The Slap (Australian TV series)

Last updated

The Slap
The Slap header title.png
Intertitle
GenreDrama
Written by Emily Ballou
Alice Bell
Brendan Cowell
Kris Mrksa
Cate Shortland
Directed by Jessica Hobbs
Matthew Saville
Tony Ayres
Robert Connolly
Starring Jonathan LaPaglia
Melissa George
Essie Davis
Alex Dimitriades
Lex Marinos
Diana Glenn
Sophie Okonedo
Anthony Hayes
Sophie Lowe
Blake Davis
Oliver Ackland
Toula Yianni
Eugenia Fragos
Rebecca Downie
Country of origin Australia
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes8
Production
Executive producerPenny Chapman
ProducersTony Ayres
Helen Bowden
Michael McMahon
Running time51 minutes
Production company Matchbox Pictures
Original release
Network ABC1
Release6 October (2011-10-06) 
24 November 2011 (2011-11-24)
Related
The Slap (U.S. adaptation)

The Slap is an Australian television drama series. It was first broadcast on ABC1 from 6 October to 24 November 2011. The series is based on The Slap , a 2008 novel by Australian author Christos Tsiolkas, which explores what happens when a man slaps a child, who is not related to him, at a suburban barbecue.

Contents

Filmed in Melbourne, Victoria, the series was produced by Matchbox Pictures' Tony Ayres, Helen Bowden and Michael McMahon, with Penny Chapman serving as executive producer. [1] The directors—Jessica Hobbs, Matthew Saville, Tony Ayres and Robert Connolly—directed two episodes each. The writing team included Emily Ballou, Alice Bell, Brendan Cowell, Kris Mrksa and Cate Shortland. [2] [3] [4]

The series was aired on DirecTV's Audience Network in 2012, and an American adaptation of the series, also starring Melissa George, premiered on NBC on 12 February 2015.

Characters

Main

Supporting

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
1"Hector" Jessica Hobbs Kris Mrksa6 October 2011 (2011-10-06)
Family and friends gather at Hector's house for a BBQ to celebrate his 40th birthday. But during the festivities a guest slaps a child who is not his own. No-one can see it at the time, but this single act begins to unravel the social fabric which once linked them all together.
2"Anouk"Jessica HobbsEmily Ballou13 October 2011 (2011-10-13)
In the days and weeks after the slap Anouk discovers that the incident has unleashed unexpected responses from those around her. She is torn between her friendships and her beliefs and faces decisions about her own life which threaten to overwhelm her.
3"Harry"Matthew SavilleBrendan Cowell20 October 2011 (2011-10-20)
As the police become involved, Harry and Sandi begin to fear that the slap will threaten their reputation, lifestyle and, most importantly, their family. Harry tries to take matters into his own hands but it's too late.
4"Connie"Matthew SavilleAlice Bell27 October 2011 (2011-10-27)
Things with Connie and Hector haven't been the same since the slap. She decides to confront Hector but his reaction propels her into a decision that will have serious consequences.
5"Rosie" Robert Connolly Cate Shortland 3 November 2011 (2011-11-03)
Rosie's outrage has been building since the slap and now finally she is given her day in court. The friends from the BBQ gather again but this time under very different circumstances.
6"Manolis" Tony Ayres Kris Mrksa10 November 2011 (2011-11-10)
Struggling to understand the selfishness and greed of his children's generation, Manolis watches in alarm as the slap divides his family. He calls on a special bond to try to put things right.
7"Aisha"Robert ConnollyEmily Ballou17 November 2011 (2011-11-17)
The slap has taken a toll on Hector and Aisha's relationship, or maybe it has just exposed the issues that were already there. They go away together to try to restore their marriage, but their holiday does not turn out as planned.
8"Richie"Tony AyresBrendan Cowell24 November 2011 (2011-11-24)
Lies, betrayal and adultery all come to a head as people are forced to make decisions about their lives and behaviour. When Richie gets caught in the crossfire, he looks to a desperate solution.

