Overview
If listening to "Last Christmas" by Wham and watching Love Actually for the 100th time doesn't sound appealing, Australian streaming service Stan is providing viewers with an alternative. If you know you'll have festive fatigue by the time Boxing Day rolls around, the streamer is releasing all eight episodes of the new Australian dark comedy Sunny Nights on December 26.
While some streamers have taken to releasing TV series weekly or even splitting seasons into two parts, you won't be held hostage by any cliffhangers while waiting for the next episode with this new show. Dreamt up by Nick Keetch and Ty Freer, the Stan Original series is directed by Trent O'Donnell (Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Good Place, New Girl, Hacks) and stars Hollywood comedians Will Forte (Four Seasons, Bodkin, Saturday Night Live) and D'Arcy Carden (The Good Place, Nobody Wants This, Barry).
For fans of crime shows, Sunny Nights offers a twist on the genre. Forte and Carden play siblings Martin and Vicki Marvin, who move to Australia to start a new spray-tanning business. Additionally, Martin is determined to win back his estranged wife, Joyce (Ra Chapman), who just happens to reside in Sydney. After the Marvins get mixed up in an extortion scam, they get sucked into the city's criminal underworld with their lives on the line.
While the two main characters are from the USA, this show is undoubtedly Australian. From crocodiles to the chokehold footy has on our country, there are inside jokes littered throughout the series that Aussies can appreciate. Plus the ensemble cast is made up of some established and emerging local talent, including Rachel House (Heartbreak High, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Kangaroo), Jessica De Gouw (Dracula, Kath & Kimderella, Arrow), George Mason (Home and Away, My Life Is Murder, The Survivors) and Ra Chapman (Five Bedrooms, Wentworth, Neighbours). The former NFL player Willie Mason also makes his acting debut as Terry Torres, a tough member of Sydney's criminal underworld.
It all begs the question: Why aren't we embracing more local content? In an era where we have been constantly fed reboots, sequels and remakes, Sunny Nights is proudly local. Major scenes take place in and around Sydney, dry conversations are had with mortgage brokers, and there's even a Chemist Warehouse-esque pharmacy.
So, if you're already dreading the holiday season, Stan Original Sunny Nights is something you keep an eye on. With the absence of cheesy Christmas storylines, this is an antidote to all of the festive films that have likely been clogging up your streaming services. So, grab yourself a plate of Christmas Day leftovers and tune in on Boxing Day to see the Sydney skyline and some Aussie talent instead. It's time to get sucked into the dark world of Sunny Nights.
Stream the Stan Original 'Sunny Nights' Boxing Day, only on Stan.
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