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ABC 2013: full programming

Presenting the full list of 2013 shows for ABC's suite of channels.

Last week I published highlights of ABC’s 2013 programming and there were a number of questions from readers.

Today I am happy to bring you the full list for all of ABC’s channels.

This includes much more detail about each show, as well as clear indications on all returning shows.

Not returning is Randling, while Adam Hills In Gordon Street Tonight will now just be known as Adam Hills Tonight (does that mean he is moving studios?). Jessica Marais will also star as Carlotta.

ABC1

THE TIME OF OUR LIVES (pictured)
DRAMA (13 x 60’)
THE TIME OF OUR LIVES is a 13-part drama series with a stellar cast that delves into the lives of three generations of a modern Australian family. What really makes us happy? Why do some relationships work and why do some fail? Do you have to have kids to be happy? Does everyone need a career? How much is enough? THE TIME OF OUR LIVES stars Claudia Karvan, Justine Clarke, Shane Jacobson, William McInnes, Stephen Curry, Michelle Vergara Moore, Tony Barry, Sue Jones and Anita Hegh. Produced by Amanda Higgs and Judi McCrossin. A JAHM Pictures production in association with ABC TV and Film Victoria

SERANGOON ROAD
DRAMA (10 x 60’)
Starring Don Hany (Devil’s Dust, East West 101, Offspring) and Joan Chen (The Last Emperor, Twin Peaks) SERANGOON ROAD is a fast-paced detective drama series set against the exotic, tumultuous backdrop of 1960s Singapore. The series tells the story of Australian-born Sam Callaghan (Don Hany), whose childhood was spent in WWII’s Japanese internment camps and who returned to fight in the Malayan Emergency. He is a man deeply scarred by both these experiences. When his neighbour Patricia (Joan Chen) asks him to help keep her recently-murdered husband’s private detective agency afloat, Sam reluctantly agrees. During his investigations Sam is enticed into an unpredictable, dangerous world where the Chinese Secret Society gangs fight to control the streets, foreign powers vie for power and covert intelligence, and the city itself is a hotbed of racial and political turmoil. His investigations, and his lover (Maeve Dermody), draw him into the privileged world of the European ex-pats with their fading colonial attitudes, opulence and political intrigues. The detective agency’s activities also quickly bring Sam and Patricia into conflict with some of Singapore’s most powerful and ruthless factions – factions that are not afraid to kill to keep their secrets. Also stars Rachael Blake and Michael Dorman. An Australian/Singapore prime-time co-production. Created by Paul Barron. Co-Produced by Perth’s Great Western Entertainment and Singapore’s Infinite Studios in association with ABC TV, HBO Asia and ScreenWest.

THE DOCTOR BLAKE MYSTERIES
DRAMA (10 x 60’)
It’s the late 1950s and the unpredictable Dr Lucien Blake (Craig McLachlan) has recently returned to take over his deceased father’s conservative medical practice in country town Victoria. Changed by his experiences in Changi of man’s inhumanity to man, the wry, dry, yet very human Dr Blake undertakes his other role as Police Surgeon with a maverick gusto. It’s a time of growing fears – communism, nuclear testing, social breakdown, rock-and-roll – everything is changing. And Blake is in the thick of it with his iconoclastic views and his application of the emerging science of forensics. Beside Blake, variously helping or getting in the way, are Chief Constable Lawson, young district nurse Mattie, Jean the housekeeper, and her nephew Danny, Lawson’s young constable. Starring alongside Craig McLachlan is a stellar Australian cast including Nadine Garner, Joel Tobeck, Rick Donald and Cate Wolfe. Produced by Tony Wright and George Adams. A December Media Production in association with ABC TV, Screen Australia and Film Victoria.

PAPER GIANTS: MAGAZINE WARS
DRAMA (2 x 90’)
Following the success of Paper Giants: The Birth of Cleo, PAPER GIANTS: MAGAZINE WARS is the story of the Golden Years of the glossies, of the ‘battle’ waged by Nene King (Mandy McElhinney) and Dulcie Boling (Rachel Griffiths) to make their publication the number one seller in Australia. Both women were at the top of their game and pulled out all stops to sell their magazines. ‘Camilla-gate’, ‘Squidgy-gate’, the Fergie toe sucking photos – no story was off limits. The boundaries of journalism were stretched like never before. Filled with humour, tragedy and outrageous tactics, PAPER GIANTS: MAGAZINE WARS charts the rise of cheque-book journalism in Australia from 1987-97 and reveals the personal toll on both women. It captures the age of celebrity power and Princess Di, of the paparazzi and AIDS, of media moguls and the two remarkable women who helped make them. It’s the beginnings of where we are today – with an undiminishing appetite for salacious stories, and journalistic ethics under the spotlight. Also stars Rob Carlton, Angus Sampson, Lucy Bell, Khan Chittenden, Caren Pistorius, Mark Lee, William Zappa. Producer: Mimi Butler, Director: Daina Reid, Writers: Justin Monjo and Keith Thompson. Produced by Southern Star Entertainment in association with ABC TV

JANET KING (WORKING TITLE)
DRAMA (8 x 60’)
Marta Dusseldorp, much loved as Senior Crown Prosecutor JANET KING in Crownies, recreates her role in a gripping new legal drama series. Janet returns from maternity leave determined to prove she still has her edge. However, a seemingly straightforward case becomes a shocking murder and propels Janet and the young DPP solicitors into a complex web of corruption and conspiracy that shakes the police, judiciary and government to their core. With the traditional institutions of justice compromised, investigating and prosecuting the murder becomes a dangerous battle of strategy and betrayal where no-one can be trusted and no tactic is off limits. The case will threaten Janet’s career, her family and ultimately her life. Produced by Karl Zwicky and Lisa Scott with Executive Producers Des Monaghan and Greg Haddrick. A Screentime Production in association with ABC TV and Screen New South Wales.

