A rare prize in television - a laugh-out-loud sketch comedy. This is certainly one of the biggest surprises of the year and the funniest Australian TV comedy since Kath & Kim. Chris Lilley demonstrates real comedic skill, breathing life into the caricatures of eardrum donor Daniel Sims, Sydney schoolgirl Ja'mie King, Perth housewife Pat Mullins, former cop Phil Olivetti and PhD student Ricky Wong - all candidates for Australian of the Year.

There are influences from a range of sources, including the wickedly suburban Little Britain, easily the smoothest, funniest sketch comedy sent to us from the motherland in recent years. We Can Be Heroes is water-cooler quality. Lilley's delivery - from Ja'ime's teenage affectations and Pat's plan to roll from Perth to Uluru - is so spot on that you're doubling up with laughter. And fans of the show are already picking favourite characters.

This already has all the hallmarks of Kath & Kim - ripe, plump seeds from which many more comedy oaks will grow.