Christmas specials for Doctor Who, Call the Midwife, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, Poh’s Kitchen and The Agony Of Christmas plus Mr Stink, new Foyle’s War, Jonathan Creek, The I.T. Crowd, Portlandia and the final season of Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple are amongst ABC TV’s Summer Highlights.
ABC1 also has the dramatisation of Ian Fleming’s life in Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond, Stephen Fry in the heist film Doors Open and Aaron Pedersen, Hugo Weaving and Ryan Kwanten in the Aussie movie Mystery Road.
On ABC2 continues Opening Shot documentaries and devotes Christmas week to comedy, with a selection of past favourites and new series over the period
Annual favourites such as the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, At The Movies Summer Special, Royal Variety Performance, Australian Of The Year Awards and ABC3 Smackdown Games! are also back.
There are also many shows which have aired on Pay TV having their first Free to Air run including Conspiracy 365, Hell on Wheels and Bad Education.
ABC1 HIGHLIGHTS
Don’t Panic, Survive Extremes Australian Premiere
Sunday 1st December at 7.30pm
Have you ever wondered what you’d do if a natural disaster was heading for you? How would you cope – would you panic? Hosted by Jonica Newby, this disaster special puts two unsuspecting Australian families into realistic disaster scenarios and in the process teaches them, and viewers, life saving tips to help us all cope better in the event of an emergency. 1 x 60 minutes. ABC TV.
The Outlaw Michael Howe FTA Premiere
Sunday 1st December at 8.30pm
1814. Van Diemen’s Land. An epic story of love and betrayal, The Outlaw Michael Howe chronicles the astonishing true story of the man who pushed Australia to the brink of civil war. Acclaimed Australian writer/actor Brendan Cowell steps behind the camera for the first time to deliver a thrillingly visceral slice of Australian outlaw history. 1 x 78 minutes. In Films / Cordell Jigsaw Zapruder.
Rick Stein’s India Australian Premiere
Mondays at 8.30pm starting 2nd December
Determined to track down the perfect curry and introduce new flavours, intrepid chef Rick Stein embarks on a spectacular journey through the Indian sub‐continent to discover the origins of dishes, ingredients and spices that are celebrated the world over.
6 x 60 minutes. Denham production for BBC.
Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple – Series 6 Australian Premiere
Sundays at 8.30pm from 8th December
Julia McKenzie returns as Agatha Christie’s much‐loved female detective, in the sixth and final series of Miss Marple. 3 x 90 minutes. ITV.
At The Movies Summer Special World Premiere
Tuesday 10th December at 9.30pm
A special edition of At The Movies with Margaret and David reviewing the major new summer releases.1 x 60. ABC TV.
The I.T. Crowd: The Internet Is Coming Australian Premiere
Wednesday 11th December at 9pm
The reputations of Roy, Jen, and that of Reynholm Industries, are at risk when an incident involving spilt coffee and a homeless person ends up on the internet. Chris O’Dowd, Richard Ayoade, Katherine Parkinson and Matt Berry reunite in this hilarious one‐off special. 1 x 48 minutes. FremantleMedia.
Christmas With Poh World Premiere
Tuesday 17th December at 8pm
Poh Ling Yeow invites three of her chef mates, who are also migrants, to cook their favourite Christmas dishes with her. Together they create a truly delicious multicultural Christmas feast. 1 x 30 minutes. ABC TV.
Nigellissima: An Italian Inspired Christmas Australian Premiere
Tuesday 17th December at 8.30pm
Get ready for a mouthwatering Christmas as Nigella brings a truly Italian festive feast to the table, with big fresh flavours and a sumptuous spread. 1 x 60 minutes. BBC/Pabulum.
The Agony Of Christmas World Premiere
Wednesday 18th December at 8.30pm
Narrator/interviewer Adam Zwar sits down with some of Australia’s wisest and funniest and poses the question ‐ if Christmas is meant to be a time for peace and love, then why does it throw so many lives into turmoil? 1 x 30 minutes. High Wire Films.