CARLOTTA
DRAMA (1 x 90’)
CARLOTTA is a telemovie based on the extraordinary life of iconic Les Girls headliner and Australian transgender pioneer, Carlotta (Jessica Marais). Spanning forty years of groundbreaking social and sexual upheaval, Carlotta lays bare the life of the sexually confused teenager Richard Byron and his flight from a neglectful and abusive household into the turbulence of the hedonistic Kings Cross of the sixties and seventies. We witness the birth of the transsexual underworld against the threat of criminal prosecution as well as social rejection and with it, the emergence of the all conquering drag queen and performer, Carlotta. The telemovie also reveals the love story between Carlotta and ‘Aussie bloke’ Peter and their attempts to find peace and normality in the fishbowl of 1980s suburbia. This is a compelling and complex biopic that explores not only the public persona of Carlotta but presents a universal story about identity, family, tolerance and acceptance. Most of all, Carlotta is an uplifting celebration of finding your place in the world and making your mark against all the odds. Written by David Hannam. Produced by Ric Pellizzeri and Lara Radulovich. A FremantleMedia Australia and Story Ark production in association with ABC TV and Screen New South Wales.

THE GODS OF WHEAT STREET
INDIGENOUS DRAMA (6 x 60’)
THE GODS OF WHEAT STREET is an intimate journey into the lives and hearts of a modern Aboriginal family. Each episode spans a few hectic days with a touch of magic and enough deadpan humour to help our characters rise above obstacles that would bring mere mortals to their knees as they get on with the important matters of love, family and football. Head of the family before his time, Odin Freeburn (Kelton Pell) is being pulled in all directions. As a young boy twenty years ago he promised his dying mother he would keep the family together. Now he has one brother in jail, another brother is in love with the daughter of the family enemy, and his wife has run away to the city leaving him to raise their two daughters. His employer has just died, his sister-in-law is in love with him, and the feisty spirit of his mother Eden has come to protect the family destiny… just a normal day for the Freeburn family. Produced by Fiona Eagger and Deb Cox. Written by Jon Bell. An Every Cloud Production in association with ABC TV.

MISS FISHER’S MURDER MYSTERIES
DRAMA (13 x 60’)
The Honourable Miss Phryne Fisher is back! The second series of MISS FISHER’S MURDER MYSTERIES builds on the meticulously constructed world of series one as it follows the independent, glamorous and unflappable leading lady detective Phryne Fisher (Essie Davis). This lush take on the traditional crime drama explores the fascinating and varied subcultures of 1920s ‘between-the-wars’ Melbourne. From the shadowy lanes of the city to the halls of academia, from high-class brothels to haute couture, Phryne defends the innocent and juggles admirers with her usual panache, all the while keeping up her delicious dance around Detective Jack Robinson. Miss Fisher’s brand new adventures are based on Kerry Greenwood’s latest Phryne novel Unnatural Habits, her various short stories, and exciting new crimes from the creators of series one. Essie Davis is again accompanied by a cast of Australian actors including Nathan Page, Hugo Johnstone-Burt, Ashleigh Cummings and Miriam Margolyes. Produced by Fiona Eagger and Deb Cox. An Every Cloud Production in association with ABC TV, Screen Australia and Film Victoria.

THE BROKEN SHORE
DRAMA (1 x 110’)
Following on hotly from the successful Jack Irish series, the telemovie of Peter Temple’s award-winning novel THE BROKEN SHORE follows a small town murder mystery that has profound ramifications for battered homicide cop Joe Cashin. This powerful story of redemption drags Joe from the quiet and rest he needs and throws him into the investigation of a brutal murder of one of the district’s elite. The trail points to a group of local boys but, behind them, a shadowy group of suspects emerges and soon doubt is cast over the reliability of even those to whom Joe is closest. Produced by Ian Collie and written by Andrew Knight. An Essential Media Production in association with ABC TV, Screen Australia and Film Victoria.

CLIFFY
DRAMA (1 x 90’)
Over a six-day period in early 1983, Australia was engrossed with the emergence of our most unlikely sporting hero, a 61-year-old potato farmer from regional Victoria who beat the world’s finest distance runners in the inaugural Sydney to Melbourne ultra marathon. His name: Cliff Young. Playing out on the evening news was a classic tortoise and hare story. Initially derided as an eccentric who wouldn’t survive the first day, ‘Cliffy’ shuffled his way into the nation’s hearts and Australian folklore. Renowned Australian actor Kevin Harrington leads a great Australian cast including Roy Billing, Krew Boylan, Anne Tenney, Joshua Hine, Joan Sydney and Martin Sacks. Written by Robert B Taylor (Muggers). Produced by Nigel Odell (Strange Bedfellows, Long Weekend). Directed by Dean Murphy (Strange Bedfellows, Charlie & Boots). A Clock End Films production in association with ABC TV and Film Victoria.

IT’S A DATE
COMEDY (8 x 30′)
Featuring an extraordinary mix of Australia’s most respected performers including Kate Ritchie, Ian Smith, Sybilla Budd, Shane Jacobson and Nadine Garner alongside emerging comedy talent, IT’S A DATE, is a narrative comedy series that explores the tension, expectation and complication of finding true love. Each episode thematically links two self-contained dates as they bravely head toward desire or disaster. Series creator and lead writer Peter Helliar has assembled some of Australia’s leading comedy writers – Phil Lloyd, Jess Harris, Ryan Shelton, Justin Hamilton, Tony Moclair, Lawrence Mooney, Steven Gates and Kate Langbroek – to share the journey. Produced by Laura Waters and Andrea Denholm, Co-Produced by Peter Helliar, Series Produced by Paul Walton. Directed by Jonathan Brough. A Princess Pictures Production in association with ABC TV and Film Victoria.

