The Spicks and Specks reunion we had to have
The problem with reunion shows is that fans of the show are so pleased the reunion is happening at all that it kinda doesn’t matter what’s in the actual show. Still, if you’re a fan of Spicks and Specks, you were presumably satisfied by the Spicks and Specks Reunion Special, with its all-star line-up of acts ranging from Russell Morris and Angie Hart to Vika and Linda Bull and Lindsay McDougall. And if you must extend a half-hour show to an hour, you need a lot of special guests to keep things interesting.
A lot more interesting than jokes about the fact of the reunion itself were going to be (hey, look, they’ve aged after all these years and have to wear glasses). Still, at least they did a gag about how Spicks and Specks is never not on ABC Comedy. As presumably, this won’t be quite soon.
Having said that, there were some amusing cameos from Dave O’Neill, Cal Wilson and Luke McGregor as an 80s roadie, a 90s roadie and a millennial roadie, respectively (O’Neill even completed his look by carrying a Brashes bag). And there was also a surprise cameo (a really surprising cameo) from Guido Hatzis, cult comedy creation of Tony Moclair and Julian Schiller (do the Spicks and Specks audience know who he is?). Still, he had a good and reasonably funny reason to be there (and for that particular gag to work it, it was either him or Tony Martin and Mick Molloy, and they’re unlikely to appear on anything together), so hooray. Here’s to more Guido!
But, ultimately, it’s hard to get excited about this as anything other than an amusing, nostalgic, knees-up complete with all-cast singalong ending. It’s not like it’s coming back, and even if it did, that would be a bad idea.
Adam Hills seems interested in making more specials, but then also maybe not. From TV Tonight:
When he was asked to get the Spicks & Specks band back together, Adam Hills had no hesitation.
“I didn’t even think twice,” he tells TV Tonight. “I said, ‘As long as Alan and Myf are on board I’m up for it.’ Especially as it was celebrating AusMusic month. So there was a reason for it being there.”
Filmed in Melbourne in mid-September, the one hour special brings back the magic of the ABC series that wrapped in 2011. From all reports everybody had a great time filming the show. So given it was one of ABC’s most successful light entertainment shows, could he be open to more?
“Yes,” he told TV Tonight.
“I’m trying to be really coy, but I can’t be. We had so much fun doing the sessions that if it was offered to me, Alan & Myf, I would happily come back this time next year and do another one for AusMusic month.
“Maybe we do 4 episodes every Sunday night for AusMusic month?”
I can detect some hesitation in his voice.
“I kind of feel like because we did a big farewell and a tour, it might be a bit disingenuous to come back and do 30 or 40 weeks.
So, if you’re a fan, maybe don’t hold your breath. And if you’re not a fan and are sick of repeats of Spicks and Specks clogging up the ABC Comedy schedules, well, Netflix are making some pretty good comedies these days.