Hung (TV series)
| Hung | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Genre | Comedy-drama |
| Created by | Dmitry Lipkin Colette Burson |
| Starring | Thomas Jane Jane Adams Eddie Jemison Sianoa Smit-McPhee Charlie Saxton Rebecca Creskoff Gregg Henry Lennie James Stephen Amell Anne Heche |
| Opening theme | "I'll Be Your Man" by The Black Keys |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 30 (List of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Dmitry Lipkin Colette Burson Alexander Payne Michael Rosenberg Noreen Halpern John Morayniss |
| Running time | 28 minutes |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | HBO |
| Original run | June 28, 2009 – December 4, 2011 |
| External links | |
| Website | |
Hung is a comedy-drama series, which premiered on HBO on June 28, 2009. The series was created by Dmitry Lipkin and Colette Burson and stars Thomas Jane as Ray Drecker, a struggling suburban Detroit high school basketball coach who resorts to male prostitution. The second season premiered on June 27, 2010 and concluded its 10 episode run on September 12, 2010. On September 2, 2010 it was announced that HBO had ordered Hung for a third season consisting of 10 episodes, which premiered on October 2, 2011.[1] On December 20, 2011 HBO decided not to renew Hung for a fourth season.[2]
Contents |
[edit] Plot
Hung follows Ray Drecker (Thomas Jane), an unhappy, financially strapped history teacher and athletic coach at a high school in suburban Detroit. He is also the father of twin teenagers (Charlie Saxton and Sianoa Smit-McPhee) who are currently living with their remarried mother (Anne Heche). After a fire destroys the childhood home Ray still owns and lived in, he is left without many options. With the help of a friend, Tanya (Jane Adams), Ray decides to turn his extremely large penis into an opportunity to make money. The episodes center on Ray's attempts to maintain a "normal" life while starting his business as a male prostitute. Together, Tanya and Ray begin their business, "Happiness Consultants".
The second season focuses on the complex dynamic between Ray and his two pimps, Tanya and Lenore (Rebecca Creskoff). Lenore, a life coach whom Tanya brought in to help them in the early stages of the business, began taking over Happiness Consultants late in the first season, as she believes she can take Ray places in the business and views Tanya as an obstacle.
The third season sees Tanya and Ray forced to compete for clients against Lenore and her younger prostitute Jason (Stephen Amell).
[edit] Production
The show's pilot was directed by filmmaker Alexander Payne, who served as executive producer along with Lipkin, Burson, and Blueprint Entertainment. Lipkin and Burson's script was the first major purchase by the network's new entertainment president Sue Naegle in April 2008. This led the writers to immediately work on five more episodes for the series, a total of ten episodes. On December 18, 2008, HBO announced picking up the series for its first season, which ran from June 28, 2009 to September 13, 2009. On July 30, 2009, HBO announced it had renewed the series for its second season, which ran from June 27, 2010.[3] In December 2011, HBO announced the cancellation of the series, ending it after three seasons.[4]
The theme song for Hung is "I'll Be Your Man" by The Black Keys[5] from their debut album The Big Come Up (2002). The track can also be found on the Rescue Me Original Television Soundtrack (2006) album.
Much of the show is filmed in the suburban Detroit cities of Royal Oak, White Lake, Troy, Walled Lake, and West Bloomfield, Michigan.[6]
[edit] Cast and characters
[edit] Main
- Thomas Jane as Ray Drecker: Former star athlete turned high school teacher/coach and single dad who becomes a prostitute in order to provide a better life for himself and his children.
- Jane Adams as Tanya Skagle: A former flame of Ray's who reunites with him later on. She takes on the role of his pimp after proving to have optimism to make money in the business.
- Anne Heche as Jessica Haxon: Ray's ex-wife who is trying to build a relationship with her children as they drift away from her. She also finds herself drifting from her new husband, Ronnie.
- Charlie Saxton as Damon Drecker: Ray and Jessica's son. He partakes in goth-like activities and is unsure as to his exact sexuality. He has issues with his mom and is much more comfortable around his father.
- Sianoa Smit-McPhee as Darby Drecker: Ray and Jessica's daughter, and Damon's twin. Darby has had issues with her boyfriend, and is very close with her brother, often a source of support.
- Eddie Jemison as Ronnie Haxon: Jessica's new husband who is starting to become more about business than romance, causing both Jessica and himself to drift to outside romantic sources. (Regular Seasons 1-2, Recurring Season 3)
- Rebecca Creskoff as Lenore Bernard: A life coach who is introduced to Ray by Tanya to bring in clients. Eventually, Lenore proves she can be a better pimp than Tanya, and the two are currently battling for his attention. She is shot by Jason's fiancce Sandee at the end of the third season; we never find out if she survived. (Recurring Season 1, Regular Seasons 2-3)
- Gregg Henry as Mike Hunt: Ray's good friend and assistant coach. He is becoming suspicious of Ray's behavior, and is worried about being laid off as the school begins cutting costs. (Recurring Season 1, Regular Seasons 2-3)
- Lennie James as Charlie: Tanya's pimp mentor. (Recurring Season 2, Regular Season 3)
- Stephen Amell as Jason: a young prostitute found by Lenore to serve as competition against Ray.(Season 3)
- Bob Piggott as himself. Starred in the opening episode as a distraught neighbor on Colony Drive.(Season 1)
[edit] Recurring Season 1
- Natalie Zea as Jemma
- Joshua Leonard as Pierce
- Steve Hytner as Floyd Gerber
- Alanna Ubach as Yael Koontz
- Loren Lester as Howard Koontz
- Marylouise Burke as Lottie
- Gina Hecht as Principal Rhonda Barr
[edit] Recurring Season 2
- Kathryn Hahn as Claire
- Alanna Ubach as Yael Koontz
- Loren Lester as Howard Koontz
- Marylouise Burke as Lottie
- Roxanne Hart as Frances
[edit] Recurring Season 3
- Analeigh Tipton as Sandee: Jason's fiancee.
