The Crime Spree Continues
The crime spree will continue for viewers into 2011 with Channel 9 commissioning three telemovies based on real Australian crimes.
These will be screened along with a fourth Underbelly instalment which will be set in Sydney again. The fifth series of Underbelly will reportedly focus on corruption in Queensland during Joh “Don’t You Worry About that” Bjelke-Peterson’s reign up to and including the Fitzgerald Inquiry.
(Note to SA, NT, WA and Tasmanian criminals – your time will come …I mean as far as the Underbelly script writers go.)
Screentime, who produce Underbelly, will produce these three new telemovies for Channel 9.
First in the line up (and one which I think will be the most intriguing because it already reads like a script) is the story of Colin McLaren. He was a crooked Victorian cop who, looking for redemption, agreed to go undercover and infiltrate the Calabrian Mafia. For 18 months he lived within the mob, surviving on his local knowledge and wits, until… (Only kidding, I won’t ruin it! You will have to wait for the telemovie).
The second story is set in the late 90’s in Melbourne when during a stake out, two uniformed policemen – Gary Silk and Rodney Miller, were gunned down in cold blood.
The third telemovie is about the criminal known as Mad Dog. Russel Cox has the somewhat unusual title of Australia’s most successful armed robber. (I am not sure who learnt more from him – the cops or crims.)
But telemovies?
In February this year Channel 9 screened the telemovie – Wicked Love – starring Rebecca Gibney and Vince Collosimo, based on the Maria Korp story. There was Scorched which screened in August 2008, starring Vince Collosimo (hello!), Georgie Parker and a Daddo – but really apart from this there has been a dearth, or should I say, death of the telemovie.
While one-off documentaries and mini-series has been the domain of SBS and the ABC and its international counterpart the BBC, commercial networks have moved away from this format in the last decade. Does Channel 9’s commitment to these three crime telemovies, plus another telemovie – which is described as an action-paced disaster thriller – herald the return to this format?
Who knows? Who cares, right? As long as they are compelling.
On the topic of compelling, congratulations must go to SBS and their gritty crime drama series East West 101.
Hot on the heels of collecting two of SBS’s four Logies last week, comes the news East West 101, staring Don Hany and Susie Porter, picked up a Gold Medal for Best Mini Series as the New York International Television and Film Awards.
These awards, which honour the world’s best work in news, documentary and entertainment programming, receive entries from over 30 countries. Given the tight production budget for this show this award is even more impressive.
Onto much lighter and brighter subjects, Channel 7’s meteorologist and nightly weather presenter, David Brown has been visiting a different Victorian government school each week to discover their ‘outside the classroom’ projects, ranging from organic cooking classes to water catchment programs.
These special segments have been broadcast each Saturday night as part of the Seven News bulletin since 24 April and this will continue throughout the year.
The segment which has received great feedback came about quite by chance.
Channel 7’s news department was in discussion with the Department of Education about ‘something completely different’ when the idea emerged.
“Two meetings later and Brownie was in his car and visiting schools,” according to Channel 7’s Director of News, Steve Carey.
“It’s exciting to see what projects our children are undertaking at school and it’s important the wider community has a chance to share that experience,” Mr Carey said.
Schools interested in being showcased can contact the Department of Education’s media unit who co-ordinate the visits with Channel 7.
If you are interested in whipping up a storm – in the kitchen, the producers of My Kitchen Rules would love to hear from you. Simply log onto www.mykitchenrules.com.au and follow the prompts.
The show, hosted by Manu Fidel (who will certainly be nominated for next year’s Best New Talent Logie) and Pete Evans will return to Channel 7 later this year after a very successful first series.
Someone who won’t be back of the box anytime soon is Rocky. He bow-wows out of Neighbours after a year on the show. Rocky joined the cast of Neighbours as a Guide Dog puppy who grew up in front of our eyes. He is now ready for his very important job of becoming a fully fledged Guide Dog. It was a clever pr exercise to include a Guide Dog into Ramsey Street and every so gently raise awareness of what this wonderful institution does.
By the way, if you want to check out some other incredible stories of dogs at work, try Channel 9’s Send in the Dogs (Sundays 7pm) and Channel 7’s Dog Squad (Wednesdays 7.30pm). Did you know that dogs’ noses are forty times more sensitive than humans? And that there are dogs which can track down drugs, money and guns? Amazing. (Best I get me one of those clever puppies as I could do with a little bit more – money, that is!)
