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ABC upcoming highlights

ABC releases details of its remaining 2016 highlights.

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ABC has released details of its remaining 2016 highlights, to air from August to December.

It includes Season 2 of The Code, Rosehaven, Please Like Me‘s fourth season, Ice Wars, Howard on Menzies, Nowhere Boys third season and Silvia’s Italian Table.

There’s also Man Up featuring Gus Worland which is “principally financed by the Movember Foundation,” Hard Quiz and a new untitled series for Jane Caro.

Not mentioned anywhere in the release is David Stratton’s Story of Australian Cinema, more of Stop Laughing… This Is Serious or Seven Types of Ambiguity -TV Tonight understands the drama has now been pushed to 2017. ABC had previously indicated it would feature a local drama every week of the (ratings year).

Anh Do Anh’s Brush with Fame
Australians love Anh Do for his comedy, his best-selling books and his work in film and TV but not many know he’s also a passionate painter. In fact, Anh was a finalist of the 2014 Archibald Prize where he created a memorable and vivid portrait of his father. He loves to paint portraits and he loves getting to know people. This show combines the two in a unique and intimate format that reveals the darkest secrets and exclusive stories behind some well-known celebrities including: Magda Szubanski, Jimmy Barnes, Anthony Mundine and Craig McLachlan. A Screentime Production.
On Screens: Wednesdays 8pm from 24 August (8 x 30min)

Comedy

Rosehaven
Rural Tasmania provides the spectacular backdrop for Rosehaven, a new comedy series created by, and starring two of, Australia’s most loved comic talents: Luke McGregor (Luke Warm Sex, Utopia) and Celia Pacquola (Utopia, A Beautiful Lie). Daniel McCallum (Luke McGregor), returns to his rural Tasmanian hometown, Rosehaven, to help his formidable mother in her real estate business. He gets a surprise when his best (city) friend Emma (Celia Pacquola) turns up on the doorstep, on the run from a marriage that didn’t last the honeymoon. Rosehaven takes two friends and throws them into the centre of small town life, with Daniel contending with the ghosts of adolescence and Emma intent on making the most of life on the lam. A Guesswork Television production in association with ABC TV and Screen Tasmania.

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Upper Middle Bogan Series 3
Australia’s best loved and acclaimed family comedy returns, as Bess Denyar (Annie Maynard) continues to try to make a happy union between her adoptive upper middle family and her biological bogan family. Starring Annie Maynard, Robyn Nevin, Michala Banas, Patrick Brammall, Glenn Robbins, Robyn Malcolm, Madeleine Jevic, Rhys Mitchell, Dougie Baldwin, Lara Robinson and Harrison Feldman. A Gristmill Productin in association with ABC TV and Film Victoria

Soul Mates Series 2
Written and directed by brothers Christiaan and Connor Van Vuuren, Soul Mates Series 2 stars Christiaan and Nick Boshier as a couple of buddies continually drawn together across the course of human history, past and future. The second instalment introduces viewers to a new world of Ancient Egyptians, as well as new cast members, Doris Younane, John Howard and Ian Roberts. Series 1 of Soul Mates will be available on ABC iview for two weeks from 20 July ahead of Soul Mates Series 2 airing on ABC and iview. A Soul HQ production in association with ABC TV, SeeSo (NBC Universal), Screen Australia, Screen NSW On Screens.
From 3 August, 9.35pm, with the entire series available on ABC iview

Please Like Me Series 4
After its recent launch in the UK, where it’s been hailed as “the best original Australian TV comedy ever”, “like Girls directed by Wes Anderson” and “low-key, kooky-cool and warm-hearted”, Please Like Me returns for a fourth season, as Josh and his friends hurtle towards the end of their twenties and try to convince themselves that everything is gonna be OK. Please Like Me is a Pigeon Fancier and John & Josh International Production of a Participant Media Original Series in Association with ABCTV.

