Written by Amanda Alison Country of origin New Zealand No. of seasons 1 | Directed by Paul Yates Original language(s) English No. of episodes 6 | |
Lucy Lewis Can't Lose is an NZ on Air-funded kids, comedy, web series for ThreeNow in New Zealand. The first series became available online on 8 August 2016 and aired on Three on 25 December 2016; it was released on YouTube in March 2017. The second series will be released in 2017.
Contents
Plot
In the first series, six mini episodes of 5–7 minutes follow Lucy Lewis (Thomasin McKenzie), a teenager who hates public speaking, in an awkward and embarrassing journey of self-discovery. Lucy Lewis hates public speaking, but is voted class representative by well-meaning classmates who feel sorry for her because of her mild hip dysplasia, meaning she uses a crutch to walk. As class representative, she will have to give a speech at the opening of the cafeteria which will be streamed live on Newshub. She tries to get out of the role, but her teacher Mr Kinloch (Allan Henry) tells her she can't. After friend Ruby (Celia Macdonald) reveals that her family is struggling financially, and she discovers that Dave (Rahiri Wharera) is one of several students pretending to be Valley High Girls' students to get free breakfasts, she goes to principal Ms Parker to ask to start a free breakfast programme, but her request is declined. After snooping around Ms Parker's (Miranda Harcourt) office she discovers the principal wants to increase "voluntary" fees by thousands of dollars to get rid of children from poorer families. This leads her to change her mind about being class rep, but the principal changes the student representative to Stella (Catherine Pot), a wheelchair-bound classmate who Lucy doesn't get along with. Lucy, Ruby, and Dave make a plan to gatecrash Stella's speech and broadcast the principal's evil plan live. In the library, minutes before the ceremony, Lucy practices what she will say, but is overheard by the principal, who locks her in the library. Lucy texts Ruby to rescue her, and they rush to the ceremony. As they are about to go in, they meet Stella, who is about to go onstage, and Lucy convinces her to let her go instead. She enters the cafeteria and gives a speech about how the new cafeteria will be home to free breakfasts; the principal later agrees she will go ahead with it. Dave asks her if she can go to a free breakfast with him sometime, and she agrees, before telling the audience to "shut up."
Cast
Production
The series received $64,720 in government funding from NZ on Air. The show was written and produced by Amanda Alison, and directed by Paul Yates, and was filmed on location at Wellington High School. Throughout each episode, Lucy regularly breaks the fourth wall to talk to the audience or show them how she is feeling with a facial expression.