Laid
Promotional poster for the series
GenreBlack comedy
Drama
Created byMarieke Hardy
Kirsty Fisher
Directed byTrent O'Donnell
Abe Forsythe
StarringAlison Bell
Celia Pacquola
Abe Forsythe
Toby Truslove
Damon Herriman
Opening theme"My Girl's Pussy" by R. Crumb & His Cheap Suit Serenaders
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
No. of series2
No. of episodes12
Production
Executive producersDebbie Lee
Vincent Sheehan
ProducerLiz Watts
Running time26–30 minutes
Original release
NetworkABC1
Release9 February 2011 (2011-02-09) –
6 June 2012 (2012-06-06)

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.

Overview

Roo McVie is a market researcher who faces an unenviable situation when her former lovers start dying in strange and unexpected circumstances. With EJ, her best friend and flatmate, Roo embarks on a quest to find a pattern and stop the trail of deaths.[1]

Cast

Adaptation

In October 2011, it was reported that television network NBC bought the rights to adapt an American version of the series.[2]

Home media

The first series of Laid was released on DVD under the title of Laid: The Complete First Season on 7 April 2011.[3] The second series was released on DVD under the title of Laid: The Complete Second Season on 5 July 2012.[4]

Accolades

Left to right:Liz Watts, Alison Bell, Marieke Hardy, Celia Pacquola and Kirsty Fisher at AACTA Awards 2012
Year Award Category Recipients and nominees Result
2011 AACTA Awards[5] Best Comedy Performance Alison Bell Nominated
Celia Pacquola Nominated
Best Comedy Series Liz Watts Won
Best Screenplay Kirsty Fisher Nominated
Australian Writers' Guild Awards[6] Best Situation or Narrative Episode Marieke Hardy Won
2012 Australian Directors Guild Awards[7] Best Direction in a TV Comedy Series Trent O'Donnell Nominated
Australian Writers' Guild Awards[8] Best Situation or Narrative Episode Marieke Hardy Nominated
Monte-Carlo Television Festival[9] Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series Damon Herriman Nominated

Episodes

Series 1

Series
# 		Season
# 		Title Directed by Written by Original air date
11"Episode 1"Trent O'DonnellMarieke Hardy9 February 2011 (2011-02-09)
Roo McVie is a market researcher who likes to have a good time. After attending former lover Brendan Atherton's funeral, she faces an unenviable situation when more of her former lovers start dying in strange and unexpected circumstances. She embarks on a quest to find a pattern and stop the litany of deaths with EJ, her best friend and flatmate.[10]
22"Episode 2"Trent O'DonnellMarieke Hardy16 February 2011 (2011-02-16)
It's a triple whammy for Roo when she sleeps with Zach post yet another break up with EJ, finds out that Charlie has a girlfriend and learns her past big love, Andrew, is dying.
33"Episode 3"Trent O'DonnellKirsty Fisher23 February 2011 (2011-02-23)
Charlie asks Roo to fill in on his indoor cricket team. Telly, a man who Roo had a drunken night with, plays for a rival team. Telly is hit in the head by a cricket ball and killed. Meanwhile, EJ has prepared a photo-board of Roo's exes. Roo tries to track down Russell Black, the next ex on her list, and tries to protect him. But he falls off a cliff and is rushed to the hospital. While Roo is in the waiting room, EJ calls to tell Roo the ex after Russ has died, which leaves her confused. A confession from Russ clears up why he didn't die – Russ didn't go all the way with Roo.
44"Episode 4"Trent O'DonnellMarieke Hardy2 March 2011 (2011-03-02)
Roo visits a suburban shaman who uses a hot tub to attempt to remove her curse. Zach finds the photo-board and works out that all the exes, including him, are slated for death. He decides to warn all Roo's former lovers and calls them to a meeting at a pub, where they all, except for him, die from food poisoning.
55"Episode 5"Trent O'DonnellMarieke Hardy9 March 2011 (2011-03-09)
Roo has moved out of the flat and EJ is not speaking to her, after EJ found out that Roo slept with Zach at the end of the previous episode.
66"Episode 6"Trent O'DonnellMarieke Hardy16 March 2011 (2011-03-16)
Zach holds his own wake and then decides to tick off his bucket list and while swimming in a shark tank chokes on a fish and is declared dead – only to revive, possibly dodging his fate. Charlie takes Roo to meet his mother, a spiritualist, who tells Roo she has to make peace with her dead lovers. After a ceremony doing this, Charlie believes the curse is lifted and they sleep together – the next day he doesn't wake up.