Michael Mcintyre’s Comedy Roadshow Christmas Special Australian Premiere
Wednesday 18th December at 9pm
UK comedian Michael McIntyre invites the best of the comedy and entertainment world’s top talent to take to the mike. Well‐loved stars such as Jack Dee, Rhod Gilbert and Miranda Hart provide the laughs while Kylie Minogue and Pixie Lott provide the music. 1 x 45 minutes. BBC.
Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries: Murder Under The Mistletoe World Premiere
Sunday 22nd December at 7.30pm
Phryne, Dot and Dr Mac happily accompany Aunt Prudence to a picturesque chalet to celebrate a white Christmas in July. The party arrives to find one of the residents dead – electrocuted while hanging festive lights. No more suspicious than the usual Miss Fisher investigation, until the body count starts to rapidly rise… 1 x 60 minutes. Every Cloud Production.
Mr. Stink Australian Premiere
Tuesday 24th December at 6pm
Daydreaming schoolgirl Chloe is unhappy at home and has no friends at her new school. So she befriends a tramp and his dog in the local park, and ends up on a journey that takes her to Number 10 Downing Street and eventually brings her dysfunctional family back together again. A magical, heartwarming story for Christmas based on David Walliams’ best‐selling book. 1 x 60 minutes. BBC.
Royal Variety Performance 2013 Australian Premiere
Tuesday 24th December at 7.30pm
Comedian and actor John Bishop hosts this gala evening showcasing the best of UK and international musical performers, extraordinary theatre, comedy and specialty acts. 1 x 120 minutes. ITV Studios.
Tractor Monkeys Christmas Special World Premiere
Wednesday 25th December at 8pm
Marcia Hines, Lawrence Mooney, Denise Scott and Ryan ‘Fitzy’ Fitzgerald look back on the great Australian Christmas – the barbies and the barneys, the tinsel and the tinnies. Plus, the archives have come up with some great moments that have entertained the nation as they digest the biggest meal of the year. 1 x 40 minutes. ABC TV.
Doctor Who Christmas Special Australian Premiere
Date and time TBC
Fast‐tracked from the UK, this Christmas special will feature The Twelfth Doctor – recently revealed to be Peter Capaldi – in his first appearance after succeeding Matt Smith in the role. 1 x 60 minutes. BBC.
Call The Midwife Christmas Special Australian Premiere
Thursday 26th December at 8.30pm
Christmas is coming, and the midwives of Nonnatus House are busier than ever. When an abandoned baby is discovered on the steps of the convent, the whole community rallies round to provide food and clothing, and to try and trace his mother. Nurse Jenny Lee gets caught up in the heartbreaking mystery that surrounds an elderly, semi‐vagrant local woman, and newly married Chummy pulls out all the stops to mount a truly memorable children’s nativity play. 1 x 75 minutes. Neal Street Productions, BBC.
Australian Story Summer Series Repeats
Sundays at 7.30pm from 29th December
Features five legends of Australian sport in a series of one‐hour specials. First, Caroline Jones will introduce an episode on champion racehorse Black Caviar. Caroline then hands over to 400‐metre gold medallist Catherine Freeman who will present the rest of the series. Former cricket captain Ricky Ponting tells the story of his remarkable career and home life (5th January). Tennis player Rod Laver whose legendary status on the court is matched only by his sportsmanship off the court is next. (12th January). Gold medal‐winning cyclist Anna Meares shares her emotional story on 19th January and golfer Greg Norman ends the series with a look at his personal life and stunning professional career. ABC TV.
Doors Open Australian Premiere
Sunday 29th December at 8.30pm
The worlds of corporate banking and fine art collide in this fun, fast‐paced heist film, starring Stephen Fry and Douglas Henshall, based on the novel by Ian Rankin. 1 x 100 minutes. A Sprout Pictures production in association with Ovation.