CHRIS LILLEY is back. But if we told you any more we would have to kill you.

SPICKS AND SPECKS returns. The seats are empty for now but watch this space.

UPPER MIDDLE BOGAN
COMEDY (8 x 30’)
When Bess Denyar – a doctor with a posh mother, an architect husband and twin thirteen year olds at a private school – finds out that she is adopted, she is stunned. But even more so when she meets her birth family. Wayne and Julie Wheeler, parents also to Amber, Kayne and Brianna, head up a drag racing team in the outer suburbs and are thrilled to discover the daughter they thought they had lost. UPPER MIDDLE BOGAN features a brilliant cast including Glenn Robbins, Robyn Nevin, Annie Maynard, Robyn Malcolm, Patrick Brammall, Michala Banas and Lara Robinson. Created and produced by Robyn Butler and Wayne Hope (The Librarians). Directed by Wayne Hope and Tony Martin. A Gristmill Production in association with ABC TV and Film Victoria.

THE AGONY GUIDE TO LIFE
ENTERTAINMENT (8 x 30’)
Last time, our Agony Aunts and Uncles took us through the Cycle of Love. It was confessional, illuminating, inappropriate and wrong. Now we’re getting the band back together as well as some elite additions to bring you THE AGONY GUIDE TO LIFE. No stone will be left unturned as Australia’s funniest and brightest take us through the most important stages of existence – from child to adult, to creating and supporting families, to building and managing careers. And what after that? Should we sit on a hill and contemplate the wording of our epitaph or travel the world? The good news is we don’t need to worry about that because the Aunts and Uncles will be doing the worrying for us. And who knew watching people worry could be so much fun?

TRACTOR MONKEYS
ENTERTAINMENT (8 x 30’)
TRACTOR MONKEYS is a fast and fun half-hour comedy game show. Drawing from the ABC’s vast and eclectic archive of weird, wonderful and sometimes disturbing material, TRACTOR MONKEYS will be a romp down memory lane. Merrick Watts will be in the driving seat and he will be joined each week by team captains Katie ‘Monty’ Dimond and Dave O’Neil. With guest appearances from the cream of Australia’s comedic crop everyone will riff their way through the recent trends, fads and social phenomena that have shaped us all. An ABC TV production.

THE CHECK OUT
FACTUAL (10 x 30’)
Consumer Affairs will get an extreme makeover in THE CHECK OUT. The Chasers’ Julian Morrow and Craig Reucassel lead a team of reporters in this factual series that reinvents consumer affairs TV in a no-holds-barred, engaging and cathartic way. From cradle to grave, everyone’s a customer – and we have the right not to remain silent. THE CHECK OUT will hunt down the best, the cheapest, the tastiest, the safest, the longest lasting, the greenest, the coolest, and the most shonky. It will inform, entertain and empower the ordinary consumer – as well as getting a little bit of revenge. The public interest just got interesting.

REDESIGN MY BRAIN
FACTUAL (3 x 60’)
REDESIGN MY BRAIN sees Todd Sampson (Gruen Planet, Gruen Nation) experience a radical brain ‘makeover’ under the guidance of the world’s top neuroscientists. Discovering how brain plasticity can alter the ordinary person, Todd will personally undertake a 3-month scientifically-endorsed training program to demonstrate that his brain can be radically improved. At the end of the series Todd will attempt a superhuman challenge only achievable thanks to the brain transformation. To bring about his transformation, Todd is mentored by the world’s top brain scientist; he learns the art of ‘limitless creativity’ and is introduced to that ‘X Factor’ that turns ordinary folk into champions. But does it work? This is science at its most powerful – rewiring the human brain. Produced by Mindful Films in association with ABC TV.

MAKING COUPLES HAPPY
FACTUAL (4 x 60’)
This second series of Making Australia Happy will extend the original format by taking four marriages on the brink of break up and putting them through relationship rehab. The couples will be coached by a psychologist and a marriage counsellor to gain dramatic, life changing and scientifically verified increases in happiness. 50% of today’s marriages end in divorce. MAKING COUPLES HAPPY will reveal ways that couples – including those in our audience – can escape that statistic. Each episode focuses on a different theme. The first will take couples to a retreat to discover what’s wrong with their relationship. Experts will shock them by revealing their findings at the end of the episode. In episode two, the couples will learn how to reframe their relationship and change the way they communicate. Episode three focuses on sex and intimacy, and finally, in episode four the couples make the ultimate decision – do they stay together? Produced by Heiress Films.

WILLIAM’S BIG TWITCH
FACTUAL (6 x 30’)
Aussie actor William McInnes is taking a break; it’s a kind of ‘Sea Change’ to indulge in a secret passion. Will is a twitcher! And he’s determined to add to his ‘life list’ of Australian birds. To achieve this goal he heads to remote corners of Australia where amazing bird behaviour is revealed. He joins the people whose passion has wings: whether they’re teaching a street smart cassowary to be wild again or donning an artificial cloaca to collect emu sperm. The adventure will find William abseiling down a Melbourne city skyscraper to check on falcon chicks, and teaching a brolga to dance. He’ll wade through an old sewage treatment plant where his bird watching passion began, and discover it has been transformed into a birding nirvana. And joining in are the viewers, who add to our critical collective knowledge of bird life via the live Big Twitch website. For William, it’s the opportunity of a lifetime, a personal challenge, and, above all, bloody good fun! Produced by Sea Dog Films in association with ABC TV.

