Utopia

2014

Seasons & Episodes

  • 5
  • 4
  • 3
  • 2
  • 1

EP1 The Buck Stops Where? Jun 07, 2023

The beleaguered staff of the NBA are still trying to get the job done in the face of endless backflips, government interference and ever-shifting priorities. Tony and Scott investigate prolonged delays on a freeway upgrade.

EP2 Grand Designs Jun 14, 2023

Tony cops media heat for a solar scheme with poor public uptake, and a completed bypass is held up from opening due to some signage for a problematic monument. Patrick the accountant torments the office with his stories.

EP3 The Promise Land Jun 21, 2023

The Government stalls on an election promise of the NBA moving to independent status and the office undergoes workplace respect training, complicating a prospective romance between Nat and a visiting consultant.

EP4 Tunnel Vision Jun 28, 2023

Jim ups security measures while trying to sway the outcome of tenders for an international partnership. Nat is infuriated by her new assistant. The office is challenged by a group of school kids on green energy initiatives.

EP5 Lights, Camera, Inaction Jul 05, 2023

Tony is frozen out by the Minister when he's reluctant to announce an ambitious new project. The NBA comes under scrutiny by UNESCO over the Great Barrier Reef's endangerment status. Scott starts an NBA TikTok account.

EP6 Story Time Jul 12, 2023

Rhonda forces Tony to fast track a long-term regional rail project. Nat goes the wrong kind of viral for a problematic photo. Ash investigates a recurring charge on the company account, while adjusting to his new e-scooter.

EP7 Frequently Avoided Questions Jul 19, 2023

A security consultant creates stress by leveling up the NBA's cyber safety. Nat faces the consequences of an inept employee. Jim lumps Tony with responding to a freight report the Minister's failed to act upon.

EP8 Wide Awoke Jul 26, 2023

Nat and Ash work on deciphering who owns the title on an historic project. Tony's important presentation is derailed by Rhonda's insistence that the office undergoes an E.S.G pulse check. Brian works on securing the building.
8.4| 0h30m| en| More Info
Released: 13 August 2014 Returning Series
Producted By: Working Dog
Country: Australia
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website: http://www.abc.net.au/tv/programs/utopia/
Synopsis

Set inside the offices of the "Nation Building Authority", a newly created government organisation responsible for overseeing major infrastructure projects, Utopia explores that moment when bureaucracy and grand dreams collide. It's a tribute to those political leaders who have somehow managed to take a long-term vision and use it for short-term gain.

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Reviews

rebmantom Utopia/Dreamland's fast paced jokes-within-jokes are all equally well written and fit in without the pretension or awkwardness of a "made-for-intellectuals-witty-banter" type program. In retrospect, after watching a clip or episode I realize how well put together and incredibly thought out and ...."planned" the comedy is. The dialogue and characters somehow embody the ridiculous types of comments, initiatives and people we all encounter in daily life. Those characters then somehow solidify the vague, annoying and counterproductive things we see in work and life into succinct dialogue that almost feels like the satisfying feeling one gets when you finally remember that word that was on the tip of your tongue. A viewer could start at any episode as if it were a pilot and still find the laughs and totally follow the premise - because even though as many commenters have noted, the media market is quite saturated with The Office like mockumentary series's, I think Dreamland/Utopia is still worth whatever risk a viewer or a studio takes in starting "just another "The Office" government office faux-comedy". It's contemporary, relatable to people who work in conceivably any industry. The subject matter is a perfect blend of creative professions, business, government, and even students working on a group project. In shorter words, yeah, you've seen shows that pioneered the genre of the workplace comedy, but that takes nothing away from the quietly hilarious and engineered show.
thursday-14 Quite a few people, while they are highly amused by this series, seem to assume that there is a degree of "poetic license" involved, and that the episodes of bureaucratic ineptitude have been "enhanced for dramatic effect."Having worked for a very large Australian retail chain who have recently fallen on difficult times, (you know who they are :-) I can assure them that the level of HR dingbat-ery, IT ineptitude and over-the-top Political Correctness used as a ploy to mask the incompetence of lower- echelon staff, are actually very close to the mark.I would love to be on their writing team; I could probably provide them with enough fresh material to keep them going for years!
DEfencED_16164 I work in a very similar environment, and this show is a pitch perfect satire of my job. It makes me feel uncomfortable in the way a fantastic satire should. The writing is spot on, and the performances, especially from Rob Sitch, Kitty Flanagan, Celia Pacquola, and Dave Lawson bring it to life in such an incredible way. It truly realizes the absurdities of government life in a Westminster-style government in a way many shows don't grasp and truly demonstrates in its best moments the conflict between good policy and political realities without leaning on any one character too heavily to point out the absurdities. That being said, I don't know how much all of it would resonate with someone outside of the climate of government. Some of the episodes are pretty universal - there's a season 2 episode with an HR rep that probably would resonate with most office environments, but I fear that some of the more clever moments may be lost on some viewers.
Blathnat69 This is yet another masterpiece from the team of Santo (Snatto), Gliesner and Sitch, the people who brought you the brilliant political satire "The Hollowmen".Those who don't work within the Public Service of Australia will likely look at this and wonder what is going on, but for those of us on the "inside", the humour can be found.The basic premise revolves around a Government office (Nat. Building Authority), with its incompetent low-grade staff, it's time-wasting managers, pushy marketing department, and the piles of red tape our "hero" (Sitch) has to wade through to get even the most simple things done.Like 'Hollowmen', the humour here is very dry, and while there are still the sight gags and silliness we expected from a show like that, there's a lot of subtlety that will be lost on those not familiar with what it's like working in the APS.To those who enjoyed 'Hollowmen', I would highly recommend this show. It's not quite as good as that show in my opinion, as the 'lead' characters aren't as fully developed (Tony, Nat and Hugh are marvellous though), and at times some of the characters irritate me to no end (Rhonda, oh how I hate you). Although thinking about it, that's probably the whole idea, because aside from the moronic PA, these people would not seem out of place at all in any government department.The acting (c'mon, it's a small Aussie show, we're not expecting A-listers) for the most part is very good. Sitch, Pacquola, McGregor, Wilson and yes, even Kitty Flanagan do a wonderful job of portraying "Pubes". The small-part characters are also quite memorable, particularly the guy from the iSelect ads. Sadly, some like Lawson, Truslove and even Lehman, just seem to be phoning it in (Lawson's character Scott also feels entirely pointless).Kudos to these guys for producing yet another Australian gem. The first episode is a little slow (and seemed like it needed an "Intro"), but by episode 2, everything was looking great. Except Rhonda...