2009 TV: "Aussie get your gun"

A sneak preview of television coming up in 2009 - by Mark Hadley of Anglican Media

“Violence never solves anything – except conflict,” says art teacher Joffrey Jellineck in the irreverent comedy series, Strangers with Candy. If he were trawling through the coming television schedules, he might have thought to add ‘ratings slumps’ to the list. Whether it is Nine trying to rebuild its viewing empire, TEN seeking to keep the attention of the under-30s or Seven shoring up its number one status, violence seems to be the networks’ solution to protecting themselves in 2009.

In a year when Christians will have more choice – and more control, thanks to digital devices – over what they allow on their small screens, there will also be more responsibility not to fool ourselves.

Much of what is about to arrive will be advertised in a way that hints at education – “… it all began with a meeting … that changed organised crime in Australia… forever…” – suggesting that viewing will result in a better understanding of the world around you. But I don’t think the education argument works too well, even for the high-minded documentary series. There was a time when Australians didn’t have to see a murder to be appalled by it.

These ready-made justifications might combine well with our natural desires to relax in front of the television this year. They will appease us, but they are unlikely to produce the peace we are looking for. That, Paul says, comes from dwelling on the true, the noble, the right, the pure, the lovely and the admirable. Of course the most telling factor will be the way in which the ‘information’ arrives. Does ‘true’ really equate with ‘beneficial’? Is a CSI-level examination of a mutilation or a raw view of the seedy side of life really helpful? More to the point, what would the maker of our bodies make of our fascination with their destruction?

Gangs of Oz - The Seven Network

Gangs of Oz is clearly Seven’s attempt to cash in on the amazing success of Nine’s 2008 Underbelly series. Pitched as ‘the true story of Australia’s underworld crime’, this combination of documentary and dramatic recreations promises more violent entertainment masquerading as education. The interview components with criminals and law enforcement officers is sadly likely to concentrate on the outrages carried out rather provide any real insight into the causes of or solutions for violent crime. In fact it’s just as likely to raise as many prejudices as it does temperatures, with the ‘usual suspects’ lined up as targets. Dan Meenan, Channel Seven Head of Factual Programming: ‘The series includes in-depth looks into the Mafia, the Bikie Gangs, gangs of Middle Eastern and Asian origin and more.” Hardly ground-breaking.

Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities - The Nine Network

Nine’s Underbelly franchise is fast making its mark on the resumes of Australia’s most prominent actors. The new series stars Matthew Newton as Terry ‘Mr Asia’ Clarke, and Roy Billing as Robert “Aussie Bob” Trimbole, two of Sydney’s most infamous criminal personalities of the 1970’s. A Tale of Two Cities makes a drama out of the introduction of heroin to Australia, and as such is likely to fall foul of the same problems that plagued the Melbourne-based series. Promotional video released to Pre-publicity already makes it clear that viewers will be delving – with distaste, of course – into the excesses that accompanied ‘charming’ villains “…in love with money, power and the allure of beautiful women.”

Lie To Me - Network TEN

TEN is adding to its stable of violent crime investigation series by taking on the pay-television series Lie to me. Dr Cal Leightman (Tim Roth) is the head of a private agency contracted by the FBI and other agencies struggling with the task of uncovering the truth. His deft observation of human behaviour allows him to not only tell when a person is lying to him, but also the likely motivations behind their lies. I’ll admit I’m interested in this one. Everyone lies, but the reasons behind those lies often tell us most about people – namely their fears. To my way of thinking, it would be worth knowing what Hollywood thinks are our greatest fears. Certainly not being exposed for infidelity or drunkenness; Australian Prime Minister’s have made ground on such confessions. However knowing that God is the ultimate answer to the inadequacies of every human condition, it would be good to know where people are itching so that we can scratch in the right place.

Death, Drugs and Betrayal - ABC

This is a documentary series hosted by journalists-cum-crime writers John Silvester and Andrew Rule, who co-authored the book Leadbelly, on which Nine’s Underbelly series was based. The targets of their investigation are bent police rather than vile criminals, but the content is likely to be similar. Once again viewers will be ‘educated’ with a detailed analysis of violent crime, to which they will be able to add the outrage that it was carried out behind the protection of a badge. Again, it is likely to cement the idea that there are an outrageously large number of bad people – out there. It is amazing that the ABC would find the need to produce a series like this, given that the commercial networks are providing so much similar fodder. I had thought that the national broadcaster existed to ensure certain programs were produced that might not otherwise be commercially viable. That said, one can only hope that this documentary series raising the bar for productions like Seven’s Gangs of Oz.

Carla Cametti - SBS

This new Australian crime series is a slick as its SBS predecessor East West and just as watchable. Staring Diana Glenn and Vince Colosimo, it is the story of a female private investigator with strong links to her Melbourne suburb, including family ties to the mob. I prefer this above many of the crime dramas available because, though many address the vulnerability of their detectives, few acknowledge their culpability. There is something to be said for a key character who is struggling to do what is right, even while they realise that they are hopelessly compromised. Clearly Carla will eventually have to turn her back on members of her family and parts of her past if she is going to satisfy the dictates of her conscience. The closer she comes to her ideal of good, the more she will have to separate herself from the practices that have been generally accepted by those around her. Fail to do so, and she will lose all credibility with clients and the audience. There’s a moral in there somewhere, I’m sure.

The Contender - Fox8

Rounding up 2009’s love affair with violent entertainment, later this year Fox will release an Australian version of the hit US series The Contender. The ABC’s Operatunity was a series devoted to discovering new voices from among everyday people; The Contender aims to discover new fists. Mark Burnett, the man who gave Australians Survivor, Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader and The Apprentice, now provides 16 boxing hopefuls with a chance at making a career out of slugging it out in the ring – however short that might be. Fans of boxing will have no problems; the rest of us will have no idea. Prepare yourself for watching people hurt themselves in all manner of ways so that they can get finally climb into a ring where someone else will hurt them further.