An easy to watch, cringe inducing comedy from Working Dog. Anyone who has ever worked for the public service, or for a major organisation for that matter, will feel right at home with this series. It is in some instances almost difficult to watch - it is that spot on. Some of the jokes fall flat in the first season, but it picks up towards the end and is on fire in the second. A commentator above has suggested it is a poor hybrid of The Thick of It and The Office. I think that's a misunderstanding of the show; it certainly has elements of both, but it stand on its own as well thought out and delivered. The series is obviously directed at an Australian audience, but I imagine the that the trials and tribulations of these poor public servants would resonate across borders.
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roomtempiq20 January 2016
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Blathnat6925 August 2014This 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... -
pinkprincessgirl15 June 2021After working in a government department for 15 years I can say utopia is closer to the truth than non public servants think! Had me in tears i couldnt stop laughing.
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This is a personal favourite show of mine. The number of hilarious ideas and moments they manage to fit into each episode puts other shows to shame. Of course, a lot of the humour is easy to miss if you don't understand the context.
It's a satire of gov't bureaucracy - the inefficiency, the conflicting goals, the meaningless buzzwords, projects, acronyms, etc., the frustrated reasonable people just trying to do their jobs, the endless slew of special gimmick days, new technology which makes things worse rather than better, the gullible assistants who get confused and buy into all the nice-sounding ideas, etc.
There are so many subtle details that made me laugh out loud multiple times throughout most episodes. Lots of facial expressions, slight pauses, sighs, eye rolls, etc. There's a lot of clever wordplay as well, callbacks to earlier gags and a bit of physical comedy every so often.
Like all the best comedies, it works because it's real. The characters are true to themselves. They aren't cardboard cutouts, they aren't all the same and they don't just take turns saying jokes. They have personalities, quirks and conflicting priorities and the humour comes naturally from the situations and how the characters predictably respond to them.
The actors are perfectly cast. Rob Sitch always looks like he's on the verge of a breakdown, as if he'll swear at the top of his lungs, but he's so nice he always finds ways to calmly deal with the situation, even though they keep spiraling out of his control.
At the start of Season 2, he has started riding into work and changed his diet. But this only lasts a few weeks and the stress quickly ruins any fitness gains he had made.
Most episodes have multiple strands running through them. But the overall pattern is pretty consistent. Politicians get their sights on some exciting new idea, the main characters have to make it happen and then all kinds of realities, costs and lobbies get in the way. The NBA tries, but they're stuck between politicians with their heads in the clouds and interest groups with all kinds of fussy requirements.
Usually some technical issue will arise as well, such as a new printer which doesn't actually work, or new door locks which the card doesn't work on, or ventilation problems which practically require turning the office into a construction site. They also often have special days to recognise various causes, but these seldom achieve anything and just distract from the work they have to do.
Celia Pacquola is another highlight as the only other level-headed person in the office. Her frustration also boils to the surface in the face of all the useless meetings and annoying, unproductive people she has to endure. The other staff members are nice, but naive. They fall for the promises of the politicians and get more excited about vague new ideas or special events than getting work done.
Utopia is relatable for anyone who has worked in an inefficient environment, especially if gov't was involved. Unfortunately, these days, gov't is indirectly involved in practically every industry.
Useless, soul-sucking meetings are the norm. Meaningless slogans and more interest in new ideas than finishing anything are also the norm. At least I have Utopia to comfort me so I can feel less alone and laugh at the ridiculous state of politics and so many parts of office/gov't work today. -
thursday-1423 August 2017Quite 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! -
jamesmoule11 October 2015It is surprising that the Australian government allowed the Working Dog team to film in a department headquarters for so long and obtain such candid reactions from their staff. The small group of employees are responsible for developing nationally significant infrastructure (a.k.a. "nation-building"). Clearly, most government departments work the same way as this department reminded me so much of the one in which I used to work. Logical decisions are constantly over-ridden by politics. Long-term planning is defeated by short-term political imperatives. Media advisers outrank experts in the field. The main purpose of the department is smothered by peripheral workplace issues such as occupational health and safety, IT upgrades and social events. The second series is a great improvement on the first. Perhaps the employees were a little nervous in front of cameras for the first time but, in the second series, their true characters are much better defined. All these people would make excellent actors if they ever wanted to give up working for the public service. Kitty Flanagan would certainly make a great stand-up comedian. Some of the projects proposed are very exciting. I am looking forward to the unveiling of the solar-powered train. Also, now that Stage 2 has been "launched", I can't wait for Stage 3, hoping then to have some idea what it is! This is among the best pieces of writing that Australian television has produced.
