History Main / AustralianTelevisionShows

[[redirect:AustralianSeries]]

[[redirect:AustralianSeries]

[[redirect:AustralianSeries]]

[[redirect:AustralianSeries

[[redirect:AustralianSeries]]

In Australia, [[Creator/TheABC ABC]] is the "Australian Broadcasting Corporation", a public broadcaster modeled after Creator/TheBBC. [[NamesTheSame No affiliation]] with the [[Creator/{{ABC}} American ABC]] that's owned by Creator/{{Disney}}.

LongRunners:
[[index]]
* ''Series/AllSaints''
* ''Series/BananasInPyjamas''
* ''Series/BlueHeelers'' (Drama/Cop Show, 1994-2006)
* ''Series/CatchPhrase'': John Burgess' version on the Creator/NineNetwork, known as ''Burgo's Catch Phrase''.
* ''Series/ACountryPractice''. A show that focused on the doctors of the Wandin Valley Hospital and their private practice. To a lesser extent, it was also a cop show that had storylines relating to the one-cop Wandin Valley Police Station.
* ''Series/FourCorners'' (CurrentAffairs, running since 1961)
* ''Series/HeresHumphrey'' (Children's programme, 1965-2008). Most Australians would first cite Humphrey as an example of the [[/index]]HalfDressedCartoonAnimal.[[index]]
* ''Series/HeyHeyItsSaturday'' (Variety/comedy, 1971-1999; 2009; 2010;). One notable recurring segment was "Red Faces", a talent show along similar lines to [[/index]]''Series/TheGongShow''. Two Reunion Specials were aired in 2009, and the show was brought back for 2010.
** [[ArtifactTitle On Wednesdays]] for the first half of 2010, back on Saturday when it came back from hiatus.[[index]]
* ''Series/HiFive'' - a children's programme (essentially the Creator/NineNetwork's answer to TheWiggles) that has been running for a total of thirteen years (as of 2012).
* ''Series/HomeAndAway'' (SoapOpera, running since 1988, 4500+ episodes)
* ''Homicide'' - Famously gritty cop show, 1964-1977. Notable for introducing the phrase "Police! Don't move!" shouted loudly; older Australians may get it. Not to Be confused with ''{{Series/Homicide}}''.
* ''Series/MediaWatch''
* ''Series/MotherAndSon'' (1984 - 1994)
* ''Series/TheMovieShow'' (Movie reviews, running since 1986; Americans have GeneSiskel and Creator/RogerEbert, we have Margaret Pomeranz and David Stratton (though we usually just call them "Margaret and David"). They switched networks in 2004 and now host ''At The Movies'', which is the same show in all but name.[[/index]]
** ''The Movie Show'' did continue on for a while afterwards, featuring younger hosts, but was soon canceled. One of the hosts now works on the ABC show ''HungryBeast''.
[[index]]
* ''Series/MrSquiggle'', Children's programme, 1959-1999, in which a puppet with a pencil for a nose (who lived on the moon) would draw things upside-down and converse with a bulldozer and a talking blackboard (a grouchy talking snail was also involved). No, I don't know what we had in the water in 1959 either.
** A good test of an Australian's age is to ask who was Mr Squiggle's human offsider. Their answer will tell you when they were watching the show.
* ''Series/{{Neighbours}}'' (SoapOpera, running since 1985, 5000+ episodes. Far more popular in Britain than in its native Australia, although it still has its share of viewers (aided by it usually sitting in between ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' and another popular show in [[Creator/NetworkTen Ten's]] schedule until 2011 when it was moved to [[Creator/NetworkTen Eleven]]). The number of viewers overseas has several times surpassed the entire population of Australia.)
* ''Series/PlaySchool'' (Children's programme, running since 1966)
** Not to be confused with the British show of the same name which ran from 1964 to the 80s. But it is close.[[/index]]
* ''Series/{{Rage}}'' (MusicVideos, running since 1987. A long, overnight weekend program which frequently shows videos unexpurgated and uncensored -- when you see a lowercase "rage" logo fade in at the start of Youtubed music videos, it's from this show.)
* ''Music/TheWiggles'' have been around as a group for over twenty years, and in that time they've starred in no less than ''four'' TV shows.

