Game of Life (TV programme)

Game of Life (also The Game of Life) was an educational programme for teenagers, commissioned by the ABC and SBS in 1986.^[1] The format was a compere (Mic Conway) would teleport seven youths to a disco in the opening credits, one of whom would be chosen as that episode's reporter.^[2] Topic included leaving high school, sex and drugs. Mic Conway said, "It got a big response mainly from people who didn't like that it tackled "youth" issues like drugs, sex etc; just as families were settling down to dinner and the ABC news, so it was not taken up again." The eight episodes screened from Thursday 3 April 1986 on ABC, and were repeated twice on both ABC and SBS^[3]

Episodes

1. Just Good Friends (3 April 1986)
2. A Way to Play Peacefully (10 April 1986)
3. I Feel Like I'm Thirty (17 April 1986)
4. Education Doesn't Mean Nothin' To Me (24 April 1986)
5. I Need a Job (1 May 1986)
6. Hey Mum I'm on TV (8 May 1986)
7. Youth Rules OK (15 May 1986)
8. We Live for Love (22 May 1986)

Credits

Reporters:
Mark Wooder
Simon Peart
Brett Thomson
Angela Martinkus
Lisbeth Kennelly
Lisa Hensley
Simon Njoo

Compere: Mic Conway
Miss Heroine: Denny Gordon
Soap box orator: Ian Nimmo
School teacher: Peter Carmody

Directors: Michael Pattinson, Louise Meek, Hugh Piper, James Bradley
Producer: Jim George
Production research coordinator: Kris Wyld
Production research coordinator: Judy Menczel

Production companies: Communique Pty Ltd, Ultrafun Pty Ltd
Distribution company: Communique Pty Ltd
Working title: Youth in Australia '85^[4]

References

1. p. 30, Canberra Times, 30 June 1986
2. Satirical Look at How to Play the Game of Life, p. 23, The Age, 3 April 1986
3. Television listings Canberra Times Monday 31 March 1986, Monday 30 June 1987, Monday 14 October 1987 and Monday 15 February 1988
4. p. 58, Cinema Papers, March 1986