Cover: Nicky Buckley (Sale Of The Century)

Logies: And your nominees are…
TV Week previews the upcoming 37th annual TV Week Logie Awards, to be held at the Melbourne Concert Hall on Friday 28 April and televised on the Seven Network. International guests at the Logies will be Dean Cain from Lois & Clark The New Adventures Of Superman, Mark Curry and Holly Robinson from Hangin’ With Mr Cooper, and Sesame Street‘s Big Bird.

Nominations: TV Week Logie Awards publicly-voted categories:

Gold Logie — Most Popular Personality: Melissa George, Ray Martin, Daryl Somers, Gary Sweet

Silver Logie — Most Popular Actor: Dieter Brummer, Gary Sweet, John Wood

Silver Logie — Most Popular Actress: Melissa George, Lisa Hensley, Lisa McCune

Most Popular Light Entertainment Personality: Andrew Denton, Larry Emdur, Daryl Somers

Most Popular Comedy Personality: Russell Gilbert, Daryl Somers, Magda Szubanski

Most Popular New Talent: Daniel Amalm, Isla Fisher, Lisa McCune

Most Popular Drama: The Battlers, Heartland, Janus

Most Popular Series: Banjo Paterson’s The Man From Snowy River, Blue Heelers, Home And Away

Most Popular Comedy Program: Full Frontal, Hey Hey It’s Saturday, Mother And Son

Most Popular Light Entertainment Program: Hey Hey It’s Saturday, Just Kidding, Man O Man

Most Popular Lifestyle/Information Program: Burke’s Backyard, Getaway, The Great Outdoors

Most Popular Children’s Program: Agro’s Cartoon Connection, A*mazing, Totally Wild

Most Popular Public Affairs Program: A Current Affair, The 7.30 Report, 60 Minutes

Most Popular Sports Program: Commonwealth Games, The Footy Show (AFL), Rugby League State Of Origin

TV Week Logie Award industry-voted categories:
Gold Logie — Hall Of Fame, Silver Logie — Most Outstanding Actor, Silver Logie — Most Outstanding Actress, Most Outstanding Achievement In Drama Production, Most Outstanding Achievement In News, Most Outstanding Achievement In Comedy, Most Outstanding Achievement In Public Affairs, Most Outstanding Documentary (Single Program or Series), Most Outstanding Achievement By A Regional Network

The odd squad!
Funky Squad, the new series from the D Generation, is described as “Mod Squad meets Starsky And Hutch“, paying homage to the cop shows of the Seventies. With the garish wardrobe and hairstyles of the decade, Funky Squad presents the hip team of crime fighters in touch with the “now” generation. The show stars D-Generation members Jane Kennedy, Santo Cilauro and Tom Gleisner, joined by Tim Ferguson (formerly of the Doug Anthony All-Stars). Funky Squad begins on ABC later this month.

Messing with the Morphins!
The Full Frontal team are taking on children’s series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers in an upcoming sketch — though the cast themselves needed to get acquainted more with the show. “I watched it for the first time the night before we did our version,” Shaun Micallef (pictured second from left) told TV Week. “It just looked like a big ad to me. But kids seem to like things that turn into other things.” Former solicitor Micallef joined Full Frontal last year as a writer but now appears on screen. “It’s my first exposure to TV,” he said. “But acting and the law are very similar — they’re both about performance. Getting dressed up in the wig and gown and appearing in court isn’t that different from getting into a Power Rangers outfit!” Another newcomer to Full Frontal is Kitty Flanagan (pictured right), who used to be a copywriter in Sydney. “They sacked me,” she said. “So I became a stand-up comedian.”

