on, we come to understand every of the youngsters has had their very own expertise, however their travails haven’t dulled their comedian timing in the case of expertly lobbed barbs.
The insights they share are delivered in a hilariously easy however devastatingly efficient style in a approach that your common huge bucks greenback authorities awareness-raising marketing campaign may by no means. Which is what makes Believable Deniability a must-see, no-bullshit buzz!
Believable Deniability is free to observe on-line from 20 November.
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