History Series / Frontline

* CelebrityCasualty: The first episode has Brooke interviewing "living legend" [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ugly_Dave_Gray Ugly Dave Gray]], who dies offscreen InUniverse and forces them to turn the segment into an InMemorium at the last minute.

* CharacterOutlivesActor: Following Bruno Lawrence's death prior to the filming of Season 2, his character Brian was fired due to the show's sagging ratings.

* RippedFromTheHeadlines: practically every episode, but especially ''The Siege'' (which was very much inspired by a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjmeuRGsGIw real-life incident]], ''The Simple Life'' and ''The Shadow We Cast''.

* RippedFromTheHeadlines: practically every episode, but especially ''The Siege'' (which was very much inspired by a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjmeuRGsGIw real-life incident], ''The Simple Life'' and ''The Shadow We Cast''.

* RippedFromTheHeadlines: practically every episode, but especially ''The Siege'', ''The Simple Life'' and ''The Shadow We Cast''.

* Brian (Thommo) Thompson is the manipulative Executive Producer during season one. Thommo is a likeable sort, and gets people to do what he wants by by jollying them along. Due to the tragic death of actor Bruno Lawrence, the character was replaced by:

Not to be confused with the aforementioned Creator/{{PBS}} news program - the show is called "Behind the Frontline" when broadcast in North America for this reason. Also not to be confused with a different series called ''Breaking News'' that aired in 2002 on Bravo, nor with a flea treatment for cats and dogs. Also also not to be confused with the American series ''Series/{{Lateline}}'' and the Canadian series ''Series/TheNewsroom1996'', which share a very similar premise but are otherwise unrelated.

Not to be confused with the aforementioned Creator/{{PBS}} news program - the show is called "Behind the Frontline" when broadcast in North America for this reason. Also not to be confused with a different series called ''Breaking News'' that aired in 2002 on Bravo, nor with a flea treatment for cats and dogs.

''Frontline'' (Better known as ''Breaking News'' in the USA) is a satirical Australian sitcom that looks at the unscrupulous manipulation that goes on in the high-pressure world of ''current affairs'' T.V journalism. It ran for three seasons from 1994 to 1997. (Coincidentally, Frontline is also the title of a long-running American documentary series on Creator/{{PBS}}.) It was created by the team that would later become known as Creator/WorkingDogProductions.

Just like any other current affairs programme on commercial television, ''Frontline'' has its share of sensationalism, controversy, and cynical manipulation of the truth. It combined actual current events such as the First Gulf War with a funny and thought-provoking analysis of topics such as how the media treats people and events and how people are stereotyped.

'''Contains examples of:'''

* {{Flanderization}}: Mike. In the first season he is vain and naive, but "a half-decent reporter", in Brian's own words, who was often seen trying to push genuinely newsworthy stories (such as a sweatshop expose in "We Ain't Got Dames", and a major scandal that had been covered up by half the media in the country in "Smaller Fish to Fry"), getting furious when Brian screwed him over. In the second, he manages to break his leg on a motorcycle that isn't even moving, he can't even write a letter without basic spelling errors, and it becomes a RunningGag that he doesn't pay attention to the show's stories even while presenting them.

* PointlessCivicProject: In "Let the Children Play". The Frontline team did a community service project for disadvantaged inner-city youth as a ratings grab. Despite all the kids wanting a basketball court, they decide to build a playground as it makes better television. And then the playground is found to be unsafe and cannot actually be used.

* CannotTellFictionFronReality: After Mike's editorial against the Greek community in the first episode, Jan's approach to damage control is to have him interview Con the Fruiterer. Brian has to explain to her that Con isn't Greek, he's a sketch comedy character played by Mark Mitchell. "Oh, so ''that's'' the joke!"

* BookshelfOfAuthority: During a hostage situation, the only "expert" the news station can get to discuss the situation is a psychology student. The producer tells the camera crew to interview the student in front of a bookshelf to make him look more authoritative. Quote from episode: Kate Preston: Brian, we're still struggling to find a psychologist specialising in siege-related traumas. Brian: Well, we need someone. Kate: Well, we have got a psychology, uh, student... Brian: Nah. Kate: Well, he's mature age. He's got a beard. Brian: Alright. We'll slap him up in front of a bookcase.

* EarWorm: "One Big Family".

* BRollRebus: Mike explains the concept to his niece, who asks if that's why every time they do a story about gay people they splice in footage from the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. later in the episode, the show does exactly that, preceding a story about a gay teacher allegedly sacked based on discrimination.

* BRollRebus: Mike explains the concept to his GenreSavvy niece, who asks if that's why everytime they do a story about gay people they splice in footage from the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. later in the episode, the show does exactly that, preceding a story about a gay teacher allegedly sacked based on discrimination.