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| Jonah from Tonga | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Sitcom Mockumentary Comedy |
| Created by | Chris Lilley |
| Written by | Chris Lilley |
| Directed by | Chris Lilley Stuart McDonald |
| Starring | Chris Lilley |
| Theme music composer | Chris Lilley |
| Composer | John Foreman |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 6 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Laura Waters Chris Lilley |
| Producers | Laura Waters Chris Lilley |
| Production locations | The Grange P-12 College,Hoppers Crossing,Melbourne, Australia |
| Cinematography | Nick Gregoric |
| Editor | Ian Carmichael |
| Running time | 26–27 minutes |
| Production companies | Princess Pictures ABC HBO |
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC iview |
| Release | 2 May (2014-05-02) – 4 May 2014 (2014-05-04) |
| Network | ABC1 |
| Release | 7 May (2014-05-07) – 11 June 2014 (2014-06-11) |
| Related | |
| Summer Heights High | |
Jonah from Tonga (Tongan:Siōnā pe Tonga) is an Australian televisionmockumentarysitcomminiseries written by and starring comedianChris Lilley. The mockumentary series followsJonah Takalua, a rebellious 14-year-old Australian boy of Tongan descent portrayed by Lilley. The character had been introduced in Lilley's 2007 seriesSummer Heights High. At the conclusion of that series, Jonah wasexpelled from Summer Heights High School.[1] In this series, his father, Rocky Takalua, has sent him back to his homeland of Tonga to live with his uncle and their family in order to get Jonah's life back on track. The series was highly controversial for its use of brownface and ethnic stereotypes.[2][3]
The six-part series was produced byPrincess Pictures and Chris Lilley in conjunction with theAustralian Broadcasting Corporation, and screened onABC1 in Australia,HBO in America, andBBC Three in the UK.[1] In New ZealandMāori Television screened the first episode on 29 July 2017, but then withdrew later episodes due to protests.[4] The entire series was available for streaming online for one weekend from 2 May to 4 May onBBC iPlayer andABC iview, before starting a six-week run on ABC1 on 7 May 2014 and from 8 May on BBC Three. This was a first for a major Australian TV production.[5] The series itself was a "ratings disaster" for both the ABC and BBC.[6] It was later announced that the entire series would screen at select cinemas in several Australian cities followed by a Q and A with Chris Lilley.[7] These events were subsequently cancelled, with refunds given[8] and the website created to promote them removed.[9]
On 27 November 2013, Lilley confirmed that he would be bringing backJonah Takalua (Summer Heights High) for a new show titledJonah from Tonga in 2014.[10][11][12]
Melbourne-based production companyPrincess Pictures and Chris Lilley produced the series with Australian Broadcasting Corporation and HBO. Parts of the show are filmed atThe Grange P-12 College, a western suburbs school inMelbourne.
The series received mixed reviews, attracting criticism both for its portrayal of Tongans and for Lilley's use of brownface make-up. The series was poorly received by Tongans in Australia,[13] and several organisations in the United States criticised HBO's decision to air it.[14] Morgan Godfery, writing inThe Guardian, described Takalua as Lilley's "most endearing character", but said that he had made Polynesians "collateral damage on [his] quest to critique racism". Godfery also suggested that because not all viewers could "identify Lilley's purpose", he was "in essence, acting out a modern minstrel show".[15] Giles Hardie, writing forThe New Daily, described the show as "quite blatantly racist – playing on the cultural traits and responses to an ethnic community", but "hitting a variety of ethnicities and in doing so lumping us all in together". However, Hardie also noted that Lilley was "one of a handful of comedians in the world" who "force society to laugh in recognition at an unacknowledged reality and, while it laughs, to engage in some healthy introspection", and concluded that the series was not "creating the stereotype", but "challenging an existing one that is found in society".[16]
