Very Small Business (TV series)

Last updated

Very Small Business
VSB LOGO.JPG
Genre Situation comedy
Created by Wayne Hope
Gary McCaffrie
Robyn Butler
Directed byDaina Reid
StarringWayne Hope
Kym Gyngell
ComposerCraig Pilkington
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes14
Production
Executive producersRobyn Butler
Wayne Hope
Geoff Porz
Greg Sitch
Debbie Lee
Producers Robyn Butler
Wayne Hope
Production locations Melbourne, Victoria
CinematographyJoanne Donahoe-Beckwith
EditorChris Branagan
Running time30 minutes approx
Production companies Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Gristmill
Original release
Network ABC1
Release3 September (2008-09-03) 
8 October 2008 (2008-10-08)

Very Small Business is an Australian television comedy series first broadcast on Wednesday 3 September 2008 on ABC1. The series is written and created by Wayne Hope, Gary McCaffrie, and Robyn Butler, and produced by Hope and Butler. It comprises fourteen half-hour episodes. [1]

Contents

A new season began screening in September 2018 titled Back in Very Small Business. It comprises six half-hour episodes. [2]

Synopsis

Don Angel is the small business owner of the Worldwide Business Group, a business he's trying to grow. This business includes publishing of dubious niche magazines such as Feelin' Great, Railway Union Monthly and Music, Music, Music, Music – mere vehicles used by smooth-talking Don to sell advertising space to unsuspecting businesses. He's just hired Ray Leonard, a down-and-out former journalist for The Australian , as his senior journalist and sole employee. [3]

Cast

Episodes

Season 1 "Very Small Business"

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
11"Basics of Team Building"Daina ReidWayne Hope, Gary McCaffrie & Robyn Butler3 September 2008 (2008-09-03)
Don needs a senior journalist for the World Wide Group, and finds Ray, a former journalist with The Australian .
22"Human Resources"Daina ReidWayne Hope, Gary McCaffrie & Robyn Butler10 September 2008 (2008-09-10)
Don's plans to start up a dog wash franchise are interrupted when his kids turn up at the office.
33"Export Fluctuations"Daina ReidWayne Hope, Gary McCaffrie & Robyn Butler17 September 2008 (2008-09-17)
After he asks his estranged daughter to do the graphic design for the Dog Wash, Ray tells Don why they stopped speaking six years ago.
44"Diversification of Capital"Daina ReidWayne Hope, Gary McCaffrie & Robyn Butler24 September 2008 (2008-09-24)
Don escapes his creditors when he and Ray film a late night TV ad for the Don's Dirty Dog Wash franchise.
55"Systems Analysis"Daina ReidWayne Hope, Gary McCaffrie & Robyn Butler1 October 2008 (2008-10-01)
While Don's stomach problems force him to see a psychologist, Ray tries to sell the Dog Wash franchise.
66"Obligations Under the Taxation Act"Daina ReidWayne Hope, Gary McCaffrie & Robyn Butler8 October 2008 (2008-10-08)
As the Australian Tax Office launches an investigation into World Wide Group's shady tax management, Ray attempts to consolidate his relationship with his ex-wife and daughter.

Season 2 "Back in Very Small Business"

