Pacific comedy web series ‘The School Repeaters’ hits screens

Imagine being 19 years old, covered in tattoos, and having to squeeze back into a high school desk - not for rugby, but because a prank went badly wrong.

That’s the joke at the heart of The School Repeaters, a new Pacific comedy series from Regan Foa’i’s production company, The Niu Wav.

Written by Foa’i and Torrell Tafa, the series brings together a star-studded cast including Simeon “Uce Gang” Fiapule, James Seufale (@phatz482), Peter Junior Nokise (@uso_jax), Lyncia Muller, Aaron Pulemagafa (The Western Guide), Joe Daymond, and comedic legend David Fane, with a soundtrack by Kings.

The story follows Jay Jay (Pulemagafa), Tomasi (Tafa), Fuso (Fiapule), and Ina (Muller) as they deal with the embarrassment of repeating Year 13, hiding it from their families while trying to protect their school’s reputations on the rugby field.

“It is about us playing 19-year-olds, being held back to repeat school,” Tafa told NiuFM’s The Morning Shack (TMS).

“Inspired by all the Polynesian kids who used to do it for rugby back in the day,” he said. “Back then, repeating school was kind of the norm. If there were 19 or 20-year-olds, you were like ‘oh yeap he’s in the rugby team’.”

Foa’i, who also co-hosts TMS, says the casting leaned fully into the joke.

“It was a long time in the making but to see it all come together is pretty cool,” he said. “Part of the joke was making it very, very obvious that these characters were well over the age of what they were playing.”

For Pulemagafa, who has played a high-schooler in the coming-of-age fakaleiti drama series, Inky Pinky Ponky, the age gap was hard to ignore.

“Sitting there doing make-up, I was like, should I cover my tattoos, coz I have quite a few?” Pulemagafa told TMS. “They were like, ‘Nah, you’ll be alright, it’s part of the joke’. It was funny trying to act a bit younger and not looking the bit.”

Filmed at Ōtāhuhu College and in Foa’i’s family home, the series marks a major milestone for Tafa, serving as both his on-screen and directorial debut. He co-directed alongside industry veteran Damon Fepulea’i (Red, White and Brass, Life After Footy: Legends of the Pacific).

“Sharing with Damon was really good because he handled the technical side, instructing cameras and lighting, and I was in charge of working with the boys and just being like, ‘Hey bro can you just shut up’,” Tafa jokes.

Listen to Torrell Tafa and The Western Guide's full interview below.

A highlight for the cast was working with David Fane, who plays Tafa’s step-father.

“He’s so funny, aye,” Tafa says. “For us, who are just social media dudes and then you work with the real guys, the pros, you crack every time because he’s so funny. He's an actual genius.”

Backed by NZ On Air, The School Repeaters is more than a laugh. It’s a celebration of Pacific storytelling, second chances, and a “Niu” wave of talent making the jump from skits to scripts.

Catch the full series now on The Coconet TV, and will soon be available on PMN and RNZ.