Other Australian shows:
[[index]]
* ''Series/AdamHillsInGordonStreetTonight'' A variety show based on comedian Adam Hills having a fantastic time with guests and the audience.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfFigaroPho''
* ''Series/AlienSurfGirls''
* ''Series/AllAussieAdventures'', a spoof on other travel-adventure series such as ''The Crocodile Hunter'', starring Glenn Robbins as Russell Coight, an accident-prone and extremely misinformed "outback man".
* ''{{Series/Amazing}}'' - An ''awesome'' children's game show involving a giant QWERTY keyboard, searching through a multi-level maze, then playing old school Nintendo games.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Animalia}}''
* ''Series/AngryBoys'' (Chris Lilley's third show, 2011)
* ''WesternAnimation/AroundTheWorldInEightyDays''
* ''Series/TheAuntyJackShow''
* ''WesternAnimation/BlinkyBill''
* ''Series/BlueWaterHigh'' - Teens try and get on to the pro surfing circuit.
* ''Series/{{Bodyline}}'' - Dramatisation of the 1932-33 cricket tour. Stars Hugo Weaving.
* ''Series/{{Boney}}'' - another seriously politically incorrect show from the 1970's, this time about Australia's one aborigine detective who uses native skills to close cases other cops have given up on.
** Aboriginal rights groups were dubious about this show. Their worst fears were confirmed when a ''white'' actor played the title role, in {{Blackface}}''... but in defence, Australia did not have all that many Aboriginal actors at the time.
* ''Border Security Australia's Front Line'': live action reality show about the work of Customs and Immigration Services at Australia's busiest airport.
* ''Series/BridesOfChrist''
* ''Series/TheChasersWarOnEverything'' ([[Series/TheDailyShow Jon Stewart]] [[XMeetsY meets]] ''[[CandidCameraPrank Jeremy Beadle]]'').
* ''Series/ChuckFinn''
* ''Series/CityHomcide''
* ''WesternAnimation/CJTheDJ''
* ''Series/CopsLAC: Local Area Command''
* ''Series/CrashZone'' - Children's series about five teenage video game testers and their artificial intelligence pal.
* ''Series/CrocodileHunter''
* ''Series/{{Crownies}}''
* ''Series/{{Cybergirl}}''
* ''Series/DanceAcademy'' - A teen drama about an exclusive school for Australia's best teen dancers.
* ''Series/{{Danger 5}}'' - From the creators of ''WebVideo/ItalianSpiderman'', a crazy Action/Comedy based on an alternate UsefulNotes/WorldWarII in which a MultinationalTeam fights Nazis. Preceded by a {{Webisode}} [[http://www.youtube.com/user/dinosaurworldwide series]] on Website/YouTube.
* ''Series/DeadGorgeous''
* ''WesternAnimation/DexHamiltonAlienEntomologist''
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Dogstar}}''
* ''Series/DoubleTheFist''
* ''[[Music/DougAnthonyAllStars DAAS Kapital]]''
* ''Series/TheDoctorBlakeMysteries''
* ''Series/TheElephantPrincess''
* ''WesternAnimation/ErkyPerky''
* ''Series/EscapeFromJupiter''
* ''Series/EscapeOfTheArtfulDodger'' -- a sequel series to the novel ''Literature/OliverTwist,'' centering around the Artful Dodger's adventures after he's been sent to a penal colony in Australia. Oliver Twist and Fagin also had large roles in the series.
* ''Series/{{Farscape}}'' (Australian-American co-production)
* ''Series/FastForward'' and ''FullFrontal'', pair of popular SketchComedy series, ''Full Frontal'' is a 90s SpiritualSuccessor to the late 80s ''Fast Forward'' which was on a different network. Notable for launching the careers of Eric Bana, Shaun Micallef, and the stars of ''KathAndKim'', among others.
* ''Series/TheFerals'' (four [[FunnyAnimal Funny Animals]] played by puppets live in the shed of a suburban dork. Got a spinoff as ''Series/FeralTV'', and two of the animals got their own shows)
* ''Series/FeralTV''
* ''Series/{{Fire}}'' Starring Georgie Parker of AllSaints, it centered on the first woman in the Queensland fire service during a spate of arson attacks. Noteworthy for being at the time DarkerAndEdgier Australian television.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheFlaminThongs''
* ''Series/{{Frontline}}''
* ''Series/FunkySquad''
* ''Series/TheGames'', a {{Mockumentary}} series about the preparations for the 2000 UsefulNotes/{{Sydney}} Olympic Games.
* ''Series/TheGenieFromDownUnder'' - a children's comedy series about a British girl who discovers an opal with an Australian genie and his son inside. The show shifts between rainy old England and outback Australia.
* ''Series/TheGirlFromTomorrow''
* ''Series/TheGlassHouse'', a panel show in which comedians and their guests discuss recent news. Dropped by Creator/TheABC in 2006.
* ''{{Series/Glitch}}'' - A drama involving several people BackFromTheDead.
* ''Series/GoodGame'' (A video game review show)
* ''Series/GoodNewsWeek'' - the news of the week, dissected through fat jokes. Ran from 1996 to 2000 on two different channels (1996-1998 on the ABC, 1999-2000 on Network Ten), returned to Network Ten in 2008.
* ''Series/TheGruenTransfer'', a panel show about advertising and SpiritualSuccessor to ''Series/TheGlassHouse''. Cheerfully breaks down ad psychology along the way. Highlight is the "Pitch" segment, where two leading ad agencies compete to make an ad for something unsellable (Such as: Whale Meat, War on New Zealand, Holidays to Baghdad, Global Warming and Making People Stop Coming to Australia.)
