WHO WE ARE: Dramatic irony

Wednesday May 9, 2007 04:08 PM

Who We Are

To discuss the psychological damage caused by Louie The Fly, go to The Tribal Mind.

A column about Australia by David Dale, published in The Sun-Herald, 4/5/2008
Australians no longer love to see their own stories on the big screen, but on the small screen, they're just besotted with themselves.

Advance orders for the DVD of the series Underbelly suggest it could top the 250,000 copies sold since November by Summer Heights High. Among TV dramas last year, City Homicide and Sea Patrol outrated the US behemoths Desperate Housewives and House.

Among the 100 top selling DVDs of the past three years, there are only two Australian films -- Kenny and Happy Feet (described by its director, George Miller, as an "international movie") -- but four Australian TV series: Summer Heights High, Thank God You're Here, Kath and Kim and McLeod's Daughters.

It's time to celebrate our heritage on the box and seek your view on what were the greatest Australian TV dramas of all time (I'll save the comedies for next week). Recently readers of this column have voted on the greatest Australian movies (Chopper, Lantana, and Breaker Morant) and the greatest Australian actors (Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush, and Hugo Weaving, though some readers scolded me for failing to nominate Judy Davis, Rachel Griffiths, Wendy Hughes, Bryan Brown, Richard Roxburgh, Peter Finch, and Errol Flynn). Now it's the telly's turn.

As I've pointed out already, quantity is not the same as quality. Top rating doesn't always mean most significant. But popularity and longevity give us a basis for discussion. I calculated a "success index" for all the major Australian series of the past 50 years, by multiplying the average audience in the mainland capitals by the number of years the show was broadcast.

Thus Blue Heelers, which varied between 2 million and 1.3 million over its 12 year life, got a success index of 20. Home and Away has averaged just under a million over its 20 years, and scored 19.

Problems only arise when we go back to years when ratings data was less reliable and expressed in terms of percentage of sets in use rather than number of viewers. Homicide, for example, played for 11 years and at its peak was reaching 40 per cent of viewers in Sydney and Melbourne -- a feat which would be the equivalent of rating 2 million these days. So its index was an estimate, and I'm confessing upfront that this chart is more art than science. But it's a start ...

The most successful Australian TV dramas of all time
1 Homicide (1964-1975)
2 Blue Heelers (1994-2006)
3 All Saints (1998-)
4 Home and Away (1988-)
5 McLeod's Daughters (2001-2008)
6 A Country Practice (1981-1993)
7 Water Rats (1996-2001)
8 Prisoner (1979-1987)
9 Division 4 (1969-1974)
10 The Secret Life of Us (2001-2004)
11 Seachange (1998-2000)
12 Number 96 (1972-1976)
13 Neighbours (1986-)
14 A Town Like Alice (1981)
15 Against the Wind (1978)

What did I miss? And which of those make you most proud to be Australian? Click on Comments to join the discussion ...

David Dale is the author of Who We Are -- A snapshot of Australia today (Allen and Unwin). To discuss Australian attitudes, go to http://blogs.sunherald.com.au/whoweare.

COMMENTS

Considering the big-drop off in audiences in this century, BLUE HEELERS's audience is amazing.

by HooHoo on May 03, 2008 at 07:42 PM

Rush.

by Cat on May 03, 2008 at 09:33 PM

For me, the ABC drama WILDSIDE was by far & away the best series on Australian TV at least since Mavis Bramston... And I was born in '69!
In terms of intensity, dynamics as well as sheer plot, character & journey through darkness verisimilitude WILDSIDE has set the high water mark.

by TonyG on May 04, 2008 at 12:42 AM

Am glad A Town Like Alice made the list - it was better acted than anything appearing above it.

