Boy Swallows Universe (TV series)

{{Infobox television

| image = BoySwallowsUniverseSeriesPoster.jpg

| caption = Promotional poster

| based_on = {{Based on|Boy Swallows Universe|Trent Dalton}}

| genre = {{Plainlist|

}}

| writer = {{Plainlist|

John Collee

}}

| director = {{Plainlist|

Bharat Nalluri {{small|(eps. 1 & 2)}}
Jocelyn Moorhouse {{small|(eps. 3-5)}}
Kim Mordaunt {{small|(eps. 6 & 7)}}

}}

| starring = {{Plainlist|

}}

| language = {{Plainlist|

English

}}

| num_episodes = 7{{Cite web |url=https://about.netflix.com/en/news/boy-swallows-universe-is-being-adapted-for-the-screen-for-netflix |title=Boy Swallows Universe Is Being Adapted For The Screen For Netflix |date=2022-03-04 |access-date=2022-08-03 |website=Netflix}}

| executive_producer = {{Plainlist|

Andrew Mason
Troy Lum
Sophie Gardiner
Toby Bentley
Kerry Kohansky Roberts
Joel Edgerton
Bharat Nalluri
John Collee
Trent Dalton

}}

| composer = Johnny Klimek
Gabriel Mounsey{{cite web|url=https://filmmusicreporter.com/2023/11/28/johnny-klimek-gabriel-mounsey-scoring-netflixs-boy-swallows-universe/|title=Johnny Klimek & Gabriel Mounsey Scoring Netflix's 'Boy Swallows Universe'|access-date=December 4, 2023}}

| editor = Jamie Pearson {{small|(eps. 1 & 2)}}
Mark Perry {{small|(eps. 3-5)}}
Marcus D'Arcy {{small|(eps. 6 & 7)}}

| runtime = 49–77 minutes

| country = Australia

| location = Brisbane

| cinematography = Shelley Farthing-Dawe {{small|(eps. 1-5)}}
Mark Wareham {{small|(eps. 6 & 7)}}

| company = {{Plainlist|

Brouhaha Entertainment
Anonymous Content
Chapter One Pictures

}}

| network = Netflix

| released = {{Start date|2024|01|11|df=y}}

}}

Boy Swallows Universe is an Australian coming of age television limited series for Netflix based on the semi-autobiographical novel of the same name by Trent Dalton. Produced by Andrew Mason and Troy Lum and written by John Collee, the story revolves around Eli Bell, a working-class youth who enters Brisbane's underworld to save his mother from danger.{{Cite web |url=https://www.betterreading.com.au/news/awards-oprah-and-a-tv-deal-success-continues-for-trent-daltons-boy-swallows-universe/ |title=Awards, Oprah and a TV Deal: Success Continues for Trent Dalton's Boy Swallows Universe |date=2019-05-23 |access-date=2022-08-03 |website=BETTER READING}} It features an ensemble cast led by Travis Fimmel, Phoebe Tonkin, Felix Cameron, Lee Tiger Halley, Zac Burgess, Simon Baker, Bryan Brown, Anthony LaPaglia and Sophie Wilde.

The series premiered on Netflix on 11 January 2024 to overwhelming praise from critics and audiences. The story, tone, acting and faithfulness to the source material were all subjects of particular acclaim. It received numerous accolades, including a record 10 Logie Award nominations.

Cast

Felix Cameron as Eli Bell (age 13){{Cite web |last=Ostby |first=Ingrid |date=13 January 2023 |title=Boy Swallows Universe: Everything You Need to Know About the Series |url=https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/boy-swallows-universe-release-date-news |access-date=13 January 2023 |website=Netflix}}
Zac Burgess as Eli Bell (age 17)
Auden Ryan as Eli Bell (age 6)
Lee Tiger Halley as August 'Gus' Bell, Eli's brother
Jake Cockburn as August 'Gus' Bell (age 7)
Travis Fimmel as Lyle Orlik, Gus and Eli's stepfather
Simon Baker as Robert Bell, Gus and Eli's father
Phoebe Tonkin as Frances "Frankie" Bell, Gus and Eli's mother
Bryan Brown as Slim Halliday, Gus and Eli's babysitter
Anthony LaPaglia as Tytus Broz, boss and drug dealer
Sophie Wilde as Caitlyn Spies, newspaper journalist
Toby Schmitz as Detective Tim Cotton, corrupt police officer
Christopher James Baker as Ivan Kroll, standover man/drug dealer
Deborah Mailman as Poppy Birkbeck, guidance counsellor
Adam Briggs as Alex Bermuda, Eli's pen pal bikie in prison
HaiHa Le as Bich Dang, restaurant owner, drug importer and supplier
Zachary Wan as Darren Dang, Bich Dang's son
Ben O'Toole as Teddy Callis, Lyle's former best friend
Rob Carlton as Brian Robertson
Emily Eskell as PC Daley, police officer
Michael Denkha as George Masoumi, Slim's friend
Eloise Rothfield as Shelly Huffman, school student (age 13)
Millie Donaldson as Shelly Huffman (age 17)
Matthew Knight as a prison guard, Boggo Road Gaol
Isaac Strutt–Stevens as Christopher, hospital cancer patient
Drew Matthews as Titch
Peter Phan as Tony Leung
Kate Box as Dr Brennan{{cite web | last=H-B | first=Khaled | title=Boy Swallows Universe Season 2: What Release date? | website=TheCinemalic.com | date=13 January 2024 | url=https://www.thecinemalic.com/boy-swallows-universe-season-2/ | access-date=14 January 2024}}

