In this episode of TV Gold, hosts James Manning and Andrew Mercado discuss three shows: Families Like Ours (SBS On Demand, 7 episodes)
Enigma (HBO Max documentary feature)
The Backside of Television (Foxtel/Binge)

They delve into the emotional and societal themes presented in 'Families Like Ours', the intriguing lives of Amanda Lear and April Ashley in 'Enigma', and the historical insights provided by 'The Backside of Television'. The conversation highlights the impact of streaming services on viewing habits and the importance of cultural narratives in television.

Highlights include:

• 'Families Like Ours' presents a harrowing yet brilliant concept.
• The show explores the impact of climate change on families.
• Character decisions in 'Families Like Ours' lead to deep emotional responses.
• 'Enigma' reveals the hidden lives of Amanda Lear and April Ashley.
• The documentary highlights the struggles of trans individuals in the past.
• 'The Backside of Television' uncovers lesser-known stories of Australian TV history.
• Mitch McTaggart's research is commendable and insightful.
• The hosts emphasise the importance of representation in media.
• Cultural reflections in these shows resonate with current societal issues.

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This bonus episode of TV Gold delves into the revival of the iconic Australian television show Number 96, exploring its historical significance, production challenges, cultural impact, and the future of Australian classics in the streaming era.

Andrew Mercado shares insights on the show's groundbreaking themes, its reception, and the efforts to bring it back to audiences through the streaming service Brollie.
Takeaways from this special episode:
Number 96 was a groundbreaking show in the 70s.
The show tackled social issues like LGBT representation and domestic violence.
Andrew Mercado worked on a project to make all the episodes available.
The original tapes of Number 96 are degrading and need digitisation.
The show was a massive ratings hit, airing five nights a week.
Number 96 featured a mix of drama and comedy, appealing to diverse audiences.
The tabloid press played a significant role in the show's popularity.
The introduction of colour TV marked a turning point for the show.
Brollie is working with Andrew to revive and stream other classic Australian TV shows.
UK fans are using VPNs to access Brollie and watch Number 96.

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This week on the TV Gold podcast.
Listen on Spotify, Apple and more…links here.
https://pod.link/1106441089

• Smoke (Apple, 9 episodes)
Inspired by true events, “Smoke” follows an arson investigator who begrudgingly teams up with a police detective as their race to stop two arsonists ignites a twisted game of secrets and suspicions. Great cast includes Taron Egerton, Jurnee Smollett, Rafe Spall, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine and Greg Kinnear.

• Hal & Harper (Stan, 8 episodes)
Hal & Harper are codependent siblings (played by Cooper Raiff and Lili Reinhart) doing their best to navigate long-term relationships, friendships, and situationships. When their dad (played by Mark Ruffalo) makes a big announcement, the two are forced to consider the current state of their lives and their complicated childhood.

• My Mom Jayne (Max, movie)
In her feature film directorial debut—and the first time she has delved into her mother Jayne Mansfield’s story—Mariska Hargitay searches for the mother she never knew almost six decades after the Hollywood legend’s tragic death. A must-see HBO documentary for people interested in Hollywood history and iconic movie stars.

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In this bonus TV Gold episode, Bay of Fires cast member Ilai Swindells (Sammi the tech expert) talks with Andrew and James about working on the hit ABC drama co-created by Marta Dusseldorp. We go behind the scenes to hear about the casting, filming on location in western Tasmania and how the cast were greeted by the locals.

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Reviews this week of two Australian productions, a US family saga and a British medical drama.

• Bay of Fires S2 (ABC iview, 8 episodes)
Season 2 of Marta Dusseldorp’s Bay of Fires sees her taking charge of the strange community that inhabits Mystery Bay.

• Little Disasters (ABC iview, 6 episodes)
This British psychological medical thriller explores female friendships and motherhood. An impressive ensemble cast is led by Diane Kruger and Jo Joyner.

• The Waterfront (Netflix, 8 episodes)
A US drama series from the creator of Dawson’s Creek about the fictional Buckley family. Set against the backdrop of coastal North Carolina, The Waterfront explores family dynamics and the lengths people will go to when their legacy is on the line.

