The “mockumentary” style of comedy has always been around and was made popular by shows like The Office, of which the UK version ran from 2001 to 2003 and the US version that ran from 2005 to 2013, and Parks and Recreation, which ran from 2009 to 2015. The style of show allows for a reality-television feel and offers up a combination of hilarity mixed with current topics, not unlike Saturday Night Live (1975-).

This is where the newly minted Netflix series, Hard Cell, finds itself. It is an upcoming mockumentary comedy show about a women’s correctional facility. With comedic genius Catherine Tate (Doctor Who, The Office) at the forefront of this project, it will surely be quite the spectacle for fans and newcomers alike.

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The Plot

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The new Netflix mock-reality-styled series will follow Tate as Laura Willis, the head of a British women’s correctional facility, HMP Woldsley, as she leads a music-based program at the women’s prison in the hopes of giving the inmates creative tools to work past the limitations placed on them in lock-up. She will also be a couple of other characters, including a straight-laced male guard, a seasoned inmate who exhibits terrifying behavior, an ex-con, a first-timer who is terrified by her newly-appointed living situation, and a popular inmate who enjoys her life at the prison. This is similar to Mike Myers, who is known for playing multiple roles in his own films, i.e., the Austin Powers franchise (1997, 1999, 2002), So I Married an Axe Murderer (1993), and more recently, The Pentaverate (2022).

Throughout the show, the audience will observe the day-to-day lives of the inmates of the prison as they learn and rehearse a musical over a 6-week period with the help of the disconcerted and disillusioned staff of the facility.

Cast & Crew

Catherine Tate heads the cast of the hilarious series as not one but multiple characters. Many will recognize the English actress, comedian, and writer as Donna from the fourth season of Doctor Who (2008), where she was teamed up with the 10th Doctor, played by David Tennant. The actress-comedian rose to fame on her BBC comedy-sketch series, which she wrote, The Catherine Tate Show (2004-2009), which is having its own little comeback in the form of The Nan Movie, a film based on one of the more iconic characters from Tate’s sketch show, which was released March 18th of this year. The show will also star actors Donna Preston, Christian Brassington, and Cheryl Fergison, to name a few. Preston will soon be gracing screens in the upcoming Sandman series, while Brassington and Fergison are known for their time on Poldark and Eastenders, respectively.

Tate also heads the crew of the upcoming series as the show’s creator, not unlike her previous BBC series. Similar to that as well, Tate also wrote the show; however, here, she had the help of fellow writers Alex Carter and Niky Wardley. Tate also worked to direct the new series along with James Kayler, who, most recently, has directed episodes of Married at First Sight UK (2021-2022). The show is produced by Gary Matsell, head of Leopard Pictures, who has previously produced shows like So Awkward (2017-2019) and Detectorists (2015-2017). He is joined by Jenny Fava (Mum) and executive producer Kristian Smith (Worzel Gummidge). Smith has also previously worked with Tate on The Catherine Tate Show and Catherine Tate’s Nan (2014,2015).

Release Date

Hard Cell will release on the Netflix streaming service on April 12, 2022. The show will have a 6-episode arch.

Everything Else to Know

The show is sure to be a comedic hit with Tate’s mind behind the magic and many of the characters. The trailer of the show, which was released last month, has already enthralled fans of the comedian with its quick-witted comebacks and zingy one-liners. Even executive producer, Kristian Smith, is thrilled about the show, stating:

With such words of esteem, it is no wonder many are expecting the show to be a comedy hit, much like the actress-comedian-writer’s previous sketch series that earned her seven British Academy Television Awards (BAFTA) nominations as well as an International Emmy nom for Best Performance by an Actress. The show also earned her a British Comedy Award in 2004 for Best TV Comedy Newcomer and in 2006 for Best TV Comedy Actress.

Hard Cell certainly has some big shoes to fill, but it seems, with the incredible cast and crew behind it and the combination of comedy and heart, the upcoming Netflix comedy series should have no trouble at all.