WHITLAM: THE POWER AND THE PASSION
DOCUMENTARY (2 x 60’)
Brandishing an orator’s grandeur, a brilliant mind and a bulletproof self-belief, Gough Whitlam employed a ‘crash through or crash’ approach to life and politics. He spent over 20 years fighting civil wars inside the Labor party before leading it to power. His government unleashed a wave of reforms across Australian society that was dizzying in its speed and scope. He was hailed as a Labor messiah – but when he fell, he fell harder than any politician in Australian history. Like the Greek tragedies he loved, his own story is one of flawed greatness. Surprisingly, very few of the millions of words written about Whitlam offer any penetrating insight into what motivated him. Whitlam will deliver a portrait of the man as he has never been shown before – via the people whose lives he touched and, in many cases, burned. The series’ subtext is the fascinating codependence we have with our leaders, and how we love to put them up on a pedestal and then pull them down when they fail. Produced by Bombora Films and Beyond Screen Productions in association with ABC TV.

DESERT WAR
DOCUDRAMA (2 x 60’)
They started life as rats, but grew into lions. DESERT WAR is an insightful and subtly revisionist account of one of the most celebrated campaigns of the Second World War – the struggle against Rommel’s Afrika Corps when the Nazis were rampant, the Allies in crisis, and the Australian troops entrenched in the heart of the action. It will expose new information that changes the way historians view this campaign, including the role of General Erwin Rommel and an extraordinary intelligence mistake that cost thousands of lives and almost lost the Allies the war. The series descends to the punch-ups between the Poms, Boks, Indians, Kiwis and Aussies in Cairo’s bars and brothels. It reveals stories of incredible gallantry, as well as allegations of black marketeering and poor discipline. DESERT WAR blends the gritty reality of living and dying in an unforgiving desert, with the intrigue of high command at a moment when the outcome of war truly hung in the balance. Produced by Electric Pictures in association with ABC TV.

FIRST FOOTPRINTS
DOCUMENTARY (4 x 60’)
FIRST FOOTPRINTS is Australia’s most extraordinary and epic story: a landmark documentary series about the peopling of our continent. The fi rst people in human history to make an open ocean crossing, engrave maps, and etch depictions of the human face were Australia’s original pioneers. FIRST FOOTPRINTS will draw on the collective memory of Indigenous Australians, the latest archaeological discoveries and the richest record of all, our continent’s 30 million prehistoric painted and etched rocks. These repositories of ancient time and human expression are a leaping-off point for evocative recreations, elegant CGI, grand landscape and a wealth of rarely seen archival footage. The visual style of the fi lm and the breadth of its narration will create a sense of wonder. Sweeping from 60,000 years ago to 1788, FIRST FOOTPRINTS will expand our idea of Australia and inform contemporary ideas about what it means to live on this astonishing continent. Produced by Contact Films in association with ABC TV.

KAKADU
DOCUMENTARY (4 x 60’)
Kakadu is Australia’s greatest ‘living museum’, full of incredible geological forms, extreme weather, Indigenous culture and exotic wildlife. It is the jewel in the crown of Australia’s protected areas, the second largest national park on the planet. Yet running the ‘museum’ is no easy task. In this series we follow the park rangers and emergency service personnel as they deal with medical emergencies, dangerous wildlife, naive tourists and rogue law breakers, to give us a unique view of Australia’s most iconic national park. Behind the scenes, rangers and traditional owners must overcome an endless stream of challenges – to keep visitors safe from the raw nature they are here to experience, to push back the tide of serious environmental threats (from cane toads to climate change), and to save the ancient knowledge that slips away each time a clan member dies. Complementing the story of human life in Kakadu, beautiful wildlife sequences of animals, landscapes and aerial images give the series a grandeur that only Kakadu can deliver. Produced by Northern Pictures.

NEW INTERNATIONAL SERIES 2013:

THE PARADISE
DRAMA (8 x 50’)
Set in the unique world of Britain’s first department store, THE PARADISE is a romantic, sexy, thrilling drama, where the choice between following your heart or your ambition can lead to paradise, or despair.

DAVID ATTENBOROUGH: GALAPAGOS
DOCUMENTARY (3 x 60’)
David Attenborough embarks on a journey to one of the most wonderful places in the world – the remote Galapagos Islands. Meet extraordinary creatures that live nowhere else on earth.

KEVIN MCCLOUD’S MAN-MADE HOME
FACTUAL (4 x 60’)
Kevin McCloud has always dreamed of building a cabin in the woods. In this new series he’s going to try to make it happen.

WONDERS OF LIFE
DOCUMENTARY (5 x 60’)
This beautiful and definitive series looks at natural history from a physics perspective, revealing how a few fundamental laws gave birth to the most complex, diverse and unique force in the universe – life.

RETURNING AUSTRALIAN:

ABC NEWS BREAKFAST
ADAM HILLS TONIGHT (FORMERLY ADAM HILLS IN GORDON ST TONIGHT)
ARTSCAPE
AT THE MOVIES
AUDREY’S KITCHEN
AUSTRALIAN STORY
CATALYST
COMPASS
FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT
FOUR CORNERS
GARDENING AUSTRALIA
GRUEN NATION
GRUEN PLANET
INSIDERS
KITCHEN CABINET – NEW TO ABC1
LATELINE
LATELINE BUSINESS
MEDIA WATCH
OFFSIDERS
Q&A
RAGE
SHAUN MICALLEF’S MAD AS HELL
THE BOOK CLUB (FORMERLY FIRST TUESDAY BOOK CLUB)
7.30

RETURNING INTERNATIONAL:

CALL THE MIDWIFE – SERIES 2 (1 x 75’ + 8 x 60’)
DEATH IN PARADISE – SERIES 2 (8 x 60’)
DOCTOR WHO – SERIES 7 – 50TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR (8 x 60’)
MIDSOMER MURDERS – SERIES 15 (6 x 90’)
NEW TRICKS – SERIES 10 (10 x 60’)
QI – SERIES 11 (16 x 30’)
SILK – SERIES 3 (6 x 60’)