Broadcast

Domestic

The Slap was originally screened by ABC1 each Thursday at 8:30 pm from 6 October 2011. [5] Repeats followed on the preceding Friday nights on ABC2. [6]

International

Reception

Critical reception

The series received generally positive reviews. Holly Byrnes of The Daily Telegraph said after viewing the first episode that The Slap is "arguably the best Australian drama produced this year", [22] and Luke Buckmaster of Crikey commented after seeing previews, "The dramas and interpersonal relationships are engrossing from the get-go, the story like a David Williamson script that actually has bite, tension and doesn't pander to racial or cultural stereotypes. The Slap presents a view of middle class multicultural Australia rarely seen in film and television." [23] David Knox of TV Tonight also praised the series, writing after episode one, "I was completely hooked by its ability to present three-dimensional characters on the screen and its strength in telling an urban story. So confident are the sum of the parts that frankly it feels like this will only get better. The Slap is one of the bravest dramas of the year." [24]

Clem Bastow of The Sydney Morning Herald had the opposite view, however, writing that the program contains, "listless direction and lifeless editing (huge pauses between great swathes of dialogue), an adaptation that squishes large passages of the narrative into bite-sized chunks (witness Hector and Connie's divebomb from flirty glances and kissing to Connie suddenly deciding he was repellent), and the actors wandering around in the middle of it all." [25] Despite this earlier negative review, the Herald subsequently gave The Slap its "Couch Potato" award for best Australian drama of the year. [26] Kit MacFarlane in Metro offered further negative evaluation of the series, finding that "despite a strong dramatic foundation, The Slap is ultimately an exercise in announcing drama rather than exploring it, presenting a scenario drenched in forced excess, sensationalism and artistic posturing" and describing it as "around seven hours of soap opera masquerading as earnest drama." MacFarlane goes on to suggest that its critical popularity might point to "a regression in the ability to analyse screen texts and narrative nuances" and that "The Slap's themes and cultural ideas have been explored countless times before in a variety of different ways." [27]

Viewer response

The initial episode gained viewing figures of nearly 1 million people, winning its timeslot, when it was first shown on ABC1. [28] Later, excluding figures for the final episode, the ABC announced that The Slap was averaging 952,000 metro (five main capital city) viewers on ABC1 and a further 232,000 viewers on ABC2 with 14% of viewing as Timeshifted (watched later through various PVR devices). It has recorded 566,000 plays via ABC iview and 204,000 plays via the official website. [29]

Series ratings

EpisodeTitleOriginal airdateViewersNightly rank
1"Hector"6 October 20110.946 [30] 5
2"Anouk"13 October 20110.912 [31] 7
3"Harry"20 October 20110.858 [32] 7
4"Connie"27 October 20110.811 [32] 9
5"Rosie"3 November 20110.915 [32] 7
6"Manolis"10 November 20110.906 [32] 6
7"Aisha"17 November 20110.832 [33] 7
8"Richie"24 November 20110.831 [34] 8

Awards and nominations

Diana Glenn pictured with her AACTA Award Diana Glenn.jpg
Diana Glenn pictured with her AACTA Award
YearAwardCategoryRecipient(s)Outcome
2012 AACTA Awards [35] [36] [37] [38] Best Telefeature, Mini Series or Short Run Series The SlapWon
Best Lead Actor Alex Dimitriades Won
Best Lead Actor Jonathan LaPagliaNominated
Best Guest or Supporting Actress – Drama Diana Glenn Won
Best Director Matthew SavilleWon
Best Director Jessica Hobbs Nominated
Best Screenplay Brendan Cowell Won
Best Screenplay Kris MrksaNominated
Best Male PerformanceLex MarinosNominated
Australian Directors' Guild Awards [39] Best Direction in a TV Drama SeriesMatt SavilleWon
Australian Writers' Guild Awards [40] Best Television Mini-Series AdaptationThe SlapWon
BAFTA Television Awards [41] Best International ProgrammeThe SlapNominated
Equity Awards [42] Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Television Movie or Miniseries CastWon
Logie Awards [43] [44] Most Outstanding Drama Series, Miniseries or TelemovieThe SlapWon
Most Outstanding ActorAlex DimitriadesNominated
Most Outstanding ActressEssie DavisNominated
Most Outstanding ActressMelissa GeorgeWon
Monte-Carlo Television Festival [45] Outstanding International Producer (Drama Series)Michael McMahon, Tony Ayres, Helen BowdenNominated
Outstanding Actor in a Drama SeriesBlake DavisNominated
Outstanding Actor in a Drama SeriesAnthony HayesNominated
Outstanding Actress in a Drama SeriesMelissa GeorgeNominated
Outstanding Actress in a Drama SeriesSophie OkonedoNominated
Screen Music Awards [46] [47] Best Music for a Mini-Series or Telemovie Antony Partos Nominated
Best Soundtrack Album Michael Lira, Jono Ma, Antony Partos, Irine VelaWon
Best Television ThemeAntony PartosWon
Virgin Media TV Awards [48] Best ActressMelissa GeorgeNominated

