The Televisionaries

Good Weekend Talks features in-depth conversations with the people fascinating Australians right now, from sport to politics to the arts, business and beyond, interviewed weekly by the country's top journalists. Consider it a magazine for your ears. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In our season finale special, host Louise Rugendyke is joined by culture editor-at-large Michael Idato, Spectrum deputy editor Kylie Northover and Guide and Green Guide columnist Debi Enker to crown the top shows of 2020 and take a peek at what’s coming up in the next few months. Become a subscriber: our supporters power our newsrooms and are critical for the sustainability of news coverage....

Host Louise Rugendyke is joined by Green Guide and Guide critic Debi Enker and Spectrum deputy editor Kylie Northover to discuss the warring gangs of Fargo, they wonder if it’s ever too late to jump into a long-running series and they share a martini with the crew from M.A.S.H. The critics also reveal what they’re bingeing when off duty and revisit a game time classic. Become a subscri...

Host Louise Rugendyke is joined by Green Guide and Guide critic Debi Enker and Spectrum deputy editor Kylie Northover to review Darren Star’s new show Emily in Paris, they discuss what TV shows get right about scene setting and catch up with the uber-rich cast of Gossip Girl. They also play Telequizionaries and reveal what they’re watching when off duty. Become a subscriber: our suppor...

Host Louise Rugendyke is joined by a   Guide  and  Green Guide  double   act - editor    Paul Kalina and columnist Debi Enker - to ‘moot’ upon Staged, the David Tennant and Michael Sheen comedy in which the stars attempt to rehearse a play over Zoom, they discuss the proliferation of lockdown TV shows and ‘av a laugh with Ricky Gervais and...

Host Louise Rugendyke is joined by Green Guide and Guide critic Debi Enker and Spectrum deputy editor Kylie Northover to dissect Ryan Murphy’s OTT drama Ratched, which is based on the tyrannical nurse Mildred Ratched from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, they discuss what the appeal of the super producer is and check in to the emergency department of Chicago’s County General Hosp...

Host Louise Rugendyke is joined by Green Guide and Guide critic Debi Enker and Spectrum deputy editor Kylie Northover to discuss the big winners at this year's virtual Emmy Awards. They’ll sort out the champions from the runners-up, look at the Australians nominated and hand out a few awards of their own. Become a subscriber: our supporters power our newsrooms and are critical for the sustai...

Host Louise Rugendyke is joined by Green Guide and Guide critic Debi Enker and Spectrum deputy editor Kylie Northover to dissect the critically acclaimed series I May Destroy You, they discuss the perils of bingeing TV and look back at the oddballs from cult British comedy Spaced. The critics also play a game of Five Clues and reveal what they’re watching when off duty. Become a subscriber:...

Host Louise Rugendyke is joined by Green Guide and Guide critic Debi Enker and Spectrum deputy editor Kylie Northover to discuss the Karate Kid sequel Cobra Kai, they wonder if we’re craving feel-good TV and they look back at cult high school favourite Freaks and Geeks See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Louise Rugendyke is joined by Green Guide and Guide critic Debi Enker and Spectrum deputy editor Kylie Northover to discuss the fresh batch of reality shows on TV now - we’re talking the Bachelor, The Block, Plate of Origin and Further Back in Time for Dinner. Plus they look back at one of the most groundbreaking reality shows of all time, Michael Apted’s Up series. Become a subsc...

Host Louise Rugendyke is joined by Green Guide and Guide critic Debi Enker and Spectrum deputy editor Kylie Northover to look at Rebecca Gibney’s return to her iconic role in Nine’s slick drama Halifax: Retribution, they discuss if we need a quota system to protect Australian drama and they look back at the tough-as-nails DCI Jane Tennison in Prime Suspect. The hosts also play a game o...

Host Louise Rugendyke is joined by Guide and Green Guide critics Debi Enker and Melinda Houston to explore Jordan Peele’s hot-right-now horror Lovecraft Country, they discuss what period dramas can teach us about the present and they search for the truth with FBI agents Mulder and Scully in The X-Files. The critics also play a game of 'Who Am I?' and reveal what they’re bingeing when t...

Host Louise Rugendyke is joined by Green Guide and Guide critic Debi Enker and Spectrum deputy editor Kylie Northover to discuss HBO’s killer new documentary I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, they discuss the appeal of true crime TV and, for a complete change of pace, they look back at one of the sexiest and hairiest private investigators ever, yep it’s Magnum PI. Become a subscriber: ou...

