Jonah from Tonga
Jonah is sneering, abusive and unrelenting but you will wait a long time before he finally demonstrates vulnerability.
- Published by David Knox
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- Filed under Reviews, Top Stories
The good news is Jonah from Tonga is, broadly speaking, a more satisfying work than the irritable Ja’mie: Private School Girl.
The bad news is you’ll have to wait until Episode 4 to get to the gold.
Along the way the noisy, attention-seeking schoolboy Jonah Takalua will bombard you with offense, constantly referring to his penis, homophobic insults, female abuse, fighting teachers and bullying school enemies.
Yes, I have no doubt there are young men who behave this way, but is it license to portray them on television for the purposes of comedy? In my view it all depends on redemption. Showing an abusive character (particularly to an impressionable young audience) must service a point, which should also include the lesson-learning that the abuse is hardly acceptable to a reasonable-thinking person.
As Ja’mie demonstrated, episodic television can seemingly hurl the abuse for 5 episodes before the redemption is entertained in the 6th episode (and I would argue it was muddled then anyway). The risk is that before you reach that point the wider audience is potentially so offended that it does not stick around for that lesson (I accept I am not the target audience despite enjoying earlier works).
While most television trades off likeable characters, it’s not the only way of telling a story, nor should it be. Dr. House was arrogant for 8 seasons, but damn if he wasn’t fascinating. And flawed.
After watching episode 1 of Jonah I did not particularly care to watch any more. But the ABC has strategically offered all 6 for a “binge” this weekend so I persisted (it’s just as well, a review of Ep 1 would not have been as contextual).
Before I continue, a word about ABC’s paranoid policy when it comes to Lilley’s work: media have been offered 3 episodes, but as of today there are embargos enforced for ep 2+ 3 reviews. That’s despite social media already discussing all 6. So I will abide by said confused embargo and review eps 1, 4, 5 and 6. If the following makes little sense, blame the ABC (warning: there will be spoilers, given it is all on iview).
I’ve always thought of Lilley as a gifted chameleon. He has an uncanny ear for social language. I loved We Can Be Heroes and Summer Heights High. I was not a fan of Angry Boys nor Ja’mie (despite previously loving her character). They did not offer enough light and shade, enough character development of supporting characters, and frankly I just wanted to slap most of them upside the head. Worse, I barely remember laughing. I can’t help feeling Lilley is surrounded by too many “yes” people, and I would love to see him offer up another comedic form.
Jonah was one of the more interesting characters of Summer Heights High, particularly later in the series when we saw a more vulnerable side. In the first episode of his new series, Jonah is in the South Pacific, just as out of control but missing home. While it would have been fascinating to explore his growth in this environment, we are whisked back to an Australian schoolyard in no time.
Predictably, he is leader of a peer group, a “Fobba-liscious” gang of islander boys, all of whom are portrayed by excellent young improvisational actors. His constantly-harrassed teacher Mr. Joseph (Doug Bowles) is as abusive as his charges, making many scenes unrelenting. Jonah also takes aims at schoolyard rangas and various cliques with a flair that would make Ja’mie proud.
His distance with his father Rocky (Isaia Noa) is, together with the absence of his deceased mother, one of the more interesting relationships, if fleetingly explored.
In the middle of such aimlessness, Jonah meets youth worker Kool Kris (Uli Latukefu), one of the few vehicles of optimism and relief for the audience. He encourages Jonah and his gang to channel his energies into a dance / rap performance.
But he will also find himself behind bars, where he opens up to detention guard Therese (Belinda Sharp) in the absence of a maternal figure (school, music and prison all seem to be regular staples for Lilley). It is here that we are finally rewarded with vulnerability, pathos and even some touching moments. It is dark comedy at Lilley’s overdue best.
But it is hard to overlook the journey it has taken to reach such destination.
At his most extreme Jonah drops the C-bomb, uses the f***** word in relation to gay men, the A** word for the Indigenous, jokes about suicide, carries a weapon at school and creates a dangerous traffic prank (the episode carries a clear ABC warning). It’s bad boy behaviour and he loves it.