* ''Series/GuinevereJones'' (co-produced with Canada) - A girl discovers she is the {{reincarnation}} of Guinevere from Myth/ArthurianLegend
* ''Series/H2OJustAddWater'': Notable for being shown on Creator/{{Nickelodeon}} and TeenNICK in the USA and being so popular there that a third season was demanded and made, [[ChuckCunninghamSyndrome although several characters had seemingly disappeared.]]
* ''Literature/HalfwayAcrossTheGalaxyAndTurnLeft''
* ''Series/TheHamsterWheel'' The Chaser team strikes again. Now with Twitter feed!
* ''Series/HeyDad''
* ''Series/TheHollowmen''
* ''Series/HomeAndAway''
* ''{{Series/Housos}}'' - {{SBS}} comedy about bogans.
* ''WesternAnimation/IGotARocket''
* ''Series/InfinityLimited''
* ''Series/JohnsonAndFriends''
* '' Series/{{K9}}''
* ''Series/KathAndKim'' - Adapted in the USA for Creator/{{NBC}} with disastrous results.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheKoalaBrothers''
* ''Series/TheLateShift'' - Skit show, mostly reliant on [[/index]]{{TakeThat}}s[[index]].
* ''The Late Show''. Not to be confused with the American show of the same name, this was a highly popular Saturday night TV show from 1992-1993 that ran closer to [[/index]]''Series/SaturdayNightLive''[[index]] in content, but with far lower production values, deliberately less professionalism and a chattier delivery from the actors to the audience. Featured several comedians from ''Series/FastForward'', despite the ''Late Show'''s intense (yet tongue in cheek) hatred of its producer Steve Vizard; Vizard had hand picked the stars he felt were most likely to succeed from a very well regarded UsefulNotes/{{Melbourne}} comedy school and ''The Late Show'' was formed from the 'leftovers'. Ironically, they'd go on to form Working Dog Productions, whose films ''Film/TheCastle'' and ''Film/TheDish'', along with TV shows like ''Series/ThePanel'', ''Series/ThankGodYoureHere'' and ''Series/{{Frontline}}'' would arguably be more successful than anything Vizard produced.
* ''Series/LetTheBloodRunFree''
* ''Series/TheLibrarians2007''
* ''Series/LifeSupport''
* ''Series/LiftOff''
* ''WesternAnimation/LittleElvisJonesAndTheTruckstoppers''
* ''Series/LittleLunch''
* ''Series/LockieLeonard''
* ''Series/McLeodsDaughters''
* ''Series/{{Minty}}'' - Australian/British comedy television series. British schoolgirl Melanie Hobson wins a trip to Australia in a competition, she is amazed to discover, on arrival at the airport, that she has a double, Minty Sullivan, an Australian soap opera star. Minty and Melanie often swap places — with almost nobody suspecting the truth (even though the 2 girls are very different in many ways).
* ''Series/TheMicallefProgram''
* ''Series/MicroNation'' - A comedy about a fictional micronation and its quirky inhabitants.
* ''Series/MirrorMirror''
* ''Series/MissFishersMurderMysteries''
* ''Series/MissionTopSecret''
* ''Series/AMoodyChristmas''
* ''Series/{{Mortified}}''
* ''Series/MrAndMrsMurder''
* ''Series/MyKitchenRules''
* ''Series/MyPlace''
* ''Series/{{Mythbusters}}'' - An American-Australian collaboration. Discovery Networks provides financing and distribution, along with the hosts and most of the film crew, with everything else being done by Beyond Productions in UsefulNotes/{{Sydney}}. Also, originally an Australian idea, but when it was pitched to the Australian Networks, they turned it down. In a last ditch attempt, it was pitched to Discovery Networks, and as they say, the rest is history.
* ''Series/{{Neighbours}}''
* ''Series/{{Newlyweds}}''
* ''Series/NoahAndSaskia'' - Australian-British collaboration.
* ''Series/NowhereBoys''
* ''{{Series/Number 96}}'', famous for being one of the earliest shows to take a frank approach to the characters' sex lives. An American adaptation was produced, which [[/index]]didn't do so well. There was also [[TheMovie a movie]] made in 1973.[[index]]
* ''Series/OceanGirl'', a children's show about a [[WildChild girl living on an island]]. She's discovered by some children who live on a nearby underwater colony/
* ''Series/{{Offspring}}'', a show started in 2010 about Nina Proudman, an obstetrician with a convoluted love life and probably a few too many relationships between her family members and coworkers.
* ''Series/PackedToTheRafters''
* ''Series/{{Parallax}}''
* ''The PaulHogan Show'' - quite possibly the last gasp of the old politically incorrect male Australia. Popular in the 1980's before Hogan accepted the lead role in [[CrocodileDundee that American movie]] about a politically incorrect outback hunter who goes to New York. A sketch and stand-up comedy show with recurring characters, such as the ridiculuously macho stuntman ''Leo Wanker''.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Pearlie}}''
* ''Phoenix'' - A thirteen-part series (1992) which was a very realistic police drama, loosely based on the investigation into the 1986 bombing of the Russell Street Police Headquarters in Melbourne, Victoria. A second season (''Phoenix II'') and a legal drama spin-off ''Janus'', centred around the investigation and prosecution of a notorious Melbourne crime family.