The Region 4 DVD and Blu-ray was released on 1 December 2011. [49] [50] [51]

The Region 2 DVD was released on 9 January 2012. [52]

The accompanying paperback book was released on 24 August 2011: Tsiolkas, Christos (2011). The Slap. Allen & Unwin. ISBN   978-1-74237-560-1. [53]

U.S. adaptation

An eight-episode adaptation of The Slap premiered on NBC on 12 February 2015, [54] in which Melissa George reprised her role of Rosie.

Related Research Articles

<i>The Chaser election specials</i> Australian TV series or program

The Chaser election specials are a number of Australian political satire based comedy programs produced by The Chaser. The shows, which have run under various titles, provide commentary on Australian federal election and has been produced since 2001 for ABC TV. The first show, The Election Chaser in 2001 was the first ever television production of the Chaser team. In 2004 and 2007 they produced The Chaser Decides which won the Logie Award for "Most Outstanding Comedy Program" for the 2004 series. In 2010, the Chaser team produced a 5-episode series about the 2010 election, called Yes We Canberra!. A new series was produced for the 2013 election, called The Hamster Decides.The Chaser's Election Desk aired in the six weeks prior to the 2016 federal election.

Ian Meadows is an Australian actor, playwright and writer.

<i>Bed of Roses</i> (TV series) Australian comedy drama television series

Bed of Roses is an Australian comedy drama television series which was first shown on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) from 10 May 2008. It stars Kerry Armstrong and was created by Jutta Goetze and Elizabeth Coleman. It was produced by Mark Ruse and Stephen Luby (Crackerjack).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Celia Ireland</span> Australian actress

Celia Ireland is an Australian actress. She is best known for her role as Regina Butcher on the television series All Saints and her Logie award winning role as Liz Birdsworth on the prison drama series Wentworth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ABC Me</span> Australian television channel

ABC Me is an Australian English language children's free-to-air television channel owned by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. It was officially launched by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on 4 December 2009 as ABC3.

<i>Rake</i> (Australian TV series) Australian television series (2010-2018)

Rake is an Australian television program, produced by Essential Media and Entertainment, that first aired on the ABC TV in 2010. It stars Richard Roxburgh as the rakish Cleaver Greene, a brilliant but self-destructive Sydney barrister, defending a usually guilty client. The fifth and final series went into production in October 2017 and premiered on 19 August 2018.

<i>Laid</i> (TV series) Australian comedy television series

Laid is an Australian television comedy series that first aired on 9 February 2011 on ABC1. The 12-episode comedy series was written by Marieke Hardy and Kirsty Fisher, and produced by Liz Watts. Laid was renewed for a second series, which aired from 2 May to 6 June 2012.

Blake Davis is an Australian actor. Davis’ most noted TV roles have been in Tangle and Dead Gorgeous. In 2011, he starred as Richie in the ABC series The Slap, which is based on the 2008 novel by Australian author Christos Tsiolkas. In 2012, Blake appeared in the third season of Tangle.