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Australian Premiere
Monday 30th December at 8.30pm
The theme of the 2013 Tattoo celebrates Scotland’s natural beauty. The program includes all the famed music, action and colour of the tattoo, set against the backdrop of Edinburgh Castle. 1 x 90 minutes. BBC.;
Jonathan Creek: The Clue Of The Savant’s Thumb Australian Premiere
Wednesday 1st January at 8.30pm
When a dead body impossibly vanishes from a locked study it is only the first in a chain of dark mysteries confronting Jonathan Creek and self‐styled paranormal investigator Joey Ross. And this time they find themselves merely junior players in a murder investigation headed by the flamboyant detective, Inspector Gideon Pryke. 1 x 90 minutes. BBC.
The Moaning Of Life FTA Premiere
Thursdays at 9.30pm from 2nd January
As if being sent around the world three times already by Ricky Gervais in An Idiot Abroad wasn’t enough, everyone’s favourite ‘round‐headed buffoon’ is set to do it all again, but this time on his own journey of self‐discovery. In this series, Karl experiences how other cultures face up to some of life’s biggest issues, while at the same time planning for his own future. 5 x 45 minutes. BBC.
Foyle’s War – Series 8 Australian Premiere
Sundays at 8.30pm from 5th January
As the enormously popular mystery series returns, World War II is over, but the Cold War simmers in 1946 London. DCS Christopher Foyle has retired from police work when Britain’s secret intelligence service compels him to join its ranks. Reunited with his former colleague, newlywed Sam Wainwright, Foyle faces new but no less deadly threats in the world of spies and counterintelligence. 3 x 100 minutes. Acorn Media.
Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond Australian Premiere
Wednesdays at 8.30pm from 8th January
Packed with lust, romance, humour, jeopardy and explosive action – and set in Britain, France, Germany and Jamaica – this is the fascinating story of Ian Fleming whose own life and adventures were the inspiration for one of the most iconic spies in modern literature – James Bond. 4 x 45 minutes. Ecosse Films.
The Wrong Mans Australian Premiere
Wednesdays at 9.30pm from 8th January
Created by and starring James Corden and Mathew Baynton, a hilarious comedy thriller about two friends in the wrong place, at the wrong time, with the wrong skills. Ordinary office workers Sam and Phil find themselves unwittingly caught up in a deadly criminal conspiracy when Sam answers an abandoned mobile phone after witnessing a horrific car crash. 6 x 30 minutes. BBC / Hulu co‐production.
Bluestone 42 Australian Premiere
Wednesdays at 10pm from 8th January
A hilarious and often surprising military comedy drama that follows the lives of a bomb disposal detachment serving in Afghanistan. 8 x 30 minutes. BBC.
Australian Of The Year Awards Australian Premiere
Saturday 25th January at 6pm
The Australian of the Year Awards 2014 celebrate the achievements and contributions of eminent citizens throughout the last year. ABC1 will cover the official announcement live on Australia Day Eve, January 25, hosted by Stephanie Brantz and announced by the Prime Minister. The 2014 Australian of the Year, Senior Australian of the Year, Young Australian of the Year and Australia’s Local Hero will be presented with their awards at a public event in front of Parliament House. And on the morning of
Australia Day itself, ABC1 will broadcast the National Australia Day Flag Raising and Citizenship Ceremony 2014 live from the shores of Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra. ABC TV.
Mystery Road Australian Premiere
Sunday 26th January at 8.30pm
Indigenous cowboy detective Jay Swan returns to his outback home town to solve the murder of a teenage girl. Alienated from the white‐dominated police force, his community and his teenage daughter – who he discovers is connected with the murdered girl – Jay stands alone in his determination to fight back for his town and his people. Stars Aaron Pedersen, Hugo Weaving, Jack Thompson and Ryan Kwanten. An Ivan Sen film. 1 x 95 minutes.
ABC2 HIGHLIGHTS
Top Boy – Series 2 Australian Premiere
Mondays at 9.30pm from 2nd December (final episode Monday 23rd December at 10.35pm) A thrilling four‐part drama about young lives lived on the edge and, for the most part, out of sight in east London today. Set in the fictional Summerhouse housing estate in Hackney, this is an honest and gripping rendition of inner‐city drug and gang culture. 4 x 50 minutes. Cowboy Productions.
