RAMPANT (Mon Dec 3, ABC-8:30pm)
This World AIDS Day special looks at the history of the pandemic in Australia, from the first diagnosed case in 1982 in Sydney to now. Commentators include former Federal Minister of Health Dr. Neal Blewett, HIV/AIDS activist Ita Buttrose and the rabidly homophobic Reverend Fred Nile, which is rather like inviting the boogeyman to a symposium on child bedwetting.
WAR OF THE BIRDS (Tues Dec 4, ABC-8:35pm)
Excellent natural history/military history doco looking at the unsung heroes of WWII-carrier pigeons. Trained by the British Secret Service, the pigeons carried vital communications that often saved hundreds of Allied lives. Fifty carrier pigeons to date have been awarded the Dickin Medal, the animal equivalent of a Congressional Medal of Honor. Please don’t eat fast food chicken whilst watching this!
SUPERNATURAL (Mon Dec 10, Ten-8:30pm)
The hot boys with names like guns – Sam and Dean Winchester (Jared Padelecki and Jensen Ackles) are back to tackle a whole new season of unnatural monsters and situations (not the least of which is the hot-yet-disturbing undercurrent of homoeroticism between the characters). This year, the writers paid a licensing fee to Paramount studios, which means that episode ten will see the Winchester boys quit the inappropriate touching and loaded glances long enough to face off against the FRIDAY THE 13TH, hockey-masked maniac, Jason Voorhees! Anyone attempting to call me on the phone that night will get an earful of supernatural expletives.
MYTHBUSTERS (Mon Dec 17, SBS-7:30pm)
Speaking of guys solving unnatural mysteries, the dudes who debunk Urban Legends each week are back with all new episodes too, which means a whole new generation of cub scouts and girl guides can be disappointed that The Hook isn’t real, alligators can’t survive in sewers for more than a week and that evil undead spectre Bloody Mary doesn’t live in their mirrors.
RUBY GLOOM (Tues Dec 18, ABC-4:30pm)
New cartoon series about a cutely creepy little Goth tot who isn’t happy unless she’s miserable and surrounded by lots of spiny friends with many more legs than the traditional two or four. It’s an animated comedy for the horrible-haircutted little Emo person wailing away inside us all. Watch it or the writers will be depressed…which will make them happy…which will make them depressed again…
