Loveday Writing

After Helen (Anna Torv) has a screaming match with Lindsay (William McInnes) about not being able to read the Thatcher story, and not being able to do the special reports that she wants, Lindsay allows Dale to finally provide an update on air, and also makes him Helen’s producer.

After calling his mother to tell her about finally getting a chance to read on air, Dale practices presenting at home.

On Monday morning, Dale has a meeting with Helen, where he dismisses her proposed story idea focusing on a single mother who has contracted HIV via a blood transfusion. However he comes up with a story idea for her that she does like – the Space Shuttle Challenger.

After Helen storms out and Lindsay sacks her after another screaming match (which I’ll get to), Lindsay promotes Dale in a fit of anger. Later that day, Dale goes to see Helen at her home and finds her unconscious on the floor, having accidentally overdosed on pills. Dale takes Helen back to his flat on the advice of a paramedic.

The next morning, he offers to make her breakfast and convinces her to rest instead of going into work. While Helen stays behind, Dale goes into work to provide his first update only for it to be a disaster when he reads too fast, then too slow and then stumbles on some of the words. After his colleagues briefly tease and then comfort him, he goes home where he finds Helen cooking dinner to thank him for letting her stay. He tells her about his update and goes to his room. As he is constantly recording the news on his TV, Helen finds and watches the update, telling Dale about her own mistakes when she started out. Dale tries to stop her to no avail but they both end up laughing about it.

We then see Helen coaching Dale as he practices presenting by reading stories out of the newspaper. It is in this scene that Helen’s experience is on full display, and the rapport between her and Dale grows.

The next day, the news of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster breaks. Noelene hears the news on the radio and calls Dale, only for Helen to answer the phone. Dale turns on the radio, hears the broadcast and rushes in to work. Lindsay stops Dale from doing the breaking news update on the disaster due to his mistakes in his first update, and ends up calling Helen in after he can’t get a hold of Geoff. Dale assists Helen by feeding her information during the broadcast and it is a success.

The episode ends with Dale taking Helen back to her home and he asks her why she took the pills. She admits that she took them not to commit suicide, but from feeling overwhelmed by all the criticism she endures. When Dale remarks that he thinks he’s not cut out for news reading, Helen disagrees and she kicks off another coaching session.

Helen – We get Helen’s perspective on Monday 27 January 1986 when we are shown her waking up in her home and then going into work, where she is informed that Dale will be producing her. While Helen is unhappy that Dale dismisses her HIV story idea, as well as with two other ideas he has come up with, she is satisfied with his story idea on the Space Shuttle Challenger.

Throughout the episode, we see Helen experience subtle but clear moments of sexism, such as her screaming matches with Lindsay, with one ending with her storming off and Lindsay impulsively firing her. We also see these moments of sexism with Geoff, when he criticises her for being emotional when she provides the update on the Challenger disaster, as he is clearly jealous of her popularity with the audience and their colleagues.

We also see Helen warm up to Dale after he saves her life, lets her stay in his home and when he is nice to her, which contrasts with her interactions with her other male colleagues. As mentioned in my analysis of Dale, his respect for her leads to her coaching him and sharing her experiences so he can improve.

We see Helen’s skills and talent in full force as she provides the breaking news update, with Dale assisting her, which also shows how far their working relationship and dynamic can go over time. They work together seamlessly, and without conflict and sexism between them. After she successfully provides the update, she manages to get her job back on her own terms.

Geoff – The focus on Geoff (Robert Taylor) was minor but it was made quite clear that Geoff is “old school” – he feels that the news should be serious and not have glamour or fluff, which is what he feels Helen brings. His wife, Evelyn (Marg Downey) seems to agree, especially when she hears that Helen has been fired and she insists that he put his foot down about being the only newsreader. He also wants to get back into the field.

However Geoff’s belief isn’t working for him or the ratings, which Lindsay continually makes clear to him.

Overall, we didn’t find out much about Geoff in this episode, but I’m sure we will in the future episodes.

Lindsay – Similarly to Geoff, we don’t find out much about Lindsay in this episode, all we know about him is that he is the news director and he regularly gets into screaming matches with Helen, although he does admit to Dale that when Helen is on camera she connects well with their audience.

Other Characters – We are briefly introduced to Noelene (Michelle Lim Davidson), the PA, Tim (Chai Hansen), the camera man, Rob, the sports anchor, and Dennis (Chum Ehelepola), the Chief of Staff. We didn’t really find out anything about them, but I’m sure we will eventually.

Overall I felt that this was a solid pilot with complex and compelling characters, with the 1980s setting pulled off perfectly. I also enjoyed the historical reference with the Space Shuttle Challenger being the main story that was focused on, the performances from the cast when their characters reacted to the inevitable disaster were flawless.

Stray Observations:

-Dale is from Bendigo.

-According to Helen, Geoff spends more time in the makeup chair then he does at the desk, while she only gets a two-hour dye job once a fortnight.

-A glass of water is always under the desk in case the newsreaders get dry mouth.

Best one liners and interactions:

• “You can’t go off anything a bloke says at the Christmas Party!” (Lindsay to Helen)
• “You know 80% of what people see is your hair.” “What kind of statistic is that?” “They’ve done studies.” “What studies?” (Helen-Dale going back and forth)
• “I think at least 15% more attractive.” “I’m getting very suspicious of your statistics.” (Helen and Dale on Dale’s fixed hair)
• “You know I’m a fucking disaster but I’m also relentless and I’m loyal.” (Helen to Dale)