At Home with Julia is a four-part Australian sitcom television series, created and written by Amanda Bishop, Rick Kalowski and Phil Lloyd, which debuted on 7 September 2011 on ABC1. A re-run of the series aired on ABC2 in April 2012. The series ran in syndication in the United States on the Vibrant TV Network.

<i>The Hamster Wheel</i> Australian TV series or program

The Hamster Wheel is an Australian television satirical comedy series broadcast on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) television station ABC1. It is created and presented by the satirical group The Chaser.

<i>Jack Irish</i> Australian television series

Jack Irish is an Australian television drama series first broadcast on ABC TV on 14 October 2012. The series stars Guy Pearce as the title character, a former criminal lawyer turned private investigator and debt collector. Much of the action is set in the Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy. Adapted from the crime fiction novels by author Peter Temple, the telemovies and series Jack Irish were developed by Andrew Anastasios, Matt Cameron and Andrew Knight. They began as three feature-length movies, before being adapted into three six-episode series, the final one airing from June 2021.

<i>The Amazing Race Australia</i> Australian adventure reality game show

The Amazing Race Australia is an Australian reality competition show based on the American series The Amazing Race. Following the premise of other versions in the Amazing Race franchise, the show follows teams of two as they race around the world. Each season is split into legs, with teams tasked to deduce clues, navigate themselves in foreign areas, interact with locals, perform physical and mental challenges, and travel by air, boat, car, taxi, and other modes of transport. Teams are progressively eliminated at the end of most legs for being the last to arrive at designated Pit Stops. The first team to arrive at the Finish Line wins a grand prize of A$250,000.

<i>Shaun Micallefs Mad as Hell</i> Australian television series

Shaun Micallef's Mad as Hell is an Australian comedy news television program hosted by Shaun Micallef. The show first aired on ABC at 8:00 pm on Friday, 25 May 2012. The show was named as Most Outstanding Comedy Program at the Logie Awards of 2016. Its title is a reference to the 1976 American satirical black comedy-drama film Network.

Upper Middle Bogan is an Australian television comedy program created by Robyn Butler and Wayne Hope. It began screening on ABC on 15 August 2013. The series is directed by Hope and Tony Martin. Upper Middle Bogan was renewed for a second series of eight episodes, which began airing from 16 October 2014. Series 3 of the show aired in 2016.

<i>Please Like Me</i> Australian comedy television series

Please Like Me is an Australian television comedy-drama series created by and starring Josh Thomas. Thomas also serves as a writer for most episodes. The series premiered on 28 February 2013 on ABC2 in Australia and is on occasion available on Netflix in certain regions. The show explores realistic issues with humorous tones; executive producer Todd Abbott had pitched the show as a drama rather than a sitcom. The show aired later on the United States network Pivot, which then helped to develop the show from its second season onwards. Four seasons of the show have been broadcast, and creator Thomas has stated that he has no plans to make any further episodes. The show has attracted praise from critics and has garnered numerous nominations, winning a number of awards.

<i>Janet King</i> (TV series) Australian TV series

Janet King is an Australian television drama program which began airing on ABC1 from 27 February 2014. It was created as a spin-off from the 2011 legal drama Crownies. It follows the story of Senior Crown Prosecutor Janet King, tracking her journey in Series 1 in the Department of Public Prosecutions to a Royal Commission into Serious Firearm Crime in Series 2 to the National Crime Commission in Series 3.

<i>Nowhere Boys</i> 2013 Australian television series

Nowhere Boys is an Australian teen drama television series created by Tony Ayres. It was first broadcast on ABC3 on 7 November 2013. The first two series follow the adventures of four mismatched teenage boys – goth Felix Ferne, nerd Andrew "Andy" Lau, golden child Sam Conte, and alpha jock Jake Riles. Nowhere Boys was renewed for a second series which began airing from 23 November 2014. An 80-minute feature-length movie based on the show, titled Nowhere Boys: The Book of Shadows, premiered in selected Australian movie theatres on 1 January 2016. A third series of Nowhere Boys, titled Two Moons Rising, started airing in 2016 with a new cast and characters, replacing the original cast members. The fourth and final series, titled Battle For Negative Space, started airing on 3 December 2018.