Lilley’s portrayal of this sneering, simple teen, whose accent sounds like a constant headcold, ultimately looks better on screen than the drag act of his former series. Supporting players -they are always supporting- are consistently authentic, thanks to his preference for non-actors.
Whereas Ja’mie became momentarily same-sex attracted after her tirade of “lesbian” insults (and thus some redemption), Jonah from Tonga lacks scenes to correct his unrelenting “homo” insults, nor those directed at the Indigenous community (does this fit with ABC’s charter?).
Good comedy comes from a point of anger. Expect plenty of anger over Jonah, and a dash of good comedy for your patience.
Jonah from Tonga premieres 9pm Wednesday on ABC1.
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16 Responses
This is a post from 2010 regarding the Hey Hey its Saturday black face segment
“It wasn’t funny. It was extremely offensive & racist!
It was not a tribute.
A tribute comes from love, admiration & respect.
None of that was anywhere within in this stupidity.
Why didn’t the Producers, the host, anyone see that this Isoffensive & racist?
Why was it allowed to go ahead?
I am deeply offended & embarrassed for Harry Connick Jr & his band to have to sit through something so disgusting as this!
I am also deeply offended by the ignorant, uneducated, ill-informed view that this was not racist, and that most Australians feel this was funny!
No one speaks for me!
I am horrified to be branded racist because I’m an Australian & this happened here, when in fact, I am offended at the stupidity of those involved!
When will people realise this is Not funny?!!!
Should…
I cannot believe in 2014 a show where a white man blacks up is allowed to be made. I have watched this show and it’d not funny,neither is j’aimie. Someone in charge of comedy at the ABC clearly has no idea what’s funny and whAts not
Good critique David. I also think Lilley has simply become lazy and just rests on the same jokes/themes/style for each show. What was once fresh is now feeling rather past use by.
Then the issue of mirroring bad behaviour and potentially glamourising/enabling it – the danger is that Lilley portrays his badly behaved characters as heroes, the pay offs (when indeed they actually occur) are never enough to negate what has come before. Angry Boys, in particular the Dunt Brothers was the beginning of the end for me. Everything else is just more of the same – unfunny and tedious.
I managed to watch 5 epsodes and it was hilarious. The main character Jonah is a hero to many young kids, he is an anti establishment figure who attacks and takes the piss so effectively out of the straight jacket of nicey nicey political correctness.
No one is spared, they all get the equal treatment, most folk should be offended at some stage….great stuff, so funny.
So many of the previous comments and to some extent David’s review seek to intellectualise their thoughts on this show, when all it is, is just a simple piss take about the bollocks of everyday modern life. And how many times do you think in your head ‘oooh, you can’t say that. Mmm oh you just did and you don’t give a shit”
It is comedy and it will not change the world
I’ve watched the series and as a teacher its quite realistic of some of the students we deal with each day. What is extremely jarring is the Lazarus House teacher. His language, actions and responses would not last 20 minutes in any school and are portrayed as accepted. Jonah was probably the most played out character, but Lilley has created a strong narrative with this series, its a shame it tales so long to get to the point. The prison guard Jonah befriends is the one shining element to the back end of the show. Her scenes are compelling.
As a teacher, I find Lilley’s ability to capture the school culture quite superb. Summer Heights High was a brilliant piece of work because it had three strong characters and provided them with equal screen time. There lies the problem with Jonah From Tonga and Ja’mie Private School Girl. Focusing on one character for 6 episodes is overload. The ‘d**k’ jokes wore thin after 10 mins, heard it all before. If it wasn’t for Mr Johnson the show would have been a massive flop. Jonah From Tonga is a vast improvement on Angry Boys and Ja’mie Private School Girl. However, perhaps it’s time for Lilley to try his hand a something else.
I’m pleased this review tables a range of issues around the phenomenon that is Chris Lilly. Even comedic geniuses need trusted producers, executive producers and collaborators to provide guidance, support and ask a few tough questions around context. Is this funny? Does it make us laugh? Is a white man in black face bullying “rangas” comedic or just weird? If Chris is indeed surrounded by “yes people” they’re basically exploiting him,allowing him to work in a vacuum and not supporting and challenging him to evolve his talents. I’m looking forward to seeing a grown up Chris Lilley turning his forensic vision on his contemporaries.
