Ja'mie Private School Girl

Mean girls are apparently the same the world over, at least judging by Australian comedian Chris Lilley, who transforms himself into the worst of the type in this six-episode series co-produced for HBO and Australian TV and aired in 2013. Lilley spun off the character of Ja'mie (pronounced jah-MAY) King from another TV venture, and she's every inch a privileged, self-centered brat, striving to be tops at her school in popularity and achievement, but revealing herself to be a cold, shallow, horrible person. Wealthy and pampered by her enabling parents and friends, Ja'mie is on track to graduate as captain of Hillford Girls Grammar, a private school in Sydney. The improv-heavy, sketch-based story arc observes her angry, oblivious, petulant, sex-crazed, racist antics with attentive detail in a handheld mockumentary style. Conniving and cackling with her posse of “quiche” friends (that's one step up from “hot”), Ja'mie looks down on the world, and is either coveting or contemptuous of whatever she sees. Lilley's in-drag characterization is so authentic that his impersonation almost stops registering as farce; in fact, if Ja'mie were played by an actual 17-year-old girl, the show would be genuinely appalling. Lilley's brand of humor is an acquired taste: fans of his shows Angry Boys and Summer Heights High may be amused, but Ja'mie will turn a lot of people off. Extras include behind-the-scenes featurettes, deleted scenes, and bloopers. Optional, at best. (T. Fry)