“Colin From Accounts” and the joys of second-tier streaming

“Paramount Plus?!” That’s a response I’ve received more than once when pitching it Colin from accountsa hilarious Australian comedy that just finished its second season on a streaming service that shouldn’t be that unknown, as Paramount+ currently has 71.2 million subscribers.

On the other hand, that only accounts for 8% of the subscription video on demand (SVOD) market in the US. Sure, it depends on what stats you use, but in old-fashioned TV terms, when compared to the biggest players on the market (Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+), Paramount’s streaming service is about the same from WB to NBC or Starz to HBO. It exists, you’ve heard of it and maybe your cousin – most likely a Star Trek Fan who loves Paramount+’s fleet of Trekkie spinoffs – considers it essential viewing.

But let me tell you: If you don’t dive into these secondary streaming options, you’re missing out. The problem with streaming is the paradox of choice: When faced with too many options, we fall into the trap of binge-watching our 13th The office. This is more of a problem with music streaming, as you can get pretty much every song from every artist, regardless of which service you subscribe to. But with television? What you get on Apple TV+ probably won’t be on Amazon’s Prime Video (well, it is if you bundle services… but we won’t get into that right now).

I originally bought Paramount+ for a ridiculous deal that I can’t remember, but I think it was about $1.99 a month for a year and $5.99 after that. (A big problem with streaming? I can’t remember what plan I’m on or which person in our household has a subscription, which is why I secretly think we have two Hulu subscriptions.) And I only got it to die Premiere of seeing some terrible ones Paranormal activity Continued, with plans to cancel it a few weeks later.

That didn’t happen, and years later I found myself browsing the app for a new show to watch. Of course, Colin from Accounts is a misleading name for a show that has nothing to do with office work. The title character is actually a dog who was injured in a car accident; Said injury (caused by a flirtatious flash and a distracted driver) brings together Ashley and Gordon, two singles played by real-life couple Harriet Dyer and Patrick Brammall. From then on, the series emerges as a slightly biting and sharply observed romantic comedy, which in the second season pushes the dog into the background (the pooch’s name is a joke between the couple). And no, you don’t have to be Australian to appreciate the series.

In other words, CFA is not a spin-off, an adaptation, a sequel, or a half-billion-dollar genre piece. It’s down-to-earth, funny, and willing to occasionally break out of its normal environment (see season two, episode five: “Waterfall,” when Ash gets lost in Sydney with no wallet or phone). The banter is spectacular and the characters are both likeable and unpleasant; They are somewhat selfish people who occasionally make good decisions and seem to genuinely love each other. Even the comments about political correctness (S2 E4 “Ethical Porn”) aren’t particularly mean.