Supernova: about


About the series

A small plane jolts through the endless blue of an Australian sky, hot, red earth rising to meet it. It's about 100 degrees in the shade: the acacia shimmers in the hard, blinding haze, stretching for miles to what has to be a mirage ­ the shining, white dome of the Royal Australian Observatory. On the plane, hapless British astronomer Dr Paul Hamilton (Rob Brydon) sees his new and glorious life stretching before him. A life where he can be an astronomer, rather than just teach others how to embrace that glorious goal. Where he can leave behind his boring girlfriend and her collection of Aztec jewellery, which he hates.

But the Aussie outback is about to deliver up a bit more than pale Dr Paul is expecting. And this bumpy plane ride is nothing compared to what his oddball colleagues are about to dish up.

Supernova is a six-part comedy series about love, life and the universe set in one of the most advanced scientific facilities in the world. It takes viewers crashing through black holes, cosmic stardust and primal gases as its characters brave heat, flies, noxious toads and crazy locals to unravel the mysteries of the universe. And it ponders the greatest question of all: will Paul get the girl?

With one of the UK's most popular and successful comic actors, Rob Brydon, as Dr Paul Hamilton, and a stellar Australian ensemble cast, including Kris McQuade, Kat Stewart, Peter Kowitz, Tim Draxl and Hollie Andrew, Supernova is a classic fish out of water comedy. It traces the fortunes, and misfortunes, of English astronomer Paul Hamilton, who lands a job working and living with a motley collection of highly-intelligent, but slightly screwy, colleagues in the Australian outback. It's a place where, no matter how hard he tries, his stitched-up British sense of what's right will be sorely tested. And where he can leave his inhibitions at the door.

Directed by Matt Lipsey (Little Britain, Lenny Henry in Pieces, Human Remains) and co-produced by Fox World Australia and Hartswood Films, UK-TV in Australia and Hartswood Films for BBC Two in the UK.