Zoe Leigh Hopkins, Fab Filippo and Aleysa Young will direct the first season of the CBC original series Small Achievable Goals.

The 8 x 30-minute comedy series was previously announced by the pubcaster in May. The series is created by and stars two of the four creators of Baroness Von Sketch Show, Jennifer Whalen (pictured left) and Meredith MacNeill (pictured right).

Production on Small Achievable Goals began on Oct. 16 in Toronto and Hamilton, Ont. and will continue through to end of November. The series will premiere winter 2025 on CBC and CBC Gem.

The series follows an odd couple, played by Whalen and MacNeill, placed together to produce a podcast while grappling with menopause. Throughout the series, the pair help each other through workplace challenges, office politics and relationship drama.

Filippo, a Canadian Screen Award (CSA)-winning writer and director, co-created CBC’s Sort Of, and was the creator and star of the CBC comedy series Save Me. Young won a CSA in 2020 for her directing work on Baroness Von Sketch Show, and has also directed episodes of Strays, Run the Burbs, Workin’ Moms and the 2022 revival of The Kids in the Hall. Hopkins’ TV directing credits include the 2024 CSA Best Drama Series Little Bird, and the comedies Don’t Even and Run the Burbs.

Producing the series for CBC is the Montreal-headquartered Sphere Media. MacNeill, Whalen and Stacy Traub, as well as Sphere Media’s Bruno Dubé, Jennifer Kawaja and Elise Cousineau are executive producers.

“We want to make a joyful comedy about menopause because in this time of life we could all use a laugh,” said Whalen in a statement. “For those of us going through it, we see you. For everyone else, enjoy the ride!”

Image courtesy of CBC