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The Games: episode guide

Series One | Series Two

"Two months ago, three prominent people were appointed to the Logistics and Liaison Division for the Games.
The Minister gave a documentary crew permission to film their every move."

Episode 1.01

Australia (ABC): August 17, 1998
Canada (CBC): Monday, June 19, 2000

A political analyst is called in to assess the performance of members of the Logistics and Liaison Division after a disasterous press conference marred by a faulty Olympic handbook and questions from the media.

Special Guest: Barrie Cassidy as Political Analyst
Also Appearing: Ruben Gilles
Voice Over: Dean Banks

Episode 1.02

Australia: August 24, 1998
Canada: Monday, June 26, 2000

Discussions about financing, event scheduling and potential new Olympic sports (and whether any existing ones could be eliminated) bracket an unexpected visit by IOC chairman Juan Antonia Samaranch who has arrived to inspect the swimming and diving complex.

Special Guest: Ross Stevenson as Albert Einstein, 2SFM Morning Programme Host
Also Appearing: Janine Com, Chris Banks, Serge De Nardo, David Lemmie
Voice Over: Dean Banks, Abbe Holmes, Nicholas Bell

Episode 1.03

Australia: August 31, 1998
Canada: Monday, July 10, 2000

Bryan signs a lucrative sponsorship deal with a tobacco company. Gina tries to persuade John to conduct interviews with the press. John and Gina are called to a meeting with the Minister's Secretary at an advertising agency to review a promotional video.

Special Guests: Nicholas Bell as Secretary to the Minister for the Games, Andrew Curry as Kid Curry
Also Appearing: Ralph Marrison, Jarrod Carmen, Lillian Lewis
Voice Over: Ross Campbell, Dean Banks, Vince D'Amico, Tim Harris

100 Metre Track

Episode 1.04
Australia: September 07, 1998
Canada: Monday, July 17, 2000

Quick action, or at the very least the assignment of blame, is needed when it is discovered that the track for the 100 metres is only 94 metres long. Garry Robertson holds a press conference where he announces the environmental safeguards put in place for the games — the Nagano games.

Special Guests: Jim Daly as Jim Wilson, Denis Moore as Garry Robertson
Also Appearing: Louise Siverson as Jasmin Holt, Bernadette Schwerdt, Nicole Nabout, Matthew Green, Craig Beamer, Lew Luton, Richard Wiggan
Voice Over: Hamish Hughes

Episode 1.05

Australia: September 14, 1998
Canada: Monday, July 31, 2000

Gina monitors construction of the Olympic stadium while answering calls on a special Olympic Hotline set up for international callers — a task complicated by it only operating during Australian business hours. John and Bryan argue as to whether modern day athletes are superior to those of the past. Bryan meets with the Secretary to the Minister to discuss seating arrangements for a Regional Delegates meeting. The eligibility of a competitor who has had a sex change is argued.

Special Guests: Neil Pigot as David Pigot, Nicholas Bell as Nicholas
Also Appearing: Jonathon Kovac, Campbell Clerke
Voice Over: Ross Campbell, Alan Hopgood

Episode 1.06

Australia: September 21, 1998
Canada: did not air

not available

With: Cristin Daniel as Jason Daniel, Simon Palomares as Simon

Episode 1.07

Australia: September 28, 1998
Canada: did not air

not available

Special Guests: Nicholas Bell as Nicholas, Louise Siverson as Jasmin Holt
Also Appearing:Humphrey Bower as Graham Cozen, Joan Brockenshire as Taxi Driver, Tommy Dysart as Taxi Driver, Geoff Paine as Brett Paine, Neil Pollock, Micky Tucker, Pamela Erskine-Fowler, Mark Wickham

Episode 1.08

Australia: October 05, 1998
Canada: Monday, August 14, 2000

Plans for the reformatted swimming heats are revealed. John makes an appearance on Lateline where an official from the Spanish Athletics Association attacks Australia's position on the environment and requests athletes be given a lifetime indemnity against skin cancer, a dilemma John resolves by offering to move the hole in the ozone layer for the duration of the games. Representatives from the Federation of Rural Progress pitch their ideas for the opening ceremonies, a contract for which has already been given to a German firm.

Special Guests: Maxine McKew, Simon Palomares, Nicholas Bell, Linley Frame, Linda Haggar, Fahey Younger.
Also Appearing: Mick Bunworth, Michael Isaacs, Justin Stanforth, Shane Kruger, Jo Donahoe, Winston Galea.

Episode 1.09

Australia: October 12, 1998
Canada: Monday, August 21, 2000

John calls in Bob Hawke, or at least a reasonable facsimile of Bob Hawke, when he must find a way to deal with a troublesome journalist who uncovers some ugly truths. An infallible drug test is discovered but Gina is concerned that implementing it for the games may keep athletes and sponsors away. Workers cannot be found to build the new lacrosse centre.

Special Guests: Gerry Connolly as Himself, Nicholas Bell as Nicholas Bell, Matthew Quartermaine as Dermot O'Gorman, Matthew Parkinson as Hal Parkinson, Matthew Greene as Jack Hughes, Shauna McEwan
Also Appearing: Serge De Nardo, Scott Snibson, Terry Brittingham, Ian Henderson as Newsreader.

Episode 1.10

Australia: October 19, 1998
Canada: Monday, August 28, 2000

John, Bryan, and Gina are sent to a training exercise at the Grand Vistas Conference Centre in the Blue Mountains where they are asked to solve hypothetical problems they might encounter during the Games. John utilises the "Athens Option" to deal with a petition asking that the gold medals be made of gold. The time has come to deal with the fact that no venue has been organised for fencing.

Special Guests: Nicholas Bell, Miki Oikawa, Katernia Katsonis
Also Appearing: Russell Allen
Voice Over: Marg Downey

Episode 1.11

Australia: October 26, 1998
Canada: Monday, September 04, 2000

John tries to keep a Sydney businessman from gaining a seat on SOCOG. Plans to sell Games venues to American interests trouble the crew. Gina suffers the aftereffects of conducting yet another tour for visiting dignitaries. The documentary film crew visits John at home on a Sunday morning.

Special Guests: Francis Greenslade as Emmanuel Murdoch, William Ten Eyck as Willim T. Eyck
Also Appearing: Andee McPhee, Fred Barker, Brian Goldberg
Voice Over: Ross Campbell

Episode 1.12

Australia: November 02, 1998
Canada: Monday, September 04, 2000

John plays hardball with the agent representing the American basketball team when the issue of special treatment is put forth. A "Civility Awareness" programme is proposed for the city's service industry to help make visiting Americans feel more at home. Bryan and John encounter a likable, animal hating TV Vet when the eligibility of an equestrian team's genetically engineered horse is raised

Special Guest: Frank Woodley as Frank Woodley, TV Vet
Also Appearing: Andrew Curry, Chuck Fayne, Nicole Nabout, Eddy McShortall, Red ded Haas, Andrew Botham, Brenda Monaghan, Hoyin Ng, "Rascal"

Episode 1.13

Australia: November 09, 1998
Canada: did not air

not available

Special Guest: Sam Neill as Citytrans CEO, Nicholas Bell as Nicholas, Dave Graney as Dave
Also Appearing: Cliff Ellen, Tamara Saulwick, Norma Brown, Wayne Wilson
Voice Over: Greg Miles, Dean Banks