Stylish Television: The Newsreader

I have to admit, I’m not the World’s foremost authority on Australian television. Home and Away and Neighbours, The Thorn Birds in the 1980’s…and that’s about it. But this week I discovered ‘The Newsreader’, a brilliant, funny, exciting 6 part series set in a news studio in Australia in 1986 and I have been absolutely hooked. Each episode is a joy, set around one of the key news stories of 1986, and the attention to period detail in terms of styling and costumes are absolutely spot on. The Newsreader is, quite frankly, a joy, and I can’t wait until series two.

The stand out star of The Newsreader is Anna Torv who plays the queen of the newsroom Helen Torville. Helen is groomed and glamorous, and presents the news with an aura of calm and decency, but in her personal life she is a mess, frustrated with her lack of respect for her skills and her ideas, drinking too much and generally falling apart. After another confrontation in the newsroom,  she takes an overdose and is discovered by rookie newsman Dale Jennings. A romantic relationship develops, but Dale has is own issues that both complicate and jeopardise the relationship. Against all this is a backdrop of 1986, of Chernobyl and Challenger, or Haley’s Comet and the release of Lindy Chamberlain, and of the Royal Wedding of Fergie and Andy. It all makes for compelling viewing.

1986 was a key year for style in the 1980’s, with bows being popularised by the instantly popular Sarah Ferguson. Power dressing was making its appearance, and is perfect for Helen Norville’s wardrobe, all shoulder pads, silk blouses, power jackets and suits. Helen’s hairstyle is a toned down version of that sported by Melanie Griffith at the start of Working Girl, another hit from the 1980s. There are also glamorous sequins at a birthday celebration for veteran newsman Geoff Walters (Robert Taylor), and a stylish, classic trenchcoat.

If you’ve not see The Newsreader yet, you can get all episodes on BBC I Player and On Demand.

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