The Games

The Games would rank with Frontline as probably the best Aussie satire of the past 10 years.

The show revolves around the Games Orginisational Team. John Clarke is the logistics officer and oversees the operation, which he does with able cynicism towards anything that comes towards him in a cloak of privilege and/or arrogance ( ie. the IOC ), while at the same time showing an idealistic view towards what the actual events themselves entail. Gina Riley is the Private Liason Officer and has a a more rounded view of how the Olympics will function as an orginisation where as Bryan Dawe is the Financial Officer, a long time friend of John, ( an in-joke to their time spent together in the 7:30 Report ) and concerned about the Olympics' ability to make a deficit. If it was their own abilities they may have a chance but they also have to deal with an inept Minister, represented by his secretary, Nicholas Bell, who comes up with all sorts of ideas and dumps them at the doorstep of Clarke, Riley and Dawe; mainly if they go pear shaped; he won't take the blame.

The Games is a wonderful show, with some great guest stars, including a wonderful spot by the illustrious Sam Neill as a oily transport CEO and some weird and wondrous scenarios- like 100 metre tracks that...don't measure up. If you have the chance see it. If you then have another chance, buy it.

This show is brilliant! Not only the satire, but the (Clarke) style of writing, and the performances of the fine cast. What really makes it worthwhile viewing is the way it portrays the NSW State government's and the Australian Federal Government's misappropriation of funds from health, education etc. in order to pay for these games, of which, the budget has completely blown out.

I first came across this show during it's first season by simply channel surfing and from then on never missed an episode (O.K. I did once: but I had it on tape.)

I am a great fan of Gina Riley and her work especially in Big Girls Blouse with Magda Szubanski and Jane Turner. She is so versatile.

The show's cast has the ability to present normally-serious topics in a light hearted way, turning it into a joke.

Then again, the preparations for the 2000 Olympics are a joke, aren't they?

I highly recommend this show to anyone looking for a laugh, and for those with Cable: 'Arena' is syndicating the program on a Thursday night.

This Australian "mockumentary" played on America's PBS network a couple of years ago. It took me a while to tune into its highly idiosyncractic satire but once I caught on I was hooked. Bureaucracy, media, sports, almost everything is served up on the platter here. I would pay for a DVD collection of this but, alas, it seems to only available in Australia. Pity.

The Games is one of the best Australian television series. It managed consistent biting humour, excellent performances and superb writing - and was made all the more amusing when real life mirrored many of the events portrayed in the show. Guest appearances from many of Australia's best known personalities (including John Farnham) contributed to the show's professional look.

If there could be one comment to come out of this show, it would be "Where do all these people go?" There is clearly significant talent around Australia, as evidenced by the likes of The Games and Frontline, yet once these shows are gone we are left with nothing. Nonetheless, The Games is a delightful show, and certainly deserved the strong audience it received.