Peacock Picks Up U.K. Britcom 'Hapless'
Tim Downie as Paul Green in 'Hapless'
Amazon Studios UK
Peacock continues to try to figure out where it fits into the landscape of the streaming world. When NBC-Universal launched it in 2020, it was the last of the old-school "big four" broadcast networks to get into the market, and it attempted something different than everyone else, to be a FAST streamer (Free Ad Supported Television Streaming Service) before the concept had really taken hold. The result is that no one really signed up, and it failed to make any money. Its "prestige dramas" also didn't do well — does anyone remember Downton Abbey's Jessica Brown Findley in Brave New World? — and the British dramas that followed (The Capture, Trigger Point, Vigil) have failed to find an audience.
What has worked for Peacock are sports (every EUFA and Premier League fan I know subscribes) and comedy, where its backlog of NBC comedies has kept it afloat. In response, the streaming service is starting to pivot towards those in its U.K. imports and originals. This holiday season, it will premiere Genie, starring Melissa McCarthy and Paapa Essiedu, a UK-US Christmas rom-com where she's the Genie, and he's the dude whose life is in shambles. And it has picked up the U.K. comedy Hapless, now in its second season in the U.K., starring Tim Downie, and written, directed, and produced by Gary Sinyor, a well-known Jewish comedian in the U.K., famous for his hit cringe comedy.
Peacock describes Hapless as being in the same school as Curb Your Enthusiasm, a hilarious description since CYE's entire schtick was that it was super Jewish without anyone ever saying that out loud. Hapless, meanwhile, is very in your face with it, as the general synopsis reads, "The show follows the life of Paul Green, who is an investigative journalist for The Jewish Enquirer, described as the 4th biggest Jewish publication in the U.K."
Season 2's synopsis reads:
The continuing laugh-out-loud exploits of Paul Green, a journalist for a rubbish local paper. Obsessed with fairness, his enquiring nature causes chaos and offense. With a sweary sister, a neurotic best friend, and a childish Dad, hilarious calamity is only just around the corner in this fresh British satirical sitcom.
Downie co-stars alongside Josh Howie as his BFF Simon, Michael Fenton Stevens (The Sixth Commandment) as his immature dad, and Lucy Montgomery (Peppa Pig), and Jeany Spark (Van der Valk), who play his sister Naomi in Seasons 1 and 2 respectively.
Hapless Seasons 1 and 2 will arrive as a batch drop on Peacock before the end of 2023.
