This is a list of the 13 episodes of series three of Frontline

Frontline (Australian TV series)

Frontline is an Australian comedy television series which satirised Australian television current affairs programmes and reporting. It ran for three series of 13 half-hour episodes and was broadcast on ABC TV in 1994, 1995 and 1997.-Production:...

, which aired in 1997. In the third and final season, the show-within-the-show becomes the most respected and well-rated current affairs program in Australia however the politics and manipulations behind the scenes remain exactly the same.

All of the show's episodes were written and directed by Rob Sitch

Rob Sitch

Robert Ian Sitch , is an Australian director, producer, screenwriter, actor and comedian.-Early life:Sitch attended St Kevin's College and graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from the University of Melbourne, where he resided at Trinity College. He worked at the Royal Womans Hospital...

 (Mike Moore), Jane Kennedy

Jane Kennedy (actor)

Jane Kennedy is an Australian actress, comedian, radio presenter, and television producer best known for her work with the Working Dog Productions – a tight-knit group of performers responsible for a variety of television and films....

 (Brooke Vandenberg), Santo Cilauro

Santo Cilauro

Santo Cilauro is an Australian television and feature film producer, screenwriter, actor, author, comedian and cameraman, a co-founder of The D-Generation...

 (Geoffrey Salter) - who also did most of the camera work - and Tom Gleisner

Tom Gleisner

Tom Gleisner is an Australian director, producer, writer, comedian, occasional actor and author. He was educated at Xavier College in Melbourne, Australia.-Television, radio and film:...

.

