At the start of the annual Mediaweek podcast that tries to list the best TV programs of the year, Mediaweek’s James Manning and Andrew Mercado both admitted there is simply not enough time to even sample all of the series that are flooding the market every year on TV networks and streaming services.
Mercado referred to a recent comment in the US that said we have been operating in a peak TV glut for several years and the quantity of programs continues to grow.
“You can’t keep up and you shouldn’t feel guilty about that,” said Mercado. “By no means is my list or James’s list comprehensive because there is too much great TV now.”
James Manning and Andrew Mercado
Biggest stories of the year
Mercado: “For me the biggest events of the year were CBS taking Network Ten away from the Murdochs and then Lisa Wilkinson‘s shock defection from Today to TEN. They were both huge stories that nobody saw coming.”
Manning also mentioned the continuing changing habits of TV audiences who want to watch TV on their own terms, streaming programs from SVOD platforms of FTA streaming services at a time that suits the viewer.
Highlights of Andrew Mercado’s list
Not a great year for Australian drama – exception was Friday On My Mind and two Foxtel dramas.
Wentworth
A Place To Call Home
Real Housewives of Melbourne
Hopelessly Devoted To You (for the great trailer promoting the Olivia Newton-John miniseries)
War On Waste
True Stories with Hamish and Andy
Little Big Shots & Australian Ninja Warrior
Big Little Lies
The Crown
Feud: Bette Davis and Joan Crawford
The Handmaid’s Tale
Twin Peaks
Will & Grace
Curb Your Enthusiasm
The Mick
Highlights of James Manning’s list
Hoges – the segment featuring Sean Keenan as the young Paul Hogan
Joan Didion: The Centre Will Not Hold (Netflix doco)
The Grand Tour – very mixed first season with some very good and some very bad. The first episode of season two was much stronger than much of season one.
Seven Types Of Ambiguity
Top Of The Lake: China Girl
Vikings – despite loads of very hard-to-watch violence
The Affair
Feud
Broadchurch season three
Billions season two – better than season one
SMILF – must-see comedy on Stan
Doctor Foster season 2 – as compelling as season one
The Crown season two
The Handmaid’s Tale
Pulse
Big Little Lies
Game Of Thrones
Stranger Things 2
Gogglebox Australia
Love It Or List It
Godless
The Deuce
House of Cards season five
The Durrells
MasterChef Australia
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