March 16, 2013

ABC, Dr Blake and A Little Bit Of Mona.

I can't stand reality TV.  It annoys me so much that I get an overwhelming urge to slap the whingey, whiney person whose bathroom has failed/souffle has collapsed/is straight when everyone thinks he is gay.  Now I realise the huge success of shows like Masterchef and The Block mean I am quite possibly the only person in Australia who feels like this. To each his own. Personally there is enough reality in my everyday life.  I am looking for a little escapism on the TV.

The problem with my immense dislike of reality TV is that it leaves me very little to watch on the telly. It's either endless reruns of The Big Bang Theory or whatever the ABC has on the nights it doesn't dabble in reality.  For the record, Australian Story is not reality TV - just excellent documentary type stuff.  Big difference.

One of my current favourites is The Doctor Blake Mysteries.  A local doctor investigating murders in Ballarat in the late 50s is infinitely preferable to someone having a melt down in a bathroom shop.

Craig McLachlan stars as Dr Blake. He is brilliant.  I can honestly say I was a tiny bit surprised at how good he is. (I shouldn't have been as he is a veteran of TV and stage shows.)  Love him and the character.  I keep forgetting I am watching Craig McLachlan.  Then every now and then it all comes flooding back and I can't help but think of this.





And while Dr Blake can uncover experiments on the patients in the local lunatic asylum (it is the 50s remember so mental health care was very grim) he definitely couldn't play guitar on the back of a ute.

Go Craig (even your name sounds Australian...) What's not to love?

Sorry about the ad in the clip - can't make it go away.  Mona's hair however was what I longed for in my teens in the late 80s/early 90s.  Never achieved it though.  Do you think spiral perms will make a comeback? What about 501s with an open shirt tied over a singlet?  I did work that look for quite a few years myself.

Enjoy your weekend.

Addit :

Couldn't resist adding this after Heidi pointed it out.




Myf is, as usual, hilarious and Craig can still work those overalls.  Made my weekend. Thanks Heidi.


16 comments:

**Anne** said...

I'm with you on reality t.v. shows, Master Chef, My Kitchen Rules, blughh. I take to watching European films on SBS, much more interesting.
Enjoy your weekend.
Anne xx

A Farmer's Wife said...

Thanks Anne - at least I know I am not the only person is Australia who doesn't enjoy Masterchef!

Kate @ Kate Writes said...

You are certainly not the only one but it does leave slim pickings! I am on the edge of my seat, waiting for the new series of Call the Midwife. Lucky I have learnt to embrace ABC I think!

A Farmer's Wife said...

Slim pickings indeed Kate. Loved Call The Midwife!

Heidi said...

I loath reality tv. The worst are the Masterchef type ones, where we all get to go on a "journey" with the contestants. I watch mostly ABC these days, a bit of SBS and the Lifestyle channel on Foxtel (especially this month where it's got the new Grand Designs on). As for the Mona clip - my older sister had a spiral perm, I wasn't allowed as I couldn't afford it (too young to legally work). I did do the white shirt/ weird black doc martins style shoes/ 501's. Myf Warhurst did a show called "nice" last year about her memories of the 80's and Craig was such a good sport. She dressed up in Mona type gear, and he wore the denim overalls and no shirt on the back of a Ute driven by Stefan Dennis (remember him? He ran Lassiters). Just found it on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_42UafjXjmk Have a great weekend! xx

Coulda shoulda woulda said...

Craig takes me back to Oz more than a Qantas ad!

Am curious now...

I must say that if you want some good telly, try the Danish / Swedish crime fictions shows.

Thoroughly enjoyable with great writing and characters that don't underestimate your intelligence.

Romy said...

My husband & I spent last night with Dr Blake too....Craig really is v good in it. Had forgotten Mona....momentarily wondered how you were going to segue from Craig to Hobart's fab MONA museum and why....but I had my Mona's mixed up. Thanks for the memories! Rx

A Farmer's Wife said...

Heidi - Loved the clip and added it to the post. So funny. And just for the record given that he must be late 40s, Craig still looks hot in those overalls.

Coulda shoulda woulda - Investigate Dr Blake. Very Australian and very good.

Romy - Craig is very good isn't he? I feel bad about being so surprised. Just hard to move on from Henry from neighbours. Laughed about the mixed up Monas. Would be a big mix-up. Even my knightsmove thinking couldn't connect those two easily.

River said...

I haven't seen Dr Blake yet, I meant to watch, but keep forgetting to change channels or switch off the dvd. It shows on Fridays here, so I'll make a big red circle in the TV guide, perhaps that will help.
There is nothing real about reality shows.

Unknown said...

I to dislike the reality TV shows, and only watch the Block, because I love everything to do with renovating. We were on the verge of giving that one the flick last week because of all the controversy over the challenges. They need to know how to behave ethically.
Otherwise we mostly watch, ABC, SBS, UKTV. xxx

Anonymous said...

Here I was thinking that I was the only one that didn't like reality. Will make a point of turning the TV on to watch Dr Blake. It hasn't been on because there isn't anything to watch. Some of these reality shows are border line bullying.

Louise

Fiona said...

Thanks for the trip down memory lane. The clothes, the hair, the Craig!

A Farmer's Wife said...

River - You would love Dr Blake.

Rae - We are huge ABC fans. Not much else gets a look in to be honest

Louise- Reality TV is just horrible.

Fiona - Oh the Craig!

jcatesby6 said...

Oh totally agree with you all .. reality TV sucks! The ABC offers such great programs: Dr Blake, The Hour (when it was on), even QI (haven't tired of the Fry yet), etc. Love New Tricks esp Supt Int Sandray Pullman.

Mel @ Coal Valley View said...

Oh this is so great! Thanks for the 80's flashback :-) Not much of anything good on TV I agree, but I do like Downton Abbey on a Sunday night. Mel x

Unknown said...

Craig McLaughlin. What a blast from the past. I have a friend who proudly boasts of being related to both Craig McLaughlin and Napoleon. Quite the gene pool win, I'm sure you'll agree.