Vale Gold Diggers
Gold Diggers failed as a comedy. Neither the historical setting nor the obnoxious lead characters generated a lot... Read More »
Comedy TV
Gainfully Unemployed
Pranks! They’re the lowest form of comedy and we all know it. They’re the kind of thing your unfunny mate tries to get you to watch during half time at the footy, and you’ve only got yourself to blame because what are you doing at the footy in the first place. But we’ve laughed at... Read More »
Thank God You’re Back
As probably the only Australian comedy format of the 21st century with any nostalgic value attached to it (can’t wait for the Randling revival), we shouldn’t have been surprised that Thank God You’re Here finally made a comeback. But did the magic return with it? Well, that depends: was there ever any magic there in... Read More »
Vale Utopia 2023
Utopia has come to an end, as we knew it would. But is this goodbye, or merely “I’ll be back”? Yeah, an 80s movie reference feels pretty on brand for Utopia. Despite being stocked with young comedic talent, this last season has been a firm reminder that the oldies haven’t retired yet and if this... Read More »
Waste Not, Want Not
Five years ago War on Waste was yet another of the ABC’s attempts to make consumer affairs television entertaining. Now it’s back, and it’s not even trying to be funny. So why are we mentioning it? We’re all used to the ABC’s endless efforts to cash in on nostalgia for things we didn’t even realise... Read More »
Get Your Back Side Trackside (again)
Hey look, The Back Side of Television is back, and it’s so good we actually watched every episode before coming here to tell you about it. Yeah yeah, we’ll get around to watching those other episodes of Gold Diggers later – it’s just nice to be watching an Australian comedy where you come away thinking... Read More »
Utopia’s culture war
Every week in Utopia there’s a culture war subplot, and the side the show picks makes for uncomfortable... Read More »
Vale the Betoota Advocate Presents and Deadloch
The Betoota Advocate Presents and Deadloch were mostly serious shows made by funny people. What does this tell us about comedy in... Read More »
Pan(ning) For Gold Diggers
Okay, so our expectations weren’t all that high for Gold Diggers. Australia’s proud history of proud historical sitcoms doesn’t quite begin and end with Bligh, but good luck topping the “big tits, small dicks” scene from The Olden Days. And both those examples are old enough to be historical comedies in their own right. Why... Read More »
Win Big With Gruen
Gambling ads have been in the news recently, what with an exciting new proposal to ban them because they’re pure fucking evil. “Gambling advertising and simulated gambling through video games is grooming children and young people to gamble and encourages riskier behaviour,” she said. “The torrent of advertising is inescapable. It is manipulating an impressionable... Read More »