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Herald Sun TV writers DARREN DEVLYN, COLIN VICKERY and ANDREW FENTON rate the best Australian TV shows of all time IT'S not surprising Australian actors and directors have made such a mark in Hollywood and beyond.
Their home ground is full of brilliant television shows that could stand proudly with any of the world's best. From the before-its-time satire of The Norman Gunston Show to the incisive suburban observations of Kath and Kim, from reality shows that have the country talking such as The BlockandMy Kitchen Rulesto stunning dramas such as Love My Way and The Slapto quiz shows such as Sale of the Century.
Ahead of next Sunday's Logie Awards, our TV experts were given the unenviable task of picking the best 100 -- but there's no doubt they've left out some shows you might consider worthy, and included some you don't.
Here's a selection of 25 of their picks.
1. THE DISMISSAL(1983) Ten Max Phipps plays Gough Whitlam, John Stanton is Malcolm Fraser, and John Meillon Governor-General Sir John Kerr in this enthralling six-hour recounting of Australia's 1975 constitutional crisis.
2. BODYLINE (1984) Ten The 1932/33 Ashes cricket tour of Australia turned vicious when the Poms, headed by Douglas Jardine (Hugo Weaving) turned to dangerous "bodyline" bowling tactics to stump the rampaging locals, fronted by Donald Bradman (Gary Sweet).
3. BLUE MURDER (1995) ABC Blue Murder details NSW police corruption -- specifically the relationship between Detective Roger Rogerson (Richard Roxburgh) and criminal Arthur "Neddy" Smith (Tony Martin). Gary Sweet plays hitman Christopher Dale Flannery. So incendiary it was banned in the state for six years.
4. MASTERCHEF AUSTRALIA (2009-present) Ten When Ten announced MasterChef Australia would screen in 2009, critics rolled their eyes. There was no way a cooking reality show would work in prime time. Four million Australians begged to differ. Judges George Calombaris, Matt Preston and Gary Mehigan, along with series 1 winner Julie Goodwin and runner-up Poh Ling Yeow became overnight stars.
5. MY KITCHEN RULES (2010-present) Seven Channel 7 needed something to counter MasterChef so it rejigged failed reality series My Restaurant Rules to concentrate on home cooks. The rest is history. The Pete Evans/Manu Feildel hosted-show is a ratings blockbuster thanks to plenty of drama from baddies such...