You Can't Ask That

Summary

You Can't Ask That is an Australian TV series created by ABC Television that first went to air in August 2016. As of June 2022 its seventh season is on air in Australia.

You Can't Ask That
Screenshot from the first episode
Directed by
  • Kirk Docker
  • Aaron Smith
[1]
Opening themeSoul Searching by Amourouge[1]
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons6
No. of episodes54
Production
Executive producer
Lou Porter (2016-18) [1]

Frances O'Riordan (2018-present)

Producers
  • Kirk Docker
  • Aaron Smith
[1]
Production locationAustralia
CinematographyAaron Smith[1]
EditorNick McDougall[1]
Running time15-28 minutes
Production companyABC
Original release
NetworkABC iview
Release3 August 2016 (2016-08-03) –
present

The series took a rest in 2023, however is expected to return beyond that.[2]

History edit

The series was created by Kirk Docker, Aaron Smith and Jon Casimir in 2015, as a spin-off from Hungry Beast.[3] The first episode of the first season aired on ABC TV on 3 August 2016, as well as on iview.[4][5]

Its seventh season started airing in May 2022 in Australia.[3]

Description edit

The show aims to offer insight into the lives of marginalised communities and break down stereotypes while answering the questions people are afraid to ask,[4] reportedly inspired by Ask Me Anything (AMA) threads on Reddit.[6] Each episode asks controversial questions sourced from the public[7] to a minority Australian population, with the first series including indigenous people, people of short stature, Muslims, sex workers, transgender people and more.[4] Several representative organisations were credited in the series including Short Statured People of Australia, Scarlet Alliance, Alzheimer's Australia and Exit International, as well as The Karuna Hospice Service and Palliative Care NSW.[1]

Season overview edit

On 28 September 2016, the ABC announced the series had been renewed for a second season.[8] On 25 October 2017, the ABC announced the series had been renewed for a third season.[9]

Season Episodes Originally aired
Season premiere Season finale
1 10 3 August 2016[5] 5 October 2016
2 12 6 April 2017[10][11] 21 July 2017
3 8 11 July 2018 29 August 2018
4 8 3 April 2019 22 May 2019
5 8 18 March 2020[12] 6 May 2020
6 8 28 April 2021 16 June 2021
7 8 25 May 2022[13] 6 July 2022

Episodes edit

Season 1 (2016) edit

No. in series No. in season Title Original airdate
1 1 "Short Statured" 3 August 2016
2 2 "Wheelchair Users" 10 August 2016
3 3 "Transgender" 17 August 2016
4 4 "Muslims" 24 August 2016
5 5 "Polyamorous" 31 August 2016
6 6 "Ex-prisoners" 7 September 2016
7 7 "Fat" 14 September 2016
8 8 "Indigenous" 21 September 2016
9 9 "Sex Workers" 27 September 2016
10 10 "Terminally Ill" 5 October 2016

Season 2 (2017) edit

No. in series No. in season Title Original airdate
11 1 "Blind People" 6 April 2017
12 2 "Down Syndrome" 12 April 2017
13 3 "Suicide Attempt Survivors" 19 April 2017
14 4 "Recent War Veterans" 26 April 2017
15 5 "Facial Difference" 3 May 2017
16 6 "Refugees" 10 May 2017
17 7 "Ice Users" 17 May 2017
18 8 "Children of Same-Sex Parents" 24 May 2017
19 9 "Centenarians" 31 May 2017
20 10 "S&M" 7 July 2017
21 11 "Gambling Addicts" 14 July 2017
22 12 "Homeless" 21 July 2017

Season 3 (2018) edit

No. in series No. in season Title Original airdate
23 1 "Survivors of Sexual Assault" 11 July 2018
24 2 "Ex-Reality TV Stars" 18 July 2018
25 3 "Former Cult Members" 25 July 2018
26 4 "Eating Disorders" 1 August 2018
27 5 "Swingers" 8 August 2018
28 6 "Schizophrenia" 15 August 2018
29 7 "Drag" 22 August 2018
30 8 "Priests" 29 August 2018

Season 4 (2019) edit

No. in series No. in season Title Original airdate
31 1 "Domestic and Family Violence" 3 April 2019
32 2 "African Australians" 10 April 2019
33 3 "Intersex" 17 April 2019
34 4 "Carnies and Show People" 24 April 2019
35 5 "Ex-Politicians" 1 May 2019
36 6 "Alcoholics" 8 May 2019
37 7 "Deaf" 15 May 2019
38 8 "Disaster Survivors" 22 May 2019

Season 5 (2020) edit

No. in series No. in season Title Original airdate
39 1 "Firefighters" 18 March 2020
40 2 "Nudists" 25 March 2020
41 3 "Killed Someone" 1 April 2020
42 4 "Autism spectrum" 8 April 2020
43 5 "HIV-positive people" 15 April 2020
44 6 "Olympic & Paralympic Gold Medallists" 22 April 2020
45 7 "Public Housing" 29 April 2020
46 8 "Kids" 6 May 2020

