This was published 7 years ago
Green Guide readers' letters: French series Spiral is a great police drama
Drawn into Spiral
What a great police drama the French series Spiral is. I've been watching it on SBS On Demand and am absolutely hooked on it. It has a smart script with many layers of plot, great natural acting without the over-dramatisation and sensationalism of American shows, a very balanced interaction of police work and private lives, and great social perspective of behind the scenes machinations and public/private corruption. A gem of TV production; can't wait for series six next year.
Fethon Naoum, Portland
Not Tamara's fault
Barry Peake of Malvern East (Letters, 10/11) unfairly criticised Tamara Oudyn for "being unaware" that the McKinnon Stakes was now called the Emirates Stakes. Surely as an ABC viewer and listener he is aware that Aunty is not a commercial channel and does not give free advertising to companies like Emirates airlines. Why does he think that the football stadiums are referred to by their titles prior to naming rights deals?If you want to be so critical Barry, do your homework first.
Graham J Taylor, Dromana
Spiral: Smart script and great acting make it a winner.Credit: SBS
No way to honour Cohen
On Sunday night after the great Leonard Cohen passed away the ABC advertised that they would show a tribute to him on ABC2. How totally disappointing to find that the best that they could do was to show a repeat of a 2005 film of a bunch of other people singing covers of his songs.
Reg Murray, Glen Iris
Great talent
Congratulations to the producers of Channel Seven's Australia's Cheapest Weddings. They must have searched high and low to find such accomplished actors. The characters in the series are such a mob of sad sacks they could not possibly be for real.
Tony Curtis, Ballarat Central
Just not cricket
Nine's coverage of Australia v South Africa test cricket has been marred by excessive advertising, often between balls. I wouldn't object if there was advertising between overs or when a player is dismissed. But advertising during play is disconcerting and nearly unwatchable. You don't know if you are watching bank, insurance or funeral ads or the cricket. It may be free TV but it comes at an enormous cost to viewers. I now sit for hours using my remote every few minutes or seconds.
Ian MacFarlane, Balliang East
Ad libs add spice
From previous GG letters it may be Hard Quiz (ABC) strikes a binary love/hate response with viewers, but you have to admit it's innovative. Tom Gleeson's droll humour and contestants' responses add spice to the show, although I do wonder (and without taking anything away from this entertaining dialogue), are the contestants' ad libs actually scripted?
John O'Hara, Mount Waverley
Heart-warming story
Australian Story on Monday, November 7, was heart-warming and inspirational. The primary school in Mingoola needed children to keep it going and local families bonded together to bring some African refugee families from Sydney to live in the area. Optimistic, full of hope and kindness.
Lynne Boyd, Brighton East
Top coverage
With saturation coverage of the US election over the past week, often by breathless and reactive commentators, one voice was a standout. This was the ABC's US bureau chief, Zoe Daniel, whose insightful and "contextually aware" journalism, particularly in her coverage of social inequity in the so-called rust belt, was exceptional.
David Jewell, Surrey Hills
Pundits so wrong
Congratulations to TV for the recent all-encompassing, reality TV coverage of the US presidential election. The TV pundits, commentators, gurus, politicians , suburban wise men and women and know-it-all comedians around the world, including in Australia, got it oh so wrong. In many cases, the way-off, so-called jokes and satires are on them.
Stan Marks, Caulfield
Streets ahead
Tim Ross may look like a hipster and sound like a buzz-saw with a Strine accent, but his love for modernist architecture is obvious and the thorough research and non-gimmicky filming make Streets of Your Town an engrossing delight.
David Johnston, Healesville
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