The monster that ate Canberra is about to make another appearance. Although this time it’s not pink and will be followed by more cameras and mobile TV recording units than anyone has ever seen. Yep, that’s right, the election road show is about to roll into town. And if you’re not a big enough political geek to stand in line on a Canbrrrr-a winter night to get into the National Tally Room, the expanded digital networks have plenty of coverage for you.
If you want your coverage with a bit of the everyman edge served up with a smattering of political commentary, try Election 2010: Australia Decides (WIN, Sat Aug 21, 5pm) with Karl Stefanovic, Lisa Wilkinson and Laurie Oakes (and hopefully not Mark Latham). Your Call 2010 (Prime, Sat Aug 21, 6.30pm), continues the same theme with Sunrise all-stars Kochie, Mel and Mark Riley.
Over at Auntie, the election is pretty much the only show in town and you can see the whole thing in HD, complete with the Antony Green whip around the seats with the simulcast of Federal Election 2010 (ABC1, Sat Aug 21, 6pm). SBS are leaving things until closer to the result with World News Australia Election special (SBS1, Sat Aug 21, 8.30pm), and over at Southern Cross TEN they’re starting early with National Election Special (SCTEN, Sat Aug 21, 5.30pm), followed by the only light look at things with The Election Project (SCTEN, Sat Aug 21, 6pm), and then (predictably) Southern Cross TEN bows out and takes viewers to AFL (SCTEN, Sat Aug 21, 6.30pm) to be exact.
The big change from last election is the choice for those who just want to wake up in the morning (or next week) and see who won. Apart from the HD channels, the networks have left their secondary airwaves clear of political palaver. The best of the rest includes Once Upon a Time in the West (ABC2, Sat Aug 21, 8.30pm), Blast From the Past (Go!, Sat Aug 21, 6pm) and Wedding Crashers (Go!, Sat Aug 21, 8.30pm).
If you’ve always wanted to be a TV star and travel around the world, well here’s your chance! Applications for The Amazing Race Australia http://au.tv.yahoo.com/the-amazing-race/ are now open, but will close Monday, September 6, so hurry. If you’re really desperate to be on telly, and you can’t sing, juggle or travel, there’s a new dating show on Prime. Apply here if you must: http://www.datingshowgranadamedia.com.au/ but Blackbox recommends The Amazing Race Australia. People you like are more likely to watch.
Offspring (SCTEN, Sun, 8.30pm) is the latest offering from Secret Life of Us, Love My Way and Rush creator John Edwards. Sure, there’s not a lot of action but it is witty and insightful and worth a watch.
Also new this week is spy drama Covert Affairs (Prime, Mon, 9.30pm). Not a perfect one, despite its production links to the Bourne Trilogy, but it’s a genre that’s been missing for quite a while.
Some favourites return to screens in the next few week too: Breaking Bad (ABC2, Fri Sep 3, 9.30pm), The IT Crowd (ABC1, Fri 10.15pm) and, following the post-election end of Yes We Canberra (ABC1, Wed Aug 25, 9.30pm), United States of Tara (ABC1, Wed Sep 1, 9.30pm).
Docos to look out for include Visions of the Future (ABC1, Thu Aug 26, 8.30pm), The Music Instinct: Science and Song (ABC1, Thu Aug 26, 9.35pm) and Daredevils: The Flying Car (ABC2, Wed Aug 25, 8.30pm).
Don’t forget to watch the new season of Heston’s Feasts (SBS1, Thu Aug 24, 8.30pm) which begins with recreating Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Oompa Loompas and chocolate waterfalls here we come.
