| Genre: | Sitcom |
| Country: | Australia |
| Network: | ABC1 |
| Num Seasons: | 1 |
| Num Episodes: | 4 |
| Producer: | Carol Hughes |
| Company: | Quail Television |
At Home with Julia is a four-part Australian sitcom television series, created and written by Amanda Bishop, Rick Kalowski and Phil Lloyd, which debuted on 7 September 2011 on ABC1. A re-run of the series aired on ABC2 in April 2012. The series ran in syndication in the United States on the Vibrant TV Network.
The series depicts a fictional representation of the relationship between Julia Gillard, the actual Prime Minister of Australia (played by Amanda Bishop), and Gillard's real-life partner, Tim Mathieson (played by Phil Lloyd). Fictionalised versions of actual Australian politicians and media personalities are portrayed throughout the series. Much of the action takes place at The Lodge, the Prime Minister's official residence in the national capital of Canberra.
Although the first episode was received either relatively well or neutrally by the media, many critics responded negatively to the series' end. Some saw At Home with Julia as defying previous boundaries in political satire and political parody, with its emphasis on a female politician's personal life rather than her politics and public life.[1] In particular, the media, viewers, and politicians were scandalised by the notorious "flag scene" from Episode 3 ("The Leaker")—in which the Prime Minister and partner Tim Mathieson were depicted apparently naked and post-coital under the Australian flag.[2]
The series was a 2012 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards nominee for Best Television Comedy Series.[3] Criticised by several social commentators as inappropriately disrespectful to the office of Prime Minister,[4] the show nevertheless proved very popular both with television audiences – becoming the most watched Australian scripted comedy series of 2011[5] – and with television critics.[6] According to media reports, international versions of the series were in development in the United Kingdom and Europe.[7] None of these shows were commissioned.
The series was sold to the United States for broadcast in 2012 and can be viewed on Hulu.[8]
In February 2013, the notorious "flag sex-scene" from Episode 3 ("The Leaker") was featured in the ABC1 series Shock Horror Aunty!, a compilation of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's most controversial broadcast comedy incidents.
A second series was not produced due to the uncertainty regarding the real Gillard's tenure as Prime Minister.[9] Amanda Bishop did reprise the role of Gillard for Wednesday Night Fever, however the real Gillard was ousted as Labor Party leader and thus Prime Minister just prior to the show's debut on ABC1.[10]
In an atmosphere of budgetary cuts to the ABC and severe criticism of its use of political satire, no follow-up series has been produced about Tony Abbott, or any subsequent Prime Minister.[11]
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | AACTA Awards | Best Television Comedy Series | |||
| Equity Awards | Most Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | [13] | |||
| AWGIE Awards | Outstanding Comedy Writing – Situation or Narrative: Episode 1 ("Date Night") | [14] | |||
| AWGIE Awards | Outstanding Comedy Writing – Situation or Narrative: Episode 3 ("The Leaker") |