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Changed line(s) 31 (click to see context) from:
* AlmostKiss: [[spoiler: Mike and Domenica in ''Smaller Fish to Fry'']].
to:
* AlmostKiss: [[spoiler: Mike and Domenica Domenica]] in ''Smaller Fish to Fry'']].Fry''.
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Changed line(s) 31 (click to see context) from:
* AlmostKiss: Mike and Domenica in ''Smaller Fish to Fry''.
to:
* AlmostKiss: [[spoiler: Mike and Domenica in ''Smaller Fish to Fry''.Fry'']].
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* AlmostKiss: Mike and Domenica in ''Smaller Fish to Fry''.
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http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/frontline2.jpg
[[caption-width:300:Mike, Brooke & Marty]]
[[caption-width:300:Mike, Brooke & Marty]]
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[[caption-width:300:Mike,
[[caption-width-right:300:Mike, Brooke & Marty]]
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* BriarPatching: When Mike interviews then-Opposition Leader John Hewson, he's told that he doesn't want any questions regarding the Leadership. When Mike predictably ignores this out of a desire to look like less of a lightweight and asks the question, suggesting than Bronwyn Bishop may have a better approval rating, Hewson turns the tables and asks Mike about his press profile as compared to Brooke's, and whether he should step aside from hosting the show.
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* KickTheDog: Mike is rarely as directly involved in the unethical behaviour around him as Brooke, Marty and the producers, so the scene where he torpedoes Geoffrey's new weather-based comedy show out of jealousy is a standout.
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* SoundOnlyDeath: In "The Siege" anchorman Mike Moore interviews a hostage taker while the eponymous siege is in progress, earning high ratings for his program. Two weeks later another hostage taker rings up Moore asking for a direct interview. Moore answers the phone on live television.
-->'''Moore:''' You asked to speak to me. Well you've got the whole of Australia watching and listening. What do you want?
-->'''Hostage Taker:''' I want you to hear this. ''(screams and gunshots. Cut to credits)''.
-->'''Moore:''' You asked to speak to me. Well you've got the whole of Australia watching and listening. What do you want?
-->'''Hostage Taker:''' I want you to hear this. ''(screams and gunshots. Cut to credits)''.
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Changed line(s) 32,33 (click to see context) from:
* BlackComedy - Season 1 episode ''The Siege'' [[spoiler: ends with a hostage-taker calling Frontline and executing his hostages live on air.]]
* BrainlessBeauty - Brooke but Mike fits this trope more so.
* BrainlessBeauty - Brooke but Mike fits this trope more so.
to:
* BlackComedy - BlackComedy: Season 1 episode ''The Siege'' [[spoiler: ends with a hostage-taker calling Frontline and executing his hostages live on air.]]
*BrainlessBeauty - Brooke but Mike fits this trope more so.BrainlessBeauty: Mike.
*
Changed line(s) 36,42 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
* ConvenientReplacementCharacter - Probably justified in that no TV show would get rid of its executive producer without having someone ready to step in and take over.
* DeadpanSnarker - Marty.
* DreadfulMusician - Elliot.
* DumbassHasAPoint - Mike's occasional foray into ethics. He generally has a point, but is so easily manipulated, he can be talked out of his concerns.
* EarWorm - "One Big Family"
* EvenEvilHasStandards - Marty is as unethical as anyone else on the team, but "Judge and Jury" he shows reluctance to cover an unsubstantiated story about a priest accused of rape. When Emma asks him, he admits that he, like her, is Catholic.
* ConvenientReplacementCharacter - Probably justified in that no TV show would get rid of its executive producer without having someone ready to step in and take over.
* DeadpanSnarker - Marty.
* DreadfulMusician - Elliot.
* DumbassHasAPoint - Mike's occasional foray into ethics. He generally has a point, but is so easily manipulated, he can be talked out of his concerns.
* EarWorm - "One Big Family"
* EvenEvilHasStandards - Marty is as unethical as anyone else on the team, but "Judge and Jury" he shows reluctance to cover an unsubstantiated story about a priest accused of rape. When Emma asks him, he admits that he, like her, is Catholic.
to:
* CharacterOutlivesActor- 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.
*ConvenientReplacementCharacter - ConvenientReplacementCharacter: Probably justified in that no TV show would get rid of its executive producer without having someone ready to step in and take over.
*DeadpanSnarker - DeadpanSnarker: Marty.
*DreadfulMusician - DreadfulMusician: Elliot.
*DumbassHasAPoint - DumbassHasAPoint: Mike's occasional foray into ethics. He generally has usually does have a point, but is he's so easily manipulated, he can be manipulated that most of the time he's either talked out of his concerns.
concerns or completely distracted.
*EarWorm - EarWorm: "One Big Family"
Family".
*EvenEvilHasStandards - EvenEvilHasStandards: Marty is as unethical as anyone else on the team, but "Judge and Jury" he shows reluctance to cover an unsubstantiated story about a priest accused of rape. When Emma asks him, he admits that he, like her, is Catholic.