Bad Santas Australian Premiere
Tuesdays at 8.30pm from 10th December
This bold, funny and surprising two‐part documentary follows eight unlikely candidates as they train and then work as Santa Claus in a bid to earn some much‐needed cash and make changes in their lives. 2 x 50 minutes. TwentyTwenty Television.
Opening Shot – Series 2 World Premiere
Wednesdays at 9.30pm from 4th December
The second series of Opening Shot – featuring the work of emerging documentary makers – continues into summer, with the final three films airing in December:
Suicide And Me
Wednesday 4th December at 9.30pm
Three young survivors reveal why they attempted suicide and ultimately, how they found hope. 30 minutes. Director Corrie Chen, Producer Jiao Chen. Staple Fiction Pty Ltd.
Our Little Secret
Wednesday 11th December at 9.30pm
After becoming a father, and having suffered abuse himself, Chas Fisher seeks to uncover what drives people to sexually abuse children. 30 minutes. Director Monique Schafer, Producer Lee Matthews. Matthewswood Pty Ltd.
The Final Word
Wednesday 18th December at 9.30pm
A confronting yet ultimately uplifting documentary that asks four terminally ill people to reflect on what really matters in life. 30 minutes. Director Dan Mansur, Producer Tim ‘Gonzo’ Ryan. No Roles For Sam Pty Ltd.
Unsafe Sex In The City – Series 2 Australian Premiere
Fridays at 9.30pm from 6th December (breaking for Comedy Feast, returning 3rd January). A shockingly honest ride into the sexual preferences and sexual health of Manchester’s lusty young residents. Funny, touching and outrageous, these four films follow the staff of a pioneering new clinic – The Manchester Centre for Sexual Health – as they struggle to combat the rising tide of sexually transmitted diseases. 6 x 60 minutes. Firecracker Films.
ABC2 Comedy Feast (Xmas Comedy Marathon)
Nightly from Sunday 22nd December to Wednesday 1st January on ABC2
Get stuffed this XMAS on ABC2! Sick of traditional Xmas TV offerings? Well ABC2 is bringing you a line‐up stuffed full of Xmas laughs with its ABC2 Comedy Feast. ABC2 is dedicating its entire Xmas to comedy, reprising favourites as well as premiering several new series, including the icing on the Xmas cake – the world premiere of seven short comedies from the next generation of Aussie YouTube stars.
First up in the ABC2 Comedy Feast nightly line‐up is the always specktacular Spicks And Specks at 7pm, then over to the ultimate Xmas parlour game Would I Lie To You? at 8pm. Next up is the Ricky Gervais & Warwick Davis comedy Life’s Too Short at 8.30pm (including the Australian premiere of the 60 minute special). The comedy duo of Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen well and truly ‘put a bird on it’ with the premiere of the third series of Portlandia at 9pm.
At 9.20pm it’s the world premiere of ABC2 Xmas Quickies. We’ve asked seven Australian creative teams to give us their own comical take on Xmas. The Van Vuuren Bros. bust the Xmas myth, henry & aaron hunt down a pesky Yuletide serial killer, Superwog shows us the difference between an Aussie and a Wog Xmas, the Skit Box girls mack onto an emotional Santa, White Black Atcha introduces us to Black Santa, Girls Uninterrupted provide a handy ‘how‐to’ on throwing the perfect community Xmas carols and Stevo & Mel bring Xmas greetings from your favourite Christian TV evangelists Pastor John and Tammy‐Lee. Then the bitch is back with bells on at 9.30pm with Ja’mie: Private School Girl, followed at 10pm by Noel Fielding and Phill Jupitus leading their teams to rock trivia glory on Never Mind The Buzzcocks.
