So we had an idea some time ago to get our readers to tell us what they really like.
We ran a poll in November and December with 16 different categories across a number of media platforms.
Today we publish the first results and we will run one a day across the end of December and then the first couple of weeks of January.
We will be revealing the winner and two runners-up for each category.
Best Television Drama Series 2018
Winner: Wentworth
First Runner-up: Rake
Second Runner Up: Playing For Keeps
#1. Wentworth
The Foxtel drama that was recently renewed for another 20 episodes was a clear winner in the first category of the Mediaweek Industry Awards.
The prison drama is made by Fremantle for Foxtel and has also had amazing success around the world in both program sales and also as a format.
Fremantle’s head of scripted Jo Porter recently explained to Mediaweek that the Turkish version of the format is the #1 drama in that country.
See also:
Listen: Mediaweek’s Wentworth podcast with the hit drama’s executive producers
• The new order of episodes will take the show to 100 episodes.
Read: Wentworth set to return: Foxtel commissions a further 20 episodes
#2. Rake
Taking second place in the TV drama poll was ABC’s Rake. Made for the broadcaster by Ian Collie’s Easy Tiger, the final season of the show aired this year. Those episodes were criticised by some fans as Cleaver Green (played brilliantly by Richard Roxburgh) moved to Canberra. Even if we wanted to agree that the final series was the weakest (and we don’t by the way) there is still much to love about the show including the cast and the crazy situations Green finds himself in.
Executive producers alongside Collie were Peter Duncan and Richard Roxburgh.
See also:
Listen: Mediaweek podcast with producer Ian Collie. Although mainly discussing his series Jack Irish, Collie also speaks about the final season of Rake.
#3 Playing For Keeps
Playing for Keeps
Taking third place was 10’s new drama Playing For Keeps, which had a solid debut without posting sensational numbers. Looked at in terms of 10’s under-50s audience though they looked a lot better. So much so that 10 has commissioned a second season. Despite having some reservations about the first season, Mediaweek’s Andrew Mercado gave it a positive review although it didn’t quite make his best of the year list. Screentime makes the series for 10.
Just a quick word about one show that we like that didn’t make the top three (which, by the way, also indicates that these poll results are not rigged!).
How did Mystery Road not make this list of the best dramas?
Don’t worry – Mediaweek has paid tribute to the series often since it screened on the ABC earlier this year.
See also:
Read: Inside Bunya Productions: Australia’s hottest drama producer
Listen: Mediaweek’s Mystery Road podcast with executive producer David Jowsey.
Listen: Mercado & Manning’s final TV podcast for the year where both co-hosts pay tribute to what one of the commentators thinks was the best thing on TV in 2018.
Tomorrow: Best Television Comedy 2018