*
*
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*
Changed line(s) 44,55 (click to see context) from:
* ICantBelieveImSayingThis - On one occasion, several stories have fallen through, and Emma is horrified to find herself suggest [[DreadfulMusician Elliot]] be allowed to perform a particularly horrible ten minute composition he has been begging to do for ages.
* GeniusDitz - Mike is given the answers to a gameshow's questions prior to going on. He wins the gameshow by over 100 points. At the end of the episode, he returns the envelope containing the questions, un-opened.
* GladYouThoughtOfIt - Sam regularly uses this technique on Mike.
* HypocriticalHumour - The episode where the reporters target a statistician whose new book has been misinterpreted as racist. The episode is filled with Sam, Mike and Marty making racist comments, most notably Mike's complaint about his holiday in Greece.
* IdiotHero - Mike, though IdiotProtagonist would be more accurate.
* IntoxicationEnsues - In "My Generation", Mike has a headache, and when Shelley the receptionist looks for some Panadol for him, she finds the ecstasy tablets Marty confiscated from one of the camera dudes. The ending is ''hilarious''.
* IsThisThingStillOn - Mike starts insulting one of Elliot's songs after his microphone has been cut off at the end of the show. Unfortunately, he forgets that the camera is still on him during the end credits and that there's a sign language interpreter next to him. His comments are translated accurately and reported in the following day's newspaper.
* JadeColoredGlasses - Marty and Thommo.
* MoodWhiplash - In the episode ''Keeping Up Appearances'', jokes are made of a Frontline trying to secure the rights to the story of a woman who was burned by an ex-boyfriend. Marty even comments how it was for the best because she is now $200,000 richer. Cut to the first time we are allowed to see her face in full... and it's not so funny anymore.
* NiceGuy - Mike's weatherman friend Geoffrey Salter, the only person who is both nice and stupid enough to genuinely like Mike.
* NonPromotion - When Mike demands more responsibility on the program, the executive producer grants him the meaningless title of 'International Story Coordinator': a position that involves faxing a list of the day's stories to their sister network in the UK so they can pick up any stories they want to run. Mike still manages to screw this up, thanks to Jan giving him the fax number for Channel 9's Glenn Ridge (Mike had been trying to get in touch with him about a ''Series/SaleOfTheCentury'' celebrity faceoff between himself and his rivals Stan Grant and Ray Martin).
* NotSoAboveItAll - Marty and Brooke make fun of Mike for his vanity and naivety, but they can act just as petty and be just as easily manipulated.
* GeniusDitz - Mike is given the answers to a gameshow's questions prior to going on. He wins the gameshow by over 100 points. At the end of the episode, he returns the envelope containing the questions, un-opened.
* GladYouThoughtOfIt - Sam regularly uses this technique on Mike.
* HypocriticalHumour - The episode where the reporters target a statistician whose new book has been misinterpreted as racist. The episode is filled with Sam, Mike and Marty making racist comments, most notably Mike's complaint about his holiday in Greece.
* IdiotHero - Mike, though IdiotProtagonist would be more accurate.
* IntoxicationEnsues - In "My Generation", Mike has a headache, and when Shelley the receptionist looks for some Panadol for him, she finds the ecstasy tablets Marty confiscated from one of the camera dudes. The ending is ''hilarious''.
* IsThisThingStillOn - Mike starts insulting one of Elliot's songs after his microphone has been cut off at the end of the show. Unfortunately, he forgets that the camera is still on him during the end credits and that there's a sign language interpreter next to him. His comments are translated accurately and reported in the following day's newspaper.
* JadeColoredGlasses - Marty and Thommo.
* MoodWhiplash - In the episode ''Keeping Up Appearances'', jokes are made of a Frontline trying to secure the rights to the story of a woman who was burned by an ex-boyfriend. Marty even comments how it was for the best because she is now $200,000 richer. Cut to the first time we are allowed to see her face in full... and it's not so funny anymore.
* NiceGuy - Mike's weatherman friend Geoffrey Salter, the only person who is both nice and stupid enough to genuinely like Mike.
* NonPromotion - When Mike demands more responsibility on the program, the executive producer grants him the meaningless title of 'International Story Coordinator': a position that involves faxing a list of the day's stories to their sister network in the UK so they can pick up any stories they want to run. Mike still manages to screw this up, thanks to Jan giving him the fax number for Channel 9's Glenn Ridge (Mike had been trying to get in touch with him about a ''Series/SaleOfTheCentury'' celebrity faceoff between himself and his rivals Stan Grant and Ray Martin).
* NotSoAboveItAll - Marty and Brooke make fun of Mike for his vanity and naivety, but they can act just as petty and be just as easily manipulated.
to:
* ICantBelieveImSayingThis - {{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.
* ICantBelieveImSayingThis: On one occasion, several stories have fallen through, and Emma is horrified to find herself suggest [[DreadfulMusician Elliot]] be allowed to perform a particularly horrible ten minute composition he has been begging to do for ages.
*GeniusDitz - GeniusDitz: Mike is given the answers to a gameshow's questions prior to going on. He wins the gameshow by over 100 points. At the end of the episode, he returns the envelope containing the questions, un-opened.
*GladYouThoughtOfIt - GladYouThoughtOfIt: Sam regularly uses this technique on Mike.