ABC2 Comedy Feast Line Up:
7.00pm: Spicks And Specks Repeats
8.00pm: Would I Lie To You? ABC2 PREMIERE
8.30pm: Life’s Too Short Repeats
9.00pm: Portlandia – Series 3 Australian Premiere
9.20pm: ABC2 Xmas Quickies World Premiere
9.30pm: Ja’mie: Private School Girl ABC2 PREMIERE
10.00pm: Never Mind The Buzzcocks Repeats
Hell On Wheels – Series 2 FTA Premiere
Mondays at 9.30pm from 6th January
Second series of this gritty drama featuring former Confederate soldier Cullen Bohannon (Anson Mount), and his eventful journey west as he struggles to leave his past behind. 10 x 50 minutes.
Hard Time – Series 3 FTA Premiere
Tuesdays at 9.30pm from 7th January
At Georgia’s Smith State Prison, every day is a battle for control between some of the state’s toughest inmates and the paramilitary system that’s fighting to contain them. Crude handmade knives, or shanks,are found daily in prison‐run shakedowns, and cell phones are a growing threat to security. Despite the efforts of the staff, tensions are building and Smith finds itself teetering on the edge of an all‐out fight. 8 x 50 minutes. Part2Pictures LLC.
The Hoarder Next Door – Series 2 Australian Premiere
Wednesdays at 8.30pm from 18th December (breaking for Comedy Feast, returning 8th January) In this fascinating reality series, a charismatic psychotherapist offers a new, groundbreaking approach to the treatment of compulsive hoarding. Together with a team of cleaners, the doctor strives to change the hoarders’ mindsets and help them reclaim their lives. 5 x 50 minutes. TwentyTwenty Television.
Peep Show – From Series 1 Repeats
Thursdays at 8.30pm from 2nd January
ABC2 is going back to where it all began, showing every series starting with the first. In this award winning sitcom, David Mitchell and Robert Webb play dysfunctional flatmates who reveal all their inner thoughts – whether dark, stupid or embarrassing. Or, occasionally, all three. Series 1, 6 x 30 minutes.
Bad Education FTA Premiere
Thursdays at 9.00pm from 2nd January
Alfie Wickers (Jack Whitehall) is straight out of teacher training and into his first job, where he shares more traits with the kids than the other teachers. Alfie relies on his misguided sense of cunning and his poorly developed ability to lie and cheat to hold down his job. But, it all comes from a good place because Alfie really cares about his class of dunces who have been written off by the rest of the staff. 6 x 30 minutes. Tiger Aspect Productions.
Confessions Of A Wedding Planner Australian Premiere
Fridays at 8.30pm from 3rd January
Follows eight couples, each from a different religious background, as they embark on the journey to get married. Shown through the eyes of the wedding planner, the series documents the distinctive traditions of each ceremony as well as the trials and triumphs the couples endure. Along the way, it reveals the secrets, and celebrates the beauty, of marriage in six very different cultures. 4 x 60 minutes. Rize Television.
I’m Having Their Baby – Series 2 FTA Premiere
Fridays at 8.30pm from 31st January
This gripping reality series follows several young women as they go through the emotional process of giving their child up for adoption. Included are opinions and insights from their families, as well as the adoptive parents. 12 x 50 minutes. Hudsun Media.
Filthy Cities FTA Premiere
Saturdays at 7.30pm from 11th January
Dan Snow presents this immersive series, which brings the stinking histories of London, New York and Paris vividly to life. Taking the travelogue in a whole new direction – with extraordinary, hands‐on demos and stunts – it excavates the murky past in gruesome detail during defining periods in history. 3 x 60 minutes. BBC / Discovery.
Mad Bastards FTA Premiere
Saturday 25th January at 8.30pm
ABC2 presents this powerful and bold film, in conjunction with ABC1’s Australia Day programming TJ is a hard‐edged Aboriginal man who’s sick of scraping out an existence in the city. He travels to the tiny frontier town of Five Rivers in search of his son. Upon his arrival, TJ is confronted by the equally tough local cop Texas, and so begins a story about hard men battling to do the right thing by their family. Real people with no acting experience play the lead roles. Developed in close collaboration over many years with director Brendan Fletcher, the actors play characters based on their own lives. 1 x 90 minutes. David Jowsey, Alan Pigram, Steve Pigram and Brendan Fletcher.
