# Upright (2019)

> A family outcast hauls an upright piano across Australia to see his dying mother and finds an unexpected travelling companion in a runaway teen.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/80961

## Facts

- Seasons: 2
- Episodes: 16
- Episode runtime: 30 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: comedy, drama
- Created by: Matthew Saville, Tim Minchin
- Network: Sky Atlantic, FOX Showcase
- Cast: Tim Minchin, Milly Alcock, Joshua Orpin, Liz Conte, Asmara Feik, Christopher Sommers, Jessica McNamee, Anthony Brandon Wong
- TMDB rating: 8.4/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8765446/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: none
- Tone: wry, gentle, poignant, hilarious, warm, bittersweet

## What critics say

Viewers broadly acclaim Upright as a warm, funny and emotionally honest road-trip comedy-drama with a gentle core and strong lead chemistry.

## Synopsis

Upright (2019-2022) is an Australian and British comedy drama created by Matthew Saville and Tim Minchin for Sky Atlantic and FOX Showcase. Across two seasons and sixteen half-hour episodes, it follows Lucky Flynn, a family outcast played by Tim Minchin, who learns his mother is dying and sets out to see her across the far side of Australia, carrying nothing but an upright piano. His journey is complicated when he meets Meg Adams, played by Milly Alcock, a runaway teenager wrestling with family troubles of her own. The engine of the show is the forced partnership of two reluctant travellers, each hiding a secret they edge toward revealing, with episodes built from motel stops, roadside encounters and the awkward intimacy of a long drive. Tone and theme sit between wit and sorrow: the humour is sharp and frequently funny, yet the series treats grief, estrangement and mental health with a gentle seriousness. Music is woven into the story through Lucky's piano and his sense of who he is. Fans of Fleabag, Gavin and Stacey and Little Miss Sunshine will find resonance in its blend of sincere heart, dry comedy and wounded characters learning to trust one another.

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