*HypocriticalHumour - HypocriticalHumour: The episode where the reporters target a statistician whose new book has been misinterpreted as racist. The episode is filled with Sam, Mike and Marty making racist comments, most notably Mike's complaint about his holiday in Greece.
*IdiotHero - IdiotHero: Mike, though IdiotProtagonist would be more accurate.
*IntoxicationEnsues - IntoxicationEnsues: In "My Generation", Mike has a headache, and when Shelley the receptionist looks for some Panadol for him, she finds the ecstasy tablets Marty confiscated from one of the camera dudes. The ending is ''hilarious''.
*IsThisThingStillOn - IsThisThingStillOn: Mike starts insulting one of Elliot's songs after his microphone has been cut off at the end of the show. Unfortunately, he forgets that the camera is still on him during the end credits and that there's a sign language interpreter next to him.him who doesn't know that the show is completely over. His comments are translated accurately and reported in the following day's newspaper.
*JadeColoredGlasses - JadeColoredGlasses: Marty and Thommo.
*MoodWhiplash - MoodWhiplash: In the episode ''Keeping Up Appearances'', jokes are made of a Frontline trying to secure the rights to the story of a woman who was burned by an ex-boyfriend. Marty even comments how it was for the best because she is now $200,000 richer. Cut to the first time we are allowed to see her face in full... and it's not so funny anymore.
*NiceGuy - NiceGuy: Mike's weatherman friend Geoffrey Salter, the only person who is both nice and stupid enough to genuinely like Mike.
*NonPromotion - NonPromotion: When Mike demands more responsibility on the program, the executive producer grants him the meaningless title of 'International Story Coordinator': a position that involves faxing a list of the day's stories to their sister network in the UK so they can pick up any stories they want to run. Mike still manages to screw this up, thanks to Jan giving him the fax number for Channel 9's Glenn Ridge (Mike had been trying to get in touch with him about a ''Series/SaleOfTheCentury'' celebrity faceoff between himself and his rivals Stan Grant and Ray Martin).
*NotSoAboveItAll - NotSoAboveItAll: Marty and Brooke make fun of Mike for his vanity and naivety, but they can act just as petty and be just as easily manipulated.
* ICantBelieveImSayingThis: On one occasion, several stories have fallen through, and Emma is horrified to find herself suggest [[DreadfulMusician Elliot]] be allowed to perform a particularly horrible ten minute composition he has been begging to do for ages.
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Changed line(s) 58,59 (click to see context) from:
* RippedFromTheHeadlines - practically every episode, but especially ''The Siege'', ''The Simple Life'' and ''The Shadow We Cast''.
* RunningGag - Dom's crazy hairstyles.
* RunningGag - Dom's crazy hairstyles.
to:
* RippedFromTheHeadlines - PoliticallyIncorrectHero: Prowsey, the EP from season 3, who's very sexist and very blatant about it.
* RichInDollarsPoorInSense: Mike, dear ''God''.
* RippedFromTheHeadlines: practically every episode, but especially ''The Siege'', ''The Simple Life'' and ''The Shadow We Cast''.
*RunningGag - RunningGag: Dom's crazy hairstyles.
* RichInDollarsPoorInSense: Mike, dear ''God''.
* RippedFromTheHeadlines: practically every episode, but especially ''The Siege'', ''The Simple Life'' and ''The Shadow We Cast''.
*
Changed line(s) 61 (click to see context) from:
* SatireParodyPastiche - Satire ''(It was an attack on all the vapid current affairs programs that were and still are showing in Australia)''.
to:
* SatireParodyPastiche - SatireParodyPastiche: Satire ''(It was an attack on all the vapid current affairs programs that were and still are showing in Australia)''.
Changed line(s) 63,66 (click to see context) from:
* ShowWithinAShow - ''Frontline'' the current affairs show is the show within '''Frontline''' the satirical sitcom about current affair shows.
* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism - Clearly towards the Cynicial.
* SoUnfunnyItsFunny - Elliot's songs.
* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute - a different EP for every season.
* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism - Clearly towards the Cynicial.
* SoUnfunnyItsFunny - Elliot's songs.
* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute - a different EP for every season.
to:
* ShowWithinAShow - ShowWithinAShow: ''Frontline'' the current affairs show is the show within '''Frontline''' the satirical sitcom about current affair shows.
*SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism - SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism: Clearly towards the Cynicial.
*SoUnfunnyItsFunny - SoUnfunnyItsFunny: Elliot's songs.
*SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute - SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: a different EP for every season.
*
*
*
Changed line(s) 68,69 (click to see context) from:
* SmallNameBigEgo - Mike.
* StylisticSuck - Elliot's dreadful songs, which are inept rhyming couplets to the same perky synthesiser tune. So much so that it is impossible to imagine something so awful actually being played on network television every week - chalk it up to the RuleOfFunny.
* StylisticSuck - Elliot's dreadful songs, which are inept rhyming couplets to the same perky synthesiser tune. So much so that it is impossible to imagine something so awful actually being played on network television every week - chalk it up to the RuleOfFunny.
to:
* SmallNameBigEgo - SmallNameBigEgo: Mike.