Host Louise Rugendyke is joined by Green Guide and Guide critic Debi Enker and Spectrum deputy editor Kylie Northover to discuss the teen thriller Alex Rider, they delve into why the ‘young adult’ genre is so hard to get right and they look back at one of the most angsty high school dramas to ever hit the small screen - Dawson’s Creek. The critics also test their wits i...

Host Louise Rugendyke is joined by Green Guide and Guide editor Paul Kalina and Spectrum deputy editor Kylie Northover to discuss the women of Wentworth Correctional Centre, they wonder if killing central characters off is wise and look back at one of the most controversial, legally fraught and popular crime series Australia has produced - season one of Underbelly. The critics also play a gam...

Host Louise Rugendyke is joined by Green Guide and Guide critic Debi Enker and Spectrum deputy editor Kylie Northover to take a bite out of the very silly vampire comedy What We Do In the Shadows, they discuss what makes a successful film to TV adaptation and look back at the fourth most popular folk duo in New Zealand, yep it’s Flight of the Conchords. The critics also play a game of Who am...

Host Louise Rugendyke is joined by Green Guide and The Guide critic Debi Enker and Spectrum deputy editor Kylie Northover to discuss the murderous melodrama Why Women Kill, they look at how family viewing has changed over the years and they pull out the shoulder pads, clip on some giant earrings and say hello to the Golden Girls. The critics also pit their wits against one another in a game of Tel...

In part two of our mid-year special, host Louise Rugendyke is joined by Guide and Green Guide editor Paul Kalina, Spectrum deputy editor Kylie Northover and Guide and Green Guide reviewer Debi Enker to reveal our honourable mentions - the shows that just missed out on our top 10 list of this year's best so far - plus the shows we can’t wait to see later this year and we’ll play round t...

In our mid-year special, host Louise Rugendyke is joined by Guide and Green Guide editor Paul Kalina, Spectrum deputy editor Kylie Northover and Guide and Green Guide columnist Debi Enker to deliver our mid-year report card on the 10 best shows of 2020 so far. In keeping with the theme of our “very special episode”, our critics also test their wits in a very special quiz. Become a subs...

Host Louise Rugendyke is joined by  The Guide  and  Green Guide  double   act - editor    Paul Kalina and columnist Debi Enker - to discuss the sexy reboot of the 1950s and '60s classic Perry Mason. They also look at what makes HBO so successful and take a road trip to Wandin Valley to say hooroo to the good folk of A Country Practice. The critics also play a gam...

Host Louise Rugendyke is joined by  Green Guide  and  The Guide  critic Debi Enker Spectrum deputy editor Kylie Northover to discuss the Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington’s book-to-TV adaptation, Little Fires Everywhere, we look at the new-wave of female movers and shakers in TV and step back to the 1950s and say hello to one of TV’s trailblazers, Lucille Ball,...

Host Louise Rugendyke is joined by culture editor-at-large Michael Idato and  Green Guide  and  The Guide  critic Debi Enker to discuss the rebooted Big Brother, the cancel culture sparked by the Black Lives Matter movement and they revisit '80s super soap Dynasty. As always, the critics reveal what they’re bingeing when off duty and this week the host takes the takes the...

Host Louise Rugendyke is joined by Guide and Green Guide editor Paul Kalina and Culture Editor at large Michael Idato to discuss Belgravia, the new period drama by Downton creator Julian Fellowes. They also ask whether hype can kill a show and pop open a bottle "cardonnay" in honour of those foxy ladies from Fountain Lakes, Kath and Kim. The critics also play Telequizionaries and, as always, revea...

Host Louise Rugendyke is joined by  Guide  and  Green Guide  critic Debi Enker and culture editor-at-large Michael Idato to discuss the most-watched shows in lockdown, from The Last Dance to Game of Thrones, as well as Steve Carrell’s new satirical comedy Space Force and that girl from Flushing, Queens – The Nanny. Become a subscriber: our supporters power our newsr...

Host Louise Rugendyke is joined by  Spectrum  deputy editor Kylie Northover and culture editor-at-large Michael Idato to discuss Australian writer Tony McNamara’s new bawdy comedy The Great, if we should or shouldn’t remake great TV and step back in time with the great British comedy Blackadder. They also play Who Am I and, as always, the critics reveal what they’re bin...