Australia
has a proud history of political satire on television. Going back
to the days of the D-Generation, through shows like The
Gillies Report and The Games and more recently The
Chaser, Australia’s comedic folk have never shied away
from a jab at the powerful. Despite attempts by some to paint
such shows as propaganda and calls to “restore the balance”,
these types of shows have always survived – thrived even
– under governments of all political persuasions.
Having
said that, it’s tempting to think that the ABC’s new
political satire from the Working Dog team, The Hollowmen,
is a show of, and for, its times. The election of a new Federal
government last year has paved the way for a fresh look at how
our nation is run – or perhaps more accurately, might be
run – within the corridors of power. It’s hard to
imagine this type of show getting a decent run say 5 years ago.
But with a new government comes a new opportunity to laugh at
our politicians; and I guess therefore ourselves.
I mentioned The Games, and this show actually
bears more than a passing resemblance to that show. Each episode
features some new issue or crisis, in much the same way as the
earlier show. The way in which that issue is handled – or
more often than not, mishandled – provides the show’s
impetus and its raison d’etre.
While The Hollowmen is very much an ensemble
piece, the key character is Tony (Rob Stitch), the Prime Minister’s
principal private secretary. He’s the PM’s “gatekeeper”,
the man through whom anyone seeking political favour must come.
He is, of course, a complete twit, utterly clueless and about
as steadfast as a dandelion seed. Thankfully for our system of
government, he has people to help him; notably David Murphy (Lachy
Hulme), the PM’s senior political adviser. Murph, as he’s
known, is the Mr Fixit around the place, the guy you turn to when
you want to back out of something. He’s “assisted”
by Nick (Merrick Watts); but the rather dim-witted Nick is often
more of a hindrance than a help. Add in a bunch of bureaucrats,
media advisers, political apparatchiks and assorted hangers-on,
and you’ve got a recipe for some very funny stuff.
View an ABC promo
for The Hollowmen
The show most obviously echoes that classic of British
comedy, Yes, Minister (and subsequently Yes, Prime
Minister). The key difference is that, in this show, the
PM is never seen. While the writers are a bit coy about exactly
who the PM is (he’s never referred to by name, only as “the
boss”), it’s fairly apparent that he’s meant
to be Kevin Rudd; or at least someone very like him. That gives
The Hollowmen a very contemporary feel, although I guess
you could query whether it will stand the test of time (or maybe
no one worries about such things in TV land anymore).
If you’re a fan of other Working Dog titles
like The Panel, you’ll find plenty of familiar
faces here. Rob Stitch is hilarious in the lead role; while WD
regular Santo Cilauro also pops up. Merrick Watts thankfully largely
(though not entirely) drops his boofhead Merrick & Rosso persona,
while Lachy Hulme and Neil Melville (as the PM’s chief-of-staff)
hit just the right notes. Look out for game show champ and sometime
Einstein Factor panellist Stephen Hall as a senior bureaucrat;
and Alvin Purple himself, Graeme Blundell as a party hack.
In the final analysis, The Hollowmen probably
isn’t the new Yes, Minister but it’s a darn
fine – and very funny – show with a peculiarly Aussie
perspective on governmental machinations. You can’t, for
example, imagine the Americans warming to this kind of ribbing
directed at the most powerful in the nation. But our democracy
is surely strong enough that we can enjoy The Hollowmen
without guilt or fear. We're Aussies, and we're proud of it!
Having
said that, it’s tempting to think that the ABC’s new
political satire from the Working Dog team, The Hollowmen,
is a show of, and for, its times. The election of a new Federal
government last year has paved the way for a fresh look at how
our nation is run – or perhaps more accurately, might be
run – within the corridors of power. It’s hard to
imagine this type of show getting a decent run say 5 years ago.
But with a new government comes a new opportunity to laugh at
our politicians; and I guess therefore ourselves.