Shaun Micallef Is Getting A Brand New Sitcom, And It Sounds Excellent

Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has made good on the Government’s promise to break their election promise, revealing on Q&A by how much the ABC’s budget will be slashed. (You’re gonna do them like that in their own house, Malcs? Ice cold.)

Mr. Turnbull announced that the public broadcaster would be denied 5% over five years, amounting to $50 million a year, on top of the $9 million cut pledged in the May budget. To put a more practical face on it, that’s how much it costs to maintain the hedge maze the ABC had landscaped to resemble Tony Jones’ face, or to keep Barrie Cassidy’s always-running chopper fuelled on his personal helipad.

In short: you might find Leigh Sales and Annabel Crabb singing a lot more DIY theme songs in the new year.

One area, however, in which Aunty refuses to skimp – budget be damned! — is in the hiring of talent, which is why we should be excited for the ABC’s future: not because winter is coming, but because Shaun Micallef is staying.

The Mad is Hell newsman and Australia’s preeminent comic talent will bring to the ABC a new sitcom in 2015 titled The EX-PM, as announced in last week’s presser boasting the station’s upcoming comedy prospects.

Micallef will play in the show “our third longest-serving prime minister,” and, presumably, our goofiest too.

Described as a cross between House of Cards and One Foot in the Grave, The EX-PM will follow the exploits of a Prime Minister who once “dined with presidents and kings” and now, umm, doesn’t.

As our third longest-serving prime minister, Andrew Dugdale (Shaun Micallef) was a man who mattered. He dined with presidents and kings, co-hosted world summits and changed the lives of millions of his fellow Australians. But since his publicly-mandated retirement, this not-so-elder statesman has far too much time on his hands and no one to waste it on. What’s a former Man of the People’ to do? This narrative comedy series fixes its beady eye on the world of grounded high-flyers and benched heavy-hitters. How do they make sure their elephant stamp on history remains indelible? What do they do when someone goes through their cupboards and finds all those skeletons? And does anybody want anything from the shops?

Though Micallef has been killing it in Jon Stewart-mode of late, his greatest achievement remains The Micallef Program/Programme/Pogram from the turn of the century; broadly considered the best thing ever produced in Australia, on any medium, ever.

That sketch show was followed by one season of the little-seen, less-loved Welcher & Welcher, Micallef’s previous attempt at sitcommery. It was actually pretty good. See?

He’s bounced around a variety of genres – and networks — over the years with varying degrees of success, including fake news (Newstopia), game shows (Talkin’ ‘bout Your Generation), talk shows (Micallef Tonight), and hour-long black comedies (Mr. and Mrs. Murder).

But the Program/Programme/Pogram is where it’s truly at. Here now, in anticipation of what will surely be our new favourite show, a selection of Mr. Micallef’s finest comedy cuts; perhaps, the best examples of what we as a nation are capable of.

Frankly, in light of Mr. Turnbull’s depressing announcement, we could use the reminder that we do good stuff sometimes too.

–

The parliament one:

–

The infamous drunk tilted room sketch:

–

‘Kreepy Spooks Theatre Restaurant’:

–

The one where Dracula has a sea-change:

–

And, of course, this oddball marvel:

–

Simon Miraudo is an AFCA award-winning writer and film critic. He is also co-host of The Podcasting Couch and tweets at @simonmiraudo.