<i>The Slap</i> (American TV series) American TV series or program

The Slap is an American drama television miniseries, which aired on NBC from February 12 to April 2, 2015. It is an adaptation of the Australian series of the same name, which was based on Christos Tsiolkas' 2008 novel of the same name. Each episode tells the events of the aftermath of a birthday party from the perspective of a different character. Jon Robin Baitz wrote the teleplay and Lisa Cholodenko directed the pilot episode.

Barracuda is an Australian drama miniseries, first broadcast on ABC TV starting 10 July 2016. The series is based on Barracuda, the 2013 novel by Australian author Christos Tsiolkas, which explores a brutal clash of cultures, dreams and expectations and the relentless demands that are placed upon young athletes, their families, friends, schools and coaches.

Fires is a six-part Australian television drama series on ABC TV which first screened on 26 September 2021, set against the background of the 2019–20 Australian bushfire season.

References

  1. Brady, Nicole (28 May 2009). "The Slap gets nod for small screen". The Age . Retrieved 28 September 2011.
  2. High profile cast join The Slap – Inside Film: Film and Television Industry News and Issues for Australian Content Creators
  3. Dimitriades, Lowe and Hayes to star in The Slap | Encore Magazine Archived 8 January 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  4. Slap adaptation will be awesome: Cowell | Encore Magazine Archived 4 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  5. "ABC1 Programming Airdate: The Slap (episode one)". ABC Television Publicity. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
  6. "ABC2 Programming Airdate: The Slap (episode one)". ABC Television Publicity. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
  7. "BBC Four Programming – The Slap". BBC Guide. Retrieved 21 October 2011.
  8. "STV Player – The Slap". STV. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  9. "AMC/Sundance Channel Global Acquires Hell On Wheels, Breaking Bad, The Slap & Shannen Says". AMC Networks Press Releases. Archived from the original on 12 October 2011. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
  10. "Sundance channel-The Slap promo一記耳光 (Mandarin) -Taiwan". YouTube . Retrieved 19 August 2012.
  11. Clarke, Steve (17 November 2011). "DirecTV takes 'Slap' in U.S." Variety . Retrieved 18 November 2011.
  12. Knox, David (26 January 2012). "The Slap set for US premiere". TV Tonight. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  13. Munn, Patrick (1 February 2012). "DIRECTV's Audience Network Acquires The Slap and The Shadow Line". TVWise. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  14. Dallas, Sam (18 November 2011). "The Slap sells to the US and Canada". Inside Film. Retrieved 18 November 2011.
  15. "TVO Programming: The Slap". TVO Online. Archived from the original on 25 July 2012. Retrieved 19 August 2012.
  16. 1 2 3 Pickard, Michael (15 March 2012). "Globosat gets The Slap". C21Media. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
  17. Rae, Fiona (4 July 2012). "July 7–13: Including The Slap and the final of House". New Zealand Listener . Retrieved 19 August 2012.
  18. "Örfilen". SVT.se. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  19. YLE Teema (31 July 2013). "Läimäys (16) | YLE Teema | yle.fi". Teema.yle.fi. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  20. Archived 16 March 2013 at the National and University Library of Iceland
  21. "La Gifle / The Slap – (diff. du 5 au 26 sept.) – Série Fiction « ARTE PRO – Professionnels de l'audiovisuel". Pro.arte.tv. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  22. Byrnes, Holly (6 October 2011). "Christos Tsiolkas' acclaimed novel The Slap on ABC1 is arguably best Australian drama of year". Daily Telegraph. Sydney. Retrieved 27 October 2011.
  23. Buckmaster, Luke (5 August 2011). "First look at ABC's The Slap — and it's a winner". Crikey . Retrieved 27 October 2011.
