Aunty Donna's Coffee Café

I'm a fan of Aunty Donna, and I love their work, but this is by far the best thing they've done so far in terms of both the original material and the production quality.

Loved that callbacks were included here and there but that the series had its own unique story and original vibe, coming out with a good balance of feeling Aunty Donna without being too samey or feeling repetitive.

I also really loved just how Australian this was, especially compared with the Netflix series; so many cameos from great Australian talent, as well as little in jokes and cultural references.

Obviously, the humour isn't for everyone, but for me this was pretty on point.

Only downside was it was too short! Keep it coming, boys!

I've been a fan of the Aunty Donna boys since late 2014. I don't follow them nearly as avidly as I once did, but watching this show (produced by the ABC) felt like I was finally seeing something they'd always wanted to make, in a place they'd always wanted to put it. It transported me back to their roots and why I originally fell in love with their work, the style I feel they'll always been best at, honed and refined through their years of dedication and hard work producing for stage and screen. I strongly feel episodes 2-5 of this show is some of the best work they've produced, with the Noughts and Crosses and Hit n Run Arcade sketches perhaps being the best examples of their work ever put to screen. There was one moment in Episode 2 that had me laughing harder than I have in quite a long time.

Their absurdism has always been a tough sell for some folks, and this show definitely isn't for everyone. The rough edges of the final episode still betray their lack of finesse when it comes to longer narratives, and their occasionally too-heavy reliance on improv, and some of the jokes are definitely overplayed (cake), but the three main performers have a far better performing ability now than they've ever had. Zach in particular was stealing scenes left and right, while each performer were still given moments to shine. Mark in episode 2 was exquisite, and the way side characters are given smaller stories too really Helps everybody feel involved and included. Just like most of AD's work, there's no ego in the show, an absolute sense of open vulnerability in their ridiculousness that makes them so easy to invest it. The amount of sketches within the constraints of the show is astounding. There's so much solid gold comedy in here and it's all so damn perfectly delivered so much of the time and so easy to have fun with.

All in all, there's no question these six guys know what they're doing and who they're trying to reach. Their mastery of this particular style is unmatched right now, a brand fully their own, and that Australian television has finally given them the space they deserve (and have deserved for years) to show what they can do is a treat to see for a fan like me, even if I'm not blind to the shortcomings of their work or the somewhat divisive appeal. An enourmous congratulations to them for creating some dense, hilarious television that's full of the same naughty, endearing energy that they've always had. I admire how they've never strayed from that same core approach and style - it really won my heart back in the day and provides much needed solace today as well.

I moved to Australia in late 2022. I've been struggling with learning the humor and slag here and honestly this show and the Aunty Donna boys have helped me learn it. I have to say I love Broden, Zack, and Mark. And I definitely love the show.

Now the show is funny and definitely binge worthy. I've watched this season atleast 7 times by the time I'm writing this review. It also has some really catchy song that get stuck in your head. As well as some random characters that just make you laugh.

The guys really worked hard on the show and it shows but at the end of the day it's for you to watch. The Aunty Donna boys have definitely helped adjusting to living here easier and they are really amazing. I can't wait for hopefully a season 2.

As a fan of the trio's content, I can happily say that this miniseries is a great step up from their previous show "Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun".

Unlike their Netflix series, in which each episode technically had a plot but it felt more like extremely thin threads to connect one sketch to the other (still funny and enjoyable though), Coffee Cafe succeeds in forming coherent stories and managing to develop both A and B plots while still keeping the creators' absurd/surreal sense of humor, making each episode a lot more enjoyable.

The 2023 show also shows off better lighting and photography for most of its scenes, although it suffers for an overabundance of digital zooms.

The main problem (if you can even call it such) that I have with the show is the underutilization of Gaby Seow's character "Stephanie" who in the first episode is introduced as apparently important but ends up sporadically appearing only in a few scenes, at best, each episode. I feel the character has a lot of unused potential.

Overall the show is extremely funny and a great way to spend your time, too bad it's only available in Australia, which limits the show's reach and forces their overseas fans to watch it by using a VPN or by illegally pirating it. I hope it gets a wider release soon.

Aunty Donna know exactly what they want to do and how to do it. Their manta of "whatever's funniest" comes out loud and clear in everything single sketch they do within this show. So excited to finally see them step into the sitcom world, with continuous characters and storylines that blend so well into their hilarious sketches. I particularly enjoyed their Tic-Tac-Toe sketch, which not only have some great comedic acting and writing, but some hilarious production choices in the sound and picture editing that sold the humor even more. I already know that this show will be a constant rewatch for me and I eagerly await the possibility of a Season 2!! Keep up the good work, boys!