Loveday Writing

Each episode (with the exception of the fifth episode) has Dale and Helen report on a significant historical event. The pilot has them report on the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, the second episode focuses on the return of Halley’s Comet, the third episode has Dale and Helen reporting on Lindy Chamberlain’s release from prison, the fourth episode had Dale initially working on royal wedding fluff pieces only to have him end up in the thick of the Russell Street Police Station explosion, the fifth episode is more personal for Dale when Helen finally gets approval to interview a single mother who contracted HIV from a blood transfusion, and the finale focuses on the Chernobyl Disaster.

As the show’s writers have Helen and Dale report on these historical events, they also have their personal lives (as well as the personal lives of the other main characters) explored throughout the season. Helen and Dale enter into a relationship, despite Dave being closeted, which culminates in him revealing to Helen that he is gay and had a traumatic experience in high school with another boy. Helen’s struggles with drug addiction and mental health are also explored, as well as Geoff struggling with his career, and Rob and Noelene’s developing romance.

As well as the writers touching on the characters’ personal lives, they also touch on what Australian society was like back in the 1980s. We see Helen and Geoff experience multiple moments of sexism and ageism respectively at work, Helen struggling to cook a meal to impress Dale’s mother, and the stigma associated with the then-escalating HIV/AIDS epidemic.

The first season ended with Geoff being axed from the network and determined to get revenge by slamming the network in an interview with an old friend of his working at The Age, Helen and Dale reconciling but not getting back together as Dale has accepted himself for who he is, and doing their first Bulletin together, Rob getting the job he wants (but only after quitting when Lindsay threatens to fire him for not accepting a promotion), and Noelene being promoted to producer.

I wrote in my review of the finale that the major news stories, and the story arcs and subplots revolving around the character’s personal lives were balanced out perfectly throughout the season. Although the final two episodes focused more on the character’s personal lives than the major new stories, hopefully the balance seen in episodes one through four will be restored in the following season.

The ABC confirmed on 30 March 2022 that The Newsreader was renewed for a second season, which will be set in 1987. There’s been no details provided on what major news stories will get the spotlight in the second season, but there are plenty of solid ones to choose from, such as: the end of the Iran-Contra Affair, the trial of Surrogate Baby M, the FDA approving the first antiretroviral treatment for HIV/AIDS, President Reagan challenging Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall, Kylie Minogue releasing her first single, the first Palestine uprising, the first mobile phone call made in Australia, Bob Hawke’s ALP government re-elected for a third term, and Black Monday.

I’m looking forward to reviewing the second season when it eventually airs.

Behind the Reviews – Edition #28 will be released next week and will focus on The Secret Daughter.