Recovery

1 9 9 6 – 2 0 0 0 (Australia)
188 x 180 minute episodes

Created by producers Paul Clarke and Bruce Kane and partly modelled on the long-running Australian music show Countdown, this wildly enthusiastic youth-oriented Saturday morning TV series from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) was broadcast live from the ABC’s Ripponlea studios in Melbourne.

The show had an emphasis on music and each episode featured a mix of live musical performances, music videos, other youth-relevant pop culture segments and comedy sketches.

The primary host was Dylan Lewis (pictured). He was initially joined by Tamara Rewse, who was replaced in 1998 by Jane Gazzo.

Actor/comedian Angus Sampson was also a regular, mainly under the guise of his mysterious masked alter-ego, “The Enforcer”.

Although the show championed local music with a veritable who’s-who of Australian bands and artists appearing, international musical guests on the show included Green Day, Sheryl Crow, Public Enemy, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, the Dandy Warhols, Julian Lennon, They Might Be Giants, Sonic Youth, Erasure, Blink-182, and Metallica.

Film reviews were presented by a young man named Leigh Whannell, who had a penchant for the horror genre and later became a filmmaker and co-creator of the Saw film franchise.

As a result of many attempts by the ABC to cut production costs, Recovery dramatically changed format at least three times until it was finally cancelled in April 2000.

Presenters
Dylan Lewis
Tamara Rewse
Jane Gazzo
Angus Sampson
Leigh Whannell

Video