If you have ever e-mailed or texted the wrong person, you would identify with the premise of HBO Asia’s new TV series Sent.
The eight-part comedy series – HBO Asia’s first foray into comedy, which was shot entirely in Singapore – is about a meek office worker named Jay who contains his anger at people by drafting aggressive fake e-mails to them. His life is turned upside down when the e-mail drafts are all accidentally sent out.
Cast members of the show, which premieres on HBO on Sept 17, certainly have had their share of similar technology-related boo-boos.
Actor Alan Wong, who plays Jay’s friend Max on the show, recalls the time when he sent an e-mail meant for a girl he was dating at the time, to his boss instead.
“They had the same first name – and that’s going to get you. The first Emily is not always the right Emily,” said the 31-year-old Chinese-American at a press conference in Singapore.
His co-star Carla Dunareanu, who plays his wife Zoey, once sent a text message to her ex-boyfriend when she had meant to send it to a friend.
The 28-year-old, who is of Romanian and Chinese-Singaporean decent, said: “I took a screenshot of a quote that was empowering, and I wanted to send it to my best friend. It was something like, ‘I don’t need anyone by my side, the world is mine.’
“My ex saw it and was like, ‘What is this?’ I think he got the message.”
‘Honey, when it comes to posing for Instagram, try not to look into the camera.’ Photos: HBO Asia
Meanwhile, lead actor Haresh Tilani, who plays Jay, has been bitten by technology as well – even though it was not entirely his fault.
The comedian had sent a dirty message to his friend as a joke, punning on the Gentle Bones concert that his friend had been watching at the time. But as the phone signal was jammed during the concert, his friend received the message only hours later while out with his girlfriend, making for an awkward date.
Tilani, 33, said: “It sounds ridiculous, but it’s a true story. Oh, technology.”
Alaric Tay, director and producer of the show, was the only one at the press event who could not really think of a tech mishap that has happened to him – that is probably because he tends to avoid technology completely.
“And I’m lucky that my wife is a lot more techy than me. She helps me out with these things,” said Tay, 38.
Still, making a show revolving around tech blunders appealed to him immediately and he signed on for the job as soon as he got the call from HBO Asia to do it. This is Tay’s first time directing a TV series, but he has directed short films such as When We Were Bengs (2006) and Final Defect (2013).
“Everything is changing due to technology – the way we commute, the way we eat, the way we shop. I could definitely relate to that.
“And this being an HBO Asia production means that it will be seen on an international level. I’m so very, very proud that I got the opportunity to do something like this, where it’s shot in Singapore, with a Singapore cast and crew, and to showcase it to the rest of the world.” – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
