The romantic comedy Colin from Accounts has become one of the sleeper hits of the year, with viewers falling in love with the irreverent and quirky Australian comedy show now streaming on Paramount+. But the real question that fans are desperate to know is just what the real story behind the show is. Harriet Dyer and Patrick Brammall star in the series but they are also the creators and writers. Is there more to the couple than we know? Are they basing the show on a true story, perhaps one that happened to them?
Well, sort of.
Is Colin from Accounts based on a true story?
Colin from Accounts is fictional, but it is easy to assume that the show may have its roots in a real-life situation, possibly due to the chemistry between the two performers and the completely random nature of the events it depicts.
People have been drawn into the world of Colin from Accounts, and been seduced by the relationship between the two leads. The plot device of Gordon being distracted while driving when Ashley flashes him for a laugh, leading to him hitting a dog and having to go to the vet, is so odd that it feels as if this may have happened.
The writers are a real-life couple and did admit that they lifted incidents and events from real life and layered them into the show, so although the actual story is not based on a single true event, there are moments within that have their basis in real life. The titular dog was based on a real dog that Brammall had once looked after, and certain elements in the series were based on people the couple knew and incidents that did occur.
What is Colin from Accounts about?
The show follows a chance encounter between two single people, Ashley and Gordon, and follows their relationship as they grow to know each other. Ashley flashes Gordon when he is driving, and she is walking down the street, leading to him hitting a dog that they take to the vet. They realize they must look after the pooch or he will be put down. They eventually name the dog Colin from Accounts. If you were expecting the show to feature someone from an accounts department, it is just one way that the show subverts the usual sitcom tropes and sets the tone for the series as a whole.
The official plot synopsis courtesy of Wikipedia reads:
Set in Sydney, Australia and centred on Ashley and Gordon, two singles who are brought together by a car accident and an injured dog whom they name Colin. Ashley and Gordon are flawed, funny people who choose each other after being brave enough to show their true selves, scars and all, as they navigate life together.
Who are Ashley and Gordon in Colin from Accounts?
Patrick Brammall and Harriet Dyer with Zac (aka Colin) in Colin From Accounts. Credit: Tony Mott
Ashley is played by Harriet Dyer, and Gordon is played by Patrick Brammall. In real life, they are a married couple, and that no doubt helped in the writing process of the show.
Harriet is an Australian actress, and you might recall her from 2020’s The Invisible Man. Brammall also hails from Australia and is a writer and actor, and the two would marry in 2021. Colin from Accounts was directed by Trent O’Donnell who you might recognise from duties on Saved by the Bell and Ghosts, and Mathew Moore who worked on The Great.
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