Frontline - Cult Fiction

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Frontline - Divide the Community, Multiply the Ratings

April 13th 2007 06:29

Episode: 2.7 ‘Divide the Community, Multiply the Ratings’

What Happens: Dom gets a tipoff about some Croatians attacking Serbians and the Frontline crew manage to get exclusive footage. Sam is keen to stir up the issue some more in order to drag the story out over more nights of the show.

The Issues/Cliches of Current Affairs television: Slow news days. Ethnic violence. Show hosts getting perks from companies for endorsing their products on air.

Elliot-Watch: Doesn’t appear.

Celebrities: None appear.

Celebrity mentions: Jack Thompson.

Quotes:
MARTIN DI STASIO: Emma, you got anything yet?
EMMA: A woman’s written a book on the joy of turning 60.
MARTIN DI STASIO: Keep looking.
(A few moments later, Emma still looking through newspaper for stories
EMMA: You know those triplets who were born three years ago?
MARTIN DI STASIO: Uh-huh.
EMMA: Well… they’ve turned three.

SAM: We have an ethical duty to make sure it’s seen by as many people as possible.
EMMA: So we distribute it to all networks?
SAM: I’ll rephrase the ethical duty – it must be seen by as many people as possible provided they’re watching Frontline.

SAM: A what?
EMMA: A brawl in the carpark after the show.
DOM: That’s really bad.
SAM: I’ll tell you what’s bad, the fact that we didn’t get it on tape, dammit.

SAM: What’s better than two psycho wogs in the studio? Fifty psycho wogs.

MARTIN DI STASIO: What about the fireworks?
SAM: Hey… what if, in addition to our various ethnic guests, we put someone else in the audience.
MARTIN DI STASIO: Who?
SAM: Someone who’s guaranteed to shit-stir. Someone who can create ill-feeling. Someone… who was there on the day.
MARTIN DI STASIO: Me?
SAM: You’re a journalist, you’re an eye-witness…
MARTIN DI STASIO: …and a professional shit-stirrer.

(In forum full of arguing Serbs and Croats)
MIKE MOORE: Martin, what’s your view?
MARTIN DI STASIO: Thanks Mike, and yes I was there the other day, obviously I’ve been listening to the debate and the Serbs say it was the Croatians’ fault and the Croatians blame the Serbs. But, in my opinion, it’s the Serbs’ fault.
(The forum erupts violently)

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Frontline - Let the Children Play

April 11th 2007 22:27

Episode: 2.6 ‘Let the Children Play’

What Happens: The success of A Current Affairs’ ‘help the kids’ specials starring Angry Anderson prompts Frontline to adapt the formula for their own charity special starring Jon English.

The Issues/Cliches of Current Affairs television: Ripping off the competition. Companies sponsoring ‘charity’ special all want on-air acknowledgement (making it little more than advertising).

Elliot-Watch: Doesn’t appear.

Celebrities: Jon English appears.

Celebrity mentions: Angry Anderson. John Phelps. John Mills. The Frontline crew also draw up a board of possible charities and hosts before settling on Jon English, a quick freeze-frame shows it as thus…

BOARD OF IDEAS
Story: Cancer kids. AIDs babies. Spas kids. Homeless youths. Schizos. Chernobyl kids.
Hosts: Farnham. Neil Finn. Tim Finn. Glen Shorrock. Daddo. Stevie Wright. Shirl.

Quotes:
KATE: She’s not talking.
MARTIN DI STASIO: Bitch!
KATE: Marty, her husband’s just been shot.

SAM: So it’s the inner city kids, right, what do we provide for them?
EMMA: Drugs?
KATE: Rifle range?

SAM: Brooke, we’re looking for a host for this charity special… muso, some television experience.
EMMA: Drug-free.
BROOKE: Hmmm, that narrows the field a bit.

REBECCA (Mike’s niece): So what’s the story about?
MIKE MOORE (Picks up paper) Er… well, here’s the rundown… used cars, it’s one of Brookes.
REBECCA: But what’s it about?
MIKE MOORE: Well… cars. Used ones.