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dhop-4468330 September 2021Clever, witty, insightful......stuff it, bloody hilarious. Such a top notch core cast, Rob Sitch is as good as he was in Frontline and Celia Pacquola is as impressive as ever. Don't miss this gem.
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aphilipp2 October 2019What a beaut series. The grotesque day to day idiocy of office life set against the biggest stuff we dare to dream or connive. A wincing joy to watch. Thanks
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rebmantom12 January 2018Utopia/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. -
Tak00522 January 2020A great satire of the inside workings of government public service. It is not in your face obvious humour but rather intelligent sharp witted and subtle. It seems like an updated Australian version of "Yes Minister" The major drawback for the show is the "mocumentary" handycam filming style which can become annoying. But overall a great effort and worth watching.
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grantss8 June 2022Welcome to the Nation Building Authority, an Australian government organisation set up to plan and oversee major infrastructure projects. While the staff are capable and enthusiastic, in true government fashion, red tape, politics and inefficiency will always have the last laugh.
Great series, parodying the inefficiency of government departments. "Parody" might not be the right word - "mirroring" would be more accurate. Shows well how the best intentions of staff always take a back seat to political machinations, unnecessary red tape and the usual government inefficiency.
Quite funny in the way it explores these themes though sometimes so accurate it is more sad than funny. -
skanklover_6923 November 2022The Office US & UK are 2 of my all time favourite comedies. Utopia (otherwise known as Dreamland) might be the closest we get to an Australian version of the Office. It has the same engaging ensemble mockumentary style. As well as being a satire of office work it also sends up government bureaucracy & politics. The episodes involving HR in particular are excellent. After you watch a few though, the jokes, plots & characters can become repetitive. Most of the characters are perky, dopey, in component and focused on trivial things, like the food at meetings, with the exception of the long suffering managers, Tony & Nat. It's a shame the supporting characters aren't more varied & distinct. Big flashy politically motivated ideas are pushed on the NBA office by Jim & Rhonda, but never progress is the recurring story. A good but not great Australian version of the Office.
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jhherron16 May 2021Almost had several seizures from laughing. Very creative and well thought out. Amy a surprise find and excellent acting Yes this is entertainment but for those who have worked for govt (state and federal for me), the script is entirely accurate, so there is no poetic license. This is how Australian government often works and even worse. Many colleagues comment that these actors must have had a stint in govt, especially the facial expressions.
But view this for the superb production and acting as it is - 10/10. -
danieln61321 February 2016I 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. -
zekeblack16 August 2017I certainly hope that the Reviewers who discussed this Series as a Documentary are being Satiric! A Wonderful comedic series, filled with all the 'slings and arrows' of modern bureaucratic jobs. The enthusiasm of worker-bees installing office recycling bins, then 'policing' them so seriously-- The introduction of various technology that only serves to complicate, rather than simplify-- And the wonderful Tony and Nat just trying to get the serious work done in between. Truly a gem-- I gather written/conceived by the leading man.
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queen-of-zeba31 January 2022I love, love, love this show. The characters are well acted, and it has given me a lot of laugh out loud moments. I'm in the fourth series, and am so sad that is' about to end. Highly recommended, especially if you live in New Zealand or Australia, and work in government.
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I just watch this over and over again. It is an immaculately delivered, perfectly scripted piece of political satire. I would say this is one of the greatest Australian comedy series of all time. The characters are well developed and you feel like you know someone just like all of them.
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matthew-0782617 June 2023Easy to watch, Original plot and humour.
This show is everything you want in terms of east watching. Very Aussie without trying to hard.
It's what the office Australia should look to as a good example. Shame the show isn't running anymore, it deserves much more credit.
(The rest of this review is repeated to hit the minimum word count)
Easy to watch, Original plot and humour.
This show is everything you want in terms of east watching. Very Aussie without trying to hard.
It's what the office Australia should look to as a good example. Shame the show isn't running anymore, it deserves much more credit.
Easy to watch, Original plot and humour.
This show is everything you want in terms of east watching. Very Aussie without trying to hard.
It's what the office Australia should look to as a good example. Shame the show isn't running anymore, it deserves much more credit. -
gallagherkellie2 March 2023I've just finished season one, I know I'm super late to the party on this one!
I love Luke McGregor, kitty and Celia so had to try this! I think it's so accurate to office life! I don't work for the government but I've been told it's extremely accurate to that also.
It's a smart show and well done, I did laugh out loud a few times but not a lot. I think I'd give it a higher rating if I laughed more! Acting is good!
If you're looking for a funny Aussie show with Luke McGregor and Celia check out Rosehaven!
