When high-flying author Julian (Ben Miller) faces being cancelled the sudden appearance of his 20-something neurodivergent son sparks a cynical plan to clean up his image. It's a great set-up, and one that serves TV comedy "Austin" well.
The U.S. is yet to catch onto "Austin" but you can watch it from anywhere with a VPN — and potentially for free.
"Austin" premieres in the U.K. on Friday, April 4 on BBC One at 9:30 p.m. BST . It is also available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
• U.K. — BBC iPlayer
• Australia — iView
• Canada — CBC Gem
• Watch anywhere — try NordVPN 100% risk free
Needless to say, it does not go as smoothly as he might have hoped and nobody plays the hopeless middle class loser like Ben Miller as Julian (in a show he co-created and co-wrote).
Although Michael Theo, a neurodivergent participant in reality TV show "Love on the Spectrum", makes his acting debut as the title character "Austin" here, we are told it is not a comedy about autism. Or about cancel culture.
It is about families apparently but it doesn't matter which take appeals, the intersection of all three themes has produced a very funny show that has already been a hit in Australia (watch now on ABC iView)and Canada.
Read on to find out how to watch "Austin" online, on TV and from anywhere.
How to watch 'Austin' for FREE in the U.K.
How to watch 'Austin' from abroad
Thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network), "Austin" should be available to Brits no matter where they are. The software allows your devices to appear to be back in your home country regardless of where in the world you find yourself. Our favorite is NordVPN.
Using a VPN is incredibly simple.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're away from the U.K. and want to view a U.K. service, you'd select U.K. from the list.
3. Sit back and watch the show. Head to BBC iPlayer to watch "Austin" episodes online and on-demand.
How to watch 'Austin' around the world
Can I watch 'Austin' in the United States?
There is no release date for "Austin" in the U.S. as yet. If that changes you will read about it here first.
However, if you are a Brit in the States for work or on vacation you can catch the show for free much earlier by using a VPN such as NordVPN, choosing U.K. from the list and selecting BBC iPlayer.
Watch 'Austin' online and on-demand in the U.K.
If you live in the U.K. then you can catch "Austin" on Friday, April 4 on BBC One at 9:30 p.m. BST. All eight episodes will also be available to stream for FREE on BBC iPlayer the same day. You'll need a valid TV licence, naturally.
If you're not in the U.K., you can still catch the show by using one of the best VPN services, such as NordVPN.
Can I watch 'Austin' online or on TV in Canada?
Good news. "Austin" has been available to watch in Canada on CBC Gem since last year.
However, if you are a Brit in the Great White North for work or on vacation you can catch the show on your own domestic streaming platform by using a VPN such as NordVPN.
Can I watch 'Austin' in Australia?
Yes. "Austin" is an Australian-British show and, as with Canada, the first season premiered last year and is still available to stream on ABC iView.
However, if you are a Brit working or on vacation Down Under and you want to catch the show on your usual domestic streaming service you can do so by using a VPN such as NordVPN.
'Austin' - Cast
- Ben Miller as Julian Hartswood
- Sally Phillips as Ingrid Hartswood
- Michael Theo as Austin Hogan
- Roy Billing as Bill Hogan
- Gia Carides as Mel Hogan
- Kate Elliott as Heidi
- Charlotte Nicdao as Yolanda Cox
- Ellie McKay as Florence Hartswood
- Richard Davies as Eric
- Tai Hara as Barman Luke
- Billie Piper as Billie
- Zahra Newman as Monica
- Obadiah as Jamael
'Austin' - Episode guide
Season 01 Episode 01 – "I Think I'm Your Son": Within hours of best-selling children’s author Julian Hartswood being cancelled for reposting a white supremacist, he discovers he has a neurodivergent son called Austin. Meanwhile, Julian’s wife and work partner Ingrid calculate that Austin was conceived when she and Julian were first dating.: The death of an elderly woman found in a cave has the Lyell team asking what drives a person to murder someone so vulnerable. A new boss at the Lyell riles Jack.
S01 E02 – "My Luncheon with Austin": Austin invites Julian and Ingrid home to have lunch with his 'embarrassing' family, while Ingrid contemplates some extramarital 'wham-wham'.