As for a dark horse, did Return To Eden come close? It had a lot of hype at the time and probably rated well...

by bartman on May 04, 2008 at 12:45 AM

Janus and Phoenix from the ABC would have to be up there.

by Nic on May 04, 2008 at 01:30 AM

What about Flying Doctors

by Pete on May 04, 2008 at 02:57 AM

If you invclude the mini-series A Town Like Alice (which I love) you cannot exclude Anzacs.

by Steve James on May 04, 2008 at 03:44 AM

A drama series that should definately have been on the list..."The Sullivans" - a timeless Australian classic, with a world-wide audiences of millions!
Jeremy Stevens
England

by Jeremy Stevens on May 04, 2008 at 04:49 AM

You forgot Phoenix...

by Stuart Midgley on May 04, 2008 at 05:41 AM

Although the subject matter was not all action and glamour I found MDA (Medical Defence Australia) absolutely unmissable. Kerry Armstrong Shane Bourne and Jason Donovan were both fabulous sincere challenging and complex characters and the issues fascinating. It was about a medical insurance company and the various doctors and medical mistakes or tragedies which occur and defining fault or responsibility and the impact on the various characters lives. It is now being re screened on ABC 2 and whilst the formula is a bit more visible to me on a second screening I am still finding it unmissable and riveting viewing. Issues such as medical liability are complex questions of ethics and practise and training and human vulnerability and failings - wonderful stuff to think about and reflect on. The only difficulty is that it has made me considerably more anxious about medical treatment!

by Yolanda Newman on May 04, 2008 at 05:57 AM

The benchmark in Australian television was set by Phoenix. By far the most well scripted, acted and intricate plot line that I'd seen to date. The interaction between the characters both the coppers and the felons bar none. Simon Westaway as Peter Faithful would have to be near the top as far as actors/roles go. I watched a small amount of Underbelly and thought I'd finally seen a series to match Phoenix. Why didn't I watch it? The bl..dy commercials are bad enough to have to put up with, after all the commercial networks don't survive on the public purse like the ABC, but those awful banners flashing across the screen and idiot logo watermarks ala Fox, just too much. I'm buying the DVD.

by Laurie on May 04, 2008 at 06:08 AM

Phoenix was the best by a long way.
Underbelly is weak in comparison.

by MB on May 04, 2008 at 06:08 AM

What about the timeless classics...Magic Circle Club, Adventure Island, Video Village and Arcade. THESE SHOWS ARE NEVER TO BE REPEATED!!

by David Corry on May 04, 2008 at 06:36 AM

I used to love Matlock.

by Christopher Hobbs on May 04, 2008 at 06:49 AM

I am have been viewing a little longer that most, but what about Certain Women, and Police Rescue, and that wonderful three-parter about the country with Colin Friels in it - sorry, can't remember the name of it.

by Helen Townes on May 04, 2008 at 07:08 AM

Underbelly has been the best Australian drama ever, just beating Seachange

by Davo on May 04, 2008 at 07:09 AM

Not sure where your figures come from but the top rated shows of the 20th century were Against The Wind, A Town Like Alice, Homicide. These were all produced by me (confessing self interest!!). However the most watched in the period was ROOTS at number one. I also initiated and was first producer of THE SULLIVANS. I'm amazed this did not figure in your summary at all...

by henry crawford on May 04, 2008 at 07:11 AM

WILDSIDE and PHONEIX are the best dramas we have ever produced. Their complexity and realistic characters set them miles above trash like Blue Heelers.

by Michael on May 04, 2008 at 07:25 AM

Who could forget the day Charlie Cousins fell off the silo in the ABC's Bellbird? For a show that only ran for 15 minutes four nights a week, Bellbird had a huge influence on Australians in the 60s.

DD asks: Can you recall if Charlie fell into the wheat (and suffocated) or onto the ground?

by magstar on May 04, 2008 at 07:27 AM

I would have to say, "BLUE MURDER", "WILDSIDE"and "BRIDES of CHRIST" rate as most significant dramas.

by anmari on May 04, 2008 at 09:21 AM

phoenix, janus, wildside and blue murder,
easily the best crime and for drama
palace of dreams

by bella on May 04, 2008 at 09:35 AM

Why on earth would you derive a list of nominees for the GREATEST Australian television dramas from the most WATCHED Australian television dramas!?!? That beggars belief. Do we truly think that "Neighbours" and "Home and Away" are two of the greatest dramas we've EVER made?? Please scratch these nominees and start again, using shows that were actually GOOD.
Oh, and the greatest Australian TV drama ever? "Love My Way". There's not even a close second.

