Andrew Mercado’s TV Guide: Sheer Sydney tackiness + War On Waste

TV critic Andrew Mercado’s rundown on what to watch on the box this week

The Real Housewives of Sydney – 8.30pm Sunday on Arena

Congratulations, Sydney, you have proven once and for all that when it comes to appalling behaviour and sheer tackiness, Melbourne has nothing on you!

After 10 jaw-dropping episodes, the “ladies” are back for the Reunion special. Host Alex Perry struggles (yet again) to control proceedings and looks like he might burst out of his skintight suit at any point (seriously, Alex, cut back at the gym or go up a size). While the majority of Housewives can hold their head high, Athena X and Lisa Oldfield continue with behaviour that veers between deluded and borderline sociopathic. Their fat-shaming, slut-shaming and pathetic excuses as to why the act they way they do are an embarrassment to the sisterhood and a new low, even for this franchise. Sadly, there is even another appearance of David Oldfield, who, last time I checked, wasn’t a Housewife but sure does love the attention just like his erratic wife. Moving forward, I would gladly watch another series with most of this cast but surely even the producers are wondering if the batshit crazy attention-seekers are worth all the drama.

Prison Break: Resurrection – 9.40pm Monday on Ten

We’ve had The X-Files and 24 come back. Coming soon are Will and Grace, Twin Peaks and Roseanne. And now there is this action drama, re-writing its own history by resurrecting Michael (Wentworth Miller) who supposedly died when it ended in 2009. That means his brother Lincoln (Aussie actor Dominic Purcell) is also back to “engineer the series’ biggest escape ever” as most of the original cast returns. Fox is calling this a “limited run” with only six episodes that just finished airing in the US in a concept that one critic said “beggars belief”. When it comes to prison dramas, I think I’ll stick with Wentworth, which continues to up the ante every week in a mind-blowing fifth season now on Foxtel.

Ask The Doctor – 8pm Tuesday on ABC

You can always rely on Aunty to try out something fresh and different. And since ABC boss Michelle Guthrie has requested more diversity on screen, this show introduces us to a multicultural trio with a doctor of Italian heritage (Dr Sandro Demaio), and two from Asian backgrounds (Dr Renee Lim and Dr Shalin Naik). The first episode is all about obesity and looks at new medical possibilities to lose weight. That topic is a surefire way to get first-time viewers and it’s done in a fun, light format that should prove popular over the next 12 episodes. They even revisit Ararat, once the location for a series of The Biggest Loser, and track down a participant who has kept the weight off since the show ended. Interestingly, when asked if the show was a positive experience, she agrees wholeheartedly and says she would do it all over again.

War On Waste – 8.30pm Tuesday on ABC

The Chaser’s engaging Craig Reucassel is on a mission to get Aussies to be less wasteful and I am so on board, I have already bought a re-usable coffee cup to stop wasting disposable ones ever day. This is another great concept from Aunty that commercial TV is never interested in (unless it rates its pants off) but they should be, because they are the masters of recycling product! Also to be discussed in this three part series is repairing electronic goods instead of replacing them, getting rid of plastic, living off the grid and South Australia’s 40 year history refunding cash for cans.

Mediaweek’s James Manning and Kruti Joshi speak with Reucassel below: 

Fargo – 8.30pm Wednesday on SBS

After the first series inspired by the original movie, and the second a prequel about the 1970s, this third series is set in 2010 but some things never change in the small Minnesota town. It’s still winter, there’s still lots of snow and murder and mayhem are still on the menu. This one features Ewan McGregor playing not twins but two very different siblings. That casting alone should make this worthwhile, while anybody who has watched either series before will be definitely be back on board.

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