American television series
Hung is an American comedy-drama television series that ran on HBO from June 28, 2009, to December 4, 2011. It was created by Colette Burson and Dmitry Lipkin, and stars Thomas Jane as Ray Drecker, a struggling suburban Detroit high-school basketball and baseball coach who resorts to prostitution. The second season premiered on June 27, 2010, and concluded its 10-episode run on September 12, 2010. The third season premiered on October 2, 2011, and concluded its 10-episode run on December 4, 2011. The series was cancelled after three seasons.[1]
Plot
Hung follows Ray Drecker (Jane), a high-school basketball coach in the suburbs of Detroit, who is short on money. He is also the father of twin teenagers (Charlie Saxton and Sianoa Smit-McPhee) who move in with their remarried mother (Anne Heche) after a fire damages the childhood home Ray still owns. With no insurance to cover the damage from the fire, Ray is left without many options. With the help of a friend, Tanya (Jane Adams), Ray decides to use his above-average sized penis as an opportunity to make money. The episodes center on Ray's attempts to maintain a normal life while starting his business as a prostitute. Together, Tanya and Ray start their business, Happiness Consultants.
The second season focuses on the complex dynamic between Ray and his two pimps, Tanya and Lenore (Rebecca Creskoff). Lenore, a life coach whom Tanya brought in to help them in the early stages of the business, began taking over Happiness Consultants late in the first season, as she believes she can take Ray into new business areas and views Tanya as an obstacle.
The third season has Tanya and Ray forced to compete for clients against Lenore and her younger gigolo Jason (Stephen Amell).
Production
The show's pilot was directed by film-maker Alexander Payne, who served as executive producer along with Burson, Lipkin, and Blueprint Entertainment. Burson and Lipkin's script was the first major purchase by the network's new entertainment president Sue Naegle in April 2008. This led the writers to immediately work on five more episodes for the series, a total of 10 episodes. On December 18, 2008, HBO announced picking up the series for its first season, which ran from June 28, 2009, to September 13, 2009. On July 30, 2009, HBO announced it had renewed the series for its second season, which ran from June 27, 2010.[3] In December 2011, HBO announced the cancellation of the series, ending it after three seasons.[4]
For his role as Ray Decker, Thomas Jane was nominated three times as Best Actor for a Golden Globe.
The theme song for Hung is "I'll Be Your Man" by The Black Keys[5] from their debut album The Big Come Up (2002).
Much of the show was filmed in the suburban Detroit cities of Royal Oak, Hamtramck, White Lake, Troy, Walled Lake, Clarkston, and West Bloomfield, Michigan.;[6] and from 2010-2011 was shot in Stage 7 at the Paramount Studios.
Reception
Hung was well received by critics. For its first season, the series' reviews equated to generally positive, with special mentions made to Thomas Jane and Jane Adams for their lead performances.[7] The show received many nominations during its run.[8]
- Casting Society of America, USA
- 2010: Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Television Pilot (Comedy): Lisa Beach and Sarah Katzman (nominated)[8]
- Golden Globe Awards
- Primetime Emmy Award
- Satellite Awards
- Writers Guild of America Award