I just hope we see a “new” show by Chris Lilley – he’s been in Hong Kong so maybe they’re filming something…
I’m not that interested in watching Jonah after Ja’mie – though I didn’t mind Angry Boys
Forced myself to watch ep1…. Stayed with it thru 2, started to enjoy 3 and then 4,5,6 it all came together
Binging helped me connect. If I had been watching on ABC1 over 6 weeks doubt whether I would have gone the distance.
Stick with it though,it’s worth the 3 hour investment
Would have stuck with Jaime if I could have binged
I thought it was a really interesting series. It makes you think, depressingly, about how ineffective nearly every adult character is in curbing his destructiveness. The kind ones, the strict ones, the aggressive ones, the indifferent ones, none of them really succeed in changing his trajectory. So even though the first few episodes didn’t offer much in the way of sentimentality I was still fascinated by that central conflict. Even though there are fewer laughs than you’d expect it was still satisfying to watch.
I guess overall I liked this series better than Ja’mie. The supporting characters were stronger in this one, in my opinion; Ja’mie had too many friends and they all seemed interchangeable. Watching all six episodes of either show in one sitting can be a bit of a slog though. Will be interesting to see how this iView binge idea works out.
As a fan of We Can be Heroes and Summer Heights high, I was very disappointed and never finished Angry Boys and Private School Girl. I watched episode one of Jonah last night, and I wasn’t impressed. It is too much air time for one character. It constantly felt like we should be cutting to another character telling their story. It also misses the narration and direction lead by Jennifer Byrne which helped the first two series. I expected to see more of Tongan life before heading back to Australia, and I think that could have given it more substance with Jonah and his family without the swearing and bullying. The structure of SHH and WCBH over this, is that each character had a journey from Pat preparing for her roll to the rock, to Mr G creating his musical, even Jonah trying to stay in school. This series has nothing yet. I don’t why I should be bothered watching the whole series.
Have never found him funny at all & I will not watch a show that promotes racism & homophobia.
There are enough social problems in the Pacific Islander community without Lilley’sportrayal of Jonah.
I thought that his Logie win was not deserved either.
David and Qubec, I think you’re both spot on. Enjoyed Lilly’s first two, hated Angry Boys, didn’t watch Ja’mie.
Good comedy requires more than just an incisive ability to accurately portrait clique behaviour and imitate social memes. The character of Ja’mie was simply not strong enough to carry the series and Jonah is weaker still, less likeable, and prob harder to identify with for target audience.
The ABC’s embargo is weird and I suspect that they would have extended that to eps 4, 5, and 6 if they had realised that there is nothing to prevent you from reviewing eps via iView.
How is this garbage allowed on any air particularly the ABC. It’s a white man in black face making fun of cultural stereotypes.
I’ll say it again, a white man in black face. When Hey Hey allowed it on their air they got skewered for it. When Chris Lilley does it he gets a logie. It’s not just an appalling double standard, it’s just appalling.
I’ve watched the first three episodes and absolutely loved it. As a teacher, I can tell you Jonah is spot on. I thought the interactions with his little brother showed a sweetness that was definitely missing in Ja’mie. And Mr Joseph is my new hero!!! Definitely laugh out loud tv!!
I have two more to go on iView* and I’m struggling. It’s awful. I’ve laughed once the whole time and I can’t even remember why. I love a good swear or politically incorrect humour, but this is tiresome. It doesn’t help that the show has the same style/beats as his previous shows. He maybe a chameleon but he’s doing the same thing each time.
Lilly biggest problem is himself. He needs to burn all his characters and relinquish control. He should surround himself with real actors/comedians. Develop a show like The Office. He can play a character, be a star but has others around him to help him carry the show. Get a few writers and a new producer so it’s not all coming from him.
*embargoing a show that’s available on an official channel goes against the ethos of releasing something for binge watching. Yet again Australia shows they’re stuck in the past even when they’re trying…