ABC2

PLEASE LIKE ME (pictured)
COMEDY/DRAMA (6 x 30’)
Inspired by the award-winning stand-up comedy of Josh Thomas, PLEASE LIKE ME is a delightfully honest six-part comedy/drama about growing up quickly. On the brink of turning 21, Josh is sharing a house with his best/only friend and learning how to do life like an adult. He’s opening mail and eating asparagus and sometimes flossing. Until one day his voicemail informs him his divorced mum has overdosed on painkillers. He is forced to move back home and care for her – which isn’t ideal, because ‘caring’ isn’t a thing he really knows how to do. This show is about cavoodles, custard tarts, boyfriends, girlfriends and realising that your parents are not heroes, but big dopes with no idea what’s going on – just like you. Written by and starring Josh Thomas (Talkin’ ‘Bout Your Generation), with Judi Farr, Debra Lawrance, David Roberts, Tom Ward and Caitlin Stasey. Directed by Matthew Saville (The Slap, Cloudstreet), produced by Todd Abbott (Judith Lucy’s Spiritual Journey). A Pigeon Fancier/ John & Josh International production in association with ABC TV.

DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARKIES
INDIGENOUS COMEDY (6 x 30’)
DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARKIES is a new sketch comedy show from the funniest Blackfellas in Australia. It is irreverent, politically incorrect and goes where no other series can go. No one person or topic is off limits. In the vein of Basically Black and Babakiueria, our team of writers and performers will do their best to make you less afraid of the Darkies. This is the first sketch comedy written entirely by blackfellas and a first for the ABC.

8MMM
INDIGENOUS COMEDY (6 x 30’)
8MMM Aboriginal Radio in Alice Springs runs on the smell of an oily rag, the enthusiasm of its motley Indigenous crew and the misguided intentions of the whitefellas in charge. For the 3M’s of Alice Springs – the missionaries, mercenaries and misfits – saving Aboriginal people from themselves is hard work, especially Aboriginal people who expect to be heard on the radio and in the office. Princess Pictures and Brindle Films bravely step into the vortex of Aboriginal Australia, where truth and comedy collide. Producers: Rachel Clements, Trisha Morton Thomas, Anna Cadden, Executive Producers: Andrea Denholm, Laura Waters, Yael Bergmann, Writers: Sonja Dare, Trisha Morton Thomas. Produced by Brindle Films and Princess Pictures in association with ABC TV.

THE ROAST
COMEDY (150 x 10’)
If The Daily Show deconstructs the news and The Colbert Report distorts the news, then THE ROAST is transformed by the news. In 2013, THE ROAST will be back with a bigger, deeper, more expansive format that will continue to offer comic relief to the daily news cycle.

JOE HILDEBRAND RETURNS (SERIES TITLE TBC)
FACTUAL (6 x 30’)
Donald Horne famously wrote: ‘Australia is a lucky country, run mainly by second-rate people who share its luck.’ In this new series Joe Hildebrand travels the lucky country to explore Horne’s not particularly flattering take on its inhabitants. On route, he shatters our myths, bursts our bubbles and slaughters some sacred Australian cows. You see, Hildebrand has the shits – the shits with the inflated, delusional notion of who we are; political correctness gone mad; the dismal quality of our pollies and the might of big corporations. In the follow-up to his highly successful series Dumb, Drunk and Racist, the Daily Telegraph’s rabble rousing columnist is determined to expose Australia’s psyche. He will meet some troublesome characters, ask tough questions and occasionally make a fool of himself – all for the greater good. Deploying his mischievous wit, a deadpan sense of humour, and a set of provocative but well-intended stunts, Joe is about to journey through Australia to set the record straight – Hildebrand style. Produced by Cordell Jigsaw Zapruder in association with ABC TV.

TWENTYSOMETHING – SERIES 2
COMEDY (6 x 30’)
The first series of TWENTYSOMETHING ended with Jess (Jess Harris) and Josh (Josh Schmidt) throwing caution to the wind and leaving for a big overseas trip, but the real adventures start in this news series, when they return home and discover the holiday is over and everyone has moved on, including Jess’s on and off again boyfriend Billy (Hamish Blake). With the looming reality of thirtysomething and Jess not being able to pull off wearing pigtails anymore, this series sees the characters search for not just a band-aid approach to a life of get-rich-quick schemes, but finally asking, “What are we destined to do?”. With broken limbs, broken hearts, robberies, insurance scams and at home ‘courtroom’ dramas all creating hilarious bumps in the road to self-discovery, Jess and Josh might be getting older, but they will always refuse to grow up. Created by Jess Harris and Josh Schmidt. Written by Jess Harris. Produced by Nicole Minchin. A High Wire Films and Electric Living Production in association with ABC TV, Screen Australia and Film Victoria.

HEAD FIRST
FACTUAL (5 x 40’)
Sabour Bradley dives HEAD FIRST into the most controversial and intriguing issues in Australia by spending time with people at the heart of the matter. Armed with a mischievous sense of humour and a willingness to get involved in the action, Sabour takes a close-up and colourful look at a wide range of hot button topics. From The Intervention and gender through to celebrity and internet dating, no subject is off limits. HEAD FIRST will be the fine line between humour, action and investigation. It never tries to make fun of its subjects but lets the comedy arise organically from situations and characters. It’s a unique approach born out of Sabour’s warmth, curiosity and humour, and his ability to relate to all kinds of people in many different situations. Produced by Morrisey/Molloy Entertainment and Mushroom Pictures in association with ABC TV.

NEW INTERNATIONAL SERIES 2013:

HARD TIME
FACTUAL (6 x 60’)
Go behind the scenes of U.S. maximum-security prisons to witness the brutal reality of life inside. Prisoners, guards, wardens, families – these are stories of despair and hope, truth and consequence that revolve around a massive stone and- barbed-wire castle.

CHERRY HEALEY: HOW TO GET A LIFE
FACTUAL (6 x 60’)
This series follows UK TV presenter Cherry Healey as she tries to get back on the rollercoaster of modern life after the birth of her daughter – but wonders if she’s been left behind.

