The Hollowmen

Infobox Television
show_name = The Hollowmen


caption =
genre = Situation comedy-Drama
creator =
director =
developer =
presenter =
starring =
voices =
narrated =
theme_music_composer =
opentheme = "North by North" by The Bats
endtheme =
composer =
country = AUS
language = English
num_seasons = 2
num_episodes = 12
list_episodes =
executive_producer =
producer =
asst_producer =
editor =
location =
camera =
runtime =
network = ABC1
picture_format =
audio_format = Stereo
first_run = AUS
first_aired = 9 July 2008
last_aired = present
preceded_by =
followed_by =
related =
website = http://www.abc.net.au/tv/hollowmen/
imdb_id = 1242819
tv_com_id = 75946

"The Hollowmen" is an Australian television comedy series set in the offices of the Central Policy unit, a fictional political advisory personally set up by the Prime Minister to help him get re-elected. It was first broadcast on Wednesday, 9 July 2008, on ABC1. Each season comprises six half-hour episodes. [http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,23830302-5012980,00.html]

On the eve of the first episode's national premiere, the series was greenlit by the ABC for a second season, and the second series was screened right after the first (beginning on 3 September). [http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,23990107-5012980,00.html] [ [http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,23990107-5012980,00.html New Tom Gleisner TV show The Hollowmen a hit unseen | The Courier-Mail ] ]

The comedy-drama satire is produced by Working Dog Productions, which was also responsible for "Frontline", "The Panel" and "Thank God You're Here".

The music used during the opening credits is an edited instrumental version of the 1987 song "North by North" by New Zealand band The Bats.

The ABC has made episodes screened available for download, except the first three. [ [http://www.abc.net.au/hollowmen ABC TV - The Hollowmen ] ]

Cast

Main Cast

* Neil Melville – Ian, the Prime Minister's Chief of Staff
* Rob Sitch – Tony, the Prime Minister's Principal Private Secretary
* Lachy Hulme – David 'Murph' Murphy, Senior Political Advisor and Director of the Central Policy Unit
* Merrick Watts – Nick, Senior Political Advisor
* David James – Phillip, Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
* Stephen Hall – Warren, Departmental Under-Secretary
* Jacquie Brennan – Mel, Senior Media Advisor
* Santo Cilauro – Theo Tsolakis, Head of Market Research
* Nicola Parry – Holly, Unit Office Manager

upporting Cast

* Rob Carlton – Kenny Pratt, advisor to the previous PM
* Graeme Blundell – Geoff, Party Director
* Sacha Joseph - Vanmathy, Unit Office
* Ben Chisholm - Josh, Unit Office
* Sarah Arthur Young - Receptionist, Unit Office

Episodes

Series 1

Episode 1: Fat Chance
The Central Policy Unit must come up with a meaningful plan to combat obesity in schools in order to keep the Prime Minister's momentum rolling.

Episode 2: The Ambassador
A troublesome Senator agrees to leave politics behind if he gets a nice diplomatic posting. But, unfortunately for the Central Policy Unit, the PM has just announced restrictions that mean only the most qualified people gets to be ambassadors for the nation.

Episode 3: A Time for Talk
When conflict breaks out overseas, the Central Policy Unit must find a way to intervene without hurting the international relationships. Murph quickly finds that there is a lot of talk, but not much action.

Episode 4: Rear Vision
The budget lacks an eye-catching "centrepiece" and Tony asks Murph to come up with a last minute policy which will give the PM the visionary public image he wants.

Episode 5: Military Matters
After an embarrasing incident at an airforce base brings military recruitment into the headlines, the Central Policy Unit must make life in the uniform appealing to Generation Y.

Episode 6: A Housing Crisis
A report into the cost of maintaining Kirribilli comes back to bite Ian. With Phillip in charge, the report looks set to embarrass the PM right before another interest rate rise, unless Murph can figure out a way to lower Kirribilli's price tag and make it less elitist.

Series 2

Episode 1: Shared Interests
A scandal with a Junior Minister and poor fashion sense leads to a "blippy dip" in the PMs public image. Murph handles a government crackdown whilst Tony tackles pin-stripes and french cuffs.

Episode 2: Edifice Complex
The PM, caught opening buildings commissioned by previous PMs, starts thinking about his legacy. Unfortunately for Murph, legacy translates to a massive building somewhere in the parliamentary triangle.

Episode 3: Wonder Drug
Pressure mounts on the Government to fund an expensive new pill, despite evidence that it may not be worth funding at all.

Episode 4: Vulnerable to Attack
The PM's plans to increase spending on national security run into trouble when the Department starts talking about cost-cutting. Meanwhile the Unit ends up exploiting some eager High School students who have won a trip to Canberra.

Episode 5: A Waste of Energy
Global warming is hot on the agenda with the Unit taking up the government's new 'carbon challenge'. But a blindsighted promise to raise emission standards with China may cause somer serious problems for international relations.

Episode 6: A Quiet January
The second half of January has no news stories. But a suprise trip for the PM to Antarctica is soon devised to fill this space.

Episode ratings

The first season premiered at 9:30 pm on Wednesday 9 July. After episode 5, it was removed from schedule due to the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The season finale aired at 9:00 pm on Wednesday 27 August. [cite web|first=David|last=Knox|title=Bumped: The Hollowmen|url=http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2008/08/bumped-hollowmen.html|publisher=tvtonight.com.au|date=2008-08-03|accessdate=2008-08-05]

ee also

* List of Australian television series
* List of Australian Broadcasting Corporation programs
* The Thick of It

References

External links

* [http://www.abc.net.au/tv/hollowmen/ The Hollowmen official website (ABC TV)]
*imdb title|id=1242819