'Acting Good' Season 3: How 'The Simpsons' inspired Paul Rabliauskas' approach to the show's ensemble cast

Actor, writer and stand-up comedian Paul Rabliauskas has brought back his hit TV show Acting Good for Season 3. Set in the remote community of Grouse Lake First Nation, the comedy series began with the lead character Paul (Rabliauskas) coming home after he didn't quite cut it in the big city like he hoped.

When Season 2 of the series ended, Rose (Cheyenna Sapp) left Stephen Harper (Aqqalu Meekis) at the altar and ran away with Paul. Now Season 3 begins with Rose and Paul trying to start a family.

"The first season, it was so overwhelming, just the experience," Rabliauskas told Yahoo Canada. "Season 2, there was a little bit of that, but it was like, 'OK, we've been here before.'"

"Now Season 3, I think the honeymoon is over and ... there was a lot of returning cast, there was a lot of returning crew since Season 1, so it was almost like we're just going to work. We know what to do. It's still a lot of fun, but I think because of that, I think the product this year is a lot stronger. ... I think you see it in the writing. I think you see it in the performances, you see three years of experience. You see three years of people working together, building this chemistry."

'We have one of the best ensembles in Canadian television'

While Paul's character is a significant focus for the show, the magic of Acting Good comes with its ensemble cast, with each character playing a critical role in the comedy that guides the whole show.

"When you come from a reserve, you do remember a lot of people, because there are so many colourful characters on every single community," Rabliauskas said. "I think my character is my least favourite. That's how much I love these other characters."

"I think Simpsons sort of was our inspiration, because they created such [a] great ensemble where you have Moe and Barney, and I think that was really, really important for us, is that you sort of treat every character like they're the lead character in the show, ... and you give them strong personalities. And I think that helps the show we have. I think we have one of the best ensembles in Canadian television."

But with a lot of these characters pulled from Rabliauskas' own life, his real family actively responds to Acting Good.

"My cousin Dean is a real guy, he's the real movie man back in [Poplar River First Nation], and my favourite line he sends me, he's like, 'I can't wait to see what I do this time. ... I can't wait to see what trouble I get into this year,'" Rabliauskas shared. "I do have other cousins who are jealous that they're not in the show."

"I have a twin brother in real life. He's like, 'When are you going to write your mysterious twin brother in the show?' I get it from everywhere, but the ones that do get added, they they just love it. They become little celebrities back home."

'The stories are so universal'

Acting Good continues to really fill the gap of giving Canadians an outrageously funny sitcom centred around and starring Indigenous actors. Rabliauskas is proud to extend Indigenous storytelling into the comedy space, proving how universal comedy is for everyone.

"We're hitting non-Native audiences too, I'm seeing the Acting Good love every day," Rabliauskas said. "I'm seeing a new trend where it's not just Indigenous people that are fans, it's white people, it's other brown people of different ethnicities, and it's really cool."

"It's the comedy. I've been doing stand-up comedy for 15 years and I've always said that comedy is such a cool tool to use to teach people about culture. ... You learn culture at school, you can have people teach you the textbook, but comedy, it's almost like we're tricking you into learning, because we're using jokes and funny stories. And then the next thing you know, you're hearing about our experiences. You're learning stuff. And I think Acting Good plays in that as well. ... I think the stories are so universal. It's about a small town family and all the shenanigans that come with that."