Tag Archives: Andrew Phung

Jann, Run the Burbs, Sort Of

Co-showrunners Jennica Harper and Nelu Handa to “Run” Run the Burbs

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From a media release:

Longtime collaborators Jennica Harper (JANN, above right) and Nelu Handa (SORT OF, above left) will co-showrun Season 3 of the popular, hit CBC original comedy, RUN THE BURBS. Created by writer and actor Andrew Phung (KIM’S CONVENIENCE) and filmmaker Scott Townend (The Secret Marathon), RUN THE BURBS follows the Phams, a young, bold Vietnamese-South Asian-Canadian family taking a different approach to living life to the fullest, while changing the way we think about contemporary family values and life in the burbs. The series is produced by Pier 21 Films and distributed by Fifth Season. Season 3 of RUN THE BURBS is slated to broadcast on CBC and CBC Gem in Winter 2024, the first two seasons are available to stream now on CBC Gem.

Jennica Harper steps in after showrunning three seasons and a holiday special of the Jann Arden CTV comedy JANN. Nelu Handa has written and produced on the previous two seasons of RUN THE BURBS. Harper and Handa have a history of collaborating and worked together on all three seasons of JANN. They take over RUN THE BURBS from Season 2 showrunner Anthony Farrell. 

Harper and Handa bring a slew of accolades and comedy experience to the RUN THE BURBS team. In 2021, Nelu Handa won a Canadian Screen Award for “Best Writing” on the BARONESS VON SKETCH SHOW. Her script for SORT OF was nominated for a Writers Guild of Canada Screenwriting Award for “Best Comedy”. She earned a Peabody Award for her contribution to the ground-breaking first season for SORT OF. Jennica Harper has won two Writers Guild of Canada Screenwriting Awards including “Best Comedy” script for JANN and “Best Tweens and Teens” script for kids’ comedy SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED.

Creator and star Andrew Phung shares, “I’m so pumped to be working with Jennica and Nelu on Season 3. I’m a big fan of Jennica’s work, and she brings such joy and relatability to the writer’s room. She leads with such a calming presence. I’ve worked with Nelu for the past two seasons of RUN THE BURBS, and have loved every minute of it. She’s so thoughtful and hilarious, and her experiences have greatly added to the development of the show and its characters. I’m truly honoured and so excited that they are co-leading the show together.”

Jennica Harper shares Phung’s enthusiasm stating, “I’m thrilled to be joining the RUN THE BURBS team, showrunning alongside Nelu. We’ve got a built-in trust, and share a lot of comedic instincts. Andrew and Scott, the creators, have been so welcoming to ‘the new kid.’ I’m honoured they’re trusting Nelu and I with their baby.

Season 2 was incredible. It told culturally specific yet super relatable stories, the characters deepened, and yet the whole season really amped up the funny. The goal for Season 3 is to have fun paying off a bunch of storylines started last season. Andrew and Camille are both working their dream jobs — but what does that mean for their work/life balance?”

Nelu Handa continues, “I’m excited to be taking this next step in my career on a show that I’ve come to love for two seasons. I’ve learned a lot from our past showrunners Anthony and Shebli Zarghami, they both exemplified strong leadership and created a really great work culture, traditions I’m aiming to continue in this role. Jennica’s an incredible person and has been a mentor for many years, so getting the chance to work alongside her is like a dream come true. 

I’m proud of the stories we get to tell. Exploring the experiences of a modern Canadian couple with rich cultural backgrounds is both very rewarding personally and relatable to so many viewers who are excited to see themselves reflected on Canadian television.”

In addition to CTV JANN’s three seasons and a holiday special, Jennica Harper has written and produced a wide range of TV genres, from dark crime dramas to kids’ multi-cam comedies. She was a Writer and Co-Executive Producer on the light mystery series THE SPENCER SISTERS (CTV), the medical adventure drama SKYMED (Paramount+/CBC), horror-comedy cult favourite THE ORDER (Netflix), and critically acclaimed thriller CARDINAL (Hulu/CTV), among others. 

Nelu Handa has written for multiple seasons of award winning comedy series including: JANN, SORT OF, BARONESS VON SKETCH SHOW, ODD SQUAD, THE BEAVERTON, TALLBOYZ, and A Little Late with Lilly Singh. She’s written for RUN THE BURBS since the first season and served as writer/Co-EP on season two.

