ANTENNA
The Sunday Age
Sunday April 4, 2010
THIS WEEK:MAKING THINGS BETTEREaster represents a time of renewal, so it€™s the perfect time to breathe new life into some of the shows returning to our screens. Alow-pressure system €” the non-ratings Easter doldrums €” has created a slight depression in our televisual entertainment this week. But starting next week a new high is moving in, with the gradual reappearance of a bunch of beloved favourites. Of course we€™re happy to see their return. But we€™re also hoping that during the break they€™ve perhaps tweaked things a little to create New! Improved! Satisfaction guaranteed! viewing for us in 2010. Some developments we€™d like to see include . . .HEY HEY IT€™S SATURDAYObviously a little more editorial oversight on some segments would be an improvement, ideally from someone living in the 21st century. Fans of the show clearly want it as much like the old version as it can be without someone getting arrested. But potential new fans may want to see more comprehensive tweaking, such as lightening up on the single entendres. And perhaps a new host? We hear Rove McManus is at a loose end . . .UNDERBELLYWe€™ve seen the first two eps. We haven€™t seen the rest. So, of what we have seen, what we€™d like to see more of is Nat Bassingthwaighte€™s sweetly long-suffering wife to a no-good cop on the make, and Firass Dirani€™s wonderfully charismatic would-be crime king. (The latter, at least, is likely to be granted.) Also on the wish list is a hooker without a heart of gold, and some scenes in which George Freeman isn€™t wearing a white suit.SEA PATROLLush cinematography, large guns and an experienced cast can only get you so far. For Sea Patrol to move from B-grade to A-grade we need at least two crucial changes. One: do something about those scripts. We know it€™s easier, quicker and more cost-effective to have the same five or six lines repeated by half the cast in each scene, but it doesn€™t do much for the pace or the excitement factor. And two: stop pretending there€™s some kind of romantic chemistry between Lisa McCune€™s XO and Ian Stenlake€™s CO.RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESSSimple. Turn the dial from 11 down to about, oh, four. This series has the potential to be both good-hearted and heart-warming; to give those unknown battlers the rewards they so richly deserve and entertain us in the process. But does it need to be so thoroughly cynical about it? Less make-€™em-weep manipulation, please. A little less grandstanding and a little more restraint would go a very long way.DR WHOWe love the way Russell T. Davies remade the Gallifreyan€™s mythology, creating a new, sexier, more three-dimensional Doctor. But five years down the track and with the Time Lord inhabiting a fresh new body, we could probably ease up on both the angst and the Doctor-as-sex-symbol, and dial up the quirk and the funny a bit. Also, while we know he€™s moonlighting in a kids€™ series on Channel 10, do you think we could have K9 back? He€™s so adorable.GLEEThe big question is: where to from here? Everything seemed so neatly and sweetly wrapped up at the end of last year, there doesn€™t seem much left to do but sing a happy song about it. Still, here are some suggestions: regardless of Will and Emma€™s longed-for kiss, we want Terri and her sister still firmly on the scene. We want Sue Sylvester to return and oust Principal Figgins, at least for a little bit. And we most definitely want the URST between Rachel and Finn to remain UR.MERLINThere is still so much of the Arthurian legend to play with here, it€™s difficult to know where to start. We€™re pretty sure Lancelot will reappear: last season€™s teaser was too much of a tease, and he€™s too important to leave galloping off into the forest. And speaking of Lance, a little more zing developing between Gwen and Arthur would be a fine thing. Mostly, though, we want Morgana to proceed apace from troubled teen to evil sorceress. She€™s got the looks. Now it€™s time to give her the moves to match.MASTERCHEFThe problem with a mega-blockbuster-record-breaking-smash-hit is that, realistically, the only way is down. You don€™t want to mess with a formula that so clearly works. At the same time, you don€™t want to serve up exactly the same dish you presented last time: audience taste for new and different is just too voracious these days. The good thing about reality shows is that you never quite know how things are going to turn out. The trick is to keep the reins loose enough to allow for the unexpected. Chef Gary€™s benching after knee surgery is already a positive, forcing the inclusion of Matt Moran as third judge. A little more disastrous serendipity could be the making of season two.
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