“Finally, a Show About Men!,” an Australian short-form animated sketch comedy satirizing modern masculinity, premieres Sunday on Aunty Donna’s Grouse House YouTube channel from Gold Coast’s Sad Man Studio.
The series is produced by husbands Samuel Leighton-Dore, who also serves as writer, and Bradley Tennant, with backing from Screen Queensland’s Online Production Grants. The pair co-direct the studio.
“With ‘Finally, a Show About Men!,’ we wanted to create something emotionally honest, globally recognizable, and genuinely funny while exploring masculinity as both deeply human and slightly absurd,” Leighton-Dore said. “The series comes from a fascination with the contradictions of modern manhood – how performative, vulnerable, lonely, and theatrical it can be all at once. Animation gave us a way to approach those ideas through satire, surrealism, and heightened worlds that still feel emotionally truthful.”
The debut episode, “A Scrum Is A Safe Space,” is rugby-themed. Leighton-Dore and Tennant previously produced animated short film “Sensitive Gym Bros” and co-created animated sitcom “Willy,” now in development at Ludo Studio – the production company behind “Bluey” – and slated for a graphic novel release through Penguin Random House.
“Screen Queensland is proud to support ‘Finally, a Show About Men!’ through our Online Production Grants, which champion emerging talent across the state,” said Julie Eckersley, executive director, Screen Content at Screen Queensland. “This bold animated series shows how online platforms are opening up space for voices to experiment with personal themes and connect meaningfully with audiences. We congratulate Sad Man Studio and the entire team on their commitment to unique storytelling and their exploration of big emotions.”
Leighton-Dore added: “As the show explores, being a man is complex, serious, and often misunderstood – but occasionally, against all odds, a little bit sweet and funny. We’re excited for not all men to love what we’ve made.”