*StylisticSuck - StylisticSuck: Elliot's dreadful songs, which are inept rhyming couplets to the same perky synthesiser tune. So much so that it is impossible to imagine something so awful actually being played on network television every week - chalk it up to the RuleOfFunny.
*
Changed line(s) 71 (click to see context) from:
* TookALevelInDumbass - 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.
to:
* TookALevelInDumbass - Mike. In TookALevelInDumbass: Mike as 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.show continued.
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** [[spoiler:The gunshot]] at the end of "The Siege".
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''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}}.)
to:
''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.
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* 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.
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Changed line(s) 53 (click to see context) from:
* NonPromotion - When Mike demands more responsibility on the program, the executive producer grants him the meaningless title of 'International Story Coordinator': a position that involves faxing a list of the day's stories to their sister network in the UK so they can pick up any stories they want to run. Mike still manages to screw this up, thanks to Jan giving him the fax number for Channel 9's Glenn Ridge (Mike had been trying to get in touch with him about a Series/SaleOfTheCentury celebrity faceoff between himself and his rivals Stan Grant and Ray Martin).
to:
* NonPromotion - When Mike demands more responsibility on the program, the executive producer grants him the meaningless title of 'International Story Coordinator': a position that involves faxing a list of the day's stories to their sister network in the UK so they can pick up any stories they want to run. Mike still manages to screw this up, thanks to Jan giving him the fax number for Channel 9's Glenn Ridge (Mike had been trying to get in touch with him about a Series/SaleOfTheCentury ''Series/SaleOfTheCentury'' celebrity faceoff between himself and his rivals Stan Grant and Ray Martin).
Changed line(s) 59 (click to see context) from:
* RushedInvertedReading: A variant where Mike is supposed to be reading a book by the statistician he's supposed to be reading. Dom walks in on him doing a Magic Eye puzzle, and while he manages to replace the book, his eyes are still crossed.
to:
* RushedInvertedReading: A variant where Mike is supposed to be reading a book by the statistician he's supposed to be reading.interviewing that night. Dom walks in on him doing a Magic Eye puzzle, and while he manages to replace the book, his eyes are still crossed.
Changed line(s) 71 (click to see context) from:
* UnsympatheticComedyProtagonist: practically everyone but poor Emma!
to:
* UnsympatheticComedyProtagonist: practically Practically everyone but poor Emma!Emma, and occasionally Mike, when he's actually willing to persistently stand up to Brian or Prowsey on an issue.
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Changed line(s) 39 (click to see context) from:
* DumbassHasAPoint - Mike's occasional foray into about ethics. He generally has a point, but is so easily manipulated, he can be talked out of his concerns.
to:
* DumbassHasAPoint - Mike's occasional foray into about ethics. He generally has a point, but is so easily manipulated, he can be talked out of his concerns.
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Changed line(s) 53 (click to see context) from:
* NonPromotion - When Mike demands more responsibility on the program, the executive producer grants him the meaningless title of 'International Story Coordinator': a position that involves faxing a list of the day's stories to their sister network in the UK so they can pick up any stories they want to run. Mike still manages to screw this up, thanks to Jan giving him the fax number for Channel 9's Glen Ridge.
to:
* NonPromotion - When Mike demands more responsibility on the program, the executive producer grants him the meaningless title of 'International Story Coordinator': a position that involves faxing a list of the day's stories to their sister network in the UK so they can pick up any stories they want to run. Mike still manages to screw this up, thanks to Jan giving him the fax number for Channel 9's Glen Ridge.Glenn Ridge (Mike had been trying to get in touch with him about a Series/SaleOfTheCentury celebrity faceoff between himself and his rivals Stan Grant and Ray Martin).
Changed line(s) 70 (click to see context) from:
* TookALevelInDumbass - Mike. In the first season he is vain and naive, but "an alright journalist", 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.
to:
* TookALevelInDumbass - Mike. In the first season he is vain and naive, but "an alright journalist", "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.
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Changed line(s) 53 (click to see context) from:
* NonPromotion - When Mike demands more responsibility on the program, the executive producer grants him the meaningless title of 'International Story Coordinator': a position that involves faxing a list of the day's stories to their sister network in the UK so they can pick up any stories they want to run. Mike still manages to screw this up.
to:
* NonPromotion - When Mike demands more responsibility on the program, the executive producer grants him the meaningless title of 'International Story Coordinator': a position that involves faxing a list of the day's stories to their sister network in the UK so they can pick up any stories they want to run. Mike still manages to screw this up.up, thanks to Jan giving him the fax number for Channel 9's Glen Ridge.
Changed line(s) 59 (click to see context) from:
* RushedInvertedReading
to:
* RushedInvertedReadingRushedInvertedReading: A variant where Mike is supposed to be reading a book by the statistician he's supposed to be reading. Dom walks in on him doing a Magic Eye puzzle, and while he manages to replace the book, his eyes are still crossed.
