A Moody Christmas (Episode One): Separate Seats Phil Lloyd & Trent O’Donnell

Shortlisted

Group of people sitting around a Christmas Tree celebrating Christmas for A Moody Christmas

JUDGES' COMMENTS 

When his girlfriend jilts him at the airport check-in, prodigal son Dan Moody has to return to Sydney to endure his family Christmas alone. Jet-lagged and despondent, Dan knows with grim certainty that his Christmas is going to be far from merry. The first episode of the series, this script introduces Dan and his idiosyncratic extended family and sets the riotous scene for Christmases to come.

Phil Lloyd and Trent O’Donnell have succeeded in creating an energetic and comedic snapshot of a wildly dysfunctional family on the one day of the year that is meant to bring out the best in us. Playing on the stereotypical Australian Christmas, complete with prawns on the barbie and backyard cricket, the larger-than-life characters are drawn with affection and the interplay of physical and character-based humour results in a thoroughly engaging and entertaining episode that launches a promising series.