The Games

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.

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.

Well, hey, at least the Australians *get* worthwhile television programming.

For the life of me, I can't think of one American comedy series in the past 15 years that's been any good at all (any mention of the alleged comedy series know as "Seinfeld" gets the mentioner a metaphorical boot to the head.)

A region-free DVD player purchase is definitely in the near future. This is so I can watch "The Games" and "Mother and Son." "One Foot in the Grave" is also on the shopping list. Victor Meldrew is THE MAN.

>: /

Cheers,

James Fraser

First of all let me declare that I am a John Clarke fan and the man has maintained a level of consistency in satire and irony that has not been equalled in Australia or New Zealand. Many in the US would not understand this brand of humour but I accept that we only see the dross coming out of the United States and we miss out out on many of the fine programs that PBS televises. PBS programmes support the argument that there is a discerning audience somewhere in that country. I think he lives Connecticut.

This program started as a satire but as others have noted, was so close to the truth that it could be mistaken for being an actual documentary. It depicts with cruel accuracy the incompetence, back-stabbing and utter corruption of many of the bureaucrats involved in Australia's running of the 2000 Olympic Games as they scrambled up the ratlines in vainglorious pursuit. Incidentally, and by way of salute, those games were to be declared, at the Closing Ceremony, to be the best ever and this was almost entirely due to the contributions of tens of thousands of volunteers who freely gave their time to ensure that everything worked as it should.

The dry, witty script delivered in flawless fashion by Clarke perfectly supported by Dawes and Riley, should have, and did, hold up the mirror so that our politicians, the bureaucrats, the Sydney Olympic Committee and the IOC, could see themselves for what they were.

Unfortunately, the program dealt with a specific event in time and therefore will age quickly but it should be used as learning tool for anyone wanting to learn the scriptwriting art or as an example of understated satire that has all the subtlety of a stiletto.