DD replies: I offered a list of the most watched shows as a starting point for discussion, because at the time I did not have the benefit of your opinion, which is of course definitive.

by Greg Haye on May 04, 2008 at 09:59 AM

The ABC's MDA, Stormy Petrel (early TV days) and a further comment is that Seachange warrants a much higher rating than 11. Sadly, the ABC's current effort, East of Everything, is a dismal failure, probably one of the worst dramas ever for TV. And with Richard Richborough in the cast, ..unbelievable that it is is so bad. Still, he is not the script writer. Following his Romulus My Father, something of an outstanding effort in my book. East of Everything is an amateur effort.

by Rex Williams on May 04, 2008 at 10:06 AM

Robyn Nevin in Water Under the Bridge, for class Carson's Law,then The Farm,BlackJack,
Seven Little Australians,MDA,The Sullivans proved that when commercial television gave us a decent family show we would embrace it bless you HENRY CRAWFORD.

by CLAIRE on May 04, 2008 at 12:07 PM

I'm glad to see that I'm not the only person rates Phoenix among the best. It had a gritty quality, and was compulsive viewing.

by Neil on May 04, 2008 at 12:24 PM

STINGERS is the best drama series ever made in Australia ever since WildSide and Water Rats which were both excellent.
How did Secret Life get on the list? As far as I recall it didn't rate to flash and only ran 4 seasons compared to Stingers 8 season run.

by Alex on May 04, 2008 at 12:46 PM

Phoenix - changed the way Australian drama was written, acted and filmed. Janus was a worthy successor.

by Michael on May 04, 2008 at 12:56 PM

Hi DD - re your question about Charlie Cousins - I am 99% certain that he fell to the ground; I am fairly certain that there was a camera shot from the roof of the silo looking down on to the ground, to where his body was.

PS - glad someone else remembered Bellbird too! A TV staple in our household for years.

by Sneezo of Davidson on May 04, 2008 at 01:10 PM

Wildisde was a not to be missed series.

As far as mini series I LOVED Vietnam. I believe it has never been repeated but would so dearly love it to be.

I was also a big Something in the Air follower.

by marianne on May 04, 2008 at 01:38 PM

I watched most of Wildside and wonder even now why that wasnt the success that the tight scripting and acting achieved.

by annette grimsdale on May 04, 2008 at 01:46 PM

What does the recent successes for Aussie TV programs indicate? IMO, it seems we're still pretty much a homogenous society with homogenous TV comsumption habits. The trend in the US has been over the last 2-3yrs increasing fragmentation, there has been few outstanding successes (DH, Lost, House etc have lost audiences). I think we'll see the see the same fragmentation in Australia in the foreseeable future purely because; there isn't the same levels of PayTV subscription, DVR owners and smaller audiences/market means less diversity (un-economic).

by canoli on May 04, 2008 at 02:12 PM

Flying Doctors is still on the air in many European countries. It's lived on in repeats ever since its initial run.
So, it would surely be up there if international success was considered.

DD replies: Indeed, as would Neighbours and Home and Away, but this is a column about what Australians do.

by Jim on May 04, 2008 at 04:01 PM

Comedy shows like Paul Hogan Show, Wogs Out
Of Work and Kingswood Country are only ones
worth mentioning.
Aussie drama is and has
always been unviewable
drivel.

DD replies: Comedy next week, drama today.

by Eero on May 04, 2008 at 04:08 PM

I second the vote for Phoenix. I think this series is well worth a rerun. Very Melbourne in feel, well paced, and wonderful soundtrack by paul grabowski.

by dean on May 04, 2008 at 04:10 PM

Phoenix was my first thought but it didn't even get a look in ???
Ratings and popularity aren't the be all and end all.