Series 3: 1997

#	Title	Original Airdate	Overall Total
1	Dick on the Line	24 February 1997	27
	Several years after season 2, Frontline has become the highest-rated current affairs show in the country, under the guidance of an experienced and smooth-operating Executive Producer (Alan Dale Alan Dale Alan Hugh Dale is a New Zealand actor. As a child, Dale developed a love of theatre and also became a rugby player. After retiring from the sport he took on a number of professions to support his family, before deciding to become a professional actor at the age of 27. With work limited in New... ). The show, however, still targets the lowest common denominator, and continually airs manipulative pieces instead of hard-hitting journalism. When the executive producer retires, however, his replacement Graham "Prowsie" Prowse (Steve Bisley Steve Bisley Steve Bisley is an Australian film and television actor, who attended the National Institute of Dramatic Art .-Acting career:... ) proves to be a chauvinistic manipulator who doesn't care at all for Mike's desire to focus on important issues. As a result, Mike begins considering moving to the ABC Australian Broadcasting Corporation The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster... . Steve Bisley joins the cast. In most episodes he is given top billing. From this episode onwards Jase (Torquil Neilson Torquil Neilson -Biography:Born in London and raised in Melbourne, Neilson currently resides in Sydney where he has lived since 2003. He is best known for his role as Jason Cotter in Frontline which he played from 1994 to 1997. Neilson's other television roles include Blue Heelers, The Secret Life of Us and Love... ) now speaks. In the first two seasons, he never said a word.
2	My Generation	3 March 1997	28
	Frontlines average viewer age is 64, and Mike begins to worry that the show is alienating teenagers by portraying them as vandals and drug-takers. While Emma and Mike attempt to open the show's demographics, Brooke and Prowsie continue to paint a picture of teenagers that will meet the expectations of their elderly viewers.
3	The Shadow We Cast	10 March 1997	29
	After listening to Pauline Hanson Pauline Hanson Pauline Lee Hanson is an Australian politician and former leader of Pauline Hanson's One Nation, a political party with a populist and anti-multiculturalism platform... 's maiden speech Maiden speech A maiden speech is the first speech given by a newly elected or appointed member of a legislature or parliament.Traditions surrounding maiden speeches vary from country to country... , the Frontline crew join a media frenzy attacking her Nativist Nativism (politics) Nativism favors the interests of certain established inhabitants of an area or nation as compared to claims of newcomers or immigrants. It may also include the re-establishment or perpetuation of such individuals or their culture....  and Protectionist Protectionism Protectionism is the economic policy of restraining trade between states through methods such as tariffs on imported goods, restrictive quotas, and a variety of other government regulations designed to allow "fair competition" between imports and goods and services produced domestically.This...  policies as racist until finally Hanson agrees to be interviewed. At the same time, however, Frontline runs a swathe of stories about various ethnical groups, which clearly divide racial lines and are designed to appeal to racist prejudices. Mike's interview with Pauline Hanson parodies a 1996 interview Hanson gave on 60 Minutes with Tracey Curro Tracey Curro Tracey Ilana Curro is an Australian journalist who was a newsreader for TV stations GMV-6, QTQ-9 and ATV-10 before reporting for the Seven Network's Beyond 2000, a science-technology show, and then 60 Minutes, the Australian version of the current affairs show... . For this episode only, Steve Bisley is second in the opening credits. Although this season is supposedly set several years after the previous seasons (set in 1994 and 1995 respectively), this episode is very clearly set in 1996, as evidenced by Pauline Hanson's maiden speech.
4	One Rule for One	17 March 1997	30
	Marty is suspended for a month after he fakes a story on Christopher Skase Christopher Skase Christopher Charles Skase was an Australian businessman who later became one of his country's most wanted fugitives, after his business empire crashed spectacularly and he fled to Majorca in Spain.-Early life:...  when he can't get real footage. Mike begins receiving threatening phone calls and being trailed by suspicious cars after he runs a story about a corrupt businessman. Believing that someone is out to get him, Mike hires a personal security guard to tail him everywhere. As the controversy surrounding Marty's light punishment grows, Mike finds everyone - including his security guard - questioning journalistic ethics.
5	A Hole in the Heart - Part 1	24 March 1997	31
	When a young boy from Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...  is flown into Australia for open heart surgery Open Heart Surgery Open Heart Surgery was released on August 8, 2000 by rock band Virginwool. The band signed to Breaking/Atlantic Records after initially beginning signed to Universal Records. The album was produced and mixed by Brad Wood.... , Frontline jumps on to the case. Although all the financing and work has been organised by the charity Rotary Rotary International Rotary International is an organization of service clubs known as Rotary Clubs located all over the world. The stated purpose of the organization is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help... , Prowsie conspires to keep them out of the story, and give Frontline more credit. Mike refuses to get involved, leaving Marty in charge of the story but once the week-long coverage becomes popular, Mike demands to be involved, and Prowsie faces trouble keeping other media outlets from getting involved. Meanwhile, Emma and the other women begin speculating when Brooke begins acting strangely.
6	A Hole in the Heart - Part 2	31 March 1997	32
	As the day of Ashira's surgery nears, Marty and the team attempt to keep the story exclusive and find an entire week's storylines in what is turning out to be a relatively predictable event; and Prowsie struggles to smooth-talk his way out of not mentioning Rotary's involvement in the project. Mike's determination to be the star reporter of the story begins to wane when he is offered the chance to play golf Golf Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....  with celebrity Ian Baker-Finch Ian Baker-Finch Ian Michael Baker-Finch is an Australian professional golfer, who is best known for winning The Open Championship in 1991.-Early years:... . And when Brooke informs Prowsie and Trish (Lynda Gibson) that she is pregnant, she struggles between the options of keeping her baby - which, as an unwed mother, will alienate Frontlines conservative viewership - or keeping her career.
7	The Simple Life	7 April 1997	33
