The Games

30min

Comedy

The Games was an Australian mockumentary television series about the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. The series was originally broadcast on the ABC and had two seasons of 13 episodes each, the first in 1998 and the second in 2000. 'The Games' starred satirists John Clarke and Bryan Dawe along with Australian comedian Gina Riley and actor Nicholas Bell. It was written by John Clarke and Ross Stevenson. The series centred on the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games and satirised corruption and cronyism in the Olympic movement, bureaucratic ineptness in the New South Wales public service, and unethical behaviour within politics and the media. An unusual feature of the show was that the characters shared the same name as the actors who played them, to enhance the illusion of a documentary on the Sydney Games.

Episodes

Cast

The Press Conference

1. The Press Conference

26min

17th Aug 1998

Barrie Cassidy analyses John, Bryan and Gina's performance at their recent press conference.

Athletics Schedule

2. Athletics Schedule

26min

24th Aug 1998

Just when the administration and logistics team have got things running smoothly, sport rears its ugly head. John, Bryan and Gina go through the steps of trying to organise athletics for the games.

Funding

3. Funding

25min

31st Aug 1998

Funding for the games becomes a problem. John and Gina review a video designed to promote Sydney as an easy town to get around in, while Bryan meets with a mysterious potential corporate sponsor.

Robbo and the 100 Metres

4. Robbo and the 100 Metres

26min

7th Sep 1998

Jasmine presents some marketing ideas to clear out some ""dead wood"", Robbo holds a press conference on the environmental impact of the Games, and John and Bryan confront the contractor who built a 100 Metre track that doesn't quite measure up.

Past Sports Stars and Gender

5. Past Sports Stars and Gender

26min

14th Sep 1998

The team wrestle with the Asian meltdown, the GST, an athlete who has had a sex-change and a troublesome seating plan. Gina is placed on special phone duties.

Millennium Bug

6. Millennium Bug

27min

21st Sep 1998

Gina's voice recognition software is causing difficulties and John is having trouble with technology. The millennium bug looks like it might threaten the games. A live webchat doesn't quite go to plan.

Dead Man

7. Dead Man

27min

28th Sep 1998

The swimming schedule has been disastrously modified at the last minute. Meanwhile, Gina and John are asked to babysit an IOC member who has turned up dead the day before a major Dinner, while Bryan and Jasmine go to meet President Mandela and Princess Margaret at the airport.

Rural and Environment

8. Rural and Environment

27min

5th Oct 1998

John attempts to explain the swimming schedule to the camera before going on Lateline to face the Spanish Athletics Association coordinator's concerns about the ozone hole over Australia. Meanwhile, Gina and Bryan meet with the Federation of Rural Progress delegation's proposal for an Opening Ceremony program which has already been awarded to the Germans.

J'Accuse

9. J'Accuse

28min

12th Oct 1998

Gina tries to explain the disastrous effect a 100% effective anti-doping system would have on athletic attendance at the Games, while Bryan discovers that the Lacrosse facility which Juan Antonio Samaranch is set to tour next week has not, in fact, been built. Meanwhile, John attempts to quell a particularly negative (and uncomfortably accurate) anti-Olympics reporter.

A Management Course

10. A Management Course

28min

19th Oct 1998

John, Bryan, and Gina are sent to a training exercise at the Grand Vistas Conference Centre in the Blue Mountains where they are asked to solve hypothetical problems they might encounter during the Games. John utilises the "Athens Option" to deal with a petition asking that the gold medals be made of gold. The time has come to deal with the fact that no venue has been organised for fencing.

A Conflict of Interest

11. A Conflict of Interest

27min

26th Oct 1998

John tries to keep a Sydney businessman from gaining a seat on SOCOG. Plans to sell Games venues to American interests trouble the crew. Gina suffers the aftereffects of conducting yet another tour for visiting dignitaries. The documentary film crew visits John at home on a Sunday morning.

Horse and Dream Team

12. Horse and Dream Team

27min

2nd Nov 1998

John plays hardball with the agent representing the American basketball team when the issue of special treatment is put forth. A "Civility Awareness" programme is proposed for the city's service industry to help make visiting Americans feel more at home.

Transport!

13. Transport!

27min

9th Nov 1998

John discovers that the aquatic center's diving pool has been built in the wrong place, while Gina does some digging into the new transport agency Nicholas and the Minister are pushing for and Bryan helps develop a brilliant new invention.

First air date

17th Aug 1998

Last air date

11th Sep 2000

Status

Ended

Type

Scripted

Original language

en

Networks