• The Surfer (Stan, movie)
When a surfer (played by Nicolas Cage) returns to Australia to buy back his family home after many years in the US, he is humiliated in front of his teenage son by a group of local surfers who claim ownership over the secluded beach of his childhood. Being hailed by some as a cult classic, The Surfer was shot in a single location in Yallingup in Western Australia.

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Mix Tape (Binge/Foxtel, 4 episodes)
An Australian/Ireland co-production telling the story of a teenage romance in Sheffield which ends abruptly with some unanswered questions. Later in life the former lovers reconnect which impacts their current relationships. Young lovers Alison and Daniel steel the show.

Mr Loverman (Binge/Foxtel, 8 episodes)
Lennie James stars as Barry. The flamboyant dresser is a celebrity in Hackney, but he carries a secret none in the family or his community know about. Will revealing it cause pain for his family and friends?

Echo Valley (AppleTV+ movie)
Justifiably being billed as an “edge-of-your-seat thriller” starring Julianne Moore as Kate, who goes to extraordinary lengths to help her troubled daughter Claire, played by Sydney Sweeney.

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Four impressive series this week that all were in the running for TV Gold Show of the Week.

• The Survivors (Netflix, 6 episodes)
Producer Tony Ayres has crafted a murder mystery set in Tasmania that will keep you guessing until the final episode. Great cast led by Robyn Malcolm and Damien Garvey.

• Brassic (SBS On Demand and Netflix, 6 seasons)
Hilarious British comedy series set in Northern England which has somehow evaded TV Gold until its sixth season. More great performances here including co-creator Joe Gilgun and Andrew Mercado favourite Michelle Keegan.

• Dept Q (Netflix, 9 episodes)
Detective Carl Morck (played by Matthew Goode) isn’t particularly easy to get along with. Morck is a notorious figure in his adopted home of Edinburgh, Scotland, an English detective who gets under the skin of everyone around him. Watch it for Goode’s lead role, but stay for the brilliant work of co-star Chloe Pirrie.

• This City Is Ours (Stan, 8 episodes)
Sean Bean stars in this crime drama set and filmed in Liverpool, with additional filming in Spain. This City is Ours is the story of Michael (James Nelson-Joyce), a man who for all of his adult life has been involved in organised crime. Bean the the crime family patriarch and there’s lots of family drama playing out across the eight episodes.

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This week two dramas about sisters and the much anticipated movie from Succession creator Jesse Armstrong.

• Sirens (Netflix, 5 episodes)

Watch for the exploration of the relationship between working-class Buffalonian Devon DeWitt (Meghann Fahy) and her younger and somewhat more successful sister Simone (Milly Alcock). Stay for the husband and wife dynamics between socialite Michaela Kell (Julianne Moore) at the lavish beachside estate she shares with her billionaire husband, Peter (Kevin Bacon).

• The Better Sister (Prime Video, 8 episodes)

A thriller that centres around Chloe (Jessica Biel), a high-profile media executive (think Anna Wintour), who lives a picturesque life with her handsome lawyer husband Adam (Corey Stoll) and teenage son Ethan (Maxwell Acee Donovan) by her side while her estranged sister Nicky (Elizabeth Banks) struggles to make ends meet and stay clean.

• Mountainhead (Max, movie)

A story about four very nasty tech tycoons, good friends on the surface but cutthroat underneath, who gather for a poker weekend at the luxurious home of the poorest of them, the one who is only worth half a billion dollars!

Jason Schwartzman is Hugo, the host and creator of a meditation app, angling to get one of his friends to invest a billion or so in his business.

Steve Carell is Randy, the oldest of the group, whose contacts in Washington, DC can influence the military and the country's power grid. Diagnosed with incurable cancer, he can't believe money can't fix that, but hopes to cheat death by getting his friends to create an artificial intelligence able to upload a human brain.

Ramy Youssef is Jeff, whose company has a super-efficient AI, and who appears to be the most humane of the four (which isn't saying much).

Cory Michael Smith is Ben, the owner of a social media app called Traan, and the world’s richest man.

Also this week – James visits Clarkson’s pub which features in the new season of Clarkson’s Farm (prime Video) and Andrew has watched new And Just Like That (Binge).

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