SHARON HORGAN’S WOMEN
FACTUAL (3 x 60’)
Being a mother nowadays is tough. Everyone’s got an opinion, whether it’s about stay-at-home vs out-to-work, or bottle vs breast. Sharon Horgan meets six mothers who are convinced they are getting it right, even if their methods are unusual or off-the-scale strange.

THE SET LIST
COMEDY (14 x 30’)
This unpredictable, fully improvised stand-up show takes some of the biggest names in comedy and presents them with the ultimate challenge: to come up with a brand new comedy routine on the spot, based on topics presented to them right there and then while they’re on stage.

CONSPIRACY ROAD TRIP
FACTUAL (4 x 60’)
Comedian Andrew Maxwell takes conspiracy theorists on a road trip in an effort to tackle the truth about their beliefs – from the London Bombings and 9/11, to creationism and UFOs.

SHARON HORGAN’S WOMEN
FACTUAL (3 x 60’)
Being a mother nowadays is tough. Everyone’s got an opinion, whether it’s about stay-at-home vs out-to-work, or bottle vs breast. Sharon Horgan meets six mothers who are convinced they are getting it right, even if their methods are unusual or off-the-scale strange.

THE SET LIST
COMEDY (14 x 30’)
This unpredictable, fully improvised stand-up show takes some of the biggest names in comedy and presents them with the ultimate challenge: to come up with a brand new comedy routine on the spot, based on topics presented to them right there and then while they’re on stage.

SUNDAY BEST
In 2013, Kristy Best will continue to present an outstanding collection of game-changing and thought provoking feature length documentaries. Titles will include:

BORN RICH
First-time filmmaker Jamie Johnson, a 23-year-old heir to the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical fortune, captures the rituals, worries and social customs of the children of the insanely rich, including the young Trumps, Vanderbilts, Newhouses and Bloombergs. (1 x 75’)

WHERE SOLDIERS COME FROM
From a snowy, small town in Northern Michigan to the mountains of Afghanistan and back, this story follows the four-year journey of childhood friends forever changed by a faraway war. (1 x 91’)

CATFISH
A group of young filmmakers document their colleague’s budding online friendship with a young woman and her family which leads to an unexpected series of discoveries. (1 x 87’)

KNUCKLE
An epic 12-year journey into the brutal and secretive world of Irish Traveller bare-knuckle fighting. A gripping tale of passion and respect, and blood bonds that will never end. (1 x 97’)

BILL CUNNINGHAM: NEW YORK
“We all get dressed for Bill,” says Vogue editor Anna Wintour. This is a profile of the noted and extraordinarily cheerful veteran New York fashion photographer, Bill Cunningham. (1 x 98’)

AI WEIWEI: NEVER SORRY
A documentary that chronicles artist and activist Ai Weiwei as he prepares for a series of exhibitions and gets into an increasing number of clashes with the Chinese government. (1 x 91’)

RETURNING SERIES 2013:

GOOD GAME – SERIES 9
OPENING SHOT – SERIES 2
BREAKING BAD – SERIES 4 & 5 (13 x 60’ + 8 x 60’)
PEEP SHOW – SERIES 8 (6 x 30’)
GREAT ORMOND STREET – SERIES 2 (6 x 60’)
TOP BOY – SERIES 2 (4 x 60’)
ROSS KEMP: EXTREME WORLD – SERIES 2 (6 x 60’)

ABC3

DANCE ACADEMY (pictured)
DRAMA (13 x 24’)
It’s third year and the clock is ticking! Tara and the gang are now seniors at the academy and no one can forget that the Company is watching. It’s a nailbiting chase to the fi nish line to see who will be offered a contract and fi nally achieve what they have been working towards for so long and who will have to find a new dream! Produced by Werner Film Productions.

LOST BOYS (WORKING TITLE)
LIVE ACTION DRAMA (13 x 30’)
Four teenage boys – Jake, Felix, Andy and Sam – go on a school excursion trekking through the Goolengook valley. They get lost and find themselves caught in an unexpected and violent lightning storm. The next morning, upon their return home, the boys find that something strange and terrible has happened. They have returned to a world where they no longer exist. It’s not that they are ghosts – people can see, hear, and touch our four young heroes. But none of their parents, siblings or friends knows who they are. All public records of them – birth certificates, passports, even library cards – have vanished. And, worst of all, the world has reconfigured itself as though they were never born. LOST BOYS follows these four boys in their quest to find out what happened to them. In the meantime, they have to deal with basic questions of survival. How do our boys accommodate themselves, make money, get back to school and generally fit into a world which has completely forgotten them? Produced by Matchbox Pictures.

THE ADVENTURES OF FIGARO PHO
COMEDY ANIMATION (39 x 7’)
Figaro Pho returns to ABC3 with more peculiarities and phobias than ever before. Quirky and mischievous, he’s afflicted with every phobia imaginable. Figaro’s afraid of vampires, toilets, mad dogs, cacti, aliens and being stared at by a duck! With such an onslaught of phobias, it looks like Figaro’s life is a complete tragedy; however, he is a creative genius and with his loyal doglike robot Rivet, Figaro constructs imaginative mechanisms to combat his phobias. Produced by Chocolate Liberation Front. Created by Luke Jurevicius.

PELEDA
ONLINE GAME WITH ACCOMPANYING INTERSTITIALS
Welcome to PELEDA, a wondrous land that was taken over by the evil Giltine, Queen of the Owls, whose venomous influence has corrupted the peoples and the land. Two sibling heroes, Valdis and Mina, embark on the most dramatic of quests to battle minions in the skies and on the land, to gather energy and rescue the life force of the all-powerful spirits who can turn the tide of destruction and restore balance to their once glorious homeland. This action-packed and gripping series of interstitials on TV helps unlock the many visual mysteries in the Peleda online game. The future of Peleda rests in your hands… Produced by Chocolate Liberation Front. Created by Luke & Nathan Jurevicius.

