Utopia

UtopiaTitle

A sixteen episode comedy series on ABC TV. Average show length 26 minutes. The debut episode was broadcasted Wednesday August 13, 2014 at 8:30pm. Season Two launched Wednesday August 19, 2015 at 9pm. Season Three launched Wednesday July 19, 2017 at 9pm.

Each season so far contains 8 episodes.

Set around the offices of “Nation Building Authority” – a newly created Government department to oversee major infrastructure projects, developing dreams that collide with unforeseen but obvious reality. A closely knitted team of brain-stormers, assistants and project managers who try and get the job done, while trying to keep sanity amongst themselves when their walls are collapsing around them.

Rob Sitch as Tony
Celia Pacquola as Nat
Dave Lawson as Scott
Luke McGregor as Hugh
Kitty Flanagan as Rhonda
Anthony ‘Lehmo’ Lehmann as Jim
Toby Truslove as Karsten
Emma-Louise Wilson as Katie
Michelle Lim Davidson as Amy

Season One

Episode One – August 13, 2014

  • Attempts to sign an international development deal are compromised by Rhonda’s decision to redesign the NBA’s logo. Nat has to find room for a community garden within a waterfront development.

Episode Two – August 20, 2014

  • Tony is forced to step in when an endangered grass threatens to de-rail plans for a new container terminal. Rhonda is convinced that the NBA needs a major overhaul of its website.

Episode Three – August 27, 2014

  • A trip to Canberra leads to Tony being forced to investigate the feasibility of building a very fast train. Amy decides to conduct an office safety audit.

 Episode Four – September 3, 2014

  • Tony is reluctantly dragged in when the developer of a low-rise inner city building project decides he wants to double the height of his apartment block… and then triple it again.

Episode Five – September 10, 2014

  • The decision to include roadside art on a major highway upgrade leads to controversy. Things get worse when Tony’s visit to a primary school results in the actual launch of Australia’s first space program.

Episode Six – September 17, 2014

  • Concerned that Tasmania’s infrastructure needs have been overlooked, Jim sends Tony and the team south for a series of public forums.

Episode Seven – September 24, 2014

  • Comedy Series: Disillusioned by his first 11 months in the job Tony thinks back to the start. Launching the NBA was a great success but within weeks Jim was at his door desperate for a new announcement.

Episode Eight – October 1, 2014

  • Tony is forced to evaluate plans for expanding northern Australia’s Ord River Scheme. Nat has issues with a stalled highway upgrade. Jim makes a shock announcement.

 

Season Two

Episode One – August 19, 2015

  • A new year has begun and Tony wants to focus on big things. But not all goes to plan. Meanwhile, Nat’s attempts to help a local community unlocks the floodgates for a multi-billion dollar government initiative.

Episode Two – August 26, 2015

  • After years of vigorous planning, nothing can prevent a major tunnelling project getting started – except Rhonda. Meanwhile Nat makes the fatal mistake of asking HR for help.

Episode Three – September 2, 2015

  • Tony and his team are forced to justify why a new foreshore park now seems to have very little park. Nat is desperate for a parcel to arrive and the entire office gets caught up in Healthy Heart Week.

Episode Four – September 9, 2015

  • When the Government announces ‘Education Nation’ it is met with rapturous praise. Only one problem – no one knows what it is. Nat is tasked with handling a Freedom of Information request.

Episode Five – September 16, 2015

  • After months of working on a major new project Jim asks Tony for one small change. He wants the project killed. Rhonda nominates Nat to be keynote speaker at a conference.

Episode Six – September 23, 2015

  • Tony refuses to be drawn into a planning dispute. Meanwhile, Rhonda is keen to raise the NBA’s level of online engagement, leading to social media mayhem.

Episode Seven – September 30, 2015

  • When the business case for a new cross-city tunnel proves hopeless there is only one thing to do – find another business case. Nat is determined to sack an inept worker and Amy completes a barista course.

Episode Eight – October 7, 2015

  • Tony’s attempt at a holiday is derailed by the arrival of a new minister, a Wi-Fi upgrade and Rhonda. Plans for an infrastructure conference become complicated when Karsten gets involved.

 

Season Three

Episode One – July 19, 2017

  • Jim and Rhonda force Tony to help step in and save a flawed government scheme. Nat is driven mad by a local council worried about a proposed development.

Episode Two – July 26, 2017

  • Rhonda forces Tony to be keynote speaker at the Smart Cities conference. Nat is looking set for a promotion until Beverley from HR decides to step in. The arrival of a new couch has unintended consequences.

Episode Three – August 2, 2017

  • Nat is asked to help out the Minister with a problem-plagued I.T. project. Meanwhile, a poor radio interview sees Tony forced to undertake media training.

 

Official site.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.