- Ana Ortiz as Lydia
- Kaitlin Doubleday as Logan
- Alanna Ubach as Yael Koontz
- Matt Walsh as Matt Saline
- Amy Farrington as Mindy Saline
- Roxanne Hart as Frances
[edit] Episodes
[edit] Reception/Awards
Hung was well received by critics. For its first season, the series' reviews equated to generally positive, with special mentions made to Thomas Jane and Jane Adams for their lead performances.[7] The show received multiple nominations during its run.[8]
[edit] Casting Society of America, USA
- 2010. Nominated, Artios award. Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Television Pilot - Comedy: Lisa Beach, Sarah Katzman[8]
[edit] Emmy Awards
- 2010. Nominated, Emmy. Outstanding Cinematography for a Half-Hour Series: Uta Briesewitz (director of photography) (HBO; for the pilot episode.)[8]
[edit] Golden Globes Awards
- 2012. Nominated, Golden Globe. Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy: Thomas Jane.[8]
- 2011. Nominated, Golden Globe. Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy: Thomas Jane.[8]
- 2010. Nominated, Golden Globe. Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy: Thomas Jane.[8]
- 2010. Nominated, Golden Globe. Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film: Jane Adams.[8]
[edit] Satellite Awards
- 2010. Nominated, Satellite Award. Best Actor in a Series, Comedy or Musical: Thomas Jane.[8]
- 2010. Nominated, Satellite Award. Best Actress in a Series, Comedy or Musical: Jane Adams.[8]
[edit] Writers Guild of America
- 2010. Nominated, WGA Award (TV). Best Screenplay, New Series. Colette Burson, Ellie Herman, Emily Kapnek, Brett C. Leonard, Dmitry Lipkin, Angela Robinson.[8]
[edit] Distribution
[edit] DVD releases
| Season | Region 1 Release Date | Region 2 Release Date | Region 4 Release Date | Episodes | Discs | Bonus Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | June 22, 2010 | September 13, 2010 | August 4, 2010 | 10 | 2 | Disc 1: Audio commentary on episodes 1 and 4 with the creators and executive producers of the series Colette Burson and Dmitry Lipkin. - Disc 2: About Hung. • Women Hung. • Personals Ray and Tanya. • Audio commentary on episode 8 with the creators and executive producers of the series Colette Burson and Dmitry Lipkin and writer Brett C. Leonard. |
| 2 | September 27, 2011 | ? | ? | 10 | 2 | - |
[edit] International broadcasting
[edit] References
- ^ "Keck's Exclusives: Hung Takes a Transgender Turn". TV Guide Network. Lions Gate Entertainment. tvguide.com. http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/hung/297495. Retrieved 2011-07-05.
- ^ Nellie Andreeva (December 20, 2011). "HBO: ‘Hung’, ‘Bored To Death’ And ‘How To Make It In America’ Cancelled; ‘Enlightened’ Renewed". Deadline. http://www.deadline.com/2011/12/hbo-renews-enlightened-cancels-hung-bored-to-death-how-to-make-it-in-america/. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
- ^ Nellie Andreeva (December 18, 2008). "HBO picks up 'Hung'". The Hollywood Reporter. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3ic41d147829e712a6a10e023fa9980d2e.
- ^ Molloy, Tim (December 20, 2011). "HBO Cancels Hung, Make It in America, Bored". Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/20/us-hbo-idUSTRE7BJ26M20111220. Retrieved May 5, 2012.
- ^ James Cook (December 18, 2008). "HBO Picks Up Thomas Jane's 'Hung'". TheMovingPicture.net. http://themovingpicture.net/hbo-picks-up-thomas-jane%E2%80%99s-hung.
- ^ Dan Desmond (April 16, 2010). "HBO’s ‘Hung’ puts West Bloomfield gym in spotlight". The Oakland Press.
- ^ http://www.metacritic.com/tv/shows/hung
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1229413/awards
[edit] External links
- Official website
- Hung at the Internet Movie Database
- Hung at TV.com
- 2000s American television series
- 2010s American television series
- 2009 American television series debuts
- 2011 American television series endings
- HBO network shows
- Male prostitution in the arts
- Television shows set in Detroit, Michigan
- American comedy-drama television series
- Television series by Entertainment One Television
- English-language television series
