Review with Myles Barlow
Encyclopedia
Review with Myles Barlow is an Australian satirical black comedy
television series which screened on Thursday nights on ABC2
and Friday nights on ABC 1
. The series began screening on 16 October 2008. It is co-written and directed by Trent O'Donnell
and also co-written by Phil Lloyd
. It is produced by Starchild Productions
(Dean Bates and Reuben Field). The first series comprised six half-hour episodes and the second series a further six half-hour episodes. Episodes were made available for download on the ABC website. Series 1 episodes have been available to watch on-demand on YouTube
. Series 2 began airing on ABC2 on 22 July 2010 and finished on 26 August 2010. A Christmas special was broadcast on ABC1
on 22 December 2010, with a speculative third series.
Regular segments include "Letter of the Week" along with a summary of the show at the beginning and highlights of the next episode which do not actually reflect the actual episode contents.
Myles uses often unnecessarily complex metaphors to conclude each segment, choosing an abstract notion or object and then comparing his experience to it. For example; when reviewing stealing, he had this to say:
Stealing
Each episode ends with a faux-"Next Time" segment.
Logie Awards of 2009
Presented as a segment as part of the telecast of the Logies.
, were received with negative views. A Current Affair did a story on the sketch, commenting that it was far too graphic and potentially dangerous. Sandilands himself did not comment on the segment.
The 3rd series of the show is set to change its format from staged acting to a more reality based stunt show. This came about after the poor ratings of the 2nd series. The creators have stated "We want to create something more along the lines of The Chaser
and Balls of Steel
".
Black comedy
A black comedy, or dark comedy, is a comic work that employs black humor or gallows humor. The definition of black humor is problematic; it has been argued that it corresponds to the earlier concept of gallows humor; and that, as humor has been defined since Freud as a comedic act that anesthetizes...
television series which screened on Thursday nights on ABC2
ABC2
ABC2 is a national public television channel in Australia. Launched on 7 March 2005, it is the responsibility of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's television division, and is available nationally to digital television viewers in Australia...
and Friday nights on ABC 1
ABC (TV station)
ABC is the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's television station in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. The station began broadcasting on 18 December 1962 and broadcasts from studios in Dickson and its main transmitter is at Black Mountain....
. The series began screening on 16 October 2008. It is co-written and directed by Trent O'Donnell
Trent O'Donnell
Trent O'Donnell is an Australian film director and screenwriter.-Life and career:O'Donnell is a television director and co-owner of the production company Jungleboys...
and also co-written by Phil Lloyd
Phil Lloyd
Phil Lloyd is an Australian actor and scriptwriter. He is best known for his acting role as Myles Barlow in the Australian TV series, Review with Myles Barlow and the comedy series At Home with Julia, where he played Tim Mathieson, the partner of prime minister Julia Gillard.Phil has been a...
. It is produced by Starchild Productions
Starchild Productions
Starchild Productions is a Sydney based production company established in 2005 by Producer Dean Bates and Director Reuben Field. Their major achievements include a 2008 Grammy Award Nomination in the category Best Music Video, as well as the production of the TV show Review with Myles Barlow for...
(Dean Bates and Reuben Field). The first series comprised six half-hour episodes and the second series a further six half-hour episodes. Episodes were made available for download on the ABC website. Series 1 episodes have been available to watch on-demand on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
. Series 2 began airing on ABC2 on 22 July 2010 and finished on 26 August 2010. A Christmas special was broadcast on ABC1
ABC1
ABC1 was a United Kingdom based television channel from Disney using the branding of the Disney owned American network, ABC.The channel initially launched exclusively on the British digital terrestrial television platform Freeview on 27 September 2004. On 10 December 2004 it was launched on...
on 22 December 2010, with a speculative third series.
Synopsis
Myles Barlow is a critic who reviews life experiences in response to viewer questions. Barlow reviews real-life experiences such as being a murderer and a drug-mule, the rush of pleasure as he pays for sex and the bleakness of living on the streets.Regular segments include "Letter of the Week" along with a summary of the show at the beginning and highlights of the next episode which do not actually reflect the actual episode contents.