Changed line(s) 70 (click to see context) from:
* TookALevelInDumbass - Mike. In the first season he is vain and naive, but "an alright reporter". In the second, he manages to break his leg on a motorcycle that isn't even moving, and can't even write a letter without basic spelling errors.
to:
* TookALevelInDumbass - Mike. In the first season he is vain and naive, but "an alright reporter". journalist", 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, and he can't even write a letter without basic spelling errors.errors, and it becomes a RunningGag that he doesn't pay attention to the show's stories even while presenting them.
Changed line(s) 72 (click to see context) from:
* WhamLine: "That was Brooke. Her grandmother died."
to:
* WhamLine: "That was Brooke. Her grandmother died."" [[spoiler:The excuse she had been told to use if she agreed to get the abortion the network wanted.]]
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* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: [[RealLifeWritesThePlot Pauline Hanson]] had a surprisingly sympathetic guest spot in an episode which, instead of going after her, commented on current events shows condemning her while giving her exactly the platform she needed to further her cause, as well as being no better than her when it came to perpetuating cultural stereotypes. A man calls out Mike on the latter, saying that people think his Arab friend is a terrorist and his Filipino wife is a mail order bride because of Frontline. Later, ATSIC chairman Noel Pearson, as a guest on Frontline, makes the same accusation, claiming that cultural stereotypes are the show's stock in trade and that the show is one of those responsible for creating the very swamp from which Hanson emerged.
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* AlmightyJanitor: Geoff the weatherman works in a secluded office and is actually banned from the Frontline set, and only Mike considers him a friend. Mike goes to Geoff for moral guidance which he then ignores.
Changed line(s) 34 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
to:
* CharacterOutlivesActor- Following Bruno Lawrence's death prior to the filming of Season 2, His his character Brian was fired due to the show's sagging ratings.
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Changed line(s) 13 (click to see context) from:
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.
to:
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.Bravo, nor with a flea treatment for cats and dogs.
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* 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.
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* NonPromotion - When Mike demands more responsibility on the program, the executive producer grants him the meaningless title of 'International Story Coordinator': a position that involves faxing a list of the day's stories to their sister network in the UK so they can pick up any stories they want to run. Mike still manages to screw this up.
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* DumbassHasAPoint - Mike's occasional foray into about ethics. He generally has a point, but is so easily manipulated, he can be talked out of his concerns.
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* StylisticSuck - Elliot's dreadful songs, which are inept rhyming couplets to the same perky synthesiser tune. So much so that it is impossible to imagine something so awful actually being played on network television every week - chalk it up to the RuleOfFunny.
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Changed line(s) 13 (click to see context) from:
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.
to:
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.
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Added new material
Added DiffLines:
* Geoffrey Salter, weatherman. Geoff is Mike's best friend with whom he regularly chats with in his office. Geoff is often the reason Mike decides to question the producer's claims that the story of the moment is ethical.
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None
Changed line(s) 62 (click to see context) from:
* TedBaxter - Mike.
to:
* TedBaxter SmallNameBigEgo - Mike.
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''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 {{PBS}}.)
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.
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.
to:
''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 {{PBS}}.Creator/{{PBS}}.)
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 arestereotyped.
stereotyped.
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
Changed line(s) 13 (click to see context) from:
Not to be confused with the aforementioned {{PBS}} news program - the show is called "Behind the Frontline" when broadcast in North America for this reason.
to:
Not to be confused with the aforementioned {{PBS}} Creator/{{PBS}} news program - the show is called "Behind the Frontline" when broadcast in North America for this reason.
Changed line(s) 33 (click to see context) from:
* 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.
to:
* 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.
Changed line(s) 40,41 (click to see context) from:
* [[ICantBelieveImSayingThis I Can't Believe I'm Saying This]] - On one occasion, several stories have fallen through, and Emma is horrified to find herself suggest [[DreadfulMusician Elliot]] be allowed to perform a particularly horrible ten minute composition he has been begging to do for ages.
* GeniusDitz - Mike is given the answers to a gameshow's questions prior to going on. He wins the gameshow by over 100 points. At the end of the episode, he returns the envelope containing the questions, un-opened.
* GeniusDitz - Mike is given the answers to a gameshow's questions prior to going on. He wins the gameshow by over 100 points. At the end of the episode, he returns the envelope containing the questions, un-opened.
to:
* [[ICantBelieveImSayingThis I Can't Believe I'm Saying This]] ICantBelieveImSayingThis - On one occasion, several stories have fallen through, and Emma is horrified to find herself suggest [[DreadfulMusician Elliot]] be allowed to perform a particularly horrible ten minute composition he has been begging to do for ages.
* GeniusDitz - Mike is given the answers to a gameshow's questions prior to going on. He wins the gameshow by over 100 points. At the end of the episode, he returns the envelope containing the questions, un-opened.
* GeniusDitz - Mike is given the answers to a gameshow's questions prior to going on. He wins the gameshow by over 100 points. At the end of the episode, he returns the envelope containing the questions, un-opened.
