SBS broadens its comedy slate with two acquisitions

SBS has acquired two non-English language comedies Hellfjord and Klown, as it moves to broaden its comedy offering on SBS ONE.

The announcement:

SBS continues its commitment to intelligent, quality programming with the acquisition of two non-English language comedies Hellfjord and Klown, as it moves to broaden its comedy offering on SBS ONE.

Norwegian series Hellfjord follows Salmander, a disgraced police officer banished to the mysterious island of Hellfjord in Norway’s far north after he accidentally kills his police horse in front of thousands of children. Hellfjord is inhabited by a decidedly strange community of residents intent on keeping themselves to themselves, but when Salmander begins to scratch the surface, he discovers a secret that will turn Hellfjord upside down.

Danish series Klown is an awkward, irreverent, mockumentary style series, and follows two friends (played by popular stand-up comedians Frank Hvam and Casper Christensen) as exaggerated versions of their celebrity selves, in various daily misadventures and debauched scenarios.

Cannibalism, cancer and issues of race are just a few taboos addressed in the series that has attracted a cult following in Scandinavia and spawned an award-winning feature film in 2010 of the same name.

“Television comedy is a difficult genre to travel internationally,” said SBS Director of TV and Online Content Tony Iffland, “but these two series are edgy and smart, and we know they will sit well with our audience.

“SBS has brought Australians the best in foreign language film and drama and we now want to offer the best TV comedies from around the world, whether it is in English or not.”

SBS is constantly looking for comedy that is intelligent, irreverent and a little leftfield. Australian audiences have ample opportunity to view comedy in traditional formats, and SBS is looking to offer content which is distinctive and bold.

Source: SBS press release.