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Swift & Shift Couriers
Let’s face it. You probably already know whether you like to comedy style of Paul Fenech or not. His raucous comic style as seen in Pizza isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it has its fans. As he moves into a new series, Swift and Shift Couriers, he is more empowered to follow the path he has charted –or possibly the road he has a delivery.
Set in a courier delivery company, the characters of this service are as inept as any you have ever encountered. Whether it’s the manager, the call …
The Long Firm
In the first two minutes of The Long Firm, it’s clear this miniseries isn’t about to shy away from frank subjects and candid depictions.
A silent Sir Derek Jacobi can be seen partaking of mutual masturbation with another man in a toilet. It’s but one of his overt scenes as Lord Teddy Thursby, a fictional Tory Lord in 1960s London. Thursby is a cash-strapped politician with a penchant for young men, whose needs see him entwine with the dirty dealings of a charismatic underworld crim, Harry Starks.
Starks, played menacingly by Mark Strong, …
John Adams
Ahh the period miniseries, we love it so.
It’s such a meeting of television and film, with its romantic settings, elaborate costumes, hundreds of extras and grand themes. Shows like Roots, Against the Wind, Water Under the Bridge, Jessica, and The Thorn Birds were marvels of the small screen.
We used to do them so well in Australia, too. With the exception of Underbelly, the miniseries barely sees the light of day anymore here, unless you count those that try to pass themselves off as a miniseries, purely to abet funding.
But America can …
Criminal Minds
I must admit I always preferred this series when Mandy Patinkin was leading this troupe. He just seemed so damned classy, and that lilting voice belied a commanding presence.
The FBI Behavioural Team may be facing grisly, dastardly serial killers, arsonists, murderers, sadomasochists and cannibals but they lead a glamorous life -flying from state to state in a lear jet.
For my money Silence of the Lambs turned a corner in serial killer storytelling. We love to know what makes them tick, watch how they can outsmart the good guys, and shrink …
Bogan Pride
Rebel Wilson is easily recognisable from her work in everything from early parody commercials for Australian Idol, to boisterous performances in Pizza, The Wedge and Monster House. So far her persona has been fairly synonymous with loud, cynical, mostly simple, working class characters. It remains to be seen whether there’s more depth behind her cheesy grin.
Now, thanks to her own self-devised series, Wilson has the time and freedom to prove herself.
On the surface, her character in Bogan Pride is another western suburbs underdog. Jennifer Cragg is an overweight teenager, the target …
Top Gear Australia
When you’re charged with the task of producing a local version of an overseas format, international producers invariably insist you follow a tried and true format. So You Think You Can Dance Australia looks the same as the American version. For years Sale of the Century was copied around the world right down to Tony Barber’s bouncy entry. Sticking to the format is considered one of the only safeguards in ‘fool-proofing’ any new version.
But it brings with it the challenge: how do you make it your own? So it is with …
The Mentalist
Simon Baker (without the hyphenated “Denny”) is a cool customer in The Mentalist.
As Patrick Jane, he can walk into a crime scene and see things the cops miss. As a phony, celebrity psychic, he knows all the tricks in the book. The opening scene shows Jane working his stuff when a grieving mother and father shed tears for their murdered daughter to the media. He knows something more is goin’ on. In this scene, Baker displays an unassuming confidence that no doubt won him the role. It’s a deftly-directed opener.
Once the …
Old Skool with Terry & Gita
What do you do when you can’t shoot another TV series with Paris and Nicole? Easy: apply the same idea to another pair – two old ducks, just as much out of their comfort zone as Hilton and Richie. That’s what Simple Life producers Bunim-Murray have done in Old Skool with Terry & Gita.
Terry Moore and Gita Hall are about to get an education in what it means to be Generation Y in California – an extreme, drug-fuelled, bad-ass, celebrity-whoring mother of a state. These two septuagenarians are willing to learn …
Greek
We hear about fraternity brothers and sorority sisters in American media all the time. I even recall Ritchie and the Fonz once frocked up as sorority girls. It’s an aspect of American culture I don’t really understand, and I’ve never been particularly bothered with that shortcoming. Now, Greek has come along to explain it for me.
The ‘Greek system’, as it’s also known, is a social system for undergraduate college kids, built around alphabet names like Phi Beta Kappa. Many live in on-campus houses alongside senior members who oversee selection of the …
Australian Idol: Verdict Show
“Idol’s Monday night was always a bit of a naff for the audience because it was really just 15 minutes of content rolled out over an hour, but we’ve recognised that and strengthened it,” Dicko said two weeks ago.
To borrow a Big Brother phrase: I don’t think so.
Instead, Monday night’s Verdict edition consisted of 15 minutes of content rolled out over 70 minutes.
This year Idol decided to flag the bottom three at the top of the show and re-open the voting lines (ker-ching) to close at 8pm AEST. Viewers in …
The Hack Half Hour
Now this is way cool. ABC2 is bringing its triple j youth forum The Hack Half Hour to television.
Previously airing in 8 minute instalments on radio, now it is opened up for the small screen -and it works a treat.
Hosted by Walkley award‐winning journalist Steve Cannane, the forum consists of about twenty or so (mostly) youth to discuss relevant and contemporary topics in a relaxed atmosphere. Sound like Insight for the Facebook generation? It is. In fact the first topic for discussion is social networking and the benefits and risks of …
Fringe
Mental note to self: never, ever take a flight with screenwriter J.J. Abrams. He’s the guy who crashed Oceanic Flight 815 onto a tiny Pacific island in Lost. Now he opens his newest television drama, Fringe, with another disastrous flight.
This time a virus breaks out aboard a jet descending into Boston. Nobody survives a rapid, flesh-eating outbreak. Enter FBI agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv), called in to investigate as part of an interagency task force.
When her partner, and bed mate, Special Agent John Scott (Mark Valley) falls victim to the virus, …