TV Blackbox
A fresh Australian comedy is heading to screens, with Sam Pang leading a sharp, topical new series for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Titled Ground Up, the six-part production explores one of the nation’s most debated sporting issues, the push to establish a Tasmanian AFL team, through a smart blend of workplace comedy and political satire.
Premiering on Sunday, June 7 at 8.30pm on ABC TV and ABC iview, the series centres on a fictional expansion bid that mirrors real-world tensions.
At its core is the contentious proposal to bring a new club into the Australian Football League, tied to the construction of a billion-dollar stadium and ongoing debate around public funding and community priorities.
Pang plays Hugh Shen, a Melbourne-based AFL administrator tasked with delivering the team against mounting pressure.
His mission quickly becomes a balancing act between political ambition and public scepticism, as he navigates tight deadlines, logistical chaos and a divided local landscape.
The humour is and character- driven, drawing on the absurdities of bureaucracy and the deep cultural hold of sport in Australia.
The series is supported by a strong ensemble cast, including Emma Harvie, Dylan Murphy, Josh McConville, Lucy Durack and Marg Downey, alongside guest appearances from Broden Kelly, Christie Whelan Browne, Dave Thornton, Tegan Higginbotham, Toby Truslove and Lisa McCune.
Behind the scenes, Ground Up is created and written by Gary McCaffrie and directed by Wayne Hope. The production team includes Robyn Butler and MaryAnne Carroll, with executive producers Butler, Hope and Greg Sitch.
Timely and distinctly local, Ground Up taps into the national conversation around AFL expansion and infrastructure spending while delivering a measured, character-led comedy. It positions itself as both entertaining and reflective.
