Drama at home

The ABC is currently heavily promoting a new (what I think is) light drama series "The Newsreader".  Here's the synopsis:

ABC and Screen Australia are thrilled to announce production is currently underway in Melbourne on the six-part drama series The Newsreader.  Produced by Werner Film Productions (Riot, Dance Academy) and created by Michael Lucas (Five Bedrooms, Offspring), The Newsreader is set in the maelstrom of a commercial television newsroom in 1986.

Starring Anna Torv (Mindhunter, Secret City, Fringe) as Helen Norville, a notoriously difficult star anchor determined to build credibility and Sam Reid (Lambs of God, The Hunting) as Dale Jennings, a diligent young reporter, desperate for a shot at the desk. Together, they’ll cover an extraordinary chain of breaking news including the shock of the Challenger explosion, the misbegotten hype of Halley’s Comet and the global terror of Chernobyl. From messy beginnings, a deep bond is formed that will upend their lives and transform the very fabric of the nightly news bulletin.

It looks pretty dull from the trailer.

But it did make me think:   why do I find Australian drama so unconvincing?   

I can find Australian comedy very funny and good to watch - both the sketch comedy (Micaleff continues to have the funniest - and only - political comedy around), and the more whimsical, character based humour of something like Rosehaven or Fisk.  Even some silly Australian sitcoms I can find funny (not many, mind you.)    And that's not to say there are no comedy failures - I have written about how underwhelming I found Benjamin Law's The Family Law, and how my reaction to Please Like Me was to kind of dislike Josh.  (Gay content creators do get a special privileged run in Australian funded comedy, I'm sure.) 

But Australia drama has always left me completely cold.    It never feels very realistic to me.   

I don't feel completely alone in this - because one of the funniest things in Mad As Hell has always been their mocking takes on the ABC's drama series.   

How does this happen?   Do Australian drama writers all go through the exact same training?  Do they all know each other (it is, presumably, a small community.)  Is it the pool of producers is so small all the stuff they are interested in is the same.   But they just seem to have the special ability to write stuff I find doesn't feel like the world I live in.    I don't know how they do it...