The D-Generation was a popular and influential Australian TV sketch comedy show, produced and broadcast by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) for two series, in 1986 (10 x 30mins) and 1987 (6 x 30mins). The show was produced and directed by Kris Noble. Three specials The D-Generation Goes Commercial, Degenocide and, The D-Generation Salute to Roy Smeck aired on Channel 7 in 1988 as well as a fourth special The D-Generation Country Homestead in 1989. They were each 60 min long and were produced by Andrew Knight and directed by Ted Emery. The series and specials were created and written by a group of Melbourne University students who had gained local notoriety for their stage work: Rob Sitch, Santo Cilauro, Marg Downey, Michael Veitch, Magda Szubanski, the now retired-from-comedy John Harrison (being the original six cast members), and Tom Gleisner (head writer and honorary seventh member). Also part of the original team was Nick Bufalo, who appeared in the unscreened one-hour D-Generation pilot (1985), before accepting a long-running role on TV soap A Country Practice. Several of Bufalo's sketches from the pilot (including the famous Thunderbirds parody) were incorporated into series one, and Bufalo himself returned for the specials. Actress/comedian Jane Turner and New Zealander Tony Martin joined from series two, and Melbourne Uni Revue stars Mick Molloy and Jason Stephens were added for the specials.