Soul Mates

Soul Mates, originating from Australian broadcasting network ABC2, is a unique mix of history, buddy comedy, and wild imagination traversing through the realms of time and space. A show that originally aired in 2014, it's a standout piece for its unique storytelling lens and its ability to blend genres. Drawing on multiple influences, Soul Mates provides a real rollercoaster ride of a viewing experience.

The sitcom banked heavily upon flexibility of characters and plots to engage the audience. It's centered around the lives of two best friends who are reincarnated and destined to be together in multiple lifetimes. The show is a mishmash of past, present, and future eras, spanning centuries, even millennia, each paired with its unique storyline and emphasis on the never-ending friendship of the two protagonists, they have discovered their shared destinies extend back through the mists of time.

One life, they are Kiwi Assassins in the 1980s offering professional combat experience. Another incarnation places them as lazy rock-throwing cavemen in a time five million years ago when modern language was not yet in existence. Then there are lifetimes where they are stuck in the office in the twenty-first century and time-travelling in the future. The repertoire of storylines is as varied as it is exciting, throwing viewers into new narratives where the friends' shared eternal voyage is the only constant.

The show features Nick Boshier and Christiaan Van Vuuren, known as Bondi Hipsters, as the central characters. Their camaraderie and easy chemistry allow for the back and forth banter integral to the show's comedy. They portray their characters with a kind of reckless confidence that allows for some truly absurd moments to arise naturally. Their performances are the pulpy heart at the core of the show, and their dynamism holds the otherwise chaotic narratives together.

Soul Mates is complemented with sharp writing that superbly meshes eccentricity with humor and wit. Its originality may not appeal to everyone; however, its niche charm set it apart in the vast universe of comedy series. The unorthodox plotlines are filled with dry humor, absurd situations, and, honestly, a lot of cringe humor. The show incorporates the themes and stereotypes of different eras to form the framework for its irreverent humor. The interplay of history and comedy provides an engaging dynamic that is innovative, and to some extent, avant-garde in its implementation.

Visually, Soul Mates is gritty and offbeat, each episode's visuals meticulously tailored to fit the era in which it's set. The production team's painstaking efforts shine through as they immerse us into time periods ranging from the prehistoric age to unseen futures. The dialogues are as hilarious as they are eccentric, and the script does a sterling job of establishing character depth despite the constant leaping from timeline to timeline.

What truly sets Soul Mates apart from other comedy series, however, is the underlying and consistent theme of enduring friendship and camaraderie, even in the face of extreme circumstances and absurdity. It is as much a story about the timeless bond shared by the main characters as it is a commentary on the recurring patterns of human behavior and social norms across the epochs, told through a unique blend of satire, parody, and amusement.

Soul Mates is unquestionably an unusual show. It's a thought-provoking time-travelling satire shrouded in a comedy series that refuses to play by common thematic rules. Adventure and comedy are intertwined with satirical commentary running through a narrative skeleton that is often melancholy yet indisputably compelling. It's a show that will surprise you with its wit, make you laugh with its humor, and above all, might just make you appreciate your best friend a little more than before. In itself, Soul Mates plays out like a time-capsule full of outrageous surprises; a bit challenging, but fun in all its austere and earnest simplicity. For those looking for groundbreaking storytelling, outrageous comedy, and an appreciation of deeply connected human relationships, Soul Mates will definitely leave a strong impression.