The Newsreader (TV Series) Meltdown (2021) User Reviews

Splendid series finale.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 9/10 · 27 December 2022]

Helen struggles to process what Dale revealed to her, everyone is quick to get to work when they hear of a Nuclear disaster in The Soviet Union.

It's been a tremendous first series, and this final episode is another brilliant watch, everything that's been happening, events minor and major all culminate in this brilliant final episode. We finally get answers to the question I asked back in episode one, why is Helen the way she is. We also learn a great deal about Dale.

The scenes between Helen and Dale, truly moments to get a tear out of you, can I just was that Rob doesn't go out of it, he's awesome.

So much happened in the 1980's when you watch this show, and realise the myriad of Earth shocking events, in this one they cover the fallout of Chernobyl, that scene where Helen interviewed a resident of Kyiv was astonishing, and perfectly believable.

I am already counting down for the second series, if it's anything like this first series, it's going to be fantastic.

Excellent, 9/10.

Season One Review

[southdavid · 8/10 · 23 September 2022]

"The Newsreader" was a bit of a spur of the moment choice, I hadn't heard of it, but I do like Anna Torv and thought I'd give it a go. Glad I did, as it's an excellently acted drama about the inner workings of a newsroom in Australia, in 1986.

Dale Jennings (Sam Reid) is a researcher and segment producer for a high-profile nightly news show. He becomes close with Helen (Anna Torv) one of the co-anchors, whose professionalism on camera belies a fairly catastrophic personal life. The pair become close when the Challenger explosion forces Dale into an on-camera role. Anna's co-anchor is legendary Lindsay Cunningham (William McInnes) whose health is starting to fail and both his wife, and the Network, are keen on him taking a less high-profile position, but he is reluctant.

The show could, I suppose, have been set in almost any environment as it's really an office drama, about the relationships between the characters involved. The TV news setting does provide an added pressure to be accurate and quick though, one which the show uses increasingly as it runs on. The time period also allows the show to integrate a large number of real-life events, such as Lindy Chamberlain's release and the Chernobyl disaster into the storylines.

Anna Torv has played somewhat aloof professional women before, but Helen has some demons that she gets to work with, and her relationship with Dale is nicely played, even though we, the audience, know that it's doomed to failure (and why) from the start. The shows reaction to the HIV crisis and the demonization of gay men at the time in the media is redone here and it's I do think it's a good argument for anyone who questions the validity of Pride events to see what it used to be like, not even that long ago.

The performances are good, even one's that initially seem to be a bit one note develop as the season runs on. I did not think that sports reporter Rob Rickard would be character I cared about at all, but I was invested by the end. And at only six episodes, it doesn't outstay its welcome.

Great stuff, criminally underseen on this side of the . . . Planet, I guess, hopefully the BBC push it a little more with season two.

Amazing

[ElvisSavir · 10/10 · 23 September 2021]

Whoa, I've got to know about this show because I am a fan of Anna Torv, so, I decided to give it a look. It was really difficult to find the show online as I live in Venezuela and the show is from Australia, well, looking here and there I could see every week during 6 weeks a new episode of this amazing show.

The plot is great, I felt involved by the story, every actor/actress give his/her character a especial quality and beauty that made shine every one.

Anna Torv is simply amazing, she made me feel uncorfortable, worried, mad and in love with her while watching her evolution. Sam Reid made me cry.

Everyone was simply amazing and I hope they get a 2nd season because I feel there are more.

Bravo!!!

Lifelike acting! Acting does not get any better than The Newsreader!!!

[robertyahnite · 10/10 · 1 March 2023]

The best acting I have ever witnessed on TV or the movie screen!

Anna Torv, and Sam Reed have a chemistry that is rare to see ever! Robert Taylor, Michelle Davidson, Marg Downey. Stephen Peacocke, Chum Ehelepola And the rest of the cast are perfectly cast together to give you an acting experience that you won't even believe they're acting! Just simply outstanding!

The Newsreader, is the type of program you binge on! I am still in awe of how the producers got this great cast together, and how they work as family with natural perfect chemistry that every movie and television program should have!

Rob Y.

Somers Point, Nj.

Meltdown

[Prismark10 · 6/10 · 18 March 2023]

There is a meltdown in the Soviet Union with the Chernobyl nuclear reactor disaster.

This is personal for Helen, she has a cousin living in Kiev whom is oblivious to the dangers of a nuclear leak.

Helen is also reeling with the revelations by Dale. Just what kind of a relationship she has had with him?

The newsroom is having a meltdown as well. The bosses want Lindsay Cunningham to immediately retire and Lindsay's own wife suggests a severance package.

It was interesting just how difficult it was to get news information to Australia from what was happening behind the Iron Curtain. The network would have to rely on British/European news organisations.

I did like Lindsay's storyline. He's a dinosaur, he's health is bad but he does not want to leave. Instead he goes to the papers to complain about the state of broadcast news and the new media bosses.

It reminds me of exactly how veteran presenters behave either on television or radio in Britain, especially if they work for the BBC. They think it is a job for life unless a rival makes a superior offer.

The Newsreader was a finer series than I expected. A mild surprise with characters I cared about.