In 2017, the series was scheduled to air onMāori Television in New Zealand, however the board of the station cancelled the broadcast, saying the show perpetuated negative stereotypes of Pacific people.[17] The creators of the 2004 ABC TV documentary seriesOur Boys stated that Lilley drew inspiration for the Jonah character from their work.[18] The subject ofOur Boys recalled being "absolutely embarrassed, full of hate, angry and exploited" by the "racist" Jonah character that was based on him.[18] The series' director, as well as a teacher atCanterbury Boys High School, also felt that the character "exploited" the Tongan students who Lilley had met while visiting the school after seeingOur Boys on television in 2004.[18]
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date(ABC1) | Australian viewers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Episode 1" | Chris Lilley and Stuart McDonald | Chris Lilley | 7 May 2014 (2014-05-07) | 414,000[19] | |
Jonah wasexpelled from Summer Heights High School duringYear 8 and is sent back toTonga to live with his uncle. No-one likes him there because he is violent, swears, tells lies andgraffitis. Months later, his father Rocky and Aunty Grace visit and take 14-year-old Jonah back to Australia to live with his family inSydney. He is pleased, because he was bored in Tonga. Jonah becomes aYear 9 student at theCatholic Holy Cross High School insuburban Sydney. He quickly forms a newPacific Islander school gang, Fobba-licious, and causes trouble for many students and teachers. He has a particular disliking for ginger kids, whom he calls rangas. He has to attend classes at Lazarus House, a unit at the school for students who have behavioural problems. | ||||||
| 2 | "Episode 2" | Chris Lilley and Stuart McDonald | Chris Lilley | 14 May 2014 (2014-05-14) | 287,000[20] | |
Jonah and the Fobba-licious boys are forced to meet with youth worker Kool Kris after the gang made videos of themselvesbullying younger kids and uploaded them toYouTube. Several of the male students, including Jonah, dance individually in front of the rest of the students - and he trades insults with a ginger student, Graydon. Fobba-liciousweld Graydon's locker shut, then he grabs Jonah's younger brother, Moses. Fobba-licious gatherYear 7 ginger kids from different classrooms under false pretences. They enclose them within two goals and film them while trying to make one of them eat dog feces. A teacher sees what they are doing and stops them. | ||||||
| 3 | "Episode 3" | Chris Lilley and Stuart McDonald | Chris Lilley | 21 May 2014 (2014-05-21) | 348,000[21] | |
Rockygrounds Jonah for bullying the ginger kids. However, Jonah and the 'Fobba-licious' boys escape and go to theten-pinbowling alley. Jonahpapier-machés his cousin Melody. Fobba-licious'counselling session with Kool Kris leads to the boys taking part in the 'Feel Da Beat' song competition. An older gang called the Soldierz lend Jonah and Moses amachete. | ||||||
| 4 | "Episode 4" | Chris Lilley and Stuart McDonald | Chris Lilley | 28 May 2014 (2014-05-28) | 240,000[22] | |
Jonah humiliates Mr Joseph in front of theschool inspectors. Moses gets the machete out of his locker and shows it to the rest of Fobba-licious. Fobba-licious go to the bowling alley. They try to steal the alley's goldenbowling ball (which they believe is worth$10,000) by threatening thereceptionist with the machete. Security guards seize Jonah and Moses. All five are arrested and taken to ayouth detention center. Jonah is kept in, while the others arebailed. | ||||||
| 5 | "Episode 5" | Chris Lilley and Stuart McDonald | Chris Lilley | 4 June 2014 (2014-06-04) | 289,000[23] | |
Jonah's imprisonment bring new opponents, includingAboriginal inmates - as well as some unexpected allies, includingcorrectional officer Therese. He forms aprison gang called Juve-licious. Rocky, Kool Kris and Mr Joseph visit Jonah. | ||||||
| 6 | "Episode 6" | Chris Lilley and Stuart McDonald | Chris Lilley | 11 June 2014 (2014-06-11) | 246,000[24] | |
Jonah entertains his mates with all his stories of prison life but will Jonah still find himself behind bars with other bad boys or will he prove he can be a real man? | ||||||
| Series | Set details | DVD release dates | Special features | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Region 2 | Region 4 | |||
| Jonah from Tonga |
| 16 June 2014[25] | 28 May 2014[26] |
|
| Year | Award | Category | Recipients and nominees | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Logie Awards[27] | Most Popular Actor | Chris Lilley | Nominated |