ABC3 HIGHLIGHTS
Mighty Mighty Monsters: New Fear’s Eve Special Australian Premiere
New Year’s Eve, Tuesday 31st December at 6pm
Dragged back to Human School on New Year’s Eve by a fame‐obsessed Vlad, the monster friends find themselves bribed by Dr. Scherbatova to appear on his TV show and if the ratings are high enough he will send them back to Monster Academy for good! 1 x 45 minutes. Bron Animation.
Conspiracy 365 FTA Premiere
Weekend evenings at 7pm from mid‐January
The story of a year in the life of teenager Cal Ormond, who is forced to go on the run and become a fugitive as he searches for the truth behind a deadly family secret. Adapted from the best‐selling novels by Australian author Gabrielle Lord. Shot on location in Melbourne. 12 x 48 minutes. Circa Entertainment.
Australia Day On ABC3 Australian Premiere
Sunday 26 January at 7.30am and 5.30pm
An Australia Day special event with the Studio 3 team presenting a sneak peek episode of the brand new animated comedy series The Flamin’ Thongs along with the annual ABC3 Australia Day Smackdown special ABC3 Smackdown Games!
ABC3 Smackdown Games!
Smackdown is back! Australia Day 2014 – the ABC3 presenters must take on five Olympics‐style events as well as their intense rivalries to win the biggest prize in Smackdown history: a pair of alpacas. There are people who say that sport brings people together. Those people obviously never went to a Smackdown. 1 x 15 minutes. ABC TV.
The Flamin’ Thongs
Whale Bay is home to Australia’s least visited tourist attraction, the Giant Thong. It’s an isolated town, on an isolated coast, in an isolated part of Australia. A town so small it isn’t included on any map. But that may be about to change, because Whale Bay is also home to the Thong family, and together they’re determined to put Whale Bay on the map – any map, at any price, even if it kills them! Preview 1 x 12 minutes (series 26 x 12 minutes). Media World and Red Dog Bites.
Noteworthy repeats over summer include morning marathon programming between 10am and 1pm
five days a week throughout the January school holidays, with viewer favourites: Horrible Histories, Life With Boys, M.I. High, You’re Skitting Me, The High Fructose Adventures Of Annoying Orange and Total Drama.
January 2014 will also see the epic conclusion of the first series of Nowhere Boys.
ABC4KIDS HIGHLIGHTS
ABC4Kids will celebrate Christmas with several days of dedicated programming that is bound to delight, including:
Octonauts Special: A Very Vegimals Christmas Australian Premiere
Tuesday 24th December at 5pm
The Vegimals’ plans for a Christmas feast aboard the Octopod are interrupted when the Octonauts are all entangled in a gigantic blob of sea snot! 1 x 25 minutes. Silvergate Media.
The Australian premiere of special Christmas episodes of Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom, Mike The Knight, Thomas & Friends, Fireman Sam, Yo Gabba Gabba and Lazytown will also feature, as well as the Giggle & Hoot Christmas special and Peppa Pig.
Mister Maker Around The World Australian Premiere
Daily from Monday 20th January at 4pm
In a brand new series, Mister Maker packs up his Marvellous Maker Case to embark on a global journey of arty adventures. Travelling across the world – including to Australia –Mister Maker will visit children to learn about art in their countries and to make new projects with them, inspired by their local cultures. 26 x 20 minutes. The Foundation.
ABC NEWS 24 HIGHLIGHTS
Two new half‐hour interview series will premiere on ABC News 24 during the summer, both produced and presented by Angela Pulvirenti. Inside Edge is an eight‐episode sport‐themed series featuring sporting greats, including Evonne Goolagong Cawley, Ian Chappell, Sam Thaiday and Liz Ellis.
The Truth About Us is a six‐part series and will include interviews with news makers, including Ita Buttrose and Tanya Plibersek. These are interview programs with a difference; Angela will speak not only to the sporting hero or news maker, but also a person who has had a major impact on their lives – a partner, parent or mentor who can provide a special insight into what makes these high achievers tick.