13 schoolyards, Author at Australian Tumbleweeds - Page 34 of 112
Not So Much Behind the Desk as Under It: The Worst Australian Panel Shows
If you were a newcomer to Australia’s shores, you might be puzzled about – well, about a lot of things really, but let’s stick with panel shows. Why don’t we have more of them? They’re cheap to make, don’t require a whole lot of effort, and didn’t we kinda sorta invent the prime time version... Read More »
Going Around in Circles 2: The Donut Factory
One car-based “comedy” ends, another car-based “drama” begins: what exactly does the ABC have against public transport? Yep, another hilarious zinger from us, but seriously: who is running things over at the ABC that on the same night Squinters finally ends the show that starts up after it is yet another series about a collection... Read More »
The Drama Builds
For years we’ve been complaining that Australian comedies keep trying to get more dramatic. But what about the flipside? No, not that crap “romantic comedy” starring Eddie Izzard that was nominated for a Tumblie last year: what about the Australian dramas trying to muscle in on comedy’s turf? The muscling in comes pretty close to... Read More »
Situation Unfunny: The Worst Australian Sitcoms
Let’s be honest: last week we took it easy on sketch comedy. After all, Australia used to be good at it: for decades our skill at sketch comedy was regularly held up by the experts (TV critics who hated comedy) as world class. And they weren’t entirely wrong either – Shaun Micallef’s sketch shows were... Read More »
No Easy Answers
It must be the best of all possible worlds right now for Tom Gleeson. Sure, he’s won a Logie, but who gives a fuck about that? What’s really important is that he took his hilarious comedy persona to new heights with his Gold Logie campaign and now we can all reap the rewards on Hard... Read More »
Like a Highway at Night
Having had this article drawn to our attention, we can’t seem to look away. ABC head of comedy Rick Kalowski has a ready answer when producers complain they can’t get a show funded because they have been unable to land an international financier or co-producer. “If you can’t co-finance your scripted show internationally it’s not... Read More »
Vale Ten’s 2019 New Comedy Line-Up
It may have taken us a little while to notice – maybe we were distracted by the ABC playing the wrong episode of Mad as Hell, maybe we were too depressed over the return of Squinters – but over the last week or so pretty much all of Ten’s new comedy programs for 2019 have... Read More »
Squinters: Going Around In Circles Since 2018
You know how Squinters has directors listed in the credits? Ever wondered what they actually do? Because when you watch an episode of Squinters you rapidly notice that there are only ever three camera angles – a shot through the windshield, then shots through the drivers and passengers windows – and all you’d need to... Read More »
Back to the Front(line)
Is Frontline Australia’s all-time best comedy? Of course not: why would you even suggest such a crazy thing? Oh wait: The critics have spoken. Frontline is Australia’s all-time best TV comedy. TV Tonight has asked some of the nation’s top TV critics to choose their favourite Australian comedies* -either sitcoms or sketch- with Working Dog’s... Read More »