No.
overall
No. in
season
Title [4] Directed byWritten byOriginal air date
71"All Over Range Rover"Robyn ButlerWayne Hope, Gary McCaffrie & Robyn Butler5 September 2018 (2018-09-05)
Don's desperate to arrive at the Small Business Awards in a new prestige car. Following a financial setback Don works to quickly increase sales. Ray could solve the crisis by selling a franchise but only on one condition.
82"By Design"Robyn ButlerWayne Hope, Gary McCaffrie & Robyn Butler11 September 2018 (2018-09-11)
Leslie fights with staff about his new role and Ray struggles to get him to lower his artistic expectations. Don receives a visit from the ACCC and Leslie helps Cody come up with an ingenious women’s fashion belt for BRRR!
93"Bad Influence"Robyn ButlerWayne Hope, Gary McCaffrie & Robyn Butler19 September 2018 (2018-09-19)
Sam brings in Coco for a photo shoot with the 'Ammo', which has gone viral on Instagram. Don’s son asks for money to record an album and Ray avoids his ex as she tries to stop him financially assisting Leslie's transition.
104"Litigating Circumstances"Robyn ButlerWayne Hope, Gary McCaffrie & Robyn Butler26 September 2018 (2018-09-26)
The Ammo belt success is short lived thanks to a Facebook video of the Cambodian manufacturer going viral. Don deals with the fallout whilst also attending mediation for the Yaytionery's pineapple rubbers class action.
115"Crossing The Line"Robyn ButlerWayne Hope, Gary McCaffrie & Robyn Butler3 October 2018 (2018-10-03)
Don tries desperately to please Bridget, promising to deliver an order stuck at the docks. Don and Vijay awkwardly confront the Wharfies. Leslie's romantic encounter goes pear-shaped and Ray is forced to call Yvonne for help.
126"Family Trust"Robyn ButlerWayne Hope, Gary McCaffrie & Robyn Butler10 October 2018 (2018-10-10)
Angry with Bridget, Don advertises the cowhide chairs on Gumtree. Don and Sam must attend mediation at the ATO. Don’s son Alex demands income derived from the family trust and Sam struggles to deal with the family conflict.
137"Guardian Angel"Robyn ButlerWayne Hope, Gary McCaffrie & Robyn Butler17 October 2018 (2018-10-17)
Furious with Don, Alex has changed his last name and Don channels his shock and hurt into rebranding the WWBG. Ray escapes for a camping trip with Yvonne, and when Leslie falls apart he turns to Don.
148"FreeDon of Speech"Robyn ButlerWayne Hope, Gary McCaffrie & Robyn Butler24 October 2018 (2018-10-24)
When the Advertising Standards Bureau upholds a complaint against Don's Dirty Dog Wash, Don and Ray face the prospect of going their separate ways. Leslie and Sam rally to help their fathers.

DVD release

Very Small Business

Set DetailsSpecial Features
  • 6 Episodes
  • 16:9 Aspect Ratio
  • 1.78:1 Fullframe
  • Subtitles: No
  • English (2.0 Dolby)
  • Total running time: Approx 158 minutes
  • Don's Essentials of Small Business
  • Ray's Cognitive Behaviour Challenges
  • Don's Job Interviews (Roz Hammond, Bob Franklin & Tony Martin)
  • Ray's Other Advertorials
  • Don's Colonoscopy
  • Don's Business Insider Interview
  • 8 Deleted Scenes
  • Making of Very Small Business
  • Out Takes

See also

Related Research Articles

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

Frontline is an Australian comedy television series which satirised Australian television current affairs programmes and reporting. It ran for three series of 13 half-hour episodes and was broadcast on ABC TV in 1994, 1995 and 1997.

<i>Charlies Angels</i> American crime drama television series (1976–1981)

Charlie's Angels is an American crime drama television series that aired on ABC from September 22, 1976, to June 24, 1981, airing for five seasons consisting of 115 episodes. It was created by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts and was produced by Spelling-Goldberg Productions. The show follows the crime-fighting adventures of three women working at a private detective agency in Los Angeles, California, and originally starred Kate Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, and Jaclyn Smith in the leading roles and John Forsythe providing the voice of their boss, the unseen Charlie Townsend, who directed the crime-fighting operations of the "Angels" over a speakerphone. There were a few casting changes: after the departure of Fawcett, Cheryl Ladd joined; after Jackson departed, Shelley Hack joined, and she was subsequently replaced by Tanya Roberts.

<i>Blue Heelers</i> Australian police drama series

Blue Heelers is an Australian police drama series that was produced by Southern Star Group and ran for twelve years on the Seven Network, from 1994 to 2006. Although based around the policing of the town, the series generally depicted the everyday lives and relationships of the residents of Mount Thomas, a fictional small town in Victoria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Television in Australia</span>

Television in Australia began experimentally as early as 1929 in Melbourne with radio stations 3DB and 3UZ, and 2UE in Sydney, using the Radiovision system by Gilbert Miles and Donald McDonald, and later from other locations, such as Brisbane in 1934.