SPLATALOT! – SERIES 2
LIVE ACTION GAME SHOW (26 x 30’)
SPLATALOT is back for another splat-tacular series! There is a bigger and better castle, new defenders, more goopiness than you imagine, more face-planting and more gut-busting action than ever before! The quest for the crown continues – this is one obstacle course you don’t want to miss. Co-produced by ABC3, CBBC & YTV. Produced by Marble Media.

STEAM PUNKS!
LIVE ACTION GAME SHOW (40 x 24’)
STEAM PUNKS! is a fast-paced, gooey, irreverent game show where four kids find themselves trapped in a subterranean world controlled by a malevolent machine and her minion played by Paul Verhoeven (triple j). To win their freedom, the two teams must battle it out and test their problem-solving abilities, scientific knowledge, ability to interact with technology and get messy. Produced by Beyond Productions.

DUKES OF BROXSTONIA – SERIES 3
COMEDY ANIMATION (10 x 7’)
The DUKES OF BROXSTONIA, the hottest band to come out of Broxstonia, are back for more insane adventures. Don’t miss Ary, Barj and Larj as they duel with monstrous fans, rival bands, cyborg robots, video game monsters and wild west villains. But remember, what happens on tour stays on tour! Produced by Sticky Pictures.

THE FLAMIN’ THONGS
COMEDY ANIMATION (26 x 12’)
Meet Australia’s newest eccentric family, THE FLAMIN’ THONGS. Living in Whale Bay, a town so small it isn’t even on the map, the Thongs are as Aussie as Crocodile Dundee and The Castle. They’ll make you laugh and they’ll make you cringe, but thanks to the sheer Aussie brilliance of 12-year-old Holden, no two flamin’ days are the same! Produced by Media World Productions.

ALMOST NAKED ANIMALS – SERIES 3
COMEDY ANIMATION (24 x 11’)
Howie and the team are back for another season at the beachside hotel, The Copabanana, for more irreverent, fast-paced and underwear-clad fun! Watch as the mayhem, destruction and general disorder continues with all new episodes! Produced by 9 Story.

STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS – SERIES 5
ACTION ANIMATION (22 x 23’)
STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS continues with a brand new series. The heroic Jedi fi ght to maintain order and restore peace while the Separatists plot to defeat the Republic and regain control. With groundbreaking computer-generated animation and epic storytelling, this is a Star Wars adventure like never before and one you don’t want to miss! Produced by LucasFilm.

THE ANNOYING ORANGE
COMEDY ANIMATION (30 x 11’)
Laugh out loud and watch the highly entertaining and endearingly annoying Orange as he heckles his fellow animated fruits, vegetable and kitchen inhabitants with puns and jokes. Produced by The Collective.

YOUNG DRACULA – SERIES 4
LIVE ACTION COMEDY (13 x 30’)
YOUNG DRACULA, the BAFTA-nominated children’s comedy drama, returns to ABC3! Watch the adventures of Vlad, the irrepressible son of Count Dracula, as he contends with life in the suburbs, his meddlesome family and his destiny to lead the entire vampire race!

RETURNING IN 2013:

BTN EXTRA
NEWS ON 3
GOOD GAME SP
PRANK PATROL ROADTRIP
STUDIO 3

ABC4KIDS

BANANAS IN PYJAMAS
ANIMATION (52 x 11’)
The hugely popular animated Bananas In Pyjamas series returns with 52 new episodes. Each episode is a fun adventure for our famous heroes B1 & B2 who, along with all their well loved friends in Cuddlestown, do what they love to do best: help solve comical situations by working together and looking out for each other as friends do. Produced by Southern Star Entertainment for ABC TV.

PLAY SCHOOL
ENTERTAINMENT (45 x 30’)
Currently in its 46th year on air, PLAY SCHOOL is an Australian icon and is the most loved regular television program for preschool children in the country. Play School aims to encourage a child to wonder, think, feel and imagine. Each program contains a story, some songs and a variety of play ideas with things to make and do, and features two warm, caring hosts who take the time to address the child at home directly and personally.

HA HA HAIRIES
COMEDY (52 x 11’)
The HA HA HAIRIES are a happy, hairy family living in Hairyland. But up on the hill at Chateau Shampoo, their neighbour Boris Boo Hoo has secret plans to spoil the fun… A moral fairytale for a modern world, the show carries a simple message of good triumphing over bad. HA HA HAIRIES is a comedy featuring a talented live-action cast and two delightful, animated Hairy Fairies. Classic clowning inspired by silent comedy geniuses past and present with fabulous song and dance numbers, comic routines and lots of falling over! Produced by Adastra Creative.

PETER RABBIT
ANIMATION (25 x 11’)
Beatrix Potter’s books about Peter, Flopsy, Mopsy and Cottontail have been charming the children of the world for 110 years, sold more than 150 million copies and been published in more than 35 languages. This new 3D animated series is a ‘reimagining’ of the classic tales with new storylines and some new characters, but with the same wit, humour and enduring charm of mischievous Peter and his loyal friends. Produced by Penguin and Silvergate Media.

LAZYTOWN – SERIES 3 (pictured)
ANIMATION (13 x 25’) ICELAND
The iconic Icelandic preschool hit is back with an all new series as bumbling Mayor Milford Meanswell again enlists the help of ‘slightly above average hero’ Sportacus to inspire his niece Stephanie and her friends Ziggy, Trixie, Stingy and Pixel to play outside instead of staying inside and playing video games all day. Produced by LazyTown Studios.

