The Ex-PM

One can only imagine that like “Arnold Schwarzenegger, Danny Devito: Twins” that “Shaun Micallef, The Ex-PM” must have been one of the shortest pitches in history.

What sounds like a concept busting to be made, has actually taken the much-loved comedian a number of years to get to screen. In that time a comedy about relevance deprivation has simply become more and more relevant as the body count rises.

When shooting was underway Tony Abbott was still in power. By the time post-production finished, or thereabouts, Malcolm Turnbull had usurped him.

Andrew Dugdale (Micallef) is a garrulous nincompoop. He waxes lyrical about elder statesmen, prattling on about his meetings with the likes of Nelson Mandela and referencing moments in history, but fails to notice his bored wife (Nicki Wendt) is doing things behind his back with his own chief of staff. How can one so learned, be so dumb -and yet have run the country for successive terms? We should all be worried.

The very stately Dugdale residence is home to the former PM’s skeleton staff. Nicholas Bell plays duplicitous Chief of Staff Sonny, Frances Greenslade is the metal-plated chauffer Curtis, Jackson Tozer is head of security and Ming-Zhu Hii is his cook on a 457 visa.

Wayward daughter Carol (Kate Jenkinson) has also moved back home with her son after leaving her cocaine-dealing husband. As you do.

Plunged into it all is young author Ellen (Lucy Honigman) who is to ghostwrite his memoirs, at the behest of Dugdale’s manager Henry (John Clarke). Dugdale is none too please with his manager’s suggestion, but the latter is ankle monitored under house arrest after trouble with ASIC.

He’d rather have Blanche D’alpuget writing. “So long as it sounds like I’m being unguarded and real.”

Through his conversations with Ellen (whom he keeps calling ‘Helen’) we learn he argued on the floor of the United Nations -but don’t mention “the Condoleeza Rice” incident; the polls and challenges were rocky, “No matter how on top you are there’s always someone ready to piss on you from a greater height”; and, ironically, his house is a bit like a sitcom itself… “Yes although the characters are not as broad.”

Out of office he doesn’t have much to do, other than create havoc around the house or long for his next photo opportunity. “It never happened if it’s not on the news!”

What we don’t learn is which side of politics he leans toward. Not unlike Yes, Minister, there are deliberate generic references to parties and “the other lot.” Unmistakably, there are lookalike Kevin Rudd glasses and hair, green and gold tracksuit jackets echoing John Howard and antique clocks, an obvious reference to Paul Keating. But there are direct nods to Bronwyn Bishop, Christine Milne and Christopher Pyne.

Wife Catherine misses the high life and distracts herself with alcohol and men (one scene cavorting with Sonny behind closed doors could be straight out of ‘Allo ‘Allo).

In Micallef’s wry trademark style the gags, whether as direct bulls eyes or ricocheting arrows, are continuous. He is in almost every scene, including his share of physical comedy, with Honigman acting as ‘straight man.’ At times Micallef’s writing is a comedy of manners, until it collides with knockabout comedy.

In the second episode there is a merciless nod to George Bush’s 9 / 11 turmoil, that illustrates the capacity to fuse modern, recognisable moments with his comedic creation.

The Ex-PM is a pretty perfect follow-up to Utopia that shows great potential for the ABC.

However as Sonny reminds Dugdale of the broadcaster, “You should have destroyed the place when you had the chance.”

The Ex-PM premieres 9:05pm Wednesday on ABC.