Break out the bubble tea: Run the Burbs is back with Season 2 bay-bay!
Good things are in store as another season of the half-hour comedy Run the Burbs returns to CBC, continuing to follow the lives of a young Vietnamese-South Asian-Canadian family of four living in a suburban cul-de-sac, starring Andrew Phung.
Life is anything but normal for the suburban Phams as the show returns with a second season when Andrew (Phung, also the show's executive producer, co-creator, and writer) yearns to leave his stay-at-home dad lifestyle behind, while his wife Camille (Rakhee Morzaria) starts a business with her best friend Sam (Julie Nolke) that threatens the family's financial security. Khia (Zoriah Wong) turns 16 and continues to grapple with teenage angst, and little Leo (Roman Pesino) hits puberty… hard.
Season 2 of Run the Burbs premieres on Wednesday, January 4, 2023, with new episodes airing at 8:30 p.m. ET (9 p.m. NT) on CBC and CBC Gem. Season 1 is available to stream now on CBC Gem
I'm the bad guy, duh
This season will also introduce a new nemesis, the so-called "Anti-Andrew" villain Bob, played by Gavin Crawford, host of CBC's Because News panel show for CBC Radio. Phung says that bringing Crawford into the world of Run the Burbs "felt right" after discovering they had a unique comedic chemistry during his appearances on Crawford's program.
"I am always trying to BS my way through things on the radio show and his role is to shut me down cold – and he's great at it. He's also one of the funniest guys in this country — we were all thrilled that he could do it."
And speaking of competition, there's also… Well, to not spoil anything, so let's just say fans who don't know already about the technicolour comedic talents of The Great Canadian Baking Show host Ann Pornel are in for a very sweet treat.
A little recap of Season 1 and a little more about Season 2
When we last saw the Phams, they were facing a few changes: Andrew went back to school and completed his degree, Camille quit her job with the goal of focusing on building a cooking business, Khia was invited to take a summer trip to Paris with her girlfriend Mannix, and Leo was invited to his friend's cottage, so Andrew and Camille embarked on a kid-free summer RV trip.
Camille's father Ramesh (played by Sort Of star and Laugh Out Loud host Ali Hassan) faces relationship problems with his girlfriend Barb (Baroness von Sketch Show's Aurora Browne), while Hudson (Jonathan Langdon) works on finalising his divorce and discovers a new friend in Cathy (Samantha Wan). Season 2 also introduces new characters such as Nikhil (Sharjil Rasool), Camille's cousin, Francis (Dakota Ray Hebert), Candy's kid who's inherited her house, and neighbour Dr. Dela Cruz, an infomercial pitchman.
Chris Locke returns as Sebastian, Simoine Miller as Mannix, Kimberly-Ann Truong as Andrew's sister Carol, and Pierre Duong and Christine Nguyen as Andrew's parents.
Run the Burbs co-creator and executive producer Scott Townend credits the show's success by describing the teams in front and behind the camera as "the most talented, kind, hardworking, creative people in the business."
"Our cast and crew have made working on set a true joy. That's the thing with a show like this. It's a team effort through and through, and we've got an incredible team."
In Season 2 the production continues to work with cultural consultants, including South Asian food writer Tara O'Brady and Vinh Nguyen, a Vietnamese PhD and professor of literature and cultural studies with a focus on the Asian diaspora (Nguyen also happens to be Phung's cousin).
Speaking of cousins, Phung is also excited for audiences to meet his characters' California relatives, teasing that "They do it up in a different way — they're on another level!"
Remembering Candy
On Christmas Day 2021, just a few weeks before Season 1 was set to debut on CBC, cast member Candy Palmater, who played a neighbour on the show, passed away unexpectedly. The cast and crew, like so many others who knew and loved her personally and professionally, were shocked and devastated. For Season 2, the show's creators knew they wanted to honour Candy in the show in some way.
"Candy was such an important comedic force in this country," says Phung.
"She was a one-woman wrecking crew of comedy and a big voice for the Indigenous community. I think people were only just beginning to understand how talented she really was."
Season 2 of Run the Burbs is written by Phung, Townend, Anthony Q. Farrell (also executive producer and showrunner and former writer for The Office), Nelu Handa (also co-executive producer), Courtney J. Walker (also co-executive producer), Cathyrn Naiker and Sara Peters. Season 2 features directors Aleysa Young (also executive producer), Zoe Hopkins, Pat Mills, Joyce Wong and Sherren Lee.
As returning fans and interested audiences should know by now, expect in the episodes ahead for the Phams to go big, live their best lives, and do it together.
"For me, this is an aspirational world we've created. It's a glimpse into the very idea that life is what you make of it," says Townend.
"The Phams make regular moments count. They have fun in their day to day lives and I think that's something we can all do a little more of."