Season 6 (2021) edit

No. in series No. in season Title Original airdate
47 1 "Cheaters" 28 April 2021
48 2 "Ex-Football players" 5 May 2021
49 3 "Obsessive Compulsive Disorder" 12 May 2021
50 4 "Amputees" 19 May 2021
51 5 "Families of Missing Persons" 26 May 2021
52 6 "Lesbians" 2 June 2021
53 7 "Chinese Australians" 9 June 2021
54 8 "Adult Virgins" 16 June 2021

Season 7 (2022) edit

No. in series No. in season Title Original airdate
55 1 "Bogans" 25 May 2022
56 2 "Postnatal Depression" 1 June 2022
57 3 "Gay Men" 8 June 2022
58 4 "Models" 15 June 2022
59 5 "Prescription Drug Addiction" 22 June 2022
60 6 "Porn Stars" 29 June 2022
61 7 "Dementia" 6 July 2022

Awards and recognition edit

You Can't Ask That won the Rose d'Or for Best Reality or Factual Entertainment in 2017.[14] It also won 3 UN Media Awards for Promotion of Disability Rights and Issues, Promotion of Social Cohesion and Promotion of Empowerment of Older People.[15] In 2018 it was nominated for a Logie for Most Outstanding Factual or Documentary Program.[16]

International versions edit

In July 2017, Kan 11 in Israel began broadcasting a local version of the series under the name "סליחה_על_השאלה" (Slicha Al HaShe'ela, Excuse me for asking), with total of 98 episodes in 8 seasons (2 of which are in Arabic, and 3 are for kids).[17]

In February 2019, Dutch broadcaster BNNVARA started broadcasting a local version on public broadcasting channel NPO 3 under the title "Ik durf het bijna niet te vragen" (I hardly dare to ask).

In June 2019, CBC Television in Canada released a local version of the series titled You Can't Ask That with eight episodes.[18]

An Arabic language version called "بلا مؤاخذة" (bila muakhadha, No Blame) began airing on 21 September 2019 on the Kan 11's sister channel Makan 33.[19]

In October 2020, a U.S. version of the series was picked up by Current Flow Entertainment. Remake rights were acquired for both English and Spanish language versions.[20]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "You Can't Ask That - Credits" (PDF). ABC TV. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 September 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  2. ^ Knox, David (30 November 2022). "You Can't Ask That, Spicks & Specks resting in 2023". tvtonight.com.au. TV Tonight. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  3. ^ a b Docker, Kirk (1 June 2022). "You Can't Ask That co-creator Kirk Docker on what happens behind the scenes and the most brutal question he's had to ask". ABC News (Interview). ABC Backstory. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  4. ^ a b c "You Can't Ask That: Aug 3". TV Tonight. 2 August 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  5. ^ a b Kentera, Yasmin (8 July 2016). "Why are you so fat? You Can't Ask That premieres on ABC" (Press release). Australia: ABC. Retrieved 11 August 2016.[dead link]
  6. ^ Fenton, Andrew (2 August 2016). "Is dwarf tossing OK? Your offensive questions get answered on the ABC's new show You Can't Ask That". Australia: News Corp Australia. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  7. ^ Choueifaty, Elie (28 July 2016). "ABC series You Can't Ask That strikes a chord with its surprising humour". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  8. ^ "Renewed: You Can't Ask That". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  9. ^ "Renewed: You Can't Ask That S3". TV Tonight. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
  10. ^ Graeme Blundell (1 April 2017). "ABC's You Can't Ask That returns with more awkward questions". The Australian. Retrieved 7 April 2017.
  11. ^ "You Can't Ask That : ABC TV". Australian Broadcasting Corporation TV. Retrieved 7 April 2017.
  12. ^ Knox, David (23 February 2020). "Returning: You Can't Ask That S5". TV Tonight. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  13. ^ Knox, David (27 April 2022). "Returning: You Can't Ask That S7". TV Tonight. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  14. ^ (EBU), European Broadcasting Union (19 September 2017). "EBU - World's best entertainment shows honoured at 56th Rose d'Or Awards". www.ebu.ch. Retrieved 20 July 2018.
  15. ^ "2017 UN Day Media Award Winners - UNAA Victoria". UNAA Victoria. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  16. ^ "Logie Awards 2018: nominees". TV Tonight. 27 May 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  17. ^ סליחה על השאלה Kan 11 (in Hebrew)
  18. ^ Melissa Hank, "You Can't Ask That lets people with disabilities speak out". Canada.com, October 23, 2020.
  19. ^ بلا مؤاخذة Archived 14 June 2020 at the Wayback Machine Makan 33 (in Arabic)
  20. ^ "Hit Australian Format 'You Can't Ask That' In Line For U.S. Remake". Deadline Hollywood. 29 October 2020. Retrieved 29 October 2020.

External links edit

  • You Can't Ask That at ABC iview
  • Screen bites: can a show like You Can't Ask That change the conversation? on Guardian Australia.
  • ABC gives minorities a voice in reality TV show You Can’t Ask That on The Australian.
  • The Karuna Hospice Service
  • Palliative Care NSW