S01 E03 – "The Bonding Process": On a bonding tour with Austin, Julian covertly starts making a documentary film about 'father and neurodivergent son quality time' in order to spring-clean his image. But Ingrid and Austin soon get wise to his Machiavellian ways, with surprising results.
S01 E04 – "Get It All On Camera": Julian’s documentary, capturing his growing relationship with Austin, is now out in the open, and Julian engages an award-winning film-maker to finish the job.
S01 E05 – "Looking for Billie": Austin organises a bespoke celebrity bus tour, while Julian contemplates hiring someone to 'scrub' his image. Ingrid decides to expand her career to become an 'illust-author', combining her illustrating career with writing and excluding Julian for the first time.
S01 E06 – "Pulped Fiction": When Julian gets fired from his publisher and told his remaining books are to be pulped, Austin leads the charge to break into the warehouse to rescue whatever's left. Across town, Ingrid has an important meeting with a charismatic ghostwriter.
S01 E07 – "A Rough Cut": Ingrid discovers a former passion, while Austin and Julian prepare for the first screening of a documentary titled The Greatest Man I Never Knew that will, hopefully, rebrand Julian to the world.
S01 E08 – "Austin, We Have a Problem": Julian is concerned when Austin turns his phone off and leaves the house to have some time on his own. In a boutique gallery in outer London, Ingrid prepares for an exhibition of her artwork. But the absence of Austin and Julian doesn’t bode well.
'Austin' - FAQ
What has Ben Miller, co-creator/ co-writer/ star (plays Julian Hartswood), said about "Austin"?
As well as starring in Austin, you’re also one of the show’s creators - how did you get involved?
Darren Ashton, the director, is an old friend of mine. We worked on a film in Australia called Razzle Dazzle in 2007 and we'd been looking for something to do ever since. A few years ago, he was staying with me in the UK, and he showed me Love on the Spectrum, which I absolutely loved, and I was completely blown away by Michael Theo in it. I thought he was extraordinary and such a fascinating person in the show and on screen. After bingeing the entire series, I asked Darren "Do you think Michael could act? I get the feeling he could" and Darren agreed. We said, "Do you think we could try and come up with some kind of show where Michael was the central character?" and that was the beginning of it.
Have you threaded any of your own and other cast member’s experiences into the story?
For one thing, I'm a children's author and because it's a show about families I thought it'd be great if Julian and Ingrid were children's authors themselves. Darren, Sally and I got together to figure out who these characters were. I think Sally came up with the idea that she was the illustrator and I was the author, and it's a world that I know because I write children's books and in fact I've just done my first picture book.
The stories that we have in the show mostly come from Michael's own experiences. Michael is looking to become independent in the world and that's kind of really what our first season is about; it's about Austin moving towards independent living, so that's been a big journey for Michael as well.
How was it working with Sally again?
I just love working with Sally. If comedy was music, she'd be a jazz flautist. You never know what she's going to do or say next. She improvises a lot in scenes and that's really good fun. She keeps you on your toes. I like improvisation [laughs] but I don't like it as much as Sally does.
How is it working with Michael?
He's done acting classes and put in a lot of work and he's naturally talented, but even given that it was amazing how quickly he adapted. It was definitely a learning curve for him over the first season, but Sally and I both felt he sort of overtook us about halfway through. Ancient wisdom had its advantage and that was quickly overtaken by youth and enthusiasm.
It's a wonderfully funny show but does it have a serious message?
If it does, it wears it very lightly. I don't know if it has a message, but it feels very refreshing to watch and that is partly because neurodiversity is underrepresented on camera. It's really fun to see a neurodivergent character who's not Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory and who in some ways is the opposite of that character. One of the typical images of autistic people is that they're not very empathetic and they're not very good at human connection, but Michael's special gift is empathy and human connection.
As an author of children's books, what do you make of Julian and Ingrid's Big Bear series?
Well, I'm very envious of it because it's incredibly popular. We talk so much about the books in the show that Big Bear has almost become real to me, and I think he's great. Whatever adversity he faces he sees it through, which is a lovely echo of the show.
What else can I watch on BBC iPlayer?
Lots – including "Tribe with Bruce Parry", "Strike: Ink Black Heart", "Gavin & Stacey Christmas Special", "Call The Midwife", "Doctor Who: Joy to the World", "Strictly Come Dancing", "Outnumbered" and plenty more.
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