Rosehaven

Sometimes there are comedies that don’t seek to give you punchlines with every third line of dialogue, or aim to have you rolling in the aisles. But they have a way of putting a smile on your dial.

Rosehaven is a genial, rather askew offering from Luke McGregor and Celia Pacquola.

Everything about the show is just a little bit apologetic, but celebrating its shortcomings. Emma’s (Pacquola) marriage falls apart on her honeymoon, Daniel (McGregor) is heading home perceived as a ‘failure,’ and a door alarm can’t even blurt out a sustained note.

Heck, it’s even set in Tasmania, it’s barely even trying. Ok bad joke, I’m actually very happy this is in Tassie, there should be more of it. The drone shots of the landscape look gorgeous.

The premise of Rosehaven sees Daniel return home to assist his mother’s real estate business, when best friend Emma rocks up on the doorstep having fled her failed honeymoon.

Mum Barbara (Kris McQuade) is mostly begrudging of her new lodgers whilst Daniel is determined to impress her at work. But the locals have trouble taking little “Danny” seriously, constantly asking him “Couldn’t hack it on the mainland?” Bestie Emma finds ways to stand up for her pal at the same time as ignoring her own personal dramas and the constant unanswered calls from her own curious mother.

On his first day on the job Daniel encounters an old school bully, an oversized dog, and an uninterested elderly receptionist in Mrs. Marsh (Noela Foxcroft). McGregor’s sad sack act is right at home in this underachiever world where the most exciting thing to happen is probably likely to come from the 24 hour emergency butcher.

Pacquola’s stubbornness-masquerading-as-optimism balances her co-star’s awkward demeanour and provides the outsider point of view into this odd little world. The blunt Kris McQuade takes no prisoners but may be harboring Barbara’s own shortcomings.

Director Jonathan Brough has also peppered the scenes with amusing cameos and character actors.

Aside from its picturesque aerial shots and creative opening titles, much of the locations and costumes look like they are time-warped in the 1990s. Or even 80s. Think cardigans and coats, brown furniture, box TVs and rising damp.

Oddly, the early episodes don’t yet explore that Harry Met Sally question of whether single male and female friends can be besties without one of them wanting more, which may be the elephant in the room if it isn’t expanded upon later.

Otherwise Rosehaven is happily content off comedy’s main highway, should you care to drop by.

Rosehaven begins 9pm tonight on ABC.