Relative Merits

Last updated

Relative Merits
Written byLisa Benyon
Terry Larsen
Sara Dowse
Michael Cove
Jane Oehr
Directed byColin Englert
Kate Woods
Peter Fisk
Karl Zwicky
Ron Elliott
StarringOdile Le Clezio
Brendan Higgins
Madeleine Blackwell
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes10
Production
ProducerMartin Williams
Original release
NetworkABC
Release15 June 1987 (1987-06-15)

Relative Merits is a 1987 mini series about three months in the life of a radio journalist. [1] Due to new rules at the ABC the series was given a late night time slot which Robin Oliver from the Sydney Morning Herald said all but killed the series. [2]

Louise Bellamy of The Age commenting of the first episode said "Unfortunately, their lives hold as much interest as Ken and Barbie doll. But it's early days" [3] Also in the Age Barbara Hooks wrote "'Relative Merits' obviously has something worth saying, but the message may be lost if it proves too bitter a pill." [4] Bronwyn Watson wrote in the Sydney Morning Herald that "Relative Merits is uneven, rather slow-moving in parts, but it has to be praised because at least it has the guts to tackle an up-to-date subject." [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bronwyn Bishop</span> Australian politician

Bronwyn Kathleen Bishop is an Australian former politician. She was a member of federal parliament for almost 30 years, the longest period of service by a woman. A member of the Liberal Party, she was a minister in the Howard government from 1996 to 2001 and Speaker of the House of Representatives from 2013 to 2015.

Robert James Ellis was an Australian writer, journalist, filmmaker, and political commentator. He was a student at the University of Sydney at the same time as other notable Australians including Clive James, Germaine Greer, Les Murray, John Bell, Robert Hughes and Mungo McCallum. He lived in Sydney with the author and screenwriter Anne Brooksbank; they had three children.

Anne Mary Phelan was an Australian actress of stage and screen who appeared in many theatre, television and film productions as well as radio and voice-over.

Possession is an Australian television soap opera made by the Reg Grundy Organisation for the Nine Network in 1985. It was the brainchild of the television producer, Reg Watson. The pilot was written by Bevan Lee and executive produced by Don Battye.

Roland John Perry OAM is an Australian author and historian. His work includes three works of fiction and more than twenty documentary films. His book Monash: The Outsider Who Won the War was awarded the Fellowship of Australian Writers' Melbourne University Publishing Award in 2004 and described as "a model of the biographer's art."

Des Clarke (<i>Neighbours</i>) Fictional character in the soap opera Neighbours

Des Clarke is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Paul Keane. Des was created by Reg Watson as one of Neighbours' twelve original characters. He made his first on screen appearance on 18 March 1985, the show's first episode. Des departed during the episode broadcast on 11 October 1990. Keane later reprised the role as part of Neighbours' 30th anniversary celebrations in March 2015. He also returned for the 35th anniversary on 18 March 2020, again in August and December 2020 and for the serial's final episodes in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Max Ramsay</span> Fictional character from Neighbours

Max Ramsay is a fictional character in the Australian television soap opera Neighbours, played by Francis Bell. Reg Watson created Max as one of the serial's twelve original characters. New Zealand actor Bell had wanted to appear in a major role in a long-running series for a while when he was cast as the head of the Ramsay family. He liked the serial's focus on ordinary people, and the comedy and drama of everyday life. Bell made his debut as Max in the show's first episode, which was broadcast on 18 March 1985. Max is portrayed as a rough, domineering, hard-headed man who makes sure his feelings are known. He has good intentions but is unsure of himself beneath his tough façade. Max is proud Ramsay Street was named after his grandfather, whose traditions he strives to uphold. Max is a self-employed plumber; Bell said he had wanted to play a working-class Australian because he came from a similar background.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shane Parrish</span> Fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away

Shane Parrish is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away, played by Dieter Brummer. He made his first on-screen appearance on 28 May 1992 and he departed on 13 March 1996.

Alice to Nowhere is a 1986 Australian miniseries set in the outback in 1954. The title refers to Alice Springs, a town in the centre of the country. The plot involves a nurse and a pair of ruthless jewel thieves.

The Ramsay family is a fictional family from the Australian soap opera Neighbours. The family were one of three central families created by Reg Watson and introduced in the first episode of Neighbours in March 1985. Watson wanted the Ramsays to be humorous and rougher than the Robinson family. Ramsay Street, a cul-de-sac which is the central setting of the series, is named after the family. In 2001, the last Ramsay, Madge, departed the series. Eight years later, a new generation of the Ramsay family was introduced.

<i>A Different Turf</i> Book by Jon Cleary

A Different Turf is a 1997 novel from Australian author Jon Cleary, the fourteenth book featuring Sydney detective Scobie Malone. A series of gay bashings have taken place throughout Sydney and someone is murdering the culprits. Cleary explored the psychology of serial killers from Australia's leading police profiler, Inspector Bronwyn Killmier, who inspired the character of Tilly Orbost.

Kris Noble is an Australian retired television executive, best known for his extensive work in the Australian television industry and for his work on American co-productions Moby Dick and Farscape.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bronwyn Oliver</span> Australian sculptor (1959–2006)

Bronwyn Joy Oliver was an Australian sculptor whose work primarily consisted of metalwork. Oliver was raised in rural New South Wales. She trained at Sydney's Alexander Mackie College of Advanced Education and London's Chelsea School of Art. She had early success, winning a New South Wales Travelling Art Scholarship in 1981 and the Moet & Chandon Australian Art Fellowship in 1984. Oliver settled in Sydney, where she practised and taught until her death in 2006.

Perhaps Love is a 1987 Australian television film about a love affair between a Frenchman and an Australian.

Australian Playhouse was an Australian anthology TV series featuring the work of Australian writers.

Adventure Unlimited is a 1965 Australian anthology TV series. It was produced by Lee Robinson and associate produced by Joy Cavill. The directors included Ken Hannam. It was made by Waratah Film Productions a short lived company that came out of an unsuccessful attempt to gain a third commercial television licence.

The End Begins is a 1961 Australian television play shot in ABC's Melbourne studios. Like many early Australian TV plays it was based on an overseas script. It was a rare Australian TV play with a science fiction theme and a black lead actor, although no recordings are thought to have survived.

Australians is a thirteen part anthology documentary drama series which screened on the Seven Network in 1988.

Brendan Higgins is an Australian actor. For his performance in Hunger was nominated for the 1987 Australian Film Institute Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Telefeature (1986–1989). Other screen roles include the film Mary. and a lead role in the ABC TV series Relative Merits.

Beatbox was an Australian music television show broadcast by the ABC. It was created with money from Federal Government's Community Employment Program to provide jobs for 15 unemployed teenagers. All had been jobless for at four months. The teenagers were grouped with some of ABCs production staff to make the show. After 15 episodes in 1985 the funding ran out and the show was to be cancelled but public support led to a second season of 26 episodes in 1986 being funded. This series moved from a Mid Saturday afternoon slot to 12 midday the same day. Beatbox was primarily a music show but also talked about issues relevant to youth. It was last broadcast in 1987.

References

  1. Ed. Scott Murray, Australia on the Small Screen 1970-1995, Oxford University Press, 1996 p226
  2. Oliver, Robin (22 June 1987), "Buried alive: How to kill a good drama - after hours", The Sydney Morning Herald
  3. Bellamy, Louise (11 June 1987), "Yuppies up the pole", The Age
  4. Hooks, Barbara (15 June 1987), "Priority crises and pearls of fashion wit", The Age
  5. Watson, Bronwyn (15 June 1987), "Relative Merits", The Sydney Morning Herald