G.P. returns next Tuesday at 8.30 and the behind the scenes book from the series is
available from ABC shops and centres. Tomorrow, two female academics turn their hands to detection
when a university colleague mysteriously dies. Janet McTeer stars in an intriguing tale of
infidelity and murder, a masculine ending, tomorrow night at 8.30. Coming up, foreign
correspondent right after back chat with Tim Boden.
Right now, Asia is booming and Australia is trying everything to get in on the act. But
what do the Asians themselves think of that? You should put Australia on the map of Asia
because that is where your future is. Out of Mongolia, they're rediscovering their past.
Mongol hordes of Genghis Khan swept all before them. That's foreign correspondent, 9.30 tonight.
Carbon dioxide levels are set to double in 70 years. Scientists are simulating our future
atmosphere to study its effects on plants, so far suggesting alarming consequences for life on Earth.
And urban landscapes are littered with thousands of contaminated sites. Scientists and nature's
invisible army of bacteria are cleaning up the land with bioremediation and how fossils assist
in the fight against further extinctions. A question of survival, 8 o'clock Wednesday.
Good evening. It's difficult to know where to start with this one. Perhaps with a letter
from Gavin Playford of Fairfield, New South Wales, who said that he and his wife had never
watched a whole GP episode until recently. But that transgression on our part will now be remedied
weekly. The episode to which I am referring involved Peter Phelps playing a character called
Sam, who was raped on his Bucks night by one of his mates. The producers of GP are probably the
only people game enough to tackle such a delicate issue, and they did it with more skill than I can
recall seeing from any of its contemporaries. Comments surged in about this program, including,
of course, Backchats 0055 line, and I must warn viewers that the following scenes are graphic
and disturbing.
to some of the more male feelings in life. Thank you.
My name is Frank Campbell from East Melbourne. I've just watched GP for the first time ever,
I might add, and I'd like to say it's one of the most powerful and moving things I've ever seen.
The actors should be congratulated. They dealt with the matter in such a dignified and sensible way.
It really shook me up. Thank you. Peter Phelps' portrayal of Sam, the rape victim, was widely
praised by those who rang, wrote, and faxed Backchat. Donna Marr of Albury, New South Wales,
thought his performance was absolutely brilliant.
I was brought to tears during his horrendous ordeal, which was displayed so realistically.
No other program that I have viewed deals with real life values in such a down-to-earth manner
to the extent GP does. Helen Mather of Bulleye, New South Wales, on our 0055 line, was one of
many contributors who felt that the ending was too abrupt.
Stay! I want you to hear this. Get out of the way! Tell your wife what you did to me!
It was outstanding. But Auntie, please follow up with a continuing story about the character.
We want to know how they overcome the disaster. Part two, please.
R Mackenzie of Irmington, Sydney says that it's all very well for GP to raise important
social issues, but no time was given to the storyline's resolution.
This particular episode is a classic example of the gee we have run out of time,
just roll the end credits school of script writing. After spending all the show raising
the issue of male sexual assault and setting the characters, we are left with a crying bride
in gown on a doorstep, a vengeful groom victim being consoled by the GP after attempting to
strangle the offender in the offender's backyard, the offender escaping presumably into a neighbour's
yard while his wife and child are standing out on the floor. It's all well and fine to bring up
controversial issues for a good story, but just don't forget to the end. Criticism two from Bruce
McIntyre of Glebe, Sydney. Here is some back chat from a gay male who happened to tune into the GP
which dealt with the subject of men raping men and wherein the script writers so fit to equate
sexual violence and homosexual desire in a truly crass and confused potboil. Why such morbid emphasis
on the shame of anal violation and why to bring the horror of homosexual sex to its paroxysm
was Peter Phelps required to enjoy it? I got an erection Steve! How do you explain that?
Could be a physiological thing, it may not mean anything. Or it could mean that I enjoyed it.
No! Look, there's a counselling service available in Carlton,
they know how to deal with it sort of thing. You're just not listening.