Sunday was an Australian current affairs, arts and politics program, broadcast nationally on Sunday mornings on the Nine Network Australia. The program covered a range of topical issues including local and overseas news, politics, and in-depth stories on Australia and the world, plus independent film reviews, independent arts features, and independent music reviews. Its final show aired on Sunday, 3 August 2008.

<i>Naked City</i> (TV series) American television series

Naked City is an American police procedural television series from Screen Gems that aired on ABC from 1958 to 1963. It was inspired by the 1948 motion picture The Naked City and mimics its dramatic "semi-documentary" format. As in the film, each episode concluded with a narrator intoning the iconic line: "There are eight million stories in the naked city. This has been one of them."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don Lane</span> American talk show host (1933–2009)

Don Lane was an American-born talk show host and singer, best known for his television career in Australia, especially for hosting Tonight with Don Lane and The Don Lane Show, which aired on the Nine Network from 1975 to 1983, and his appearances with Bert Newton.

<i>The Librarians</i> (2007 TV series) Australian television comedy series (2007–2010)

The Librarians is an Australian television comedy series which premiered on 31 October 2007 on ABC TV. In the Republic of Ireland, the show aired on RTÉ Two. The series is produced and written by Robyn Butler and Wayne Hope who are also the principal cast members. Hope is also the series' director. The first series comprised six half-hour episodes. The second series with another six episodes began airing on 5 August 2009 and was filmed at the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wayne Hope</span> Australian actor, writer, director, and producer

Wayne Hope is an Australian actor, writer, director, and producer. He is known for co-creating Very Small Business, Upper Middle Bogan and Summer Love.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robyn Butler</span> Australian writer, actress and producer

Robyn Butler is an Australian writer, actress and producer who is best known for her starring role in the television comedy series The Librarians. Butler hosted a radio program called Tough Love with Mick Molloy on the Triple M network. She is married to actor Wayne Hope with whom she runs the production company Gristmill, and is also the mother of actress Molly Daniels.

The Cut, written by John Misto, is an Australian television drama series which screened in 2009 on ABC1. The series comprises six one-hour episodes and stars John Wood.

Penguin Island is an Australian natural history television documentary series about the little penguin.

<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.

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. The second and third series began airing on 16 October 2014 and 12 October 2016, respectively.

<i>The Inbestigators</i> 2019 Australian television series

The Inbestigators is an Australian mockumentary children's television series. The show stars Abby Bergman, Anna Cooke, Aston Droomer and Jamil Smyth-Secka as Ava Andrikides, Maudie Miller, Ezra Banks and Kyle Klimson, respectively. The characters are fifth-graders who solve crimes in their school and neighbourhood. Created by Robyn Butler and Wayne Hope, the series has the comic tone of Little Lunch and an air of mystery. The show aired in two series from 21 June to 30 November 2019 on ABC Me. Netflix released the first and second series in mid-2019 and early 2020 respectively.

Molly Daniels is an Australian actress, writer, director, and producer. She is best known for her roles in You're Skitting Me, Tomorrow When the War Began, Ronny Chieng: International Student and Very Small Business. She was also a co-host on the ABC children's podcast Short and Curly.

One Plus One is an Australian long form television interview program on ABC TV. Each episode explores the life and career of a prominent individual.

Summer Love is an Australian anthology ensemble comedy series on ABC TV, first airing on 31 August 2022. The eight-part anthology series was created and produced by Robyn Butler and Wayne Hope.

References

  1. Kentera, Yasmin (14 April 2008). "New Hope for Small Business" (Press release). Retrieved 1 December 2011.
  2. "Back in Very Small Business to begin filming in December | TV Tonight".
  3. Knox, David (5 August 2008). "Airdate: Very Small Business". TV Tonight. Retrieved 1 December 2011.
  4. "Back in Very Small Business". ABC. Retrieved 3 October 2018.