The TV shows you can't miss this week

Your regular weekly guide to the best on TV now and what to look out for

Watch right now

The Front Bar

Channel 7, 8.45pm Wednesdays

Mick Molloy, Sam Pang, Andy Maher and The Front Bar are one of the TV success stories of this year, regularly beating The Footy Show, which in turn is a big Melbourne story.

Bring It On

Foxtel On Demand – Movies

“Be aggressive; be aggressive.” Just one of the classic one-liners from this film from the year 2000 about cheerleading. I re-watched it as the musical version of the film was playing in Melbourne.

The Staircase

Netflix

This series was made in 2004, and I kicked myself for not watching it then. Netflix has rediscovered it with three new episodes, and now everyone is talking about it. Did Michael Peterson kill his wife Kathleen?

The World Cup

SBS and Optus Sports, until July 16

It’s football, not soccer – according to the real fans of the game. Every four years, football (not soccer) gets a huge audience in Australia, because of the World Cup.

The Handmaid’s Tale

SBS On Demand

I’m late to the party, I know. But, wow. Wow.

Amanpour

CNN, 7pm Fridays, replayed during the week

For me, Christiane Amanpour is like the Madonna of current affairs reporting. An absolute icon and the best of the best.

The Henderson Kids

YouTube

I was at a function recently with Nadine Garner (see what she watches below), and it reminded me of the glory days of The Henderson Kids. All the early episodes are on YouTube. Who would have thought!

“I love The Crown. The cinematography is just so beautiful, and the attention to detail is just incredible. To me it’s just so riveting, and astonishingly interesting. The actors are playing people that are alive today, which is such a challenge, and they do it so well.”

The Real Housewives of Melbourne

Foxtel On Demand – Reality

Maybe because I know all the ladies, but I think out of all of the Housewives franchises around the world, this is one of the best. Gina Liano’s one-liners stand the test of time.

Look out for

Jack Irish

ABC, 8.30pm, July 8

Guy Pearce is back. Fact: Jack’s TV home is filmed at a house just behind Brunswick Street, Fitzroy.

Snowfall

Showcase, 8.30pm, July 4

All 10 episodes of this promising drama about the crack-cocaine epidemic are available now.

Australian Ninja Warrior

Channel 9, starts 7.30pm, July 8

The surprise ratings success story of 2017 reminds me a bit of It’s A Knockout – bring back Fiona MacDonald!

Sharp Objects

Showcase, 8.30pm, July 9

Amy Adams and Australian Eliza Scanlen star in this HBO show

The word is…

Big numbers in the Channel 9 newsroom 

137 years – that’s the combined amount of years of service to the network’s newsroom for Peter Hitchener, Tony Jones, Livinia Nixon and Jo Hall.

It’s a remarkable statistic, in the cut-throat world of television news. At her recent 60th birthday morning tea, Hall told me that the newsroom is like a second family to her.

“It’s my home away from home. I feel comfortable there; my children feel comfortable there, too. They crawled around that newsroom in their nappies, literally.”

Masterchef Australia turns 10

One of the biggest success stories in Australian television for the past decade. For me, it’s all about the chemistry between George Calombaris, Matt Preston and Gary Mehigan.

You can’t fake it. Interestingly, there were originally going to be only two judges, but the casting agent spoke to Preston and he was added as a third judge.

What a great addition he has proven to be.