MovieChat Forums > The Hollowmen (2008) Discussion > Pretty good, I reckon.

Pretty good, I reckon.

posted 16 years ago by John_Acrob
15 replies | jump to latest

My review of episode 1:

The style of The Hollowmen is very similar to Frontline, being shot in a candid documentary style. Also like Frontline, it is satire covering important issues. basically the theme is: A government only cares about how they are peceived, rather than caring about any real issue itself.

A nice guitar rift breaks up the action, and a great opening credit sequence brought me right in to the action. As far as the cast, it seems first rate. Never seeing the Primeminister is something that has been done before, but it does add a certain realism to the show, by saving The Hollowmen from using a fictional person as our leader. I've never really found Merrick Watts all that funny, but I guess time will tell on his character.

Rob Sitch's character is hilarious, constantly writing down and repeating buzz-worded nothings and talking a lot of hot air, whilst Lachy Hume's character, though possibly as spineless as Sitch's, does seem to have something to say. I'm sure a strong and interesting dynamic will develop.

I look forward to future episodes.

[–] hcrapwhitman 16 years ago

I look forward to future episodes too. It pains me to say it but the first one was a complete turnip of-a-thing.

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] hcrapwhitman 16 years ago

...Think it has potential to be the next best Aussie comedy...

Consider it achieved. Aussie comedy is like a Zimbabwean election, there's only one candidate. It's a sad state-of-affairs.

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] hcrapwhitman 16 years ago

Wow, what are the odds, I too have been at the cooking sherry...hic...

[–] mike_cable 16 years ago

It was very enjoyable. It was great to see Rob Sitch in a funny television role again. I look forward to watching it further. I like the idea of never seeing the PM and the constant references to him make it all seem a lot busier and their roles much more important.

[–] unkleduke 16 years ago

A great first episode - there was a 'raft' of comedic policies at work here driven by the 'can-do' attitude of the team that gave us Front Line.

But being very familiar with Front Line it was hard to keep the Mike Moore character out of mind when watching this.

I also liked seeing that Merrick guy in a straight-man role!

I am the Night Rider......i'm a fuel injected suicide machine

[–] mike_cable 16 years ago

Yes, I kept thinking about Mike Moore also.

*** FRONT LINE SPOILER BELOW ***
Wouldn't it be interesting if it turned out that Mike Moore survived that plane accident and got into politics, taking on the role of this public servant character. He could say the experienced changed him and all the other characters could make constant gag references to his former life.

I hope Jane Kennedy surfaces somewhere as a cameo.

[–] John_Acrob 16 years ago

Haha that would be interesting, but a little too much of a twist for the Working Dog team, I think. (SPOILER AHEAD) Anyway, didn't Mike survive in the end of Frontline? At the end of the credits he was delayed at the airport...? Also Sitch's character in The Hollowmen is pretty different than Mike Moore, I reckon. For one thing he's a lot more intelligent, and a lot less opinionated. Though he does seem equally weak-willed.

[–] mike_cable 16 years ago

** FRONT LINE SPOILER **
I watched the DVDs of the entire series last year and from memory, the plane crashed and blew up in a ball of flame and then that was basically the end. Maybe the televised version was different, or maybe I missed something.

[–] John_Acrob 16 years ago

I just watched it on DVD! During the credits, Mike delivers the eulogy for the Aboriginal man who WAS in the plane, regretting that he wasn't in the plane himself.

HE SURVIVED!!! WATCH THE CREDITS!!!

[–] mike_cable 16 years ago

Ohhhhhhhhh, I missed it then. Well how about that. All this time I thought it was a very different ending. :)

[–] John_Acrob 16 years ago

Ha ha, which ending do you think would have been better?

[–] mike_cable 16 years ago

I don't know, to be honest. I guess he was a good guy in the end. He did have some good moments.

[–] jbs0902 16 years ago

I found the "alive" ending hilarious.
My wife however, was disturbed by it.