Frontline (season 2)

Last updated

Frontline
Season 2
No. of episodes13
Release
Original network ABC TV
Original release24 July (1995-07-24) 
16 October 1995 (1995-10-16)
Season chronology
 Previous
Season 1
Next 
Season 3
List of episodes

This is a list of the 13 episodes of series two of Frontline , which first aired in 1995. In series 2, Frontline (the fictional show-within-the-show) struggles with ratings, and the network's varying attempts to heighten the ratings. The series is shot in mockumentary style. All of the show's episodes were written and directed by Rob Sitch (Mike Moore), Jane Kennedy (Brooke Vandenberg), Santo Cilauro (Geoffrey Salter) – who also did most of the camera work – and Tom Gleisner.

Contents

Cast

Main

Recurring

Episodes

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleOriginal air date
141"One Big Family"24 July 1995 (1995-07-24)

With the ratings down, Brian is fired from his job as executive producer. Although Emma has the skills to take over the role, she soon realises that as a young woman she has no chance in securing it, particularly when Brian's sexist temporary replacement takes all the credit. Meanwhile, Jan (Genevieve Mooy) organises the network's new promo – "One Big Family" – but events behind the scenes reveal that relations between the network's staff are anything but harmonious.

  • At the end of the credits of this episode the screen says "In memory of our dear friend Bruno Lawrence (1941 - 1995)" as a tribute to Bruno Lawrence.
152"Workin' Class Man"31 July 1995 (1995-07-31)
When lower-income audiences start tuning out, Jan and the show's new executive producer, Sam Murphy (Kevin J. Wilson), attempt to change Mike's image to make him a more down-to-earth guy. Elsewhere, Marty tries to stop Frontline from doing an exposé on a dodgy investment he is personally involved in.
163"Heroes & Villains"7 August 1995 (1995-08-07)

When a humble professor publishes a book of statistical analyses, the media (and Frontline) attempt to make it into a debate on racism, and Sam manipulates Mike into passionate feelings on the issue, while the Frontline staff ignore their own racial prejudices. Elsewhere, Brooke attempts to make a heart surgeon look like a hero.

  • The main storyline is a direct parallel to a contemporary book The Bell Curve .
174"Office Mole"14 August 1995 (1995-08-14)
Mike starts tiring of his job, so Sam gives him an official-sounding but easy role as "International Story Co-Ordinator". A series of big stories are ruined when A Current Affair happens to do the same ones each night, leading Sam and Mike to pursue an office mole.
185"Basic Instincts"21 August 1995 (1995-08-21)
When Stu (Pip Mushin) captures a brutal beating on film, but does not intervene to help the man, Frontline becomes the centre of a debate about journalistic integrity. Meanwhile, Mike attempts to get a debate about euthanasia underway, and Brooke grows frustrated with developments in Emma's love-life.
196"Let the Children Play"28 August 1995 (1995-08-28)
After getting soundly beaten in the ratings by A Current Affair when they run an Angry Anderson charity special, Frontline attempts to launch their own special hosted by Jon English. Sam assures Mike that their special will be nothing like A Current Affair's, while ensuring that the audience are manipulated at every step during the production.
207"Divide the Community, Multiply the Ratings"4 September 1995 (1995-09-04)
When the team get inside information on an attack at the Serbian embassy, Frontline gets exclusive graphic film of the attack. As they avoid the police and the public, Sam and Marty attempt to incite racial violence through a series of live debates, while an oblivious Mike tries to find a way to ease the racial tension.
218"Keeping Up Appearances"11 September 1995 (1995-09-11)
When a tragically scarred woman agrees to sell her story, the price is too high. But Sam comes up with a plan to raise the money.
229"All Work and No Fame"18 September 1995 (1995-09-18)
Mike's concerns about his role with the show are amplified when Brooke is given a series of nature documentaries. To calm him down, Sam forces Marty to take Mike along on a stakeout.
2310"Changing the Face of Current Affairs"25 September 1995 (1995-09-25)
With the show's ratings down, the network hires Larry Hages (Harry Shearer), an American consultant, who implements a series of changes in how Frontline is produced.
2411"A Man of His Convictions"2 October 1995 (1995-10-02)
Mike is accused of being a lightweight, so he sets out to have a strong opinion by joining an environmental protest.
2512"The Great Pretenders"9 October 1995 (1995-10-09)
Marty and Sam bail out a neo-Nazi alleged murderer, but their attempts to pay him for his story run into trouble when they go up against the network's new legal adviser. Mike is asked to appear on a celebrity game show special, causing the producers to worry that he will look stupid.
2613"Give 'em Enough Rope"16 October 1995 (1995-10-16)