DD replies: It gets a look in when you nominate it. That's the idea.

by Les Roach on May 04, 2008 at 04:52 PM

I think Blue Murder would have to be up there in the top 20 with an interesting NSW parallel to Victoria-inspired Underbelly.

by Johnno on May 04, 2008 at 05:03 PM

I think that Cop Shop warrants inclusion on the list above some of the others - it had a great mix of a serious crime show and comedy, as well as an all star cast.

by Jack Sullivan on May 04, 2008 at 05:34 PM

What did you miss?
Do you want a tongue lashing or just
"Whiplash" about Cobb and Co.

by Len on May 04, 2008 at 05:35 PM

"Love my way" gets my vote, am I correct this only screened on pay? A wider audience would do more justice to this world class drama.

by Jay on May 04, 2008 at 06:41 PM

What's so special about Number 96 and Homicide? They both seem to get the underline...
Unfortunately I'm too young to have seen either. Did they have a big impact on Australians during the 60's and 70's. If so, in what way?

DD replies: They are underlined (along with Prisoner) because they are the programs in the photographs. I will leave it to the readers to explain their significance.

by John Gamble on May 04, 2008 at 07:33 PM

"Phoenix" and "Janus" were both superb, and a long way ahead of some of the drivel listed here . . .

by CD on May 04, 2008 at 08:05 PM

WILDSIDE was amazing...

So so good. I am quite young so only saw it the last time round, in the middle of the night and WOW.

by jillo on May 04, 2008 at 09:48 PM

ABC's Wildside sets the bench mark...its gutsiness, raw emotion and humanity, and the complexity of relationships...it punched hard at the glittery facade of life in Sydney and found it seriously wanting in the qualities that make a place vibrant and humane.....closely followed by Janus and Phoenix...together they killed off the mirage thats life in Home and away or even the Sullivans..

by martyb on May 04, 2008 at 11:06 PM

Matlock Police and .....countdown? they were childhood instituitions and I would certainly like to see your survey methodology with what you come up with? But I worked a nightshift for many years after prisoner was taken off primetime...(I thought it was rubbish at it's peak) everything would stop at I think around 4 or 5 am...a cup of tea...toasted tomato sanga...what a great show!!! I still laugh at myself..

by Eddie Beveridge on May 04, 2008 at 11:44 PM

My favorite Oz show has to be Seachange.
It had that nice blend of drama, comedy and quirkiness that I like. There hasnt been anything as good since.
And "A Country Practice" in it's heyday was a program that I think everyone loved and watched.
Those were my two favorites anyway.

by em on May 05, 2008 at 08:12 AM

The Sullivans and East of Eden.
East of Eden very strong plot

by sue gaukroger on May 05, 2008 at 10:17 AM

I agree with Tony G. Wildside (spelling?) was definitely the best Aussie TV drama. It was gritty, uncomfortable, in your face and at times disturbing. How can you even rate a show like Blue Heelers? Boring... I suppose the most successful category doesn't mean the best. Shows such as these may have been popular, but I don't feel they paint a true image of what Australia is like, in terms of lifestyle, culture and ethnicity.

by jeff macpherson on May 05, 2008 at 10:38 AM

This is hard, so I've split into ongoing series and "mini-series":

Ongoing series - Phoenix, Janus, Love My Way - all took care to have good storyline, tight script and excellent acting. Certainly without Phoenix and Janus there would be no Underbelly.

