For viewers who need more rom-coms in their lives, Colin from Accounts is the perfect relationship comedy to fill the void. The Australian series, which airs on Paramount+ in the U.S., revolves around an awkward couple, Ashley (Harriet Dyer) and Gordon (Patrick Brammall), as they figure out their relationship potential. The pair first come together through an accident involving a dog, who they later name Colin. Because of the state of Colin’s injuries, the pair quickly go from being total strangers to doggy co-parents.
Ashley and Gordon spend the bulk of Season 1 navigating their newfound relationship, trying to figure out if they actually do want to be together or if it’s just Colin keeping them connected. They’re both extremely flawed and insecure in their own ways, and each takes a turn at doubting the validity of their connection. Thanks to the characters’ amazing chemistry, sense of humor, and endearing romantic fumbles, Colin from Accounts is a total joy to watch.
What Is ‘Colin From Accounts’ About?
Ashley and Gordon’s meet-cute sets up the premise for the entire show. We first meet Ashley as she’s pining over her ex-boyfriend James (Tai Hara) and running late for work at the hospital where she’s training as a medical student. Heading to work in a bit of a hungover state, she cheekily flashes Gordon while crossing the street in front of his car. Distracted by Ashley’s move, Gordon accidentally hits a dog with his car, and they both share in the guilt of what’s happened to this poor little stray. They bring the dog to Gordon’s ex-girlfriend (Annie Maynard), who happens to be a vet named “Yvette.” Ashley and Gordon decide to co-fund the dog’s surgery rather than put it down, which means that they are stuck together to care for the dog and his new specialized needs.
As Ashley and Gordon spend more and more time together, their feelings for each other grow from dog-parenting partners to something more romantic. When their relationship changes, they have to confront the reality that Colin will keep them connected for as long as he’s alive, and therefore, they’ll have to be in each other’s lives for the long haul. Over the course of the series, Ashley and Gordon go back and forth on whether they’re really suited for each other, or if their relationship is just a result of Colin tying them together.
Even as their relationship evolves, Ashley and Gordon experience personal insecurities that come with the territory of starting a new romance. Since Ashley is still getting over her feelings for James, she is low on self-confidence and takes it personally when a hook-up with Gordon fizzles out. Meanwhile, Gordon is recovering from cancer and keeps it to himself as he spends a lot of time worrying rather than living his best life. He seems stuck in some unhealthy patterns, but with the arrival of Ashley and Colin, he begins to break out of them. One thing at the forefront of the new couple’s minds is their age gap. Since she’s a med student, Ashley worries that perhaps Gordon is too old for her. Gordon tries his best to be cool and trendy for her friends when he hosts her birthday party at the microbrewery he co-owns, but it goes so horribly wrong that he actually ends up doubting their whole relationship.
The real-life husband and wife team of Harriet Dyer (Ashley) and Patrick Brammall (Gordon) have amazing onscreen chemistry, and their authenticity as a couple shines through in their performances. They have an ease in their rapport, while their charming and witty banter holds the show together. Because Gordon and Ashley unexpectedly complement each other in personalities, insecurities, sensibilities, and humor, you can’t help but root for this couple to get together, even when they make it very difficult for themselves.
‘Colin From Accounts’ Also Has a Great Supporting Cast
It’s not just insecurities and outside friendships that get in the way of Ashley and Gordon’s romantic future. Their past relationships, work, and family also become heavily involved in the plot to further flesh out the couple’s lives and complications. Colin from Accounts‘ supporting cast plays an excellent group of characters, each endearing and witty in their own right.
Gordon’s ex-girlfriend, Yvette, the vet, offers a dry sense of humor, while his two colleagues at the microbrewery, Chiara (Genevieve Hegney) and Brett (Michael Logo), often act as his voice of reason, giving him advice and guidance. The dynamic between the three friends at work is blunt and raw, reminiscent of a group of best mates constantly teasing each other in a mutual way. Meanwhile, Ashley’s circle includes her best friend and coworker, Megan (Emma Harvie), who tells it like it is but happens to be so likable that even Gordon’s colleagues fall in love with her. Ashley’s ex-boyfriend James really comes across as a huge jerk, making the audience root for Gordon even more. One of the show’s best supporting characters is Ashley’s mother Lynelle (Helen Thomson). While their relationship is mostly played for laughs, with Lynelle being eccentric, to say the least, behind their complicated dynamic is a mother who truly cares for her daughter.
For anyone looking for a great rom-com, Colin from Accounts is a well-rounded, funny take on the genre. With an awkward couple at its core and a hilarious supporting cast to flesh out the season, it’s a charming and quirky series that has you rooting for Ashley and Gordon from the get-go — and it also doesn’t hurt that there’s an adorable dog at the center of it all. Colin from Accounts tugs at the heartstrings, tickles the funny bone, and is genuinely the best streaming romance of the moment.