A CBC original series, RUN THE BURBS is Executive Produced by Laszlo Barna, Nicole Butler, Karen Tsang and Vanessa Steinmetz (for Pier 21 Films), Andrew Phung, and Scott Townend. Jennica Harper and Nelu Handa serve as Executive Producers, writers and showrunners. Co-executive producer is Jay Vaidya. Jessica Daniel is the Series Producer. Season 3 writers include Andrew Phung, Scott Townend, Jennica Harper, Nelu Handa, Jay Vaidya, Sara Peters, Angelica Mendizabal, and Mandeq Hassan.

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Run the Burbs

Links: Run the Burbs, Season 2

From Aisling Murphy of the Toronto Star:

Link: ‘We laugh a lot on set’: Andrew Phung and Rakhee Morzaria on running the ’burbs for a second season
“One thing we noticed right away was that our audience was much younger, was often families and often families of colour. That’s something I’m really proud of. In order for us to make those changes in our media landscape, we have to engage audiences who haven’t always been engaged by mainstream broadcasters.” Continue reading.

From Eric Volmers of the Calgary Herald:

Link: What about Bob? Albertans Andrew Phung and Gavin Crawford face off in Season 2 of Run the Burbs
In the three years that Andrew Phung worked at Calgary’s Village Square Leisure Centre co-ordinating youth programs, he got a good look at bureaucracy. Continue reading.

From Courtney Shea of Toronto Life:

Link: “King Street nightlife is fun, but then you turn 30 and just want to be in bed by 11”: A Q&A with Run the Burbs creator Andrew Phung
“If Full House was about the Tanners, you could say Run the Burbs is about their neighbours—the people whose stories never got told. But our show is unique in other ways: a lot of family comedies are about bickering, whereas my show is about two adults who love their kids. It’s funny that such a basic premise feels fresh.” Continue reading.

From Noel Ransome of The Canadian Press:

Link: ‘Run the Burbs’ has a new showrunner and renewed focus on authenticity for Season 2
Newly minted “Run the Burbs” showrunner Anthony Q. Farrell firmly believes that authenticity is a central part of diverse storytelling — from the script to diverging perspectives on set that express what is real versus “what doesn’t feel true.” Continue reading.

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Run the Burbs

Production underway on Season 2 of CBC’s Run the Burbs

From a media release:

CBC and Pier 21 Films today announced that production is underway in and around Toronto on the second season of the popular original comedy series RUN THE BURBS (13×30). Created by Andrew Phung and Scott Townend, RUN THE BURBS stars an exciting ensemble of Canadian comic talents lead by Andrew Phung as Andrew Pham, Rakhee Morzaria as Camille Pham, and Zoriah Wong, and Roman Pesino as Khia and Leo Pham. The series regulars include Ali Hassan (CBC’s Laugh Out Loud), Julie Nolke (Explaining the Pandemic to my Past Self), Jonathan Langdon (Utopia Falls), Chris Locke (Workin’ Moms, Mr. D), Samantha Wan (Second Jen), and Aurora Browne (Baroness von Sketch Show). The second season will premiere on CBC and CBC Gem in Winter 2023.

A playful comedy about life in the suburbs, oddball neighbours, and a loving family that sticks together through thick and thin, RUN THE BURBS welcomes some new faces to the neighbourhood for season two, including new cast member Sharjil Rasool (New Eden) playing Camille’s cousin Nikhil and an array of guest stars including Dakota Ray Hebert (Run Woman Run), The Great Canadian Baking Show’s Ann Pornel, and multi-award-winning comic and actor Gavin Crawford. As previously announced, veteran showrunner Anthony Q. Farrell joins the creative team as Executive Producer and Showrunner.

A CBC original series, RUN THE BURBS is produced by Pier 21 Films. Executive Producers are Laszlo Barna, Nicole Butler, and Karen Tsang (for Pier 21 Films), Andrew Phung, Scott Townend, and Aleysa Young. Anthony Q. Farrell serves as Executive Producer and Showrunner. Co-Executive Producers are Nelu Handa and Courtney J. Walker. Jessica Daniel is the Series Producer. Season Two directors include Aleysa Young, Zoe Hopkins, Pat Mills, Joyce Wong and Sherren Lee.