SAM: Marty… murdered guy’s wife?
MARTIN DI STASIO: Still not talking, but we did manage to find this little exclusive (pulls photo out of pocket)
EMMA: How’d you get that?
REBECCA: Oh, he tricked the wife into giving it to him using…
MARTIN DI STASIO: Excuse me! (To Sam) And we could have an interview with the cops as well.

EMMA: Don’t forget to wave at everyone around.
JON ENGLISH: (Driving) There’s no one around.
EMMA: Yeah, don’t worry about that. We’ll pick up some shots of people waving back later on.

(Watching Hugh and Brooke edit a story)
REBECCA: So when a story’s boring we add music, and when it’s really boring we put it in fast motion.
(Brooke looks unimpressed, Hugh has a coughing fit)

JON ENGLISH: Who took my wallet?
STU: Cut! (To kids) Ah, for Christ’s sake – we’re trying to help you little shits!
EMMA: Stu!
STU: They’re old enough.
KID: This playground sucks!
KID 2: We wanted a basketball court.

(Some of the girls in the office cry while watching slow-motion montage of Jon English charity story)
EMMA: (Crying) This is manipulative.
SAM: Em, there was a need.
EMMA: Yeah, our ratings were sagging.
SAM: The kid’s wanted a playground.
EMMA: No, the kid’s wanted a basketball court. Our sales department wanted a playground.

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Frontline - Basic Instincts

April 5th 2007 11:15

Episode: 2.5, ‘Basic Instincts’

What Happens: Stu finds himself in the right place at the right time when he films someone getting beaten up in a park late at night. The footage is sensational but it’s existence poses a problem – why didn’t the cameraman help the victim? Meanwhile, Emma has a boyfriend… and Brooke expresses concerns that it will affect her work.

The Issues/Cliches of Current Affairs television: Responsibility of media – film or help?

Elliot-Watch:
MIKE MOORE: (Laughs) I think after that Elliot’s gonna be disciplined. He’s done it again.

Celebrities: None appear.

Celebrity mentions: Michael Hutchence. Paula Yates. Kylie Minogue.

Quotes:
(On Emma not putting his story together for him)
MIKE MOORE: I’m trying to get a debate on one of the most divisive contentious issues in the community and look what time she got in.
DOM: Yeah… about five minutes after you.

MARTIN DI STASIO: This is one of the most brutal bashings I’ve ever seen captured on film.
STU: It’s not bad, ay…
SAM: Not bad?! They’ll be showing this on news reports overseas.
MARTIN DI STASIO: That, or Funniest Home Videos.
(They watch for a bit longer)
MARTIN DI STASIO: Actually, it’s not brutal enough for Funniest Home Videos.

BROOKE: We work in current affairs. We’re very lucky girls, we’re good at our jobs because we’ve always been focused.
EMMA: That’s funny, I thought we were good at our jobs because we’ve always had someone to write our questions for us.

(Looking through geography book for info on the Meli Massacre)
GEOFF: Here we go.
MIKE MOORE: That’s Maui.
GEOFF: Maui – Meli… could be a pronunciation thing.
MIKE MOORE: Was there a massacre there?
GEOFF: There’s a volcano.
MIKE MOORE: Well, that would’ve killed people.
GEOFF: (Convinced, taps page) This sounds like it.

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Frontline - Office Mole

April 3rd 2007 09:58

Episode: 2.4 ‘Office Mole

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Frontline - Heroes and Villains

March 30th 2007 07:23

Episode: 2.3 ‘Heroes and Villains’.

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Frontline - Working Class Man

March 27th 2007 07:20

Episode: 2.2 ‘Workin’ Class Man’

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Frontline - One Big Family

March 22nd 2007 10:59

Episode: 2.1 ‘One Big Family

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Frontline - Series 1 Overview

March 20th 2007 10:17

Frontline series 1 jumps right into it… little introduction is made in regards to the characters, it’s just straight in. Indeed, the first few episodes of the show could’ve been shown or filmed in any order. References are made to Mike having recently come across to Frontline from another network (the ABC), but aside from this it’s as if the team has been running for a while prior to the start of the series

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