The Age has another too-fabulous list of “Fifty things we love about TV.”
Written and compiled by Andrew Murfett, Frances Atkinson, Paul Kalina, Greg Hassall, Matthew Burgess, Daniel Burt, Debi Enker, Melinda Houston, Craig Mathieson, Bridget McManus and Karl Quinn, it cherry-picks the best on the box, from an entire series to a solitary actor.
A year ago they ran a “Best on the Box” list. They make for wonderful reading.
Amongst some of their choices are:
The rise and rise of Offspring
That Homeland proved again free-to-air audiences want to watch smart TV
Game of Thrones – especially Peter Dinklage
Timeshifting
Grand Designs Australia
Deborah Mailman: shining star
David Astle and Lily Serna on Letters and Numbers
Survivor, still
….and there’s a whole lot more that are really worth your time perusing.
But sheesh, they left out Smash. Harsh!
There’s also one there that I have a huuuuuge question mark about. Not sure it’s accurate.
Read them all here, and let’s hear your ones please?
But wait there’s more.
Check out the flipside in a list of things we don’t love:
Tabloid TV rivalry
The shabby treatment of HD
Darren McMullen
The re-enactment of Molly’s fall on Sunday Night
Immunity challenges on MasterChef
I just find this whole thing messy. You get a long list of the positives, no categorisations, not even in alphabetical order. That makes it hard to work through properly as a reader and absorb and respond to. You’ll tend to skim, think of something that bores or delights you and check the list if its there..and perhaps move on or think the list lacking.
The negatives – diversity plus. You have shows not running to schedule vs Delta’s glasses. Hmm..how about the list in order of magnitude from worst problem down to picky things.
And have this group ever provided any kind of rationale at all for their lists? Do they start with some form of comprehensive “Aussie shows and hosts A to Z” and work through it…or is this a form of brainstorming session where whatever comes off the top of their heads goes into one list or the other.
Also seems rather Vic-centric given the names. And personally I don’t think Charlie Pickering deserves to be put in either list. For me he’s just ‘ok’…nothing great or negative…does the job but nothing outstanding per se.
Where was the most important 2 things that should have been on list.
50 things to love about telly -
No. 1 Mal Walden’s impromptu weather reports and quips
No. 2 TV Tonight’s website
Would have traded Lady Mary Crawley for the Dowager Countess.
I can’t believe they left out Smash, one of the best shows on TV in a long time. It’s fresh, interesting, entertaining — and totally addictive!
What? Friday AFL gets a mention. Boo.
Coming from the Age it’s (unsurprisingly) very Melbourne-centric. Way too many AFL shows.
Lily Serna + Letters & Numbers = best thing on TV.
I speak for the Doctor Who fans… Bad list.