Mini-series - The Dismissal, Bodyline, Blue Murder, Against the Wind, Brides of Christ

We used to do mini-series really well - the Kennedy Miller stuff still holds up many years later. Perhaps that's been the best way of telling "our stories"

And is it because we were originally a penal colony that we can do really really really good cop/crime shows?

by Ozpuck on May 05, 2008 at 01:05 PM

What about.
All the rivers run
Police rescue
Stingers
White collar blue
They were all very good series,i would like to see some repeats of these shows
Thanking you
Shirley

by Shirley Eagleton on May 05, 2008 at 01:53 PM

With all the recent accolades for Underbelly what about the recent 'East West 101' on SBS? The two main actors were even nominated for Logies... Unfortunately they didn't win though. I also understand it was from the 'makers' of Wildside.

by cc on May 05, 2008 at 04:52 PM

Are you phoning it in now? I notice the date at the top of the page is Wednesday, 7 May.

DD repiies: No, I am typing it in, as usual. Don't you like to be ahead of the trends?

by Yuri on May 06, 2008 at 01:12 PM

What about E-Street?

by cronker on May 06, 2008 at 03:01 PM

We've made the half-century and no-one's mentioned "Power Without Glory" or "Blue Murder"?

by Nicholas on May 06, 2008 at 04:27 PM

Sorry - just noticed that "Blue Murder" did stick its head up in the discussion. Quick change of direction - no-one mentioned "Children of the Sun"?

by Nicholas on May 06, 2008 at 04:31 PM

Just wanted to say it's brilliant that DAVID DALE'S blog is alive and flourishing at the SUN HERALD. As an avid and long time reader of his BLOG my daily visit is always looked forward to and always enjoyed. Thanks David. Regards from Perth.

by Rosie Egyedi on May 07, 2008 at 08:28 AM

Re the Charlie Cousins question from Bellbird, DD, Charlie definitely fell to the ground, and Sneeza was right, there was a shot from the top of the silo looking down to the ground. He hung on the edge for a long long time... It was particularly devastating because he was about to marry long-time love Laurie, played by Elspeth Ballantyne. I was only about 8 when it happened, and I remember it clearly!

DD replies: Thanks. And had he changed into a Good Person shortly before this, making his death doubly tragic?

by magstar on May 08, 2008 at 06:40 AM

As far as I remember, Charlie (played by Robin Ramsay) was ALWAYS a Good Person, albeit a slightly dodgy real estate agent. He and Laurie were star-crossed lovers for several years before, and they had just gotten together. If my tragic memory serves me correctly, they were due to marry if not that day then the day after. Sob. (If only I could use my powers for good instead of evil...)

by magstar on May 08, 2008 at 12:08 PM

I can't believe you left out "The Sullivans" and then included mini-series. I would put The Sullivans at number one and include "Bellbird" (ABC late 60's early 70's) which may not stand the test of time but I enjoyed back then.

by Robyn Abbott on May 08, 2008 at 02:58 PM

I must agree with many, Wildside was an amazing series. Amazing actors, compelling drama.

Must say that calls for Underbelly to be considered are premature at best - while it was a good, gritty drama, I think the reason it is loved so much is because it is based in reality. The other program creators have to actually create characters, situations and plots themselves, rather than adapting it from an already existing novel which was based on real events.

by Beckala on May 09, 2008 at 11:19 AM

If No. 96 got in, then I suspect The Box might not have been far behind. Both really pushed the boundaries of what was acceptable.
To me, the best dramas were Carson's Law, The Dismissal, Vietnam, Against the Wind and the last family-friendly show the entire family could stand to watch - A Country Practice.

by Yuri on May 09, 2008 at 12:14 PM

Wildside was absolutely brilliant
What a cast - Tony Martin, Rachel Blake, Abbie Cornish, Alex Dimitriades, Aaron Peterson, Tammy McIntosh etc and a guest appearance by Susi Porter that was oscar winning material

by wendy on May 09, 2008 at 01:02 PM

Marking Time on the ABC was the best mini series I ever saw. very underrated.

by jack on May 11, 2008 at 11:05 AM

Sons and Daughters should be in there! Pat the Rat was hugely popular! Although I was only 11 when it started, I watched EVERY single episode.
John

by John on May 18, 2008 at 07:16 AM

The Sun-Herald

Who We Are

WHO WE ARE: Dramatic irony

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