JOE & JACK
(39 x 7’) IRELAND
An adorable series about a 4-year-old boy named Joe, and his best friend who happens to be a mischievous cat, Jack. These two have the biggest imaginations and their days are filled with all sorts of adventures. Able to communicate with each other in ways that adults can’t understand, they are always on a secret mission, and together they get into and out of trouble. Their tales are full of offbeat humour and a distinctive charm that preschoolers will love. Produced by Dancing Girl Productions.

BLUE KANGAROO
(52 x 11’) UK
Based on the bestselling books by Emma Chichester Clark, BLUE KANGAROO is the story of Lily and her soft toy friend Blue Kangaroo. Through all of Lily’s daily troubles, whether it be tantrums or showing off or over-worrying, Blue Kangaroo helps out! He thinks about what has happened, asks us what we think we can do to help and then he will do it. ‘Blue Kangaroo’ takes a very different approach to many of today’s preschool shows, focusing on the behavioural aspects of the development of preschoolers. Produced by Wish Films and Studio Distract.

MOFY
(26 x 5’) JAPAN
Inspired by Aki Kondo’s best-selling books, MOFY is the story of a shy and tender female rabbit who lives in a warm and puffy world of cotton wool in this stunning quirky stop motion animation. In each story Mofy experiences different moods and sometimes difficult emotions, such as loneliness, jealousy, joy and empathy. The premise of this show is that Mofy learns to understand and cope with her feelings and how to develop stronger friendships with others: from being insecure and fragile, Mofy learns to manage her feelings, growing in courage and confidence each day. Produced by Sony Pictures and Misseri Studios.

OCTONAUTS – SERIES 2
(22 x 11’) UK
The OCTONAUTS are back, exploring the ocean in search of more adventure and fun! From their undersea ‘Octopod’ base, the eight talented critters (including a valiant polar bear, daredevil kitten, and big-hearted penguin) are always ready to embark on new exciting missions to explore, rescue, and protect sea life everywhere! Produced by Silvergate & Brown Bag Films.

ROOM ON THE BROOM
(1 x 30’) UK
From the makers of The Gruffalo, ROOM ON THE BROOM is a magical tale about friendship and family from best-selling author Julia Donaldson and illustrator Axel Scheffler. It is the story about a kind witch who invites a surprising collection of animals to join her on her broom, much to the frustration of her cat. The gang ultimately save the witch from a fearsome dragon, and in gratitude she rewards them with a magnificent new broom which has room for everyone.

ABC NEWS 24

RETURNING SERIES 2013:

ABC NEWS BREAKFAST (pictured)
AFTERNOON LIVE
BUSINESS TODAY
CAPITAL HILL
FUTURE FORUMS
GRANDSTAND
MORNINGS
NEWS EXCHANGE
NEWSLINE
ONE PLUS ONE
STATE TO STATE
THE DRUM
THE QUARTERS
THE WORLD
THE WORLD THIS WEEK
TONIC
WEEKEND BREAKFAST

23 Responses

  1. @Shazz, are you related to Toby Truslove perhaps? 😉

    This is a great announcement of upcoming shows. It’s good to see that while the commercial networks have announced a raft of overseas productions, together with a tiny amount of local shows (and most of them cheap reality TV competitions), the ABC is producing so much quality stuff.
    Here’s hoping that some, if not all of these shows get an overseas audience too and turn into nice earners for our national broadcaster.

  2. A great list of programs.

    It would have been nice to see at least one new commission for News 24, but I guess I’ll have a whole year to be surprised when they announce something 🙂

    Also, when are the ABC re-acquiring The Colbert Report? 😉

  3. The ABC is going through a “golden period” of its own under the guidance of Mark Scott who is without doubt the best MD the ABC has ever had. He (along with Kim Dalton) secured additional funding for drama, comedy and docs to be commissioned from the independent sector and what you see is a diverse and eclectic mix of programmes. News and CAFF is also doing brilliantly. My only concern, and it only matters to a handful of true believers like me, is that the main ABC drama unit could and should be braver and bolder. Rake is superb, but the rest of it has been very ordinary. Elsewhere on this site I have applauded Redfern Now, and the Indigenous unit is doing its job very well. I think this is a make or break year for the current ABC drama team – it’s the culmination of everything they have been aspiring to achieve from the budget increase. Look forward to discussing it all on this site!

  4. A very good line up. I read many synopsis of new shows and could easily commit to many 3 part docos and the variety of genres in the drama field also appeal.
    @ Darcey09 Rake S1 was 2010, so at least there is good stuff until S3 of Rake in 2014

  5. No airdate for the final season of The Thick of It?

    Wish the ABC would air more Alan Partridge too. The work of Armando Iannucci has been seriously neglected on FTA in this country.

  6. Now, that’s an impressive slate. The ABC is leading the way with Aus drama by a long shot.

    Pleased to see that Gruen (×2?) and Micallef are returning.

  7. I’m totally looking forward to seeing a full year’s programming of Australian drama every week. This drama slate is a very safe and conservative mix of crime, family drama and nostalgia, (very much reflecting the current commissioning regime) and most of it will skew old. However, if it encourages regular viewing of ABC drama I hope it the commissioners take a few more risks with edgier and more challenging material in the future.

    1. Ronnie let’s be fair. It’s still the biggest and most diverse drama slate of any of the broadcasters. Indigenous, transgender, Aus-Asian, contemporary, period, city, regional, kids and unlike Nine which includes its 2015 (!!!) dramas as part of its announcements, ABC has not included 2014 projects which were renewed.

  8. No mention of Parer’s War, Rake or Redfern Now, all of which I thought had already been announced?
    Perhaps they’ll be screened in 2014 (as many of the shows mentioned for 2013 were filmed in 2012.)
    Likewise no mention of the 2 other Jack Irish telemovies

  9. ABC did not mention season two of Who’s Been Sleeping in My House?. Perhaps production folded during the filming of season two and they are no longer going ahead with the series.

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