  24. Knox, David (30 September 2011). "The Slap: Review". TV Tonight . Retrieved 27 October 2011.
  25. Bastow, Clem (12 October 2011). "Is The Slap really all that?". The Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved 27 October 2011.
  26. Hassall, Greg (19 December 2011). "The Couch Potato Awards". The Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved 19 December 2011.
  27. MacFarlane, Kit (December 2011). "The Heavy Hand of a Hard-Hitting Drama". Metro (171): 32–37.
  28. Bodey, Michael (7 October 2011). "Ratings: The Slap wins timeslot". The Australian . Retrieved 27 October 2011.
  29. Knox, David (23 November 2011). "iView hits new high". TV Tonight . Retrieved 23 November 2011.
  30. "Week 41". TV Tonight. 9 October 2011. Retrieved 24 October 2011.
  31. "Week 42". TV Tonight. Retrieved 24 October 2011.
  32. 1 2 3 4 "The Slap: Episode guide". TV Tonight. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
  33. "Thursday 17 November 2017". TV Tonight. 18 November 2011. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
  34. "Thursday 24 November 2017". TV Tonight. 25 November 2011. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
  35. "Inaugural Samsung AACTA Awards nominees" (PDF). AACTA Awards. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 May 2012. Retrieved 25 April 2012.
  36. "Vote for the AACTA award winners". The Advertiser . News Limited. 17 January 2012. Retrieved 25 April 2012.
  37. Dallas, Sam (1 February 2012). "Snowtown and The Slap clean up at inaugural AACTA Awards". Inside Film. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
  38. Christensen, Nic (1 February 2012). "The Slap sweeps AACTA awards for television". The Australian . Retrieved 3 February 2012.
  39. Knox, David (12 May 2012). "Doubles dip into Director's Guild Awards". TV Tonight . Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  40. Knox, David (25 August 2012). "ABC Drama dominates AWGIE winners". TV Tonight . Retrieved 24 August 2012.
  41. Goodacre, Kate (24 April 2012). "BAFTA Television Awards 2012: The nominees in full". Digital Spy . Hearst Magazines UK . Retrieved 24 April 2012.
  42. "Australian television ensembles honoured by their peers". Equity Foundation. Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA). Archived from the original on 10 April 2012. Retrieved 11 April 2012.
  43. Byrnes, Holly (18 March 2012). "Karl Stefanovic nominated to win back-to-back Gold Logies as Australian television awards announced". Herald Sun . The Herald and Weekly Times . Retrieved 18 March 2012.
  44. Bodey, Michael (16 April 2012). "Hamish Blake networks his way to Gold Logie glory". The Australian . News Limited . Retrieved 25 April 2012.
  45. Sperling, Daniel (5 April 2012). "'Downton Abbey', 'Game of Thrones' nominated for Monte Carlo TV awards". Digital Spy . Hearst Magazines UK . Retrieved 25 April 2012.
  46. "Nominations". Screen Music Awards. Australasian Performing Right Association . Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  47. Johnson, Neala (19 November 2012). "The Slap leads Screen Music smackdown". Herald Sun . The Herald and Weekly Times . Retrieved 22 November 2012.
  48. "Virgin Media TV Awards: Best Actress". Virgin Media. 2012. Retrieved 25 April 2012.
  49. "Hopscotch Entertainment: The Slap". Hopscotchfilms.com.au. Archived from the original on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 6 October 2011.
  50. "ABC Shop: The Slap DVD". ABC Shop Online. Archived from the original on 4 November 2011. Retrieved 14 October 2011.
  51. "ABC Shop: The Slap Blu-ray". ABC Shop Online. Archived from the original on 4 December 2011. Retrieved 14 October 2011.
  52. "Revolver Entertainment: The Slap DVD". Peter Noble PR. Retrieved 19 November 2011.[ permanent dead link ]
  53. "ABC Shop: The Slap Book". ABC Shop Online. Archived from the original on 31 October 2011. Retrieved 6 October 2011.
  54. Andreeva, Nellie (25 July 2014). "Peter Sarsgaard & Mary-Louise Parker To Star in NBC Miniseries 'The Slap'". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved 9 August 2014.