Kath & Kim

It began life as a sketch. Just as Jennifer Saunders had put meat on the bones of a piece called 'Mother and Daughter' for the hugely successful and revolutionary Absolutely Fabulous, Gina and Jane honed in on the huge potential of 'Kim's Wedding' (orignially seen in 1994's Big Girl's Blouse) and 'Kim's Baby' (a series of sketches featured in 1998's Something Stupid) and decided to turn sketch into sitcom. Kath and Kim's personalities were simply too loud and too colourful to be confined to a series of sketches - these massive characters demanded more. But Kath and Kim came very close to never being at all. Those early days were fraught with indecision from the execs at ABC. Gina (having relocated to Melbourne from Sydney with her family) and Jane faced cancellation before filming had even begun - 'it was lawyers at 50 paces' recalls Gina. Tensions were high as legal wrangles began. It appears that the ABC were getting cold feet because Kath and Kim was just a bit too different. 'It's just women shouting' lamented one exec, recalling stern criticisms directed at Jennifer Saunders who was told 'drunk women aren't funny'. 'Wait until you see it performed', urged Gina and Jane, whose hard work and diligence was vindicated when, after riding the storm, the show was finally given the green light to go into production and eventually aired in 2002. Kath and Kim was an unprecedented hit upon its ABC premiere on May 16th 2002. It became apparent that there was a real market out there for this once-shelved sitcom, from intelligent audiences sick of the sanitised humour, idyllic nicities and high production values of the US sitcom. Kath and Kim was brash, loud, hip, intelligent, incredibly quotable and offered humour that pulled no punches whatsoever. In short, Gina and Jane were (like Kel with his commenmorative wedding sausage) on to an absolute winner! The beauty of Kath and Kim is in the tone, and the detail. The writing is crucial, often performance determines the reception of a scene. Above all - we think it's the satire and the ever-entertaining mother-daugther premise. There's Kimberley Diane Craig (nee Day), a product of today's hedonistic, materialistic generation that bases its life and its values upon dieting, shopping, beauty treatments and the latest celebrity trends. She's from a world that believes Liz Hurley's lips and Meg Ryan's hair is of utmost importance and in every way relevant to her; a world where celebrity is the new royalty (look at Paris Hilton - she looks 100 bucks!); a world where women aspire to have a bottom like Kylie. As much as we'd like to deny it, who wouldn't pick up a copy of OK! in a dentist's waiting room and ogle at Michael Jackson's latest face or Jordan's latest boobs? We all do it! Kath and Kim is about who we are. As Kath, Jane Turner portrays the classic empty-nester, mother of a grown-up (allegedly) daughter, who fills her empty days with ostentatious recipes, Barbara Cartland, flower arranging (sorry, floral design), TAFE courses and the odd trip to Fountaingate. Neither actress makes any attempt to sugar coat their creations - especially Gina Riley - whose obnoxious, hateful Kim comes out of the actress's firm belief that 'doing nice' would mean the death of comedy. After all, Edina Monsoon, Basil Fawlty, David Brent - all of them awful people, and all of them treasured by audiences. Kath and Kim doesn't patronise its audience, (despite initial press criticism) there is little stereotyping. When you think you know the characters inside out, there will be a proverbial spanner thrown into the works - two of Kath's favourite films are Kundun and Bowling for Columbine; she reads about the Shah of Iran. Yet, in equal measure, she enjoys E! News Live, is thrilled by Ikea and wouldn't mind owning The Bodyguard DVD. Likewise, any criticism that Gina and Jane get their laughs simply by mocking the subruban lower-middle classes can be dismissed thanks to the sharply observed ladies-who-lunch, Trude and Prue. Social aspirations are common to all demographics. There's a pertinent commentary upon contemporary mainstream culture here. It lampoons trends and fads our society holds dear so skillfully, sometimes a dig or a wink of recognition can be missed completely upon first-time viewing. Its treatment of language is inspired - each show an abundance of 'blink-and-you'll-miss-it' moments. Kath and Kim is a joyous feast of wondrous costumes, farcical comedic situations, razor sharp acerbic wit and flawless acting from a terrific ensemble cast. Its camp celebration of the trivial over the profound masks a deeper intent - underneath the glitter and the laughter lies a show written by two very clever and very funny women who really know their society and its truths. We simply adore Kath and Kim - it's ny-ioce, it's different, it's un-ewes-yewl... and so much more!

Kath & Kim is broadcast on the Sundance Channel.