Changed line(s) 45 (click to see context) from:
* IntoxicationEnsues - In "My Generation", Mike has a headache, and when Shelley the receptionist looks for some Panadol for him, she finds the ecstasy tablets Marty confiscated from one of the camera dudes. The ending is ''hilarious''.
to:
* IntoxicationEnsues - In "My Generation", Mike has a headache, and when Shelley the receptionist looks for some Panadol for him, she finds the ecstasy tablets Marty confiscated from one of the camera dudes. The ending is ''hilarious''.
Changed line(s) 50 (click to see context) from:
* NotSoAboveItAll - Marty and Brooke make fun of Mike for his vanity and naivety, but they can act just as petty and be just as easily manipulated.
to:
* NotSoAboveItAll - Marty and Brooke make fun of Mike for his vanity and naivety, but they can act just as petty and be just as easily manipulated.
Changed line(s) 66 (click to see context) from:
** [[IronicEcho "Give em' enough rope and..."]] from Season 2's finale.
to:
** [[IronicEcho "Give em' enough rope and..."]] from Season 2's finale.
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None
Changed line(s) 18 (click to see context) from:
* Mike Moore, Frontline's host. Mike considers himself a serious journalist. He is alone in this opinion, as everyone else thinks he's an egomaniacal half-wit with absolutely no grasp of current events at all.
to:
* Mike Moore, Frontline's host. Mike considers himself a serious journalist. He is alone in this opinion, as everyone else thinks he's [[SmallNameBigEgo an egomaniacal half-wit with absolutely no grasp of current events at all.]]
Changed line(s) 20 (click to see context) from:
* Marty Di Stasio, reporter. Marty is the ultimate cynic - he knows what he does is immoral, he just doesn't care. He inevitably gets along with the EP brilliantly due to this clarity of vision. One of his favourite hobbies is making Mike look as idiotic as possible.
to:
* Marty Di Stasio, reporter. Marty is [[TheCynic the ultimate cynic cynic]] - he knows what he does is immoral, he just doesn't care. He inevitably gets along with the EP brilliantly due to this clarity of vision. One of his favourite hobbies is making Mike look as idiotic as possible.
Changed line(s) 24 (click to see context) from:
* Sam Murphy, season two's Executive Producer. Sam is a besuited and smooth-talking manipulator, who is outstanding at making Mike think he has come up with an idea that is useful to Sam's agenda.
to:
* Sam Murphy, season two's Executive Producer. Sam is a besuited and [[ManipulativeBastard smooth-talking manipulator, manipulator]], who is outstanding at making Mike think he has come up with an idea that is useful to Sam's agenda.
Added DiffLines:
* EarWorm - "One Big Family"
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None
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* Graeme (Prowsey) Prowse, season three's Executive Producer, is far more blunt and rough. He is also more openly sexist.
to:
* Graeme (Prowsey) Prowse, season three's Executive Producer, is far more blunt and rough. He is also more openly sexist.sexist, at least at first. After a few episodes, though, he mellows, and actually [[OddFriendship gets on rather well with Emma.]]
Added DiffLines:
* NiceGuy - Mike's weatherman friend Geoffrey Salter, the only person who is both nice and stupid enough to genuinely like Mike.
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Renaming Welcome To The Liberator
* ConvenientReplacementCharacter - Probably justified in that no TV show would get rid of its executive producer without having someone ready to step in and take over.
Deleted line(s) 62 (click to see context) :
* WelcomeToTheLiberator - Probably justified in that no TV show would get rid of its executive producer without having someone ready to step in and take over.
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None
Added DiffLines:
** [[IronicEcho "Give em' enough rope and..."]] from Season 2's finale.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
* 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.
Deleted line(s) 34 (click to see context) :
* DiedOnABus - Following Bruno Lawrence's death prior to the filming of Season 2, His character Brian was fired due to the show's sagging ratings.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/frontline2.jpg
[[caption-width:300:Mike, Brooke & Marty]]
->"Mike has the network's one hundred percent support right up to the day we sack him."
--> ''Brian Thompson'' (Frontline Executive Producer)
''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 {{PBS}}.)
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.
'''All in the pursuit of ratings.'''
Not to be confused with the aforementioned {{PBS}} news program - the show is called "Behind the Frontline" when broadcast in North America for this reason.
----
Characters include:
* Mike Moore, Frontline's host. Mike considers himself a serious journalist. He is alone in this opinion, as everyone else thinks he's an egomaniacal half-wit with absolutely no grasp of current events at all.
* Brooke Vandenberg, reporter. Brooke is rumoured to have had a string of affairs with celebrities (stories largely started by herself) and never lets the truth get in the way of a story.
* Marty Di Stasio, reporter. Marty is the ultimate cynic - he knows what he does is immoral, he just doesn't care. He inevitably gets along with the EP brilliantly due to this clarity of vision. One of his favourite hobbies is making Mike look as idiotic as possible.
* Emma Ward, line producer. Emma is ethical and caring, and is the character the audience sympathises with. She is frequently horrified at the lengths the rest of the crew will go to distort a story to make it considered newsworthy.
* Elliot Rhodes, Frontline's resident "Friday Night Funnyman". He is [[SoUnfunnyItsFunny neither funny]] [[DreadfulMusician nor musical]], which is a bit of a problem given that he does a topical song every Friday night.
