Hunderby is a British dark comedy television series produced by Sky and written by Julia Davis.[3] It was first broadcast on Sky Atlantic in 2012. The series won two awards at the British Comedy Awards in 2012; it also won Davis a BAFTA TV Award for best comedy writing. Hunderby returned in December 2015 for a second series consisting of two one-hour specials.
Plot
In the 1831, a woman named Helene is washed ashore after her ship is wrecked off the English coast.[4] There, she is courted by Edmund, a local pastor, and they soon get married under the understanding that Helene is still pure.[citation needed] However, she has a dark past that she must hide from him.
When Helene moves into Edmund’s home, she falls under the watchful eye of housekeeper Dorothy, who is more than a little involved in her master’s life and quite obsessed with his dead first wife, Arabelle, to whom, in her opinion, Helene simply does not compare. While Helene battles to keep her past a secret,[4] she must navigate Dorothy’s devious scheming, her husband’s harsh critique and a potential new love interest in the form of Dr. Foggerty.
Cast
Main characters
- Julia Davis as Dorothy
- Alexandra Roach as Helene
- Alex Macqueen as Edmund Suffolk Finch
- Rufus Jones as Dr. Foggerty
- Julian Barratt as Narrator
Supporting roles
- Rebekah Staton as Annie
- Daniel Lawrence Taylor as Geoff
- Rosie Cavaliero as Hester
- Ben Bishop as Tom
- James Greene as Old Ian
- Jane Stanness as Biddy Ritherfoot
- Rosalind Knight as Mother Mathilde
- Alexander Armstrong as Brother Joseph
- Kevin Eldon as John Whiffin
Writing
The series was inspired by Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier,[5] as well as Thomas Hardy‘s Tess of the d’Urbervilles.[6] It was written by Julia Davis and Barunka O’Shaughnessy.
The language used in the period piece was carefully, but combines different periods of language-use.[4][6]
Production
The series was shot entirely in natural lighting and candlelight.[4]
Reception
Sam Wollaston, television critic for The Guardian, was enthusiastic about the programme.[7] He concludes: “Hunderby is filth… the filthiest filth, but also top quality filth, and you can get away with a lot by being very good, and very funny, which it is.”[7]
Ratings
Hunderby debuted on Sky Atlantic in August 2012 with 246,000 viewers, the channel’s second highest rated show of the week, after The Borgias.[8] In subsequent weeks ratings remained high for Sky Atlantic, with figures all above 100,000. The series had 211,000 viewers.
Awards
In 2012, Hunderby won a British Comedy Award for Best Sitcom, and another for Best New Comedy Programme.[9] For Best Sitcom, its competition was Rev, The Thick of It, and Twenty Twelve; for Best New Comedy Programme, it competed with Cardinal Burns, Moone Boy, and Alan Partridge: Welcome to the Places of My Life.[10]
In 2013, Hunderby won Julia Davis a BAFTA Craft award for “Best Comedy Writing;” Davis was also nominated for a BAFTA TV Award in the category “Best Female Performance in a Comedy Programme.” Hunderby itself was nominated for a BAFTA in the “Situation Comedy” category.[citation needed]
References
- ^ “Sky Atlantic Commissions New Julia Davis Comedy Hunderby | Radio Times”. Radio Times. 26 January 2012. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
- ^ Megarry, Daniel (10 December 2015). “Julia Davis and Rufus Jones on the Return of Hunderby – Gay Times”. Gay Times. Archived from the original on 29 August 2018. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
- ^ Harvey, Chris (27 August 2012). “Julia Davis on Hunderby, Sky Atlantic: “My horror of cruelty is why I write about it.”“. The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
- ^ a b c d “Woman’s Hour – Julia Davis, Anna Del Conte, post-natal psychosis – BBC Sounds”. BBC. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
- ^ Edinburgh TV Festival (18 September 2015). Hunderby Q&A with Julia Davis & Rufus Jones. Retrieved 20 March 2026 – via YouTube.
- ^ a b Dickens, Andrew (2012). “Interview: Julia Davis”. Stylist. Archived from the original on 29 October 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
I’ve lived on my own quite a lot before, and I do like my solitude. Now I’ve got twins, it’s quite hard to be on my own.
- ^ a b Wollaston, Sam (11 December 2015). “Hunderby review: ‘Woodland sex before the opening credits – oh it’s good to have Julia Davis back’“. The Guardian. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
- ^ “Top 10 Programmes – BARB”. Archived from the original on 18 July 2014.
- ^ Dessau, Bruce (13 December 2012). “British comedy awards: worthy winners?”. The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 26 March 2026.
- ^ “Winners 2012”. British Comedy Awards.