* ''Series/PirateIslands'' – Three siblings get sucked into a videogame.
* ''Series/{{Pizza}}'' - SBS comedy about the Fat Pizza restaurant, where the pizzas are big and cheesy!
* ''Series/PleaseLikeMe''
* ''Prisoner'' (called ''Series/PrisonerCellBlockH'' everywhere else for [[Series/ThePrisoner obvious]] [[SimilarlyNamedWorks reasons]]).
** The long form was the accepted title when screened on British TV, where it quickly gained cult following.
* ''Literature/PubertyBlues''
* ''{{Series/Rake}}''
* ''Series/RedfernNow''
* ''Series/RescueSpecialOps''
* ''Series/ReviewWithMylesBarlow''
* ''Series/TheRoast'' - A satirical news program on [=ABC2=] in the vein of ''Series/TheDailyShow''
* ''Series/RoundTheTwist''
* ''Series/{{Rush}}''
* ''Series/{{Ryan}}'' - A show from the politically incorrect 1970's about a tough macho private eye, his stereotypically Italian assistant who was even ''called'' Luigi, and his glamorous blonde secretary (A very young [[NotTheNineOClockNews Pamela Stephenson]], before she took the emigrant boat to England)
* ''Literature/TheSaddleClub''
* ''WesternAnimation/SallyBollywood'', a French-Australian cartoon co-production.
* ''Series/ShipToShore''
* ''Series/SirArthurConanDoylesTheLostWorld''
* ''Series/{{Satisfaction}}'', a drama centered around the staff of a high-class brothel.
* ''Series/SeaChange'', A dramatic comedy about a competitive, neurotic and work-driven lawyer whose workaholic lifestyle has distanced her from her husband and children. A move to a seaside town changes everything.
* ''Series/SeaPatrol''
* ''WesternAnimation/SeaPrincesses''
* ''Series/SerangoonRoad''
* ''Series/The7PMProject'' - Dave Hughes, Charlie Pickering, Carrie Bickmore, and at least two other people read the news, then chat about it. Geared towards the Digg and Twitter generation, which may partly become its undoing.
* ''Series/ShaunMicallefsMadAsHell'' - hosted by Shaun Micallef, a satirical news program that's a thinly veiled sketch show, bearing a passing resemblence to Series/TheDailyShow or Series/TheColbertReport.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{SheZow}}''
* ''Series/ShipToShore'' - Mid 90s children's show about a group of schoolkids living on an island that was ''just'' off the coast of Perth, Western Australia.
* ''Series/{{Silversun}}''
* ''Series/SkippyTheBushKangaroo'' - [[ABoyAndHisX A Boy And His Kangaroo]]. Australia's ''Series/{{Lassie}}''.
* ''WesternAnimation/SkippyAdventuresInBushtown''
* ''Series/{{Skithouse}}'' - [[SarcasmMode A hilarious skit show with loads of well-known comedians]]. The common joke was to suggest replacing the "K" in the name with an "H".
* ''Series/TheSlap''
* ''Literature/TheSleepoverClub'' - the book series is British, but the TV adaption is Australian.
* ''Series/SLiDE''
* ''{{Series/Spellbinder}}''
* ''Series/SpicksAndSpecks'' (A music quiz show, which has lately gotten reliant on the antics of the various guest stars (many of them comedians). This may be evidence of SeasonalRot.)
* ''{{Series/Spirited}}''
* ''{{Series/Stingers}}'' - A CopShow about undercover police and how the job affects their lives.
* ''Series/TheStraits'' - A groundbreaking [[CriminalProcedural crime drama]] in terms of its rare setting and (specific) concept - the deadly smuggling trade between northern Australia and Papua New Guinea.
* ''Series/{{Studio 3}}''
* ''Series/SummerHeightsHigh''
* ''Series/SweetAndSour'' - ABC cult classic about a band.
* ''Series/SwiftAndShiftCouriers'' - SBS comedy about the worst courier company in Australia
* ''Series/TalkinBoutYourGeneration'' (A pop-culture celebrity quiz show in the style of ''Series/SpicksAndSpecks'' and ''Series/GoodNewsWeek'').
* ''Series/TimeTrax''
* ''Series/ThankGodYoureHere'' (the rough equivalent to improv shows like ''Series/WhoseLineIsItAnyway'' (albeit limited to one 'game' type -- features comedians being thrown into situations and forced to bluff their way through them. Results vary depending on who competes.)
** A squillion different countries have made their own version.
* ''Series/{{Thunderstone}}''
* ''WesternAnimation/TraceyMcBean''
* ''Series/{{Underbelly}}'' (A show about Australia's history of organised crime. The first series, covering the gangland war in Melbourne, was unanimously[[note]]*YMMV[[/note]] considered ''awesome.'' The second series, 'A Tale of Two Cities' about the drug trade between UsefulNotes/{{Sydney}} and Melbourne... not so much.)
* ''Series/TheUpsideDownShow'' with Shane Dundas and David Collins of ''Creator/TheUmbilicalBrothers''.
* ''Series/UpperMiddleBogan''
* ''[[Series/{{Utopia2014}} Utopia]]''
* ''Series/WaterRats'': PoliceProcedural which ran from 1996 to 2001, about the Sydney Water Police, who patrol Sydney Harbour, and surrounding areas.
* ''Series/WeCanBeHeroes'' and ''Series/SummerHeightsHigh'' (Award-winning, incredibly popular mockumentaries, later let down gently with a sea of "[[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff Well... it's big in Australia...]]"-s from overseas critics).
* ''Series/TheWedge''
* ''Series/WickedScience''
* ''Series/WildBoys''
* ''[[Series/WilfredAustralia Wilfred]]''
* ''Series/WinnersAndLosers''
* ''Series/TheWorstYearOfMyLifeAgain''
* ''Series/YoureSkittingMe''