Myles uses often unnecessarily complex metaphors to conclude each segment, choosing an abstract notion or object and then comparing his experience to it. For example; when reviewing stealing, he had this to say:
Stealing
Stealing is a reprehensible, dishonest act of exhilaration and daring. And, like a staircase leading to the top of a never-ending lighthouse, it can quickly spiral out of control. The higher I climbed, the more giddy I became. And once I'd stolen the light bulb itself, I stumbled about in an orgy of kleptomania as ships of moral decency came to grief on the rocks below. Embracing anarchy and ignoring morality became frighteningly normal, causing me to chuckle callously at the poor shipwrecked sailors trying to clamber up the cliffs of consequence while I soared to freedom high above them on a hang-glider of corruption. Luckily for me, I was able to evade punishment. But Krystal, if you do give in to this spine-tingling thrill ride and steal Renee's boyfriend, be warned that the pilfering may not stop there. Stealing is an iniquity of unexpected excitement, which is why I'm giving it three stars.
Each episode ends with a faux-"Next Time" segment.
List of episodes
Note: Bolded reviews are primary review segments, unbolded reviews are short "breaker" reviews.Episode 1 (16 October)
- Stealing:
- Running out your partner:
- Dickheads:
- Bushranging:
- Risk:
Episode 2 (23 October)
- Murder:
- Fishing without bait:
- Self Belief:
- Lying:
- Divorce:
Episode 3 (30 October)
- Voyeurism:
- Budget Airlines:
- Vanity:
- Being a rock star:
- Heroism:
Episode 4 (6 November)
- Criticism:
- Open heart surgery:
- Inter-generational Romance:
- Losing one's train of thought:
- Betrayal:
Episode 5 (13 November)
- Paying for Sex:
- Sex with a Male Prostitute:
- Regret:
- Freeloading:
- Meeting Your Ex-Wife's New Partner:
- Destitution:
Episode 6 (20 November)
- Stress:
- Disappointing Others:
- Testing Loyalty:
- Bare-knuckle Boxing:
- Reconciliation: Unable to be reviewed
Logie Awards of 2009Logie Awards of 2009The 51st Annual TV WEEK Logie Awards was held on Sunday 3 May 2009 at the Crown Entertainment Complex in Melbourne, and televised on the Nine Network. The awards ceremony was hosted by Gretel Killeen and had over 1.6 million people watching the Logie Awards telecast. Performing on the night were...
- Logies:
Presented as a segment as part of the telecast of the Logies.
Episode 1 (22 July)
- Wanderlust:
- The Pill:
- Addiction:
- Saint Bernard Rescue Dogs:
- Starting Your Own Cult:
Episode 2 (29 July)
- B-Grade Celebrity:
- Cockblocking:
- Bucks Parties:
- 9/11 Jokes:
- Loss:
Episode 3 (5 August)
- Killing Kyle SandilandsKyle SandilandsKyle Dalton Sandilands is an Australian radio and TV personality. He is currently the host with Jacqueline Henderson, better known as Jackie O, on the weekday morning radio program The Kyle and Jackie O Show on Sydney radio station 2Day FM, The Kyle and Jackie O Hour of Power which airs on...
: - Abbey RoadAbbey Road (street)Abbey Road is a thoroughfare located in the borough of Camden and the City of Westminster in London, running roughly northwest to southeast through St. John's Wood, near Lord's Cricket Ground...
Re-enactments: - Fear:
- Meeting Your Doppleganger:
- Racism:
Episode 4 (12 August)
- Imitation:
- Being Molested by a Rugby League Player:
- Hatred:
- Pet Llamas:
- Justice:
Episode 5 (19 August)
- Treechange:
- Throwing a Pair of Shoes over a Power Line:
- Art:
- French Restaurant Runners:
- Sympathy:
Episode 6 (26 August)
- Happiness:
- Office Cricket:
- Escapism:
- Road Kill Sandwich:
- Acceptance:
The Christmas Special
- Summer Hosts:
- Giving:
- Competitive Christmas Lights:
- Indulgence:
- Re-gifting:
- Christmas Spirit:
Guest stars
- Amanda BishopAmanda BishopAmanda Diana Bishop is an Australian actress, singer and comedian, known for her role as Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard in the television comedies At Home with Julia and Double Take....