* 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:
* Sam Murphy, season two's Executive Producer. Sam is a besuited and smooth-talking manipulator, who is outstanding at making Mike think he has come up with an idea that is useful to Sam's agenda.
* Graeme (Prowsey) Prowse, season three's Executive Producer, is far more blunt and rough. He is also more openly sexist.
----
'''Contains examples of:'''
* BecauseImGoodAtIt: Marty, and arguably Emma.
* BlackComedy - Season 1 episode ''The Siege'' [[spoiler: ends with a hostage-taker calling Frontline and executing his hostages live on air.]]
* BrainlessBeauty - Brooke but Mike fits this trope more so.
* BreakTheMotivationalSpeaker
* DeadpanSnarker - Marty.
* DiedOnABus - Following Bruno Lawrence's death prior to the filming of Season 2, His character Brian was fired due to the show's sagging ratings.
* DreadfulMusician - Elliot.
* EvenEvilHasStandards - Marty is as unethical as anyone else on the team, but "Judge and Jury" he shows reluctance to cover an unsubstantiated story about a priest accused of rape. When Emma asks him, he admits that he, like her, is Catholic.
* FauxDocumentary
* [[ICantBelieveImSayingThis I Can't Believe I'm Saying This]] - On one occasion, several stories have fallen through, and Emma is horrified to find herself suggest [[DreadfulMusician Elliot]] be allowed to perform a particularly horrible ten minute composition he has been begging to do for ages.
* GeniusDitz - Mike is given the answers to a gameshow's questions prior to going on. He wins the gameshow by over 100 points. At the end of the episode, he returns the envelope containing the questions, un-opened.
* GladYouThoughtOfIt - Sam regularly uses this technique on Mike.
* HypocriticalHumour - The episode where the reporters target a statistician whose new book has been misinterpreted as racist. The episode is filled with Sam, Mike and Marty making racist comments, most notably Mike's complaint about his holiday in Greece.
* IdiotHero - Mike, though IdiotProtagonist would be more accurate.
* IntoxicationEnsues - In "My Generation", Mike has a headache, and when Shelley the receptionist looks for some Panadol for him, she finds the ecstasy tablets Marty confiscated from one of the camera dudes. The ending is ''hilarious''.
* IsThisThingStillOn - Mike starts insulting one of Elliot's songs after his microphone has been cut off at the end of the show. Unfortunately, he forgets that the camera is still on him during the end credits and that there's a sign language interpreter next to him. His comments are translated accurately and reported in the following day's newspaper.
* JadeColoredGlasses - Marty and Thommo.
* MoodWhiplash - In the episode ''Keeping Up Appearances'', jokes are made of a Frontline trying to secure the rights to the story of a woman who was burned by an ex-boyfriend. Marty even comments how it was for the best because she is now $200,000 richer. Cut to the first time we are allowed to see her face in full... and it's not so funny anymore.
* NotSoAboveItAll - Marty and Brooke make fun of Mike for his vanity and naivety, but they can act just as petty and be just as easily manipulated.
* OldMediaAreEvil
* RippedFromTheHeadlines - practically every episode, but especially ''The Siege'', ''The Simple Life'' and ''The Shadow We Cast''.
* RunningGag - Dom's crazy hairstyles.
* RushedInvertedReading
* SatireParodyPastiche - Satire ''(It was an attack on all the vapid current affairs programs that were and still are showing in Australia)''.
** In fact, you can now stop pretty much any Australian fan from taking the current affairs show they are currently watching seriously simply by saying "''Hello, I'm Mike Moore: welcome to '''Frontline'''.''"
* ShowWithinAShow - ''Frontline'' the current affairs show is the show within '''Frontline''' the satirical sitcom about current affair shows.
* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism - Clearly towards the Cynicial.
* SoUnfunnyItsFunny - Elliot's songs.
* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute - a different EP for every season.
** Justified as the actor who played Brian died after the first season.
* TedBaxter - Mike.
* TookALevelInDumbass - Mike. In the first season he is vain and naive, but "an alright reporter". In the second, he manages to break his leg on a motorcycle that isn't even moving, and can't even write a letter without basic spelling errors.
* UnsympatheticComedyProtagonist: practically everyone but poor Emma!
* WelcomeToTheLiberator - Probably justified in that no TV show would get rid of its executive producer without having someone ready to step in and take over.
* WhamLine: "That was Brooke. Her grandmother died."
----
[[caption-width:300:Mike, Brooke & Marty]]
->"Mike has the network's one hundred percent support right up to the day we sack him."
--> ''Brian Thompson'' (Frontline Executive Producer)
''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 {{PBS}}.)
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.
'''All in the pursuit of ratings.'''
Not to be confused with the aforementioned {{PBS}} news program - the show is called "Behind the Frontline" when broadcast in North America for this reason.
----
Characters include:
* Mike Moore, Frontline's host. Mike considers himself a serious journalist. He is alone in this opinion, as everyone else thinks he's an egomaniacal half-wit with absolutely no grasp of current events at all.
* Brooke Vandenberg, reporter. Brooke is rumoured to have had a string of affairs with celebrities (stories largely started by herself) and never lets the truth get in the way of a story.