The Katering Show Series 2
Launching on iview earlier this year, the comedy web series The Katering Show Series 2, went on to become the most watched ABC iview original series ever. Now it’s screening on ABC TV. The eight-part web-series, created, written by and starring food intolerant Kate McCartney and her intolerably smug foodie co- host Kate McLennan, has been devoured by Australian audiences, hungry to watch ‘The Kates’ take aim at our food obsessed society. No topic has been off limits in the series, with pop-up Ramen bars, grossly unscientific diets, plasagna eating yummy mummies and even culinary icon Maggie Beer all targets. A Katering/ Guesswork Production in asssociation with ABC iview, ABC TV, Screen Australia and Film Victoria.
From 3 August, 9.10pm, with the entire series available on ABC iview

Drama

The Code Series 2
The Code Series 2 unveils the rapidly spreading and very real threat of cybercrime, and its capacity to bring an entire country to its knees. Stars Ashley Zukerman, Dan Spielman, Anthony LaPaglia, Adele Perovic, Sigrid Thornton, Robyn Malcolm, Ella Scott Lynch and Ben Oxenbould
A Playmaker production in association with ABC TV, Screen Australia, Screen Queensland, Screen NSW and Screen ACT.
Thursdays 8.30pm from 1 September

Factual

Man Up
One bloke’s mission to break the silence. In Australia, men are traditionally seen as strong, stoic and tough as nails. They’re the alpha males of the world. They laugh in the face of fear. They excel at everything. And when life gets them down, they drink a cup of concrete and harden the f*** up. Or so the saying goes. But hardening up doesn’t seem to be working out too well for our blokes. Research shows Aussie men are lonelier and more disconnected than ever. Common mental health problems like depression and anxiety go untreated. And suicide is the leading cause of death for men aged 15-44 years. So why are men killing themselves? And why isn’t anyone talking about it? Enter Gus Worland: professional talker. As the star of Triple M’s breakfast radio team, he’s got his finger on the pulse of real Aussie blokes. Deeply impacted by the suicide of a dear friend ten years ago, and with a teenage son of his own about to become a man, Gus sets out on a mission to save Aussie men from their biggest killer. Themselves. An Heiress Production, principally financed by the Movember Foundation in association with ABC TV. 

Howard on Menzies: Building Modern Australia
Today, in a climate where Prime Ministers struggle to survive 18 months rather than 18 years, it’s hard to imagine one leader could survive at the top long enough to personally oversee the transformation of the country. Howard contends we will likely never see such leadership again. This is history told from the inside, from one master of the political game about another. A Smith & Nasht production in association with ABC TV, Screen Australia, Screen NSW.

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Ice Wars
Australia has a problem with Crystal Methamphetamine. Street name: Ice. The program makers of this four-part series had unprecedented access to Police Anti-Ice operations in metropolitan as well as rural and remote communities. The programs reveal the scope of the challenges facing law enforcement, health workers, users and the community as they try to mitigate, if not eradicate, the effects of Ice use in Australia. A Northern Pictures production in association with ABC TV, Screen Australia, Screen NSW

New Jane Caro Compass Series (Title TBC)
Following the success of the series For Better For Worse social commentator Jane Caro is back in October with a new four part COMPASS documentary exploring family relationships. Jane is a mother of girls who openly admits to knowing nothing about boys, so when she learnt that her eldest daughter was expecting a son…yes…a boy…she was taken aback. Even her husband was a bit bewildered! This got her thinking. What is different about mother/son and father/daughter relationships? How does parenting a child of the opposite sex change the way you see the world? While Jane awaits the birth of the first boy-child to be born into the Caro family in a generation; she explores these ideas with a group of fathers and daughters, mothers and sons, who invite her into their homes to share the journey of their relationships. An ABC TV production

Silvia’s Italian Table
Join Italian food writer, Silvia Colloca, as she invites Australia’s most interesting personalities into her kitchen to show them how to cook while sharing stories the Italian way – surrounded by good food and great friends. A FreemantleMedia Australia production

Back Roads Series 2
Award-winning ABC journalist, Heather Ewart returns with a second series of Back Roads, the program that transports audiences to some of the nation’s most remote and inspiring communities and highlights rural Australia’s trademark grit, generosity, humour and innovation.

