Housos is an Australian Comedytelevision series created by Paul Fenech for SBS, that screened on SBS One. The series is a satirical parody of low income Australian residents of fictional suburb Sunnyvale, who are living in Housing Commissionpublic housing. On 1 November 2012, a film based on the series was released in Australian cinemas, titled Housos vs. Authority. On 9 September 2012 it was announced that Housos would return for a second series, which premiered 22 July 2013. On 27 November 2014 another film based on and continuing the storyline of the series entitled Fat Pizza vs. Housos was released.
The majority of the cast of Housos are from Fenech's two previous series, Pizza and Swift and Shift Couriers. Some of the cast went on to star in the successful series Bogan Hunters on 7mate.
Elle Dawe as Sharon "Shazza" Jones, Dazza's de facto & Vanessa Best Friend
Jason "Jabba" Davis as Darren "Dazza" Smith, Shazza's de facto & Franky's Best Friend
Paul Fenech as Franky Falzoni, Dazza's Best Friend
Fenech also appears as Franky's cousin, Pauly Falzoni from Pizza during series 2.
Kevin Taumata as Kevin Takamata, Franky & Dazza's Friend & Vanessa's de facto
Vanessa Davis as Vanessa "Nessa" Talawahoo, Kevin's de facto & Shazza's Best Friend
Ian Turpie as Wazza Jones, Shazza's Dad / Narrator of the Show (series 1)
Kiri-Leigh Schmitt as Kylie Harfoot, Franky's de facto (series 1)
Sabeena Manalis as Sabeena, Franky's cousin (Series 1)
Crystal Sullivan as Crystal, Kylie's Sister & Franky's on and off (defacto Frank's friend with benefits) (series 1)
Amanda Keller as Christina Rees, Sunnyvale Mayor (series 1)
Melissa Tkautz as Cheree, Franky's Ex de facto (series 1)
Liz Harper replaces Melissa Tkautz as Cheree in series 2.
Andrew Ausage as Junior, Cheree's Samoan de facto
Angry Anderson as Angry the Bikie, Leader of the Hunterz Bikie Gang ( season 1&2 also the movie )
Davey Cooper as Johnno, Angry's Dwarf-Sized Brother
Maret Archer as Beryl, Dazza's Mum
Stuart Rawe as Reg, Beryl's mentally disabled de facto as well as being Dazza's de facto stepfather
Chris Franklin as Darryl "Dazza" James, Dazza's Smith's cousin and Shazza's former de facto. (series 1)
Sam Greco as Dino Falzoni, Franky's gambling addicted brother who lives in Melbourne
George Kapiniaris as George, Franky's married in Greek cousin and Sabeena's father (series 1), later seen in series 2 as Donald Bradman's ghost as Dazza's Hallucinating
Alex Romano as Jimmy the Junkie, the leader of the junkie crew
Mohammed Hammoud as Mo, Sunnyvale Assassins Member
Joe Mifsud as Samira Shabaz, Habib's mum who wears a burqa
Anthony Salame as the service station worker and Thwayne the McDonalds manager who dates Kylie on and off in series 1.
Nicole Sharrock as Hayley, Franky's de facto / Barmaid who is also in the Housos vs Authority Movie (series 2)
Amarli Inez as Candy, Franky's On-Off Girlfriend (series 2)
Derek Boyer as Bubbles, Junior's Cousin who harasses Dazza while in prison
John Mangos as himself (appearing as a news presenter)
Murray Harman as Officer Richard Head a Sunnyvale-based police officer
Garry Who as Officer Garry Kock a Sunnyvale-based police officer
James Thomas as himself (appearing as a current affairs reporter)
Renzo Renalto as Renzo, Centerlink case worker
Waseem Khan as Waseem, An Indian Centerlink case worker
Gregory King as Tank the bikie, Vice president of the Hunterz Bikie Gang
Notes
a "Junkies" first aired on SBS Two and later on SBS One.
b Viewers from broadcast airing on SBS Two.
Controversy
Housos came under fire from a number of western Sydney residents, who had called on SBS not to put the series on air. A petition which was initiated by residents on a housing commission property received thousands of signatures, and the efforts gained support from local politicians. Mount Druitt MP Richard Amery presented the petition in Parliament in late April 2011. Housos was also at the centre of a controversy in February 2011 thanks to an erroneous attack by the Nine Network's A Current Affair, which initially claimed that the series was "reality TV". Nine Network later said that the mistake originated from an 18-year-old woman working at ninemsn. SBS was also forced to defend the show by stating that the series was not receiving funding from the government, and it was instead being funded by the network's own revenue raising activities.
Awards and nominations
Australian Writers' Guild
2011: Comedy – Situation or Narrative ("Pregnant", nominated)
Logie Awards
2014: Most Outstanding Light Entertainment Program (won)
