Open Slather Explained

Genre:	Sketch comedy
Director:	Natalie Bailey Steven Saussey Iain Pirret Tom Salisbury
Theme Music Composer:	John Foreman
Opentheme:	"The Revolution Will Be Televised" by Smoove
Endtheme:	"The Revolution Will Be Televised" by Smoove
Composer:	Kit Warhurst
Country:	Australia
Language:	English
Num Seasons:	1
Num Episodes:	20
List Episodes:	Episodes
Executive Producer:	Laura Waters Rick McKenna
Producer:	Paul Walton Laura Waters Rick McKenna
Cinematography:	László Baranyai
Runtime:	60 minutes
Company:	Rick McKenna Entertainment Princess Pictures
Channel:	The Comedy Channel

Open Slather is an Australian sketch comedy television series which first aired on The Comedy Channel on Foxtel on 24 May 2015.^{[1] [2]} The 20 episode series is executively produced by Laura Waters and Rick McKenna.^[3] After the first ten episodes aired, the series experienced a hiatus while new episodes were in production. Replacing new episodes were 30 minute 'best of' episodes titled Open Slather Reopened.^[4] The second block of ten episodes began airing on 6 September,^[5] and concluded on 8 November 2015.^[6]

On 31 December 2015, it was announced the show had been cancelled.^[7]

Cast

• Holly Austin
• Hannah Bath
• Shane Jacobson
• Jay K. Cagatay
• Dave Eastgate
• Gina Riley
• Stephen Curry
• Ben Gerrard
• Laura Hughes
• Demi Lardner
• Magda Szubanski
• Ben Lomas
• Marg Downey
• Miles O'Neil
• Glenn Robbins
• Ilai Swindells
• Jane Turner (11 episodes)
• Emily Taheny
• Michael Veitch
• George H. Xanthis

Guest

• Franklyn Ajaye (1 episode)

Special guests

• Mark Holden as himself (1 episode)
• Hamish Blake as God (3 episodes)^[8]
• Dave Lawson (9 episodes)
• Gerry Connolly as Queen Elizabeth II (1 episode)
• Sting as himself (1 episode)
• Paul Hogan as Cardinal (1 episode)^[9]
• Peter Rowsthorn (5 episodes)
• Amy Schumer (1 episode)
• Bill Hader (1 episode)
• John Flaus (3 episodes)
• Jane Hall (1 episode)
• Colin Lane (1 episode)
• Eddie Perfect (3 episodes)
• John Wood (2 episodes)
• Ronda Rousey (1 episode)
• Nick Bracks (1 episode)
• Geoff Morrell (3 episodes)
• Christie Whelan Browne (1 episode)

Parodied characters

• • Hannah Bath — Mary, Crown Princess of Denmark, Kirstie Allsop Jay K. Cagatay — Tony Abbott, Ed Sheeran, Jon Snow, Johnny Depp, Redfoo, Calum Hood, Harry Styles, Jesus, Russell Brand, Julian Assange, Hamburglar, Steve Baxter, Pete Evans, Jonathan Ive
• Marg Downey — Helen Clark
• Ben Gerrard — Donatella Versace
• Gina Riley — Liz Hayes, Gina Rileyano, Anna Wintour, Hillary Clinton
• Magda Szubanski — Angela Merkel, Gina Rinehart
• Jane Turner - Julie Bishop, Grant Denyer
• George H. Xanthis — Don Draper