Really Short Runners:
[[/index]] %%Remove this tag and the one two lines down if AustraliasNaughtiestHomeVideos ever blueshifts -- their function is to stop Series/{{Cheers}} from being indexed on this page by virtue of being the first working link after a bullet point.
* ''WesternAnimation/AroundTheWorldInEightyDays'': A 16 episode loose AnimatedAdaptation of [[JulesVerne Jules Verne's]] [[Literature/AroundTheWorldInEightyDays novel of the same name.]]
* ''Series/AustraliasNaughtiestHomeVideos'' (A one-ep spinoff of ''Australia's Funniest Home Videos'', the Nine Network's owner[[note]]Kerry Packer[[/note]] saw the first act (which involved, among other things, animals having sex), called the station, and ordered them to [[strike:pull it]] "[[PrecisionFStrike get that shit off the air!]]". It went to commercial after 24 minutes, and came back as a ''Series/{{Cheers}}'' rerun. In 2008, the entire episode was finally aired, complete with a link segment to mark the spot the original broadcast was cut off)
-->'''Bert Newton''': "The announcer said 'technical difficulties', which was accurate. It is technically very difficult to keep a show on air...with Mr. Packer on the phone YELLING at you!"
[[index]]
* ''Series/LetLooseLive'' (Hilariously unfunny sketch comedy show, pulled after two episodes)
* ''Series/MonsterHouse'': Almost got cancelled ''in the middle'' of the first and only episode.
* ''Series/YasminsGettingMarried'': short lived reality show that was based on the successful Scandinavian show ''Kerry's Getting Married'', only lasted for 4 episodes.
* ''Series/{{Stooged}}'': Lame ''Punk'd'' rip-off that only lasted for 2 episodes.
* ''Series/{{Spirited}}'': A FantasticComedy about the ghost of a dead British punk musician and a divorced Australian dentist.
[[/index]]