Episodes

{{Episode table |background=#A60000 |total_width=auto |overall= |title= |director= |airdate= |airdateR={{cite web |title=Shows A-Z – Boy Swallows Universe on Netflix|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/showatch/boy-swallows-universe/listings/ |website=The Futon Critic |access-date=December 5, 2023}} |episodes=

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 1

|Title = Boy Smells Rat

|DirectedBy = Bharat Nalluri

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|1|11|df=y}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor = A60000

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 2

|Title = Boy Gets Chop

|DirectedBy = Bharat Nalluri

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|1|11|df=y}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor = A60000

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 3

|Title = Run Boy Run

|DirectedBy = Jocelyn Moorhouse

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|1|11|df=y}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor = A60000

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 4

|Title = Boy Loses Dad

|DirectedBy = Jocelyn Moorhouse

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|1|11|df=y}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor = A60000

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 5

|Title = Boy Takes Flight

|DirectedBy = Jocelyn Moorhouse

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|1|11|df=y}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor = A60000

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 6

|Title = Boy Seeks Work

|DirectedBy = Kim Mordaunt

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|1|11|df=y}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor = A60000

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 7

|Title = Boy Meets End

|DirectedBy = Kim Mordaunt

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|1|11|df=y}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor = A60000

}}

Production

= Development =

The television adaptation rights of Trent Dalton's novel Boy Swallows Universe were acquired by Brouhaha Entertainment, Anonymous Content and Chapter One. On 4 March 2022, it was announced that an 8-episode limited series had been commissioned by Netflix, with producers Andrew Mason and Troy Lum of Brouhaha Entertainment, Sophie Gardiner of Chapter One, and Kerry Kohansky-Roberts and Toby Bentley of Anonymous Content.{{Cite web |url=https://www.smh.com.au/culture/tv-and-radio/trent-dalton-s-boy-swallows-universe-to-get-8-part-netflix-treatment-20220303-p5a1he.html |title=Boy Swallows Universe: Netflix swallows Trent Dalton's bestselling novel for 8-part series |date=2022-03-04 |access-date=2022-08-03 |website= The Sydney Morning Herald |last=Quinn |first=Karl}}

= Casting =

It was revealed on 31 August 2022 that Felix Cameron would be playing the leading character, Eli Bell, and other main cast members included Lee Tiger Halley, Travis Fimmel, Simon Baker, Phoebe Tonkin, Bryan Brown, Anthony LaPaglia, and Sophie Wilde. Christopher James Baker, Deborah Mailman, Ben O'Toole, and others also landed roles.{{Cite web |last=Whittock |first=Jesse |date=2022-08-31 |title=Netflix's 'Boy Swallows Universe': Travis Fimmel, Simon Baker & Phoebe Tonkin To Front Aussie Drama From Brouhaha Entertainment, Anonymous Content & Chapter One |url=https://deadline.com/2022/08/netflix-boy-swallows-universe-travis-fimmel-simon-baker-phoebe-tonkin-1235103993/ |access-date=2022-09-05 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Frater |first=Patrick |date=2022-08-31 |title=Travis Fimmel and Simon Baker Head Cast of Netflix Series 'Boy Swallows Universe' |url=https://variety.com/2022/global/news/travis-fimmel-simon-baker-boy-swallows-universe-netflix-1235355633/ |access-date=2022-09-05 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}

= Filming =

File:Bus stop advertisement for Boy Swallows Universe TV series in Brisbane, 2023.jpg

