Phoenix

I would have to say that Phoenix was the best mini-series ever committed to television.I must have watched it a million times and still find it invigorating as when i first watched it,with it's grainy vision and halting camera work this was not just another cop show,but at true piece of television magic.A member of my wife's family personally knows the technical adviser for the series and i have been able to glean many facts regarding this fantastic series.It is a shame that it can't be purchased on DVD as my copies on VHS are becoming well worn,and considering i had to place an ad in the herald sun to find someone who could let me purchase a copy it must be hard for the fans to keep hold of the memories.Hopefully someone at the ABC will have the good sense to re-release this as a box set on DVD,and keep the memories fresh for a long time to come.

Of all the TV series I have watched - which include most western productions (including American and British) - this is by far the best. Brilliant direction, acting, cinematography and editing. The storyline, while based on an actual event where two police officers are killed by a bombing, is just outstanding. It is uncontrived, honest and so real that you can just feel it. In my humble opinion there can be little doubt that this series is, to date, the zenith of television production in Australia - and the equal of anything in the world (and that says a lot coming from a New Zealander!).

The only disappointment is that this series has never got the awards and critical acclaim outside of Australia that it deserved. While this series was produced in 1992, it is only being matched in quality by series produced a decade later. Current series that come close to the quality of Phoenix include "Criminal Intent" and "Special Victims Unit".

To me this series was absolutely spell binding. It is based on actual events but cleverly disguised as a Police Drama. The story covers a bombing in a city and the subsequent investigation over several episodes. Dramatic licence is there but the program is believable and never over the top. The program used a former police officer arson expert as there technical adviser and as a former member of this police force, the jargon and officer behaviour was terribly accurate. If you are lucky enough to come across a re-run of this series, watch it. It is interesting from the start and the actual forensic science techniques used are true. One last comment, I'm not the bozo forensic chemist, just his assistant.

Based on a true story, this Australian mini-series is one of the few police dramas I've ever seen which conveys how complicated, frustrating and slow the process of solving a murder can be... and yet manages to be a gripping drama. As an added bonus, it features one of the best depictions of real (sane!) scientists ever put on television - a husband-and-wife team of forensic experts who manage to retain their integrity as scientists despite the political demands of the job. It also boasts an excellent soundtrack, as well as strong performances from all of the cast. Catch it if you can.

I have only seen 'Phoenix' as a repeat (currently been shown @ 11pm Monday nights on ABC). I thought that the first series was brilliant, but on Monday, the second series premiered. I noticed that Paul Sonkila and Andy Anderson were among the notable absentees - obviously as officers-in-charge of the Major Crime Squad, they were held accountable for the many complaints regarding the bomb investigation. It now seems that Phoenix has lost its first series quality. Am I reading to much into the first episode, or were Sonkila, Anderson and others smart enough to get off a sinking ship?