In terms of childrens' tv, the most prolific producers are Creator/JonathanMShiff Productions (of ''WesternAnimation/BlinkyBill'', ''Series/OceanGirl'', and ''Series/H2OJustAddWater'' fame), and the [[Creator/{{ACTF}} Australian Children's Television Foundation]] (a government-funded organisation behind shows such as ''Series/{{Spellbinder}}'', ''Series/DanceAcademy'', and the beloved ''Series/RoundTheTwist'').
----

* ''Series/MotherAndSon''

Other Noteworthy Australian shows:

** This has no connection with the [[{{Phoenix}} manga series]] by Creator/OsamuTezuka [[index]]

** Bert Newton: "The announcer said 'technical difficulties', which was accurate. It is technically very difficult to keep a show on air...with Mr. Packer on the phone YELLING at you!"

* ''The Late Show''. Not to be confused with the American show of the same name, this was a highly popular Saturday night TV show from 1992-1993 that ran closer to [[/index]]''Series/SaturdayNightLive''[[index]] in content, but with far lower production values, deliberately less professionalism and a chattier delivery from the actors to the audience. Featured several comedians from ''Series/FastForward'', despite the ''Late Show'''s intense (yet tongue in cheek) hatred of its producer Steve Vizard; Vizard had hand picked the stars he felt were most likely to succeed from a very well regarded UsefulNotes/{{Melbourne}} comedy school and ''The Late Show'' was formed from the 'leftovers'. Ironically, they'd go on to form Working Dog Productions, whose films ''TheCastle'' and ''TheDish'', along with TV shows like ''ThePanel'', ''Series/ThankGodYoureHere'' and ''Series/{{Frontline}}'' would arguably be more successful than anything Vizard produced.

%%If you turn something into a link, please remember to de-italicize it. Otherwise, the index won't work correctly.

* ''Series/PirateIslands'' – Three siblings get sucked into a videogame.