Mike is stunned when he learns that Frontline is being used for cross-promotion, promoting both the network's new soap opera and the business interests of the network's owner, Lloyd Walsh (Paul Cronin). When Walsh is suspected of breaking Australia's cross-media ownership laws, he decides to appear on Frontline to defend himself. Mike argues to Sam that the interview will be a puff piece, so Sam counters that Mike is free to do his own research and ask his own questions, confident that Mike is not up to the task. However, Mike enlists the help of an old ABC colleague to come up with some hard-hitting questions for the interview.

  • This is Kevin J. Wilson's last episode.
  • This is also Genevieve Mooy's last episode. In the third season, the producers decided to go with a more down-to-earth publicist, who could conceivably be friends with the on-air talent.

Related Research Articles

<i>Frontline</i> (Australian TV series) Australian comedy television series

Frontline is an Australian comedy television series which satirised Australian television current affairs programmes and reporting. It ran for three series of 13 half-hour episodes and was broadcast on ABC1 in 1994, 1995 and 1997.

Jane Kennedy is an Australian actress, radio presenter and television producer, best known for her work with Working Dog Productions, a group of performers responsible for a variety of television and films. She previously was a co-host of KennedyMolloy on Triple M with Mick Molloy.

Thomas Edmund Gleisner is an Australian comedian, television presenter, producer, director, writer, occasional actor and author. Gleisner currently hosts Network 10's Have You Been Paying Attention?.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rob Sitch</span> Australian film director and comedian

Robert Ian Sitch is an Australian director, producer, screenwriter, actor and comedian. He is known for his 1990s comedy series Frontline, and the long-running comedy series Utopia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Working Dog Productions</span> Australian production company

Working Dog Productions is a film and television production company based in Melbourne, Australia. It was formed in 1993 by actors Santo Cilauro, Rob Sitch, Jane Kennedy, Tom Gleisner, and producer Michael Hirsh. The company changed its name to Working Dog Productions Pty Ltd in 1996. The company's mascot is an Australian Cattle Dog.

Santo Luigi Cilauro is an Australian comedian, television and feature film producer, screenwriter, actor, author and cameraman who is also a co-founder of The D-Generation. Known as the weatherman in Frontline, he is also an author and former radio presenter on Triple M, and achieved worldwide fame with the viral video Elektronik Supersonik.

<i>The Late Show</i> (1992 TV series) Australian TV series or program

The Late Show is a popular Australian comedy sketch and satire show, which ran for two seasons on the ABC. It aired weekly on Saturday nights from 18 July 1992 to 30 October 1993.

The Panel was an Australian television talk show that was broadcast by Network Ten and its affiliates; it was also simulcast on the Triple M radio network. The show was produced by Working Dog Productions and included several members of the former D-Generation and The Late Show casts.

Michael Molloy is an Australian comedian, writer, producer, actor and television and radio presenter who has been active in radio, television, stand-up and film. He currently hosts The Front Bar on the Seven Network.