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Awards, Featured

Tim Rozon, Ayisha Issa, Kaniehtiio Horn and Tallboyz win during Night 4 of the 2022 Canadian Screen Awards

Wynonna Earp‘s Tim Rozon, Transplant‘s Ayisha Issa, Letterkenny’s Kaniehtiio Horn and Tallboyz were among the individuals and projects to win during Night 4 of 2022 Canadian Screen Awards Online Presentations.

The first portion of the live streaming celebration focused on Drama & Comedy Crafts categories hosted by Akiel Julien, followed by the Scripted Programs & Performance categories hosted by Ennis Esmer.

Here are the winners in Thursday’s key categories:

Best Writing, Variety or Sketch Comedy
Tallboyz, “You’re the Dads Now”

Best Writing, Comedy
Bilal Baig, Fab Filippo, Sort Of, “Sort of Gone”

Best Writing, Drama Series
Joseph Kay, Transplant, “Free For What”

Best Writing, TV Movie
Barbara Nance, I Was Lorena Bobbit

Best Guest Performance, Drama Series
Tamara Podemski, Coroner, “Spirits”

Ayisha Issa (left), Transplant

Best Supporting Actress, Drama
Ayisha Issa, Transplant

Best Supporting Actor, Drama
Tim Rozon, Wynonna Earp

Best Lead Actress, TV Movie
Samora Smallwood, Death She Wrote

Best Lead Actor, TV Movie
Luke Humphrey, I Was Lorena Bobbitt

Best TV Movie
I Was Lorena Bobbitt

Best Guest Performance, Comedy
Michael Bublé, Jann, “No Drama”

Best Supporting Actor, Comedy
Andrew Phung, Kim’s Convenience

Best Supporting Actress, Comedy
Kaniehtiio Horn, Letterkenny

Best Performance, Sketch Comedy (Individual or Ensemble)
Guled Abdi, Vance Banzo, Tim Blair, Franco Nguyen, Tallboyz

Best Sketch Comedy Program or Series
Tallboyz

For the complete list of winners, visit the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television website.

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Featured, Kim's Convenience, Run the Burbs

Andrew Phung returns to CBC with his own creation, Run the Burbs

Like other fans, I was gutted when Kim’s Convenience came to an end. I missed the laughs, the family dynamic, and the diversity I was seeing on my television screen. Thankfully, that hole has been filled by Andrew Phung—Kim’s Convenience‘s Kimchee—in Run the Burbs.

Co-created by Phung and his best bud and collaborator, filmmaker Scott Townend, Run the Burbs—debuting Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. on CBC—follows the Phams, a young Vietnamese-South Asian-Canadian family living on a cul-de-sac in the suburbs.

“Relatable” was the first word that came to mind as I watched the debut episode of Run the Burbs. In those opening moments, I witnessed something I’ve done myself: trying to deliver a trunkful of groceries from the car into my house in one trip. To see the Phams—father Andrew (Phung), mother Camille (Rakhee Morzaria), daughter Khia (Zoriah Wong) and son Leo (Roman Pesino)—draped like pack mules struggling in the heat, made me laugh out loud at them, and myself.

“For this family, in particular, they make these mundane moments big,” Townend says. “And there are the families around them as well. People are going to say, ‘I have a neighbour like that.’ I’ve got neighbours like this, Andrew’s got neighbours like that. It was important to find the comedy in those everyday moments.”

In the works since the summer of 2019, Phung says Run the Burbs came organically and easily, thanks in large part to their longtime friendship and the way they constantly supported each other. By December of that year, Phung was confident what they had created would end up on a network.

“We had something here that was so fun and full of life and energetic,” Phung says. “What’s wild to me is that, through the process, a lot of it has remained the same.”

At the centre of Run the Burbs is Andrew Pham, a whirling dervish of a man who is full of positivity, good-natured humour and truly believes in the good in everyone. Even when there are down moments, like in Episode 1, when a planned block party seems to be going off the rails, it doesn’t last long. And with high-powered and diverse comedic talent in Phung’s co-stars and supporting roles played by Aurora Browne, Ali Hassan, Julie Nolke, Jonathan Langdon, Chris Locke, Samantha Wan, Simone Miller and the late Candy Palmater, the laughs are loud and last long.

“We are incredibly fortunate to have the cast that we do,” Townend says. “It is a powerhouse of comedy and every episode, every actor brought something new to the part. They took what was on the page, directors included, elevated it and made it better.”

Run the Burbs airs Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. on CBC and CBC Gem.

Images courtesy of CBC.

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