In this hilarious series set in a real Australian high school, actor/comedian Chris Lilley stars as three different characters: a vain drama teacher, a self-absorbed boy, and a haughty female exchange student. Hysterical, absurd and frequently shocking, Summer Heights High reveals a world where small issues become huge, social groups are critical, young minds are molded, hopes are shattered and dreams are realized.
DVD Features:
Deleted Scenes
Outtakes
Australian writer/performer Chris Lilley specializes in the comedy of narcissism. All three of his characters in the mockumentary series Summer Heights High are blindly, maddeningly self-absorbed: Mr. G, a drama teacher who writes and directs his own musicals; Ja’mie, a preening 16-year-old from a wealthy private school who views her year at public school as purgatory; and Jonah, a Tongan juvenile delinquent who’s been previously expelled from two other schools. The series’ 8 episodes follow these three as they seek to find some form of fame and adulation.Mr. G struggles to create a musical about a student who recently died of a drug overdose… only it becomes increasingly about a heroic drama teacher whose dog dies in an accident; Ja’mie desperately wants to stage a formal dance and will lie, bribe, and manipulate to do it; and Jonah wants to do breakdancing with his posse, but he’s simply incapable of keeping himself from insulting his teachers and getting into fights with other students. While Mr. G and Ja’mie are blinkered monsters, Jonah verges on tragic, as he stumbles towards increasing self-destruction. The thoroughness of Lilley’s creations is impressive, as the comedian loses himself fully in these characters. Still, some viewers may find them more aggravating than funny; just a hint of self-awareness might have made them a little easier to spend time with. But for anyone who connects with Lilley’s humor, Summer Heights High will be a feast of juicy, unfiltered, rampaging egomania. –Bret Fetzer
Stills from Summer Heights High (Click for larger image)
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Rating: 
(out of 30 reviews)
List Price: $ 29.98
Price: $ 14.99
Related Blogs
- Related Blogs on Heights
October 7, 2010
#1
Review by Juviebetfixer
Rating:
Australia has given us some excellent character actors: script-ripping stagemen who can become larger than life caricatures. Think Crocodile Dundee, or — better yet — Dame Edna.
But Chris Lilley has come along and surpassed them all. Indeed, his versatility and roaringly off-putting humour surpasses any of the dark humour in ‘Little Britain’ or other such countrywide satires.
Now we in North America can enjoy ‘Summer Heights High’, one of the truly wicked and funny send-ups of a secondary school mini-universe, its cliques, turf wars, and teachers (who are barely more mature than the students).
‘Summer Heights High’ deserves proper sequential viewing — one cannot simply dive into a later episode and acquire the plot. Lilley’s immense talent for character-forming deserves close attention and patience as he lays down, through improvisation, innuendo, and sheer brilliance for skit acting, three distinct narratives (which amazingly never cross paths) in a suburban Australian school. Details of these three personas which he takes on can be found widely, so I won’t repeat the background stories here. I just want to state that Lilley’s ability to assume different characters is positively uncanny. I mean, uncanny. Take an excellent method actor and combine it with a razor mouthed pirrahna of improv and quick-thinking, and you get a sense of just how kooky and unpredictable Lilley is.
For my money, it surpasses the muti-headed hydra pranks of Cohen (of ‘Borat’ fame). Because Lilley can deliver sinister and scathing satire on racism, drugs, and just about every other taboo — but just when you wonder if he’s a nihilist, out comes a breathtaking moment of magnificent spirit and heart. The final scenes involving Jonah Takalua are simply headshakingly good, without any hint of that ‘very special moment’ that usually mars most dramas supposedly about teens.
Chris Lilley, you’re brilliant, mate.
October 7, 2010
#2
Review by *Caligirl_08*
Rating:
I’m not Australian and have never been there. I stumbled upon this show by accident and watched all 8 episodes in two days. It’s really hilarious and I love how in Australia touchy subjects and foul language aren’t censored! It makes things much more real and true to life. I wish there were more episodes but it’s more fitting for it to end the way it did. My favorite was Jonah Takalua and his friends, but Mr. G and Ja’mie were hilarious too! I didn’t realize Ofa was a girl until episode 3!
This show makes me want to search for more Aussie shows and to visit Australia for vacation. I’ve heard HBO has picked this up, I’d recommend everyone give it a try. if you guys liked Ali G & Borat you will surely love this!
October 7, 2010
#3
Review by EarthFan
Rating:
Chris Lilley has done it again. Summer Heights High is his best work yet. This series is about three characters(all played by Lilley) at a high school in Austraila(where the series is based). We meet Jonah, a 13 year old delinquent. Ja’mie, a snobby, downright awful girl who was transfered from a private school. My personal favourite is Mr.G, the drama teacher, whos ego is as large as Aussie itself. This one isnt really for the kids though. Most of the humour will go right over their heads (plus the swearing).
This series is refreshing and new. I’m so glad it FINALLY came to America.
If you cant wait, buy the Region 4 dvd. It will work on some American dvd players.
October 7, 2010
#4
Review by L. B.
Rating:
Really, really funny. Good writing/improv, great performances! Why have so few people heard of this????
It is an odd funny, but when they get it, they REALLY get it! There were even a few really touching moments… and then they get you again!
I had turn on subtitles and Google a few words sometimes because I do not know Australian slang (eg. Povo, Pashing, etc.)
Sadly, the musical numbers in Mr. G’s show are better than a lot of musicals I have seen coming out of Broadway lately! At least they are catchy… I caught myself humming one of the songs in the shower the other day! But the show sequences are brilliant… one of the funniest things I have seen on TV in a long time was the dog in the grand finale.
Yes, it is mean… that is why it is funny. Like so many great comedy shows, from South Park to Saturday Night Live, they do not discriminate… EVERYONE gets made fun of. If you are too sensitive to appreciate this type of humor, just skip it. I am gay (one of the big targets in the show), and I think it is hysterical!
October 7, 2010
#5
Review by J. Arena
Rating:
I discovered Summer Heights High quite by accident. Someone else turned it on, and not really paying full attention for the first few moments I came to the realization that I was not being subjected to some sappy documentary about kids in school, but headed down the rabbit hole into an insane world dominated by Chris Lilley.
All I can say is that Chris Lily possesses the talents of every one of the Kids in the Hall, Monty Python and the first two seasons of SNL in his little finger. I watched eight episodes in rapid succession, and I’m still desperate for more, more, more!
Mr. Lilly — wherever you are — be aware that I am in awe of your talent!