Enertainment

Gruen
The multi award-winning and critically acclaimed Gruen is back to find out why we buy what we buy…and why the ads on the side of our internet browser want us to buy more. Wil, Russel, Todd and a team of new and familiar faces return to deconstruct our vast advertising landscape which gets more freakishly sophisticated every year we find ourselves around the Gruen desk.Expect to see our panel of experts tackle topical local and international stories, as well as marketing and spin from the sublime to the ridiculous, to the utterly everyday. No topic is too big or small, too stupid or too serious to escape the Gruen treatment. Fan favourite The Pitch returns as Australia’s top creative agencies battle it out over the thorniest briefs we can throw at them. An ABC TV and CJZ Production
Wednesdays from August 3 at 8.30pm

The Checkout Series 4
The Checkout is a satirical consumer affairs series presented by Julian Morrow and Craig Reucassel from The Chaser team, Kirsten Drysdale, Kate Browne, Scott Abbot, Zoe Norton Lodge and Ben Jenkins. From cradles to graves, everyone s a customer – and we have the right not to remain silent. Each week, The Checkout takes a no-holds-barred, irreverent and entertaining approach to explaining and exposing the ways that all of us are being ripped off. The Checkout is consumer affairs TV for the twenty first century offering a revolutionary new wonder diet of information and entertainment that’s clinically proven and 26% fat free. Don’t get ripped off, watch The Checkout An ABC TV Production
Thursdays 8pm until Thursday 29 September

You Can’t Ask That
You Can’t Ask That sees misunderstood, marginalised Australians answering anonymous online questions. What would happen if you gave people the chance to ask society’s outsiders the questions they were too embarrassed, too shy, too awkward and too scared to ask? What would happen if those stereotyped minorities were given the right to answer those questions with dignity and depth? The series plunges joyfully into the lives of short statured Australians, wheelchair users, the transgendered, Muslims, ex-prisoners, fat people, Indigenous, sex workers, the terminally ill and the polyamorous. It asks forthright and at times uncomfortable questions, which result in illuminating, moving and surprising answers. An ABC TV Production
Wednesdays at 9.20pm from 3 August

Hard Quiz
For two years, The Weekly’s Tom Gleeson has been putting hard questions to the big names in his regular segment, Hard Chat. Now he puts Australia’s armchair experts to the test in his new show Hard Quiz. A serious quiz show. And seriously hilarious. A Thinkative TV production. Exec Producer: Chris Walker Producers: Kevin Whyte, Charlie Pickering, Tom Gleeson. Series Producer: John Tabbagh

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Arts

Streets of Your Town
Streets of Your Town is a two-part series focusing on the aesthetics of our suburbs. Tim Ross – comedian, broadcaster and Architecture enthusiast – is tour guide for this very personal journey exploring how and why our suburbs look the way they do. From the Modernist boom in the ‘50’s, ‘60’s and ‘70’s to the McMansions that came to dominate our suburban landscape from the ‘80’s, our design decisions say a lot about the times we live in. Travelling the country and gaining unprecedented access to some of our most iconic homes and meeting their owners, peeling back their history and revelling in their beauty, Tim poses the question: from Modernism to McMansionism, how did we get here? An ABC TV / Mint Pictures co-production

Meet the Mavericks Series 2
In Series 2 of Meet the Mavericks, we meet filmmakers, theatre makers, musicians, performance artists, writers, actors and all round troublemakers. Each episode brings two creative talents together for an inspiring conversation about how they see the world, what drives them, what enrages them, and how they channel that passion into their work. Whether from the same field or completely different areas of art and culture, these mavericks quiz each other and compare notes about their creative lives, giving the audience a deeper insight into the minds of the people who challenge and shape our cultural landscape.
Series 2 pairings include:

  •   Playwright and screenwriter Andrew Bovell meets actress and playwright Nakkiah Lui.
  •   Filmmaker and artist Amiel Courtin-Wilson meets actor and Aboriginal Elder JackCharles.
  •   Actor and award-winning writer Osamah Sami meets journalist and screenwriterBenjamin Law.
      Violin virtuoso and director of the Australian Chamber Orchestra Richard Tognetti meetsperformance artist and provocateur Penny Arcade.

