Airdate: Swift and Shift Couriers

By David Knox on October 16, 2008 / Filed Under Programming 23

Amanda Keller acting? Ian Turpie doing comedy? Melissa Tkautz back on screen? Angry Anderson being angry once again?

It’s all part of the drill of SBS’ next comedy series, Swift and Shift Couriers. Made by Paul Fenech (Pizza),it promises to parody “the people, the politics and the outrageous events of a working-class business.”

It also promises “a ton of celebrity cameos.” Bring it on.

It starts 8:30pm Monday Oct 27 on SBS, replacing South Park.

Press Release:
From the makers of Pizza, comes Swift and Shift Couriers, a hilarious new comedy that parodies the people, the politics and the outrageous events of a working-class business. Starting on SBS on Monday October 27 at 8.30pm, Swift and Shift Couriers follows the incompetent, inappropriate and absurd day to day dramas of the staff at Hashfield depot.

Most people come across couriers bustling about in their trucks and on their bikes, cutting traffic, parking illegally and delivering packages across the CBD. On paper, their profession seems relatively simple. The customer calls in a job, the call centre passes on details to dispatch, they in turn book a courier to arrange the pick up and deliver in a timely manner – easy right?

So how does the team at Swift and Shift Couriers always manage to stuff it up!

Depot manager Keith (Ian Turpie) has worked at Swift and Shift for over 20 years. Despite his wealth of experience, Keith reports to the younger “text book” regional manager Amanda (Amanda Keller). Amanda is determined to prove that she can whip Keith’s underachieving team into shape and gives him six months to turn the business around.

Keith knows that transforming is going to be harder than it seems, especially when you have misfits that include call centre newbie Leanne (Kirsty-Lee Allen) “popular” sales rep Melissa (Melissa Tkautz), couriers “Mario” (Paul Fenech) his cousin “Luigi” (Sam Greco), the twins, and Agro (Angry Anderson). Not to mention the lazy loading docks boys headed up by Kiwi Kev (Kev Taumata.)

Will Keith manage to turn the Hashfield depot into a well oiled machine? Or will Amanda finally get what she wants and shut the place down?

Only one thing is for certain, the new series, Swift and Shift Couriers will deliver big laughs, more stunts and a ton of celebrity cameos.

In episode one: It’s Leanne Murdoch’s first day at the Swift and Shift Courier Company. Keith is given six months to improve his hapless staff; and his couriers lose the NRL grand final trophy.

23 Comments »

  1. David Knox July 12, 2009 at 7:00 pm -

    No date yet

  2. Rob July 12, 2009 at 4:41 pm -

    When is it back on have missed the show greatly its so funny its a blast

  3. Newman March 31, 2009 at 5:23 pm -

    It gives you a great laugh, watching it for the second time around, i know people like that in the show that i work with tops stuff keep it up .

  4. kath January 30, 2009 at 11:29 pm -

    Hey when is this on again we watched it late last year bloody awsome please let me know so we can view again cheers

  5. ROSS December 14, 2008 at 7:43 pm -

    What a blast of fun air to tv.I love this show and can’t wait for it to be on dvd ,well I hope it will.Congratulations SBS and Mario Fenech on creating a real life comedy.

  6. JOHN December 12, 2008 at 12:47 pm -

    This show is bloody awesome.

  7. Lincoln December 12, 2008 at 12:24 pm -

    Funniest show I’ve watched in years and i don’t say that often well done Fenech!!!!!!!!!!

  8. Susan November 24, 2008 at 9:59 pm -

    Tuned into the show by accident and loved it, haven’t laughed so much in ages. Can’t wait till it comes out on DVD.

  9. CCP November 5, 2008 at 3:58 pm -

    Having briefly worked in the transport industry, I felt as though I knew these people. We fell about laughing – what a great show. Well done!!!

  10. Terry October 31, 2008 at 11:08 am -

    Hey zorxi – nope, I’m nowher near 80 and trust I had no problem with the content (racism, gay jokes, male/female jokes etc – that’s all good) but it just wasn’t funny. it was stupid. Some of the worst acting and terrible, terrible characters. A child could write better comedy than this. I am not judging those that found it funny – good luck to you but I thought it was shockingly amateur and awful.

  11. zorzi October 29, 2008 at 6:43 pm -

    to the above comment
    mate how old are you are you like 80 or something
    how could it not make you laugh.
    im sure im probably heaps younger than you but this style of comedy is very funny and the great cast really tops it all off.
    look if its rascism thats bothering you its not really rascism just ethnik humour and im sure a lot of people including my self who come from ethnik backgrounds can relate and find the humor in this show.
    swift and shift couriers- fantastic show havent laughed at the t.v like that for years
    much better than the south park s**t on before it

  12. Terry October 29, 2008 at 10:21 am -

    Are you people all insane? That was one of the most excruciatingly bad half hours of television I have ever seen. It never even raised a smile on my dial. The comedy was rubbish, the characters were far too over the top and lame, the acting was worse than amateur theatre and the set design and production standards were crap. What is going on here?

  13. RODZILLA October 28, 2008 at 8:08 pm -

    I am a courier for one of Australias biggest transport companiers, when I watched the show on Monday night I thought I was back at work…..great cast, what a cack….many thanx for the laughs

  14. Brian October 28, 2008 at 6:57 pm -

    The best Aussie show in Years, very very funny.

  15. Belinda October 27, 2008 at 10:01 pm -

    Melissa Tkautz is fabulous in it and is very funny.. People should really give the show ago !

  16. lincoln mackay October 27, 2008 at 9:17 pm -

    heheheh have more to say as we all come to terms with the the new show and yes yes yes that was funnys comerdy in a long time that SBS has pop out long live the pizza crew ………….you have all my mates and the monday night SBS p**s up all happing agen yyyyyyeeeeeerrrrrrr wwwwwwweeeeeee love it keep it up

  17. george October 27, 2008 at 8:53 pm -

    funny stuff

  18. bill October 21, 2008 at 11:52 am -

    To the above poster, Turpie looks just fine.
    I know a woman who worked as an extra on this series, she says SWIFT AND SHIFT rocks big time!
    And she is very honest.
    I would say to all comedy fans/sick-of-cop-show-fans….WATCH IT.

  19. Doug from Perth October 16, 2008 at 8:30 pm -

    I loved the very first series of Fat Pizza but sadly it lost spark with each subsequent incarnation.

    Hopefully this looks like it might return to the inspiration of that first one with a lot of guest cameos and fresh characters.

  20. Ben October 16, 2008 at 4:38 pm -

    I’ll be tuning in to see Amanda Keller – love her to death.

    Wasn’t a fan of Fat Pizza, but this has got to be better than the current series of South Park. Completely unfunny.

  21. Ted October 16, 2008 at 10:06 am -

    What the heck happened to Ian Turpie? He hasn’t aged well!

  22. Zambora October 16, 2008 at 9:01 am -

    From previews on SBS, this looks like a winner.

    Shame about the timeslot though !

    8.30 pm on Mondays is tough battlefield.

  23. Lazer October 16, 2008 at 8:42 am -

    Ok so instead of delivering pizza’s there delivering mail/parcels wow….. Yawnnn….

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