	Mike's recent investments and large salary become public knowledge, threatening his image as a 'man of the people'. To get this back, Trish and Prowsie attempt to convince him to become a philanthropist Philanthropist A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes... , and shoot a promo advertising Mike as a common man. Meanwhile, the rest of the office - particularly Marty - attempt to make Mike's life hell, now that they know his worth. Brooke and Emma clash over a story on youth unemployment when it becomes an attack on three unemployed teenagers whom the Frontline audience are growing to hate, and tuning in more passionately each night to do so. Torquil Neilson's last episode.
8	I Get the Big Names	14 April 1997	34
	Mike builds and relentlessly promotes his own profile as someone who interviews major celebrities, political figures, and other influential people from recent history. Even as he seeks an interview with Mel Gibson Mel Gibson Mel Colm-Cille Gerard Gibson, AO is an American actor, film director, producer and screenwriter. Born in Peekskill, New York, Gibson moved with his parents to Sydney, Australia when he was 12 years old and later studied acting at the Australian National Institute of Dramatic Art.After appearing in... , Mike remains blissfully unaware that all of his interviews are actually advertisements. And when Jase is fired - for leaking audio of Brooke in the bathroom - his replacement Trev (Stephen Curry) instantly becomes a legend around the office.
9	The Art of the Interview	21 April 1997	35
	Steve Barrett (Jeremy Sims Jeremy Sims -Personal life:He was educated at Wesley College, Perth, 1977–83. Sims was married to film director Samantha Lang. They have two daughters, Frederique and Evelyn Rose.-Career:... ), an old friend of the office staff, gets promoted to executive producer of Sunday Forum, and seeks out Prowsie for advice on what to do. With the help of Emma and Marty, Prowsie explains the tips and tricks of interviews - using examples from Mike's career to illustrate them - which include fuelling emotional fires instead of listening to logic, entertaining the audience, and making sure the presenter feels that he's remaining independent. This is the only episode of all three seasons where the journalists are not covering stories. It is also shorter than all other episodes, at only 19 minutes.
10	"I" Disease	28 April 1997	36
	When Kate (Trudy Hellier Trudy Hellier Trudy Hellier is an Australian actress with many television credits to her name. She was a presenter on the children's show Play School and was a main star in the Australian television programs Round the Twist and Frontline... ) resigns, her replacement Carla quickly starts learning the tricks of the trade from Emma: particularly that in current affairs, it isn't the story that's important, but the reporter. Before long, however, her efficiency and refusal to be trampled over by the credit-hungry reporters sees her offend Mike - who is dedicating all his time to writing his autobiography Autobiography An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...  (Mike Moore, by Mike Moore), and is thus embarrassed on television and radio for not checking information that Carla prepared for him; Brooke - who attempts to claim the credit for the work that all the office staff do; and Marty - who sees the others' egotism, but not his own. Before long, it becomes clear that all of the reporters suffer from what Prowsie calls "'I' Disease", and they're the only important one in the room. Trudy Hellier's last episode.
11	Addicted to Fame	5 May 1997	37
	Mike decides that the publicity he receives is interfering with his life and he announces that he is not going to do any more publicity. Although Prowsie is at first worried about this, Trish assures him that publicity for stars is an addiction - and so they both wait to see how long Mike can go cold turkey Cold turkey "Cold turkey" describes the actions of a person who abruptly gives up a habit or addiction rather than gradually easing the process through gradual reduction or by using replacement medication.... . Geoff is told that he can run a Sunday night special about the weather, only Mike and Brooke - who doubt that it will be popular - turn down the chance to host the show. At the last minute, Marty accepts the job. When the show turns out to be a dazzling success, Mike grows jealous of Geoff's sudden publicity, and Brooke's refusal to be involved in the project suddenly becomes a desire to help out.
12	The Code	12 May 1997	38
	Eliott's unfunny songs displease Mike for what seems like a final time, to the point where he demands that Eliott be fired. Aware that Mike is now more important to the network than anyone else, Prowsie and Emma are forced to let him go. Although he privately hates almost everyone at the network, Mike staunchly defends "the code" whereby you never make fun of your colleague in the media. Meanwhile, Brooke is offended when a late-night sketch comedy Sketch comedy A sketch comedy consists of a series of short comedy scenes or vignettes, called "sketches," commonly between one and ten minutes long. Such sketches are performed by a group of comic actors or comedians, either on stage or through an audio and/or visual medium such as broadcasting...  show begin making fun of her, and she sets out to prove that she has a sense of humour. Although This Is Your Life have wanted Mike to appear on their show for years, Prowsie has attempted to derail the project since he is aware that when Mike's life is chronicled on television, it will prove incredibly boring. At last, however, he is forced to let the show profile Mike, and he sends Marty to attempt to find some interesting anecdotes from Mike's childhood... to no avail.
13	Epitaph	19 May 1997	39
	When an influential ABC Australian Broadcasting Corporation The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...  journalist dies, Mike attends the funeral where he realises that he hasn't inspired anyone, and has never championed a cause without cheap concessions for sponsors and network cross-promotion. Determined to make his mark as a journalist, and to leave an epitaph that will be respected, Mike decides to tackle the problem of Aboriginal health by visiting a remote Aboriginal settlement in northern Queensland Queensland Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...  to do a week-long series of specials. His plans are complicated, however, by his own ego, his complete lack of awareness on the issues, and the fact that - back in the studio - Marty, Hugh and Prowsie are doing everything in their power to cater to the racist prejudices of the viewing audience. Stu and Trev suffer when they are forced to spend the week roughing it in the outback while Mike is flown from location to resort in his private plane. Back in the Frontline studio, Brooke gets engaged. While reluctant maid-of-honour Emma begins to suspect that Brooke doesn't have any real friends, Brooke herself finds it hard to navigate between the "necessary" publicity for her wedding, and her fiancé's demand for a private relationship. This was the longest episode of the series, with a running time of 30 minutes.

External links

• Frontline website (Extremely out of date circa 1997)
• Interview with Rob Sitch on the tenth anniversary of Frontline
• Frontline DVDs at the ABC shop online