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Upright (TV series)

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Upright
GenreComedy drama
Created byChris Taylor
Written by
Directed by
Starring
Composers
Country of origin
  • Australia
  • United Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes16
Production
Executive producers
  • Morwenna Gordon
  • Tim Minchin
  • Helen Bowden
  • Penny Win
  • Carly Heaton
Producers
CinematographyKatie Milwright
Editors
  • Deborah Peart
  • Mark Perry
Running time25–30 minutes
Production companyLingo Pictures
Original release
Network
Release28 November 2019 (2019-11-28) –
13 December 2022 (2022-12-13)

Upright is an Australian comedy drama television series created by Chris Taylor that premiered on 28 November 2019 on Sky Atlantic in the United Kingdom, and on 1 December 2019 on Fox Showcase in Australia.[1] The series stars Tim Minchin and Milly Alcock in the lead roles, with Minchin also writing and composing.[2] The series was later broadcast on Super Channel in Canada and on SundanceNow in the USA.

In October 2021, the series was renewed for a second season, which premiered in its entirety on 15 November 2022 on Fox Showcase in Australia and moved to Sky Comedy in the UK.[3]

Premise

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The first season follows the journey of Lucky, a struggling musician, and Meg, a runaway teenager who, after literally crashing into each other's lives, attempt to transport an upright piano across the southern Australian Outback to Lucky's terminally ill mother in his hometown of Perth.

The second season takes place four years later, where Lucky, now a successful musician, and Meg, who is two months pregnant, reunite and embark on a mission to find Meg's missing mum in the rainforests of northern Queensland.

Cast and characters

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Main

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Recurring

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Guest

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Season 1

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Season 2

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Episodes

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SeriesEpisodesOriginally released
First releasedLast released
1828 November 2019 (2019-11-28)19 December 2019 (2019-12-19)
2822 November 2022 (2022-11-22)13 December 2022 (2022-12-13)

Season 1 (2019)

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No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date [6]
11"Episode 1"Matthew SavilleTim Minchin28 November 2019 (2019-11-28)
Lucky Flynn wants to head to Perth to return his family piano. He forges an unlikely bond with a young runaway named Meg.
22"Episode 2"Matthew SavilleChris Taylor & Tim Minchin28 November 2019 (2019-11-28)
Lucky struggles without his anxiety medication. Meg picks a fight with bikers in a small town pub.
33"Episode 3"Matthew SavilleLeon Ford5 December 2019 (2019-12-05)
Lucky and Meg need fuel, which is complicated by Meg losing her wallet, along with all their money.
44"Episode 4"Matthew SavilleKate Mulvany5 December 2019 (2019-12-05)
Lucky and Meg reach the half way point across the Nullarbor. At a roadside camp Lucky is goaded into reliving his glory days. Meg starts to realise that running won't leave her problems behind.
55"Episode 5"Matthew SavilleKate Mulvany12 December 2019 (2019-12-12)
Abandoned on the Nullarbor, Lucky gets a snake bite.
66"Episode 6"Matthew SavilleLeon Ford12 December 2019 (2019-12-12)
Lucky abandons his piano in order to continue his journey west. Meg steals a horse float.
77"Episode 7"Tim Minchin & Matthew SavilleChris Taylor & Tim Minchin19 December 2019 (2019-12-19)
Lucky gets arrested for stealing the horse float. Esme, the horse float owner drops charges but it's not Lucky's day.
88"Episode 8"Tim Minchin & Matthew SavilleTim Minchin19 December 2019 (2019-12-19)
Meg learns the truth about the piano. Lucky arrives home for his mother's final days. Deathbed confession.

Season 2 (2022)

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No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date [6]
91"Reunion"Mirrah FoulkesTim Minchin22 November 2022 (2022-11-22)
Years after his adventure with Meg, Lucky struggles to adjust to his new life as a successful musician and it's not long before Meg comes bursting back into his chaotic world.
102"Tomatoes"Mirrah FoulkesTim Minchin22 November 2022 (2022-11-22)
Beginning their search in Queensland for Meg's mum, Lucky struggles to manage his relationship back home as Meg is startled by someone who followed her from Karingunna.
113"Bananas"Mirrah FoulkesTim Minchin29 November 2022 (2022-11-29)
As Meg continues the search for her mum in Cairns, Lucky tries to lie low to avoid his dubious past.
124"Reparations"Mirrah FoulkesIan Meadows29 November 2022 (2022-11-29)
Lucky and Meg head out of Cairns, but Lucky's best-forgotten past catches up with him.
135"Fold"Mirrah FoulkesNatesha Somasundaram & Tim Minchin6 December 2022 (2022-12-06)
Wounded in the rainforest, Lucky is desperate to return to civilisation, but Meg wants to push on as they get close to finding her mother.
146"Eskimo Jonestown"Mirrah FoulkesNiki Aken6 December 2022 (2022-12-06)
Meg and Lucky finally make it to the Wellfulness Commune but don't get the reception they were expecting.
157"Harmless Untruths"Mirrah FoulkesTim Minchin13 December 2022 (2022-12-13)
Trapped at the Wellfulness Commune, Lucky starts to unravel its secrets as Meg finally gets the chance to speak to her mother.
168"Enough's Enough"Mirrah FoulkesTim Minchin13 December 2022 (2022-12-13)
After escaping the commune, Lucky and Meg race back to Sydney hoping to make it in time to meet Billie at the airport.

Production

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Lake Bumbunga in South Australia was used as a filming location for some scenes,[7] with over 50 cast members performing in the pink lake at the same time.[8]

Reception

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"The whole thing is both quintessentially Australian and deliciously unexpected," wrote Melinda Houston for The Sydney Morning Herald when the show originally aired, adding "great to see another show making creative use of our landscapes: the dry interior is blasted one moment, enchanted the next."[9] Decider wrote "Minchin and Alcock make a good road trip pair, and that’s pretty much what Upright is all about," and gave it a "stream it" verdict.[5] In Luke Buckmaster's review for The Guardian, he characterizes the two leads: "Minchin’s performance combines stoner-like man-child and emotionally stunted adult with a splash of shaggy panache all his own, evolving his character from sad-sack weirdo to a reasonably complex person. Alcock is excellent as the other half of the odd couple: with a head-turning, hair-trigger performance that delivers the show an almost electrical energy."[4]

References

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  1. ^ Northover, Kylie (10 November 2022). "'Why tread water?': Tim Minchin takes a risk with his proudest project yet". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  2. ^ "When is Tim Minchin's Upright coming to TV?". Chortle. 3 October 2019. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  3. ^ "Upright: Sky Atlantic's Upright Will Air Season 2 on November 15, 2022". Premieredate. 17 October 2022. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Upright review – Tim Minchin's road-trip series is clever, scenic and addictively good". the Guardian. 2 December 2019. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Stream It Or Skip It: 'Upright' On Sundance Now, An Australian Dramedy About Two Misfits On A Cross-Continent Road Trip". Decider. 14 August 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Upright – Episode Listings". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  7. ^ Jones, Kate (29 March 2021). "Escape to Lochiel, South Australia: Great for crowds and pink lake pics for the socials". Domain. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  8. ^ Sulda, Dixie (17 February 2023). "South Australia's Lake Bumbunga attracts tourists from far and wide. But why is it pink?". ABC News. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  9. ^ Melinda Houston (23 November 2019). "Odd couple road-trip series hits all the right notes". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
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