* Marty Di Stasio, reporter. Marty is the ultimate cynic - he knows what he does is immoral, he just doesn't care. He inevitably gets along with the EP brilliantly due to this clarity of vision. One of his favourite hobbies is making Mike look as idiotic as possible.
* Emma Ward, line producer. Emma is ethical and caring, and is the character the audience sympathises with. She is frequently horrified at the lengths the rest of the crew will go to distort a story to make it considered newsworthy.
* Elliot Rhodes, Frontline's resident "Friday Night Funnyman". He is [[SoUnfunnyItsFunny neither funny]] [[DreadfulMusician nor musical]], which is a bit of a problem given that he does a topical song every Friday night.
* 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:
* Sam Murphy, season two's Executive Producer. Sam is a besuited and smooth-talking manipulator, who is outstanding at making Mike think he has come up with an idea that is useful to Sam's agenda.
* Graeme (Prowsey) Prowse, season three's Executive Producer, is far more blunt and rough. He is also more openly sexist.
----
'''Contains examples of:'''
* BecauseImGoodAtIt: Marty, and arguably Emma.
* BlackComedy - Season 1 episode ''The Siege'' [[spoiler: ends with a hostage-taker calling Frontline and executing his hostages live on air.]]
* BrainlessBeauty - Brooke but Mike fits this trope more so.
* BreakTheMotivationalSpeaker
* DeadpanSnarker - Marty.
* DiedOnABus - Following Bruno Lawrence's death prior to the filming of Season 2, His character Brian was fired due to the show's sagging ratings.
* DreadfulMusician - Elliot.
* EvenEvilHasStandards - Marty is as unethical as anyone else on the team, but "Judge and Jury" he shows reluctance to cover an unsubstantiated story about a priest accused of rape. When Emma asks him, he admits that he, like her, is Catholic.
* FauxDocumentary
* [[ICantBelieveImSayingThis I Can't Believe I'm Saying This]] - On one occasion, several stories have fallen through, and Emma is horrified to find herself suggest [[DreadfulMusician Elliot]] be allowed to perform a particularly horrible ten minute composition he has been begging to do for ages.
* GeniusDitz - Mike is given the answers to a gameshow's questions prior to going on. He wins the gameshow by over 100 points. At the end of the episode, he returns the envelope containing the questions, un-opened.
* GladYouThoughtOfIt - Sam regularly uses this technique on Mike.
* HypocriticalHumour - The episode where the reporters target a statistician whose new book has been misinterpreted as racist. The episode is filled with Sam, Mike and Marty making racist comments, most notably Mike's complaint about his holiday in Greece.
* IdiotHero - Mike, though IdiotProtagonist would be more accurate.
* IntoxicationEnsues - In "My Generation", Mike has a headache, and when Shelley the receptionist looks for some Panadol for him, she finds the ecstasy tablets Marty confiscated from one of the camera dudes. The ending is ''hilarious''.
* IsThisThingStillOn - Mike starts insulting one of Elliot's songs after his microphone has been cut off at the end of the show. Unfortunately, he forgets that the camera is still on him during the end credits and that there's a sign language interpreter next to him. His comments are translated accurately and reported in the following day's newspaper.
* JadeColoredGlasses - Marty and Thommo.
* MoodWhiplash - In the episode ''Keeping Up Appearances'', jokes are made of a Frontline trying to secure the rights to the story of a woman who was burned by an ex-boyfriend. Marty even comments how it was for the best because she is now $200,000 richer. Cut to the first time we are allowed to see her face in full... and it's not so funny anymore.
* NotSoAboveItAll - Marty and Brooke make fun of Mike for his vanity and naivety, but they can act just as petty and be just as easily manipulated.
* OldMediaAreEvil
* RippedFromTheHeadlines - practically every episode, but especially ''The Siege'', ''The Simple Life'' and ''The Shadow We Cast''.
* RunningGag - Dom's crazy hairstyles.
* RushedInvertedReading
* SatireParodyPastiche - Satire ''(It was an attack on all the vapid current affairs programs that were and still are showing in Australia)''.
** In fact, you can now stop pretty much any Australian fan from taking the current affairs show they are currently watching seriously simply by saying "''Hello, I'm Mike Moore: welcome to '''Frontline'''.''"
* ShowWithinAShow - ''Frontline'' the current affairs show is the show within '''Frontline''' the satirical sitcom about current affair shows.
* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism - Clearly towards the Cynicial.
* SoUnfunnyItsFunny - Elliot's songs.
* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute - a different EP for every season.
** Justified as the actor who played Brian died after the first season.
* TedBaxter - Mike.
* TookALevelInDumbass - Mike. In the first season he is vain and naive, but "an alright reporter". In the second, he manages to break his leg on a motorcycle that isn't even moving, and can't even write a letter without basic spelling errors.
* UnsympatheticComedyProtagonist: practically everyone but poor Emma!
* WelcomeToTheLiberator - Probably justified in that no TV show would get rid of its executive producer without having someone ready to step in and take over.
* WhamLine: "That was Brooke. Her grandmother died."
----