I'm looking forward to starting season 2 of Utopia because I've read that it's better and funnier than season one. -
ar_brierley27 June 2021This show is brilliant!!! So very funny, and also very spot-on about the ludicrous bureaucratic bunglings of government and public service office culture. Well done Working Dog team!! Very few things make me laugh these days, but this does it every time! Thank you SO much!
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JurijFedorov22 October 2021Shows on IMDb tend to be overrated compared to movies. There are many TV shows with 8+ ratings that would have a 6 rating if they were movies. I'm not sure why.
This is a very cheap Australian show about a government department responsible for building projects. 95% of it is filmed in a small office. Largely it's in smaller offices with people sitting around and talking in various meetings. It does feel bareboned. Between the scenes they show like 10 shots of Australia which just makes it look that much cheaper. So overall it's actually just a collection of skits. The characters don't matter much. There is no great character growth or development. They are just joke machines. The pacing is extreme. The camera and clips jump everywhere and it feels rushed and jumbled. That's the worst part. It's just very badly filmed and edited as it's so cheap. You'll get a bit dizzy watching this plus it doesn't look good.
The jokes are actually often funny. You miss a ton of statements because they rush that much. But some jokes in each episode land and I did actually laugh in some episodes which was a surprise as most comedies are silly yet not funny. Overall it's not really a show with characters so I don't feel invited inside. It's also very impersonal. I do wish they had slowed down and showed some emotional scenes, romance, dating, conflicts, anger. Instead it's meetings with just a bunch of office people with no personal goals.
The episodes are just single storylines. As the characters are not going anywhere you can just watch any episodes you like in any order. I won't really be watching anymore. But the concept is pretty amazing. If they fixed the budget, editing, characters and pacing this would be awesome. As of now I don't really feel a great pull to watch it unless I want a cheap laugh. But you can get a cheap laugh in shows with season storylines too. The characters just come and go. It's a shame because I really wanted to experience the show, but it's just skits. When someone loses you know it has zero consequences. -
crw128 July 2023I only started watching this at new Season 5 ... and became addicted. Fortunately the first four seasons are out there. Now, if you're not a fan of the Simpsons my initial comments won't work here. If you are ... this show reminds me of The Simpsons. How? In that it is funny ALL the time-non-stop clever funny. Every exchange is slick, perfectly timed and seriously amusing. Of course the satire is the core of it and that's both funny and tragic-because we can all so easily imagine the authenticity of it and be made to feel despair. But for the pure comedy of the situations and interactions, the honours must be shared evenly between the writers and the actors-both are superb with impeccable scripts and timing in the repartee of corrections, interruptions, dismissals, overrides, manipulations. It's the cream of Australian comedy writers and actors so it's hardly surprising that it is so good. Like the political cartoonist's exaggerated reresentations of those in the public eye, the characters are almost all caricatures and thus exaggerated in their non-stop amusing awfulness. But two characters stand out as entirely and unexaggeratedly authentic: the flawless Rob Sitch's long suffering Tony and Celia Pacquola's Nat. I've been a fan of Celia since Rosehaven but that irrepressible madcap is not on show here. Instead, a brilliant display of 'expression acting' (my lay term). The subtlety of her facial expression-or intended absence of one-is just beautiful to watch. Her eyes, intonation, body language, along with those expressions (or deliberate lack of them) perfectly but so subtly register her dismay, disappointment, disbelief, defeat and resignation at and by what comes her way. Her role playing as Naomi in S3/E5 'Start Up' is about the funniest TV I've ever seen. I love the whole show for its disquieting comedy but especially love the exquisite subtlety of Celia's minimalist acting masterclass. Bless her. Bless them all!
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chilligrrl1 February 2024I will swear until I'm blue in the face they have someone working in my office and write their scripts based on our daily life. I work in a similar government department and everything is so spot on I could give real life names to each character. Even the Minister resembles ours in looks and mannerisms.
It actually scares me that what I experienced at work today could probably be the basis of Season 6. (Seriously? Scriptwriters, seek me out and I could give you seasons 6, 7 & 8 from this week alone).
I don't know how they do it, but this satire is so spot on. May they never stop trying to build.... whatever it is they're trying to build today; and no, the refrigerator still can't chill the milk correctly. Don't even start with the new microwaves.... -
petrock-4265217 April 2024This series is brilliantly written as it opens up an issue that is often 'tolerated' by the average common sense white collar office worker. I love the depth and the way it systematically exposes the ridiculous time wasting of political correctness in the workplace.... However...... The only thing stopping me giving this 10 out of 10 is my total confusion as I attempt to reconcile the fact that this series is a showpiece of the ABC, which has to be one of the biggest proponents of bending over backwards to avoid 'offending' the leftism leaning mindsets where the whole 'political correctness' brain fog stems from in the first place !! Hmm ...'Tis a mystery 🤣