What's on TV: Wednesday, June 3
by Melinda HoustonThe Art of More
7Plus
Glossy thriller starring Kate Bosworth, Dennis Quaid and Generic Handsome Guy, revolving around the world of rare