Lowdown (Series 1)
Here's the Lowdown: writers Amanda Brotchie and Adam Zwar have just been awarded the AWGIE from the Australian Writer's Guild, for their work on this series, directed by Brotchie, and starring Zwar as its central character, Alex Burchill: a hack entertainment reporter for a sleazy tabloid.
As with all good comedies, there is a strong ensemble cast, so Alex is surrounded by a motley crew of hopelessly flawed, even irksome but kind of loveable characters such as ex-girlfriend Rita; a loyal, nerdy and sensitive photographer, Bob, who has a penchant for all things Dr Who (well, not all things - mostly just Tom Baker's Dr); and then there's Dr James, probably the least professional doctor you're likely to encounter. Alex frequents the office of Dr James, where he divulges his latest symptoms, and their likely diagnosis (according to a website). Dr James' disdain for cyber-consultations is ironic, given his own tendency to consult pamphlets - and websites - to assist him in diagnosing his patients.
Alex even has a nemesis, in the form of Dylan Hunt (Ashley Zuckerman), a charming, effortlessly successful journo who writes for a rival newspaper.
Added to this, Alex's office colleagues, such as Satish, and Indian more anglo than the English, whose grammatical corrections save Alex and the paper from considerable embarrassment. His skills are misplaced working for this rag, where the focus is on creating punchy headlines. Kym Gyngell plays Howard, the editor, who hides away in a tiny office, with venetian blinds drawn, answering only to those who can knock "in code" (though he admits to having to change the code and rotate a series of codes, as the other office workers have begun to "catch on").
Each week, Alex works on a celebrity story, availing the audience to cameos from Craig McLachlan, Steve Bisley and Caroline O'Connor.
They're all good, but perhaps the most hilarious is Animal Kingdom's Sullivan Stapleton as a vacuous celebrity, about to go from being the tenth sexiest man in the world, to number one. Alex's interview with him is so painful but very funny - and no doubt Zwar, who worked as an entertainment reporter, probably encountered his fair share of these unfortunate experiences. Perhaps, in part, this is his revenge, as the series (thankfully) refuses to take celebrities seriously.
Although Lowdown is often frightfully (and delightfully) silly, it is, at heart, an adroit, often acerbic look at the publicity jungle: tabloids, paparazzi and hacks in one herd, and publicists and their mindless clientele in the other.
The programme is rounded off beautifully with an unobtrusive narration by Geoffrey Rush. His comments consist mostly of observations made by the characters, and the writers have been wise in avoiding the trend of narrating just about every scene. There's just the right amount, delivered with Rush's light, lilting and charming intonation.
I have just finished watching the first series (pretty much in one go - yes, it's that good), and am eagerly awaiting the second series.
In the meantime, I'm sure I'll be able to enjoy watching the first series again, and seeing just why Brotchie and Zwar deserved the AWGIE.