Gets better toward the end - stick with it!

bustopher

I was thinking the first couple of episodes were rather formulaic, not believable and a tad pedestrian. There are some ponderous issues raised, such as how an unknown woman from the bush (and not even a party member) becomes a senator to occupy a casual vacancy. Members who've been going to branch meetings for years will be extremely disappointed by the low entry price Alex had to pay to become a senator.

Another point I had incredible difficulty with was how an aboriginal rights campaigner ends up joining the Liberal/National government. Okay, I'm aware of Neville Bonner and even Ken Wyatt, but I still can't see why Mailman's character - completely upset over lack of indigenous services in the bush - could join the (now) government.

As the episodes proceed, however, and we get to know the characters, the emotional side starts to shine through, and the series massively improves. Not wishing to reveal spolers, I think the main change occurs when Mailman has to race back to her home town to deal with a pressing issue there. That's treated with humour and sensitivity, and humanises the character and the whole series.

Some of the political procedures shown are simply not correct, but perhaps the series can be forgiven for taking shortcuts. However, to a regular watcher of parliament, it grated on me a little about how someone can just stand up in parliament and make a statement or even move a motion without going through the correct procedural processes.

What's interesting is that most of the imagery in parliament house is shot in the new parliament house (Opened in 1987), but when we enter the House of Reps or Senate chamber, we find ourselves down the road at Old Parliament House. I suppose it was a lot easier for the locations manager to book old Parliament House than the new, or indeed for a set to be constructed.

Certainly a worthwhile watch, and I encourage people to not judge this on its first two episodes - it gets a lot better - but far from perfection as some reviewers here would have you believe.

score 7/10

bustopher 18 November 2019

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw5265781/