Australian TV comedy is underrated probably because only a select few shows are released overseas. Fisk, thanks to Netflix, does get aired in other countries. But the fact that none of my non-Aussie friends talk about this show (unlike Deadloch, which received plenty of international plaudits) tells me that either people haven’t watched Fisk, or you all have terrible taste.

Fisk might not be belly-laugh humour, but it has a warmth and an eye for the absurd that are genuinely wonderful. The show does play into cringe-comedy tropes, but it’s never, ever extreme. There isn’t a mean bone in Fisk’s telegenic body.

For those who have never seen it, Fisk centres on the titular Helen Tudor-Fisk (played by the genuinely magnificent Kitty Flanagan), a will and probate lawyer who dresses like Colombo and finds herself at loose ends when her marriage and recent employment come to a crushing end. She relocates from Sydney to Melbourne, where she gets a gig at Gruber & Gruber, run by brother and sister team Ray and Roz. Quirky capers ensue as Fisk, who has made awkwardness into an art form (small talk, not her thing), deals with various clientele, all far stranger than her. She is assisted by Gruber & Gruber’s webmaster, George (no one does deadpan like Aaron Chen).   

The show is a who’s who of Aussie comedy (and the odd New Zealand friend). If you’re from the UK and you’ve watched Aussie Taskmaster, you’ll recognise a bunch of faces across the three seasons. 

Talking about seasons, the third one is as lovely as the first two. I’m not going to dive into the plot threads because it’s not that sort of show, but there are developments and even some neat character work. Also, New Zealand’s very own Ray O’Leary guest stars (his scenes with Kitty are mint). 

True, there are a few belly laughs, but you’re always disappointed when an episode ends. I eagerly await a fourth season.