The D-Generation was a popular and influential Australian TV sketch comedy show, produced and broadcast by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) for two series, between 1986 and 1987. A further four specials were broadcast on the Seven Network between 1988 and 1989. The show would also serve as a stepping stone for many early incarnations of iconic characters, including Lynne Postlethwaite, Gina Hard-Faced B***h, Eileen Maverick and Kelvin Cunnington.

<i>Funky Squad</i> Australian comedy television series

Funky Squad was a short-lived 1995 Australian comedy television series which satirised 1970s-era U.S. police television dramas, such as The Mod Squad. Only seven half-hour episodes were produced, which were broadcast on the ABC. Real television commercials from the 1970s were shown during the program's "commercial breaks".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ed Kavalee</span> Australian comedian and radio and television presenter

Edward Robert Kavalee is an Australian comedian, actor, writer, podcaster, radio and television presenter and association football commentator. He is a recurring panellist on Network 10's Have You Been Paying Attention? with Sam Pang and co-hosts Hughesy, Ed & Erin with Dave Hughes and Erin Molan on 2DayFM.

<i>Frontline</i> (season 1) Season of television series

This is a list of the 13 episodes of series one of Frontline, which first aired in 1994. In series 1, Frontline chronicles the behind-the-scenes workings of a struggling current affairs show competing with dominant players for audience share. The series is shot in mockumentary style.

This is a list of the 13 episodes of series three of Frontline, which aired in 1997. In the third and final season, the show-within-the-show becomes the most respected and well-rated current affairs program in Australia however the politics and manipulations behind the scenes remain the same.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Five in a Row (1989 song)</span> 1989 single by The D-Generation

"Five in a Row" was a 1989 single by Australian comedy team, The D-Generation. It was released in November 1989 and reached a peak position of number 12 on the ARIA Singles Chart. It was co-written by The D-Generation members, Santo Cilauro, Tony Martin, Rob Sitch, and Tom Gleisner. Music written and produced by Colin Setches and John Grant.

<i>The Hollowmen</i> Australian TV series or program

The Hollowmen is an Australian television comedy series set in the offices of the Central Policy Unit, a fictional political advisory unit personally set up by the Prime Minister to help him get re-elected. Their brief is long-term vision; to stop worrying about tomorrow's headlines, and focus on next week's.

Santo, Sam and Ed's Cup Fever! is an association football themed comedy television show in Australia on SBS. The nightly panel-style show was produced by Working Dog Productions and aired for the duration of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The show was hosted by Santo Cilauro, Sam Pang and Ed Kavalee, with Rob Sitch making several guest appearances. Segments included Cup Update, an interview with a special guest and various comedy sketches.

Santo, Sam and Ed's Total Football was an Australian association football themed comedy television show, hosted by Santo Cilauro, Sam Pang and Ed Kavalee. The series launched in 2013, screening each Tuesday on Fox Sports from October to May, in line with the network's A-League coverage. In October 2015, it was announced that the show would not return for a third season.

<i>Utopia</i> (Australian TV series) Australian comedy television series

Utopia, internationally titled Dreamland, is an Australian television comedy series by Working Dog Productions that premiered on the ABC on 13 August 2014. The series follows the working lives of a team in the fictional Nation Building Authority, a newly created government organisation. The Authority is responsible for overseeing major infrastructure projects, from announcement to unveiling. The series explores the collision between bureaucracy and grand ambitions. The second series aired in 2015, beginning with the first episode on 19 August 2015. The third series aired in 2017, beginning with the first episode on 19 July 2017. The fourth series aired in 2019, beginning on 21 August 2019. A fifth series aired from 7 June 2023.

Pacific Heat is an Australian adult animated sitcom co-created by Rob Sitch, Santo Cilauro, and Tom Gleisner. The series is a Working Dog production for Foxtel's The Comedy Channel. The series, which was first commissioned by Foxtel in February 2014, premiered on The Comedy Channel on 27 November 2016. It was repeated on Network Ten on Monday 8 May for special preview and Eleven on Wednesday 10 May 2017.

References