Briefly…

• Rob Sitch is set to return home from studies at Harvard University in the US for production of a second series of Frontline. Co-star Bruno Lawrence is hoped to reprise his role of current affairs producer Brian Thompson. Lawrence is resting on a farm in New Zealand following treatment for lung cancer and has had discussions with the team about returning for the second series when production begins sometime after June.
• Kerry Packer recently threw a $240,000 dinner to farewell Nine Network boss Bruce Gyngell who is heading back to the United Kingdom. Attending the dinner were much of Nine’s stable of stars, including Ray Martin, Glenn Ridge, Nicky Buckley and Derryn Hinch.
• Rebecca Gibney, Charles ‘Bud’ Tingwell and Marg Downey are signed up as voice artists for an upcoming animated series, The Silver Brumby, for Network Ten.
• Deborah Hutton is to return with a second series of fashion show Looking Good for the Nine Network. Production is to start in August and should be on screen from mid-September.
• Sofie Formica is rumoured to have had discussions with casting agents for the hit US series Melrose Place.

TV’s Top 20 (Week Commencing 26 March): 

Lawrie Masterson: The View From Here:

“Home And Away‘s Melissa George (pictured) was last year’s winner of the Most Popular New Talent Logie, and follows up this year with her first nomination for Gold. If her name is announced at the climax of the April 28 telecast, she will be the first female to win since Jana Wendt (1992) and the youngest since Kylie Minogue (1988).”

Program Highlights (Melbourne, April 15-21):
Saturday: Beyond 2000 (5.30pm, Ten) looks at new guitar technology with rock star Diesel. Variety show Quest (7.30pm, ABC) is a talent competition to find the best young performers in Australia — simulcast with ABCFM. AFL Saturday (8.30pm, Seven) includes live coverage of West Coast Eagles versus North Melbourne from Perth.

Sunday: AFL Sunday includes Brisbane versus Sydney (2pm, Seven), live from Brisbane, and Adelaide Crows versus St Kilda (5.30pm, Seven), live from Adelaide. Multicultural affairs program Vox Populi (7pm, SBS) presents a special forum — Is There An Ethnic Vote? Sunday night movies are Moonstruck (repeat, Seven), Bingo (repeat, Nine) and The Mission (repeat, Ten). The FIFA World Youth Championship — Burundi versus Chile (12am, SBS) and Australia versus Cameroon (2.30am, SBS) — is live from Qatar.

Monday: The Stawell Gift (2pm, ABC) is broadcast live. In Home And Away (7pm, Seven), Donna (Nicola Quilter) gives way to desire and kisses Andrew (Adrian Lee). In Healthy Wealthy And Wise (7.30pm, Ten), Ross Greenwood shows how to go about getting a job if you’re over 40. The FIFA World Youth Championship (12am, SBS) features Russia versus Brazil and Argentina versus Portugal, live from Qatar.

Tuesday: In GP (8.30pm, ABC), one of William’s (Michael Craig) patients takes matters into his own hands when he has to wait months for elective surgery. In Blue Heelers (8.30pm, Seven), a break-in at a Chinese restaurant raises police suspicions about a gang of racists; and Nick (William McInnes) is accused of negligence.

Wednesday: In Neighbours (6.30pm, Ten), Annalise and Sam (Kimberley Davies and Richard Grieve, pictured) are over the moon as their relationship blossoms. In Home And Away (7pm, Seven), Selina (Tempany Deckert) tells Shannon (Isla Fisher) she thinks she may be pregnant. The FIFA World Youth Championship (12am, SBS) features Nigeria versus Brazil and Spain versus Chile, live from Qatar.

Thursday: In Home And Away (7pm, Seven), Selina (Tempany Deckert) tells Irene (Lynne McGranger) that she’s pregnant. In the series final of Janus (8.30pm, ABC), Michael Kidd (Chris Haywood) faces the biggest challenge of his illustrious career. The FIFA World Youth Championship (12am, SBS) features Netherlands versus Portugal and Australia versus Germany.

Friday: Friday Night Football (8.30pm, Seven) crosses to Perth for Fremantle versus Geelong. Comedy series Roy And HG Tonight (10.30pm, ABC) makes its debut. The Third Test, West Indies versus Australia, begins from Trinidad (12am, Ten).

Source: TV Week (Melbourne edition), incorporating TV Times and TV Guide. 15 April 1995. Southdown Press