as Catherine Barlow (Series 1, Episode 2) - David StrattonDavid StrattonDavid James Stratton is an English- Australian film critic and television personality.-Life and career:Born in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England in 1939, Stratton was sent to Hampshire to see out the war years with his grandmother, an avid filmgoer, where he was taken to the local cinemas regularly...
as himself (Series 1, Episode 4 Criticism segment) - George NegusGeorge NegusGeorge Edward Negus is an Australian author, journalist, and television presenter. He previously presented 6:30 with George Negus on Network Ten, until it was axed by the Network on 19 October 2011.-Education:...
as himself (Series 1, Episode 3 Heroism segment) - Emma LeonardEmma Leonard- Filmography :- External links :...
as Ivy (Series 1, Episode 3) - Josh LawsonJosh LawsonJoshua Lawson is an Australian actor. He grew up in Brisbane and attended St. Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace. He graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art in 2001. He also spent one year studying improvisation techniques in Los Angeles at The Second City, The Groundlings, ACME...
as himself (Series 1, Episode 3 and Series 2, Episode 2) - Steven O'DonnellSteven O'Donnell (actor, presenter)Steven O'Donnell is a New Zealand-born naturalised, Australian television presenter and actor. He is best known as "Bajo", one of the presenters of the ABC video game review program Good Game...
as Judge 1 (Series 2, Episode 2) - Barry CrockerBarry CrockerBarry Hugh Crocker OAM is a popular Australian singer, with a crooning vocal style.-Biography:...
as himself (Series 2, Episode 2 and The Christmas Special) - Chas LicciardelloChas LicciardelloChas John Licciardello is a comedian from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, best known for being a member of satirical team The Chaser...
as himself (Series 2, Episode 4) - Tony JonesTony Jones (news journalist)Anthony William Jones, known as Tony Jones, is a Walkley Award-winning Australian television journalist.-Early life:Jones attended Newington College and the University of Sydney as a resident of St Paul's College.-Career:...
as himself (The Christmas Special) - Andrew O'KeefeAndrew O'KeefeAndrew Patrick O'Keefe is an Australian entertainer, best known for being the host of the hit game-show Deal or No Deal. He is also the co-host of Weekend Sunrise....
as himself (The Christmas Special) - Heath FranklinHeath Franklin-Career:He is most recognized for his characters from The Ronnie Johns Half Hour sketch comedy TV show; and for his appearances as himself on ABC TV's Spicks and Specks, Working Dog's Thank God You're Here and in New Zealand, as regular guest panellist on 7 Days....
as himself/chopper (Series 2, Episode 3)
Controversy
On 6 August 2010, the sketch Killing Kyle Sandilands caused controversy after it aired. Parts of the sketch, including stabbing a picture and burning an effigy of Kyle SandilandsKyle Sandilands
Kyle Dalton Sandilands is an Australian radio and TV personality. He is currently the host with Jacqueline Henderson, better known as Jackie O, on the weekday morning radio program The Kyle and Jackie O Show on Sydney radio station 2Day FM, The Kyle and Jackie O Hour of Power which airs on...
, were received with negative views. A Current Affair did a story on the sketch, commenting that it was far too graphic and potentially dangerous. Sandilands himself did not comment on the segment.
The 3rd series of the show is set to change its format from staged acting to a more reality based stunt show. This came about after the poor ratings of the 2nd series. The creators have stated "We want to create something more along the lines of The Chaser
The Chaser
The Chaser are an Australian satirical comedian group, known for their television programmes on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation channel. The group take their name from their production of satirical newspaper, a publication known to challenge conventions of taste...
and Balls of Steel
Balls of Steel
Balls of Steel may refer to:* Balls of Steel , a pinball video game* Balls of Steel , a British comedy show hosted by Mark Dolan* Balls of Steel , Australian TV series based on the British show...
".
See also
- List of Australian television series
- List of Australian Broadcasting Corporation programs