Australian cultural content

One thing I have noticed about my cultural consumption habits during quarantine is that I seem to be drawn to Australian content much more than usual.

At first thought it seems counter intuitive. Wouldn’t it make sense for me to want an escape, to seek refuge in stories set in locations far and wide that are currently off limits? But at closer inspection I think it makes perfect sense. What I am craving isn’t so much travel or adventure, it is normalcy.

There is an accessibility to Australian TV that I have always found comforting. Compared to TV shows set in the US, Australian shows always seem much more realistic to me, like my life could in fact intersect with or indeed come to mirror those I see on screen.

This is a profound sense of comfort and stokes a great interest within me. Australian shows that are about politics (ABC’s Total Control) take me into a world I would like to be a part of and can plausibly see myself in, while family dramas I have blogged about previously including Packed to the Rafters and The Heights are good clean comfort TV made for times like these. Janet King, a series of mini-series’ available on Netflix provides a glimpse into a somewhat less realistic milieu of organised crime and law and order, made all the more accessible and enjoyable by the very Australianness of its characters and dialogue.

Upper Middle Bogan is hilarious and relatable, as is beloved cult favourite Offspring. The mix of tragedy and humour throughout many of these shows captures the absurdity of our unique times in a way that makes me feel seen and understood, even when the storylines ostensibly have nothing to do with our current moment.

I recommend you check out some home grown content while we’ve got some extra down time!