Screen Queen TV Reviews: Race Around The World, Farmer Wants A Wife, Classic Doctor Who
This week, Screen Queen Clare is diving into the Race Around The World reboot, and is every bit as invested as she was in its 90s forebear. Here’s what else she’s watching on TV this week.
Race Around The World
Sunday, 7.30pm, ABC
If you were around in the 1990s, chances are you watched ABC’s groundbreaking reality documentary series Race Around The World.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.It ran for two seasons from 1997 and was a massive cult hit — and it had a seismic effect on young, impressionable, uni student me.
When it debuted, I was halfway through my second year of an arts degree, and like most of my fellow undergrads, I had absolutely no idea what I’d end up doing. Strangely, I couldn’t think of many jobs that would utilise my studies in 1960s American ghetto politics (yes, this was a real unit I took, and yes, I cringe in second-hand embarrassment).
Race Around The World saw contestants take off around the world for 100 days, sending back a doco every 10 days for us to judge from home. It lit a spark in me, making me think seriously about embarking on my own career in storytelling.
Could I be a documentary filmmaker? Maybe a journalist? Maybe both?
Turns out I wasn’t the only one who identified: when I interviewed new Race reboot host Zan Rowe, she said she felt the same way, going on to say the original series was like “an incredible door opening into a whole bunch of stories and ideas I had never imagined”.
I love that all these years later she’s now fronting the new version — and that it’s every bit as compelling as the original series.
In this iteration, five contestants are off around the world (this time they won’t know where they’ll end up week by week), with 90s racer John Safran (who was famously disqualified for using hidden camera footage, but went on to win the popular audience vote) returning as judge.
He’s weighing in alongside weekly guest judges, which in ep one are Claudia Karvan and Margaret Pomeranz, who is terrifically acerbic in her assessment of the first films produced for week one.
Nineteen-year-old me AND 47-year-old me are equally excited for you all to see this — you won’t want to miss it.
Every Year After
Wednesday, streaming on Prime Video
Heated Rivalry, Off Campus — when it comes to horny dramas, Prime Video has certainly cornered the market. This book-to-TV adaptation is joining the ranks, and is sure to find a dedicated following, thanks to its hot young cast and tortured love story.
Based on Carley Fortune’s book Every Summer After (this was huge on BookTok), it tells the story of star-crossed lovers Sam Florek (Matt Cornett) and Percy Fraser (Sadie Soverall), who fall for one another as teens, only to drift out of each other’s lives.
Dawson’s Creek meets The Summer I Turned Pretty: yep, that pretty much covers it.
Everything I Know About Love
Monday, streaming on 7Plus
There are some real hidden gems on 7Plus, and this might be my favourite yet. Based on the book by Dolly Alderton, it follows two childhood friends as they navigate relationships, life and a string of bad dates. This is sadly only one season, but it’s so, so great — discover it immediately.
Farmer Wants A Wife S16
Monday, 7pm, Seven
I am weirdly obsessed with this reality dating series. I mean, what’s not to love about watching ruggedly handsome bogan farmers milk cows with city-slicker ladies vying for their hearts? These are the types of happily-ever-afters I can get behind.
Classic Doctor Who
Wednesday, streaming on BritBox
Tom Baker and his absurdly long scarf will forever be my favourite Doctor, so I’ll be tuning in to enjoy a rewatch of his era as BritBox brings back all 26 seasons of classic Who. The first eight original Doctors feature — yes, please.
Originally published on STM