An ABC TV production. Tuesdays at 10pm from August 23, 5 eps

Younger Viewers

Nowhere Boys Series 3
The 13-part series, airing on ABC3 later in 2016, pools the incredible directing talent of Rowan Woods (The Kettering Incident, The Boys), Sian Davies (The Ex-PM, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries) and Nicholas Verso (Snake Tales and upcoming feature film Boys In The Trees). Series 3 begins when Luke (Kamil), a tech-nerd and Sci-Fi enthusiast, arrives for his first day at Bremin High. At first, everything appears to be tiresomely ordinary, but Luke soon learns nothing in Bremin is as it seems, and he finds himself thrust together with Heath (Joe), Nicco (Luca), and Jesse (Jordie) into a new Nowhere Boys adventure. Producer Beth Frey (Next Stop Hollywood, Dr Sarmast’s Music School) is joined by series creator and executive producer Tony Ayres (Cut Snake, The Slap, The Home Song Stories) and executive producer Michael McMahon (Next Stop Hollywood and The Slap). The story has been crafted by some of Australia’s finest writers, including Giula Sandler, David Hannam, Kris Mrksa, Rhys Graham, Jessica Brookman and Marieke Hardy. A Matchbox Pictures production

Little Lunch specials: Halloween and Christmas
The hugely successful Australian children’s series, Little Lunch, will return with 2 x 30’ Halloween and Christmas specials. Little Lunch is a series of funny and touching adventures during snack time in the school playground, based on the popular books, written by Danny Katz and illustrated by Mitch Vane. The series is adapted by Gristmill Productions and both new episodes will feature all original cast members including; Rory (Flynn Curry), Atticus (Joshua Sitch), Battie (Oisin O’Leary), Melanie (Madison Lu), Debra-Jo (Faith Seci), Tamara (Olivia Deeble) and Heidi Arena (The Librarians, Nowhere Boys and Heidi’s Kitchen) as Mrs Gonsha. A Gristmill Production in association with ABC3, Australian Children’s Television Foundation, Screen Australia and Film Victoria

Kazoops
Vibrant original animation series Kazoops is aimed at 3-5 year old viewers and follows the adventures of Monty, an inquisitive six- year-old with a vivid imagination, and Jimmy Jones, his loyal best friend. In each episode Monty confronts a preconception about the world in which he lives, usually imposed by grownups, and sets out to challenge it by embarking on a wild imaginary adventure with Jimmy Jones that offers them a fresh perspective. Each adventure is set to unique songs written and recorded by Australian musician Scott Langley. The music covers a rich variety of styles and incorporates everything from guitars and ukuleles to drums, glockenspiels, retro synths, strings and vocals. Kazoops demonstrates the value of critical thinking and creative play, encouraging preschoolers to learn valuable lessons from Monty and Jimmy Jones’ adventures and to cherish friendships and the value of childhood wonder and creative thinking. A Cheeky Little Media production.
Starts 1 August. Daily on ABC KIDS and ABC iview at 8am and 5.50pm Mon – Sat

iview

Short Cuts To Glory: Matt Okine Vs Food
Short Cuts To Glory: Matt Okine Vs Food is a ‘how to’ guide for anyone who can’t cook. Hosted by comedian and triple j breakfast co-host, Matt Okine, each 5-10 minute interstitial provides an easy to follow, step-by-step guide for simple but crowd-pleasing recipes. In each episode Matt visits one of Australia’s finest cooks or chefs who will teach him one dish at a time while also sharing plenty of their insider tips and tricks of the trade. An ABC TV production
Exclusive to ABC iview – coming soon

When TV Was Awesome
When TV Was Awesome is a series of short vignettes especially selected from the rich resource that is the ABC archive. Pulled out, dusted off and creatively revoiced, some of our best archival gems get the comedy-mash-up make-over they deserve! Irreverent, funny, satirical, sharable, clickable and above all, When TV Was Awesome is an enjoyable reimagining of our television history.
Exclusive to ABC iview – coming soon. An ABC TV production

7 Responses

  1. Looking forward to Rosehaven ( I wanted to be an extra, ended up doing an audition for a roll but was way out of my depth) Upper 3 and Soul Mates 2 tonight!

  2. No mention about the return of ABC-HD that was supposed to be in June of this year? The BBC has run The Code, Angry Boys and other titles in HD, why not the ABC in the country where they are produced? Rake is available to view on HD Bluray, but never broadcast in HD on the ABC. Even Netflix overseas has Rake and The Code in HD. It has been 6 years now since the ABC ran native HD programming. Everything on ABC News 24 is upconverted SD, a complete waste. Very, very slack!

  3. Definitely some highlights there for me in Comedy and Entertainment. Interesting to hear about Howard on Menzies, I just thought this was made up for Shaun Micallefs segment in Mad As Hell.

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