“Aunty Donna’s” Haven’t You Done Well Productions is backing a new TV pilot from rising Western Sydney creative Munasib Hamid, with “Westerners” set to debut on ABC iview on April 9.
Developed under ABC’s “Fresh Blood” initiative, the half-hour pilot blends surrealist comedy with sincere drama, following three second-generation Australians navigating love, cultural identity, and family pressure in Bankstown.
Co-created by Hamid and comedian Kevin Duo Han, “Westerners” has been described as “if ‘Atlanta’ was set in Bankstown” or “what would happen if A24 made ‘Superwog.’” Drawing inspiration from millennial absurdist comedies like “Ramy,” “Man Seeking Woman,” and “Beef,” the pilot leans into hyper-stylized chaos and heartfelt character work.
The cast includes Natasha Cheng as Jackie, a creatively blocked painter who finds herself caught in the eye of a diversity-driven cultural storm. Mark Mariano co-wrote the script, while rising Australian artist Agung Mango delivers his first-ever score for television.
Produced by Monique Mulcahy and executive produced by Aunty Donna’s Sam Lingham, Georgia Mappin, and Max Miller, “Westerners” is part of a growing wave of projects amplifying stories from Australia’s diaspora communities.
“Our cultural backgrounds represent the diasporas of Australia, in particular Western Sydney, which has such a strong cultural identity and perspective never explored in a dramedy series of this tone and aesthetic. We’re here to change that,” Hamid says in the pilot’s creator statement, highlighting the show’s mission to spotlight underrepresented voices in the industry.
“Westerners” will premiere on ABC iview on April 9, with a television broadcast to follow on April 16 at 9 p.m. AEDT. A Sydney premiere screening is scheduled for April 4.