Writers

• Holly Austin (episodes 5, 9, 11, 15, 20)
• Hannah Bath (episodes 3, 8, 10, 17, 19, 20)
• Jay K. Cagatay (episodes 2, 5, 7, 9, 11)
• Paul Calleja
• John Campbell (episodes 1, 3–14, 17–20)
• Bryan Cockerill (episode 18)
• Mark Conway (episode 3)
• Lucas Crandles (episodes 13–17, 19)
• Stephen Curry (episodes 1–8, 10–18)
• Des Dowling (episode 7)
• Marg Downey (episodes 7, 10–13, 15, 16, 19, 20)
• Dave Eastgate (episodes 17, 18)
• Ben Gerrard (episodes 4, 8, 17, 18, 20)
• Happy Hammond (episodes 1–8)
• Jess Harris (episodes 10–13, 15, 17, 18, 20)
• Tegan Higginbotham (episodes 2–11, 17–20)
• Angus Hodge (episode 13)
• Laura Hughes (episode 3, 8, 9, 11, 15, 19, 20)
• Rhett Hughes (episodes 3–8, 11–14, 16–20)
• Shane Jacobson (episodes 1–3, 6–8, 10–12, 16)
• Dan Knight (episode 8)
• Demi Lardner (episodes 4, 5, 11, 13, 18)
• Dave Lawson (episodes 3, 4, 10, 11, 13–18)
• Ben Lomas (episodes 4–6, 8, 9, 14, 15)
• Brendan Luno (episodes 1–14, 17)
• Doug MacLeod (episodes 2–7)
• Shannon Marinko (episode 6, 9, 10)
• Cameron Marshall (episodes 2, 6, 9, 12, 14–20)
• Ray Matsen (episode 8)
• Zoe McDonald (episodes 8, 9, 11, 14, 18)
• Maggie McKenna (episodes 1, 2, 4, 11)
• Lauren Merolli (episodes 11–13, 16)
• Steve Mitchell (episodes 5, 13)
• Tony Moclair (episodes 1–7, 11, 13, 15, 18)
• Nick Musgrove
• Timothy Nash (episodes 13–17, 19)
• Dave O'Neil (episodes 1–8, 10–17, 19, 20)
• Miles O'Neil (episodes 6–9, 12, 13)
• Mark O'Toole (episodes 1–14, 18)
• Nick Place (episodes 7, 12, 15)
• Anita Punton (episodes 1–18)
• Amanda Reedy (episodes 4, 8, 14, 18–20)
• Gina Riley (episodes 1–8, 10–12, 14–18)
• Glenn Robbins (episodes 1, 2, 4–9, 11, 12, 14–17, 19, 20)
• Peter Rowsthorn (episode 10)
• Adam Rozenbachs (episodes 1–15, 17, 18, 20)
• Joel Slack-Smith (episode 14)
• Ilai Swindells (episodes 7, 11, 15, 19)
• Magda Szubanski (episodes 1, 7, 11–13, 20)
• Emily Taheny (episodes 7, 10, 11, 15)
• Richard Thorp (episodes 17, 18)
• Nathan Valvo (episode 19)
• Lory Vecchio (episodes 3, 15, 20)
• Michael Veitch (episodes 4, 5, 15)
• Paul Verhoeven (episodes 2, 6)
• Eric Walsh (episode 8)
• Michael Ward (episodes 3, 6–9, 11–15)
• Tom Ward (episode 18, 19)
• Nick Weller (episodes 4, 5, 7)
• George H. Xanthis (episodes 3, 7, 9, 19, 20)

Head writers

• Nick Weller
• Phil Van Bruchem

Reception

Ben Nuetze of Crikey wrote "Open Slather is an apt title for Foxtel's brand new sprawling sketch show...In fact, I don't think I've ever seen a sketch show which is so eclectic and disconnected in terms of style. In moments it wears its politics on its sleeve; in others it sets about satirising Australian society, and it often picks up on the classic parody style of Fast Forward. There's really no singular idea holding all of this together, and the show seems to have no real focus and no clear reason for being...And yet, it's often surprisingly excellent."^[10]

David Knox of TV Tonight commented "On the positive side, there were some great laughs to be found in Open Slather....A strong cast of emerging comedians....slipped in with ease alongside Fast Forward veterans in this mix of popular culture, social and political humour. On the less-positive side some of the sketches struggled.....whilst others made me uneasy that they were trying to recapture Fast Forward magic with a tone stuck in the 80s."^[11]

Notes and References

1. News: Plant. Simon. Beloved Australian comedians and talented newcomers join forces for a new sketch comedy show on TV. The Daily Telegraph. 1 May 2015. 4 April 2015.
2. Web site: Open Slather: Australia's biggest names in comedy. Foxtel.
3. Web site: TV Tonight. David. Knox. Airdate: Open Slather. 1 May 2015. 5 April 2015.
4. Web site: TV Tonight. David. Knox. Sunday 9 August 2015#Comments. 10 August 2015. 12 August 2015.
5. Web site: TV Tonight. David. Knox. Returning: Open Slather. 22 August 2015. 19 August 2015.
6. Web site: TV Tonight. David. Knox. Open Slather drawing to a close. 10 November 2015. 26 October 2015.
7. Web site: Axed in 2015 | TV Tonight.
8. Web site: TV Tonight. David. Knox. Sting guest stars in Open Slather. 10 July 2015. 19 June 2015.
9. Web site: TV Tonight. David. Knox. Open Slather: July 12. 10 July 2015. 10 July 2015.
10. Web site: Nuetze. Ben. Open Slather review (The Comedy Channel, Foxtel). Daily Review. 16 June 2015. 26 May 2015.
11. Web site: TV Tonight. David. Knox. Open Slather. 16 June 2015. 25 May 2015.