TV Picks: Thursday, October 11

HOW 'MAD' ARE YOU?

New series ★★★★

8.30pm, SBS

Terrific new doco that reminds us that a diagnosis of mental ill-health is not a life sentence. Of the 10 people sequestered in a rural retreat for a week, five have been diagnosed with a mental illness, most of them quite grave. Can you tell which is which? Even the experienced mental health professionals observing them (but not interacting with them) can't do it. Uplifting and thought-provoking, this is the kind of user-friendly social science SBS does exceptionally well.

DEADLY DOWN UNDER

New series ★★½

TIME TBC, 7Mate

Pauly Fenech is the kind of chap who tends to polarise people. He's either the spokesman for the nation, or a national embarrassment. The truth, of course, is that he's much smarter than he looks and clearly relishes being deliberately, cheerfully offensive while championing his chosen people – the bogans of Australia. Here we get plenty of that, along with some actual information about our nation's many deadly creatures. Not my cup of tea, but perfectly pitched to its target audience.

WANTED

Series return ★★★

TIME TBC, Seven

This tale of two flawed, resourceful chicks on the lam was ahead of its time when it launched in 2016. Now a story of sisters doing it for themselves feels pleasantly timely. Like most Aussie dramas these days, the quality fluctuates wildly. When we get a couple of quality actors and a decent chunk of dialogue – or a tight little action piece – Wanted is great entertainment. Other moments are less convincing.

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