Shelley Farthing-Dawe is the main cinematographer of the series. Principal photography for the series reportedly began in August 2022, with filming beginning in Brisbane.{{Cite web |last=Frater |first=Patrick |date=2022-07-20 |title=Netflix Series 'Boy Swallows Universe' to Shoot in Brisbane |url=https://variety.com/2022/global/news/netflix-series-boy-swallows-brisbane-1235321724/ |access-date=2022-08-03 |website=Variety}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.businessnewsaustralia.com/articles/netflix-boy-swallows-universe-adaptation-to-be-shot-in-brisbane.html |title=Netflix adaptation of Trent Dalton's Boy Swallows Universe to be shot in Brisbane |date=2022-07-21 |access-date=2022-08-03 |website=Business News Australia |last=Dedovic |first=Amila}} A house in Beenleigh was used for Lyle and Frankie's house while Robert's house was located in Wavell Heights. The scenes of the family buying a secondhand Atari console were filmed in Chelmer.{{Cite news |date=2024-01-12 |title=From Darra to The Gap: How Netflix recreated 1980s Brisbane in Boy Swallows Universe |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-01-13/boy-swallows-universe-netflix-trent-dalton-brisbane-seq/103309034 |access-date=2024-01-13 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}}

Reception

=Critical response=

Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gives the series an 85% approval rating based on 13 reviews.{{Cite web |date=18 January 2024 |title=Boy Swallows Universe |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/boy_swallows_universe/s01 |website=Rotten Tomatoes |access-date=1 February 2024 }}

Luke Buckmaster reviewing the series for The Guardian rated it four stars out of five.{{Cite web |last=Buckmaster |first=Luke |date=11 January 2024 |title=Boy Swallows Universe review – Netflix's Trent Dalton adaptation is one of a kind |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2024/jan/11/boy-swallows-universe-review-netflix-trent-dalton-adaptation |access-date=13 January 2024 |website=The Guardian }} Kylie Northover reviewing the series for The Sydney Morning Herald rated the series as five stars out of five, "As in the book, the mood is a tightrope walk between despair and childish optimism; the brothers’ lives are shaped by trauma, but this sprawling story is infused with humour and great warmth, even for the adults who have let them down."{{Cite web |last=Northover |first=Kylie |date=9 January 2024 |title=Netflix's adaptation of this bestseller is incredible |url=https://www.smh.com.au/culture/tv-and-radio/netflix-s-adaptation-of-this-bestseller-is-incredible-20240102-p5eurg.html |access-date=13 January 2024 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald }}

Jessica Baker of WhoWhatWear wrote that Phoebe Tonkin "is in the midst of a transformative period. Coming off a truly spectacular dramatic performance in Boy Swallows Universe."{{cite web | url=https://www.whowhatwear.com/phoebe-tonkin-boy-swallows-universe | title=Phoebe Tonkin Will Take Your Breath Away in Boy Swallows Universe | author=Baker, Jessica | date=16 January 2024 }} Dalton, who wrote the novel the series is based on, also praised Tonkin's performance, stating "Phoebe went right ahead and gave a performance across eight hours of television that is so raw and exposing and true and dark-as-night-sometimes and so filled with light and hope and heart and LOVE that it reminded me why I wanted to write Boy Swallows Universe in the first place."{{citeweb | url=https://wwd.com/eye/people/phoebe-tonkin-boy-swallows-universe-1236113872/ | title=Phoebe Tonkin Explores Trauma and Tenderness in Boy Swallows Universe | author=Tauer, Kristen | date=11 January 2024 }}

= Accolades =

At the 2024 Logie Awards, the series received a year-record 10 nominations. These included nominations for Best Miniseries or Telemovie, Best Lead Actor (for Cameron and Baker), Best Lead Actress (for Tonkin), Best Supporting Actor (for Brown, Halley and Fimmel) and Best Supporting Actress (for Wilde), and the Graham Kennedy Award for Most Popular New Talent (for Cameron and Halley).{{cite web|last=Knox|first=David|url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2024/06/logie-awards-2024-nominations.html|title=Logie Awards 2024: nominees|date=23 June 2024|website=TV Tonight|publisher=TV Tonight|access-date=23 June 2024}} The series won 5 Logies during the award ceremony.{{Cite web |last=Quinn |first=Thomas Mitchell, Damien Woolnough, Gemma Grant, Karl |date=2024-08-18 |title=Logies 2024: Sam Pang kicks off awards ceremony with a bang |url=https://www.smh.com.au/culture/tv-and-radio/logies-2024-live-updates-red-carpet-winners-gold-logie-time-20240818-p5k39c.html |access-date=2024-08-18 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}

class="wikitable"

|+Logie Awards

!Year

!Award

!Category

!Winner

!Result

!Ref

rowspan="5" |2024

|Silver Logie

|Best Supporting Actress

|Sophie Wilde

| {{Won}}

| rowspan="5" |{{Cite web |last=Knox |first=David |date=2024-08-18 |title=Logie Awards 2024: winners {{!}} TV Tonight |url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2024/08/logie-awards-2024-winners.html |access-date=2024-08-18 |website=tvtonight.com.au |language=en-AU}}

Graham Kennedy Award

|Most Popular New Talent

|Felix Cameron

| {{Won}}

Silver Logie

|Best Supporting Actor

|Bryan Brown

| {{Won}}

Silver Logie

|Best Miniseries or Telemovie

| {{Won}}

Silver Logie