Another reviewer here put it very well: Summer Heights High was balanced and engaging, but when Chris Lilley ventures off with single characters, the stories and character development falter.
Jonah is not an unrealistic character; he is that hyper, intensely irritating, in-the-name-of-all-that's-holy-STFU teenager that we've all seen somewhere, even if only in passing. He's pure, concentrated annoyance, desperate for any kind of attention or reaction. And I give Chris Lilley full points for being able to recreate that. But unless you're a social worker or a teacher specializing in behavior disorders, do you really want to spend time with that kid, even from the safety of your living room? Seriously, when the teacher breaks a chair against the wall or Jonah's father chases him across a bowling alley with a steady stream of obscenities and death threats, you understand completely.
And that's probably Lilley's point: How do you deal with someone so profoundly and unrelentingly obnoxious, but who is, after all, still a kid? I like that there are no Very Special Episodes (at least not so far) in which Jonah learns his lesson and vows to do better. Instead, we're only given brief glimpses of his possible humanity, e.g., his love for his younger brother or his semi-endearing delusions regarding his dance skills. But while it's more realistic for Jonah to carry on with little forward movement, the lack of development does mean that the show is repetitive and circular.
Jonah is not an unrealistic character; he is that hyper, intensely irritating, in-the-name-of-all-that's-holy-STFU teenager that we've all seen somewhere, even if only in passing. He's pure, concentrated annoyance, desperate for any kind of attention or reaction. And I give Chris Lilley full points for being able to recreate that. But unless you're a social worker or a teacher specializing in behavior disorders, do you really want to spend time with that kid, even from the safety of your living room? Seriously, when the teacher breaks a chair against the wall or Jonah's father chases him across a bowling alley with a steady stream of obscenities and death threats, you understand completely.
And that's probably Lilley's point: How do you deal with someone so profoundly and unrelentingly obnoxious, but who is, after all, still a kid? I like that there are no Very Special Episodes (at least not so far) in which Jonah learns his lesson and vows to do better. Instead, we're only given brief glimpses of his possible humanity, e.g., his love for his younger brother or his semi-endearing delusions regarding his dance skills. But while it's more realistic for Jonah to carry on with little forward movement, the lack of development does mean that the show is repetitive and circular.