The Small Screen Sizzles This Summer On SBS

30th OF October 2011

By Keeva Stratton

We can all look forward to a sensational summer on the small screen, thanks to an impressive line-up on SBS. Following on from what has been a successful year for the multicultural broadcaster—thanks in large to the unexpected success of Go Back to Where You Came From—RESCU got a special sneak peak at the summer line-up, and it’s going to be hot! Here are five TV must-sees to look out for:

For food-lovers, Peter Kuruvita’s My Sri Lanka shows off both chef Peter’s warm-hearted personality as well as some spicy sensations from his ancestral home. Owner of Sydney’s famed Flying Fish restaurant, Kurivita’s seafood recipes have long tantalised the taste-buds of Sydney-siders, and now his secrets are being shared in a unique cooking show adventure, which reveals as much about the richness of the Sri Lankan spirit as it does the food. If you enjoy Food Safari, this is sure to satisfy your appetite for further food discovery.

The Family transforms 100 days of vision, caught by fixed cameras set inside an Australian family home, into a revealing documentary series. Unlike other ‘reality’ style capturings, the footage here is raw, and the participants live a seemingly average life, yet the result is anything but. Beautifully edited and surprisingly engaging, The Family manages to reveal some extraordinary truths about the ordinariness of life.

For lovers of drama, The Promise is a powerful series from BAFTA award-winning director Peter Kominsky. Following the life of a London-born teenager who retraces her grandfather’s steps through history, the path that is taken provides a moving and engaging account of the historical atrocities he witnessed in Palestine in the 1940s. Although a work of fiction, Kominsky’s attention to historic detail is impressive, and the true story from which it is inspired adds weight to this gripping piece.

For those seeking offbeat entertainment, comedy series Danger 5, which conjures up a Thunderbirds meets Austin Powers feel, will certainly be an audience divider. As five secret agents set out to kill Hitler, apparently in the 1960s, many will cheer and others will sneer, for this ‘love it or leave it’ cult show. Regardless of where you stand, you’ll no doubt appreciate the risk it takes—a refreshing sight for creativity on homegrown TV.

And for those who dream of a life more glamorous, the new talent quest and cultural exposé, Bollywood Star, will have you entranced, right down to the very last glittering sequin. This upbeat series attempts to reveal the serious challenges on the way to Bollywood superstardom, and does so through a colourful cast of would-be stars and judges.

To learn more about the upcoming SBS line-up, visit www.sbs.com.au