Series 2

Series
# 		Season
# 		Title Directed by Written by Original air date
71"Episode 1"Abe ForsytheMarieke Hardy and Kirsty Fisher2 May 2012 (2012-05-02)
Charlie is in a coma. G-Bomb recommends Roo see Marcus Dwyer, the "opposite" of Roo – any woman he has sex with is cured of her ailment. Charlie wakes from coma, but seems about to succumb to the curse, so Roo tries to get him to have sex with Marcus, but both refuse.
82"Episode 2"Abe ForsytheMarieke Hardy and Kirsty Fisher9 May 2012 (2012-05-09)
Charlie's mother Jan has sex with Marcus while EJ takes notes. Roo decides to have sex with Marcus to remove her curse, but he refuses, fearing he will lose his power. Zach believes he is the Second Coming of Christ, and tries to perform miracles, with little success.
93"Episode 3"Abe ForsytheMarieke Hardy16 May 2012 (2012-05-16)
Zach and his friend decide to spend the day with Marcus. Charlie recovers, then has a relapse after sleeping with Roo. Desperate, she decides to drug Marcus and rape him, but is unable to get him to perform.
104"Episode 4"Abe ForsytheMarieke Hardy23 May 2012 (2012-05-23)
Marcus tries to contact Roo, but EJ rebuffs him and takes Roo to a sexual healing retreat to keep her away from him. EJ has also lost patience with Zach's Jesus obsession and broken off with him; and Charlie attempts suicide.
115"Episode 5"Abe ForsytheKirsty Fisher30 May 2012 (2012-05-30)
Roo's great grandmother's funeral, her wake features a pinata. Marcus is impotent and blames Roo; she helps him rebuild his confidence. Zach meanwhile tries to take Marcus' place.
126"Episode 6"Abe ForsytheMarieke Hardy6 June 2012 (2012-06-06)
Marcus decides he is in love with Roo and says he will have sex with her, if she will stay with him. Roo agrees, and as they have sex Charlie is cured. Roo then abandons Marcus and later, when he tries to cure another woman, she dies instead.

References

  1. ^ "Australian Television: Laid".
  2. ^ "NBC Buys Comedy from Broken Lizard Duo, Adapts Australian Format 'Laid'". 7 October 2011.
  3. ^ "Laid - Series 1". ABC Shop. 7 April 2011. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
  4. ^ "Laid - Series 2". ABC Shop. 5 July 2012. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
  5. ^ Maddox, Garry (30 November 2011). "The Hunter and Eye of the Storm dominate AACTA nominations". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 9 October 2012.
  6. ^ Knox, David (18 August 2011). "2011 AWGIE Awards: nominees". TV Tonight. Retrieved 9 October 2012.
  7. ^ "The Adg Awards 2012 & 30th Anniversary Celebration". Australian Directors Guild. April 2012. Archived from the original on 11 March 2019. Retrieved 9 October 2012.
  8. ^ "45th Annual AWGIE Awards Nominees". Australian Writers' Guild. Archived from the original on 1 March 2014. Retrieved 9 October 2012.
  9. ^ Atkinson, Frances (26 April 2012). "Best Laid plans of Roo and men". The Age. Retrieved 9 October 2012.
  10. ^ "Laid". Australian Television. Retrieved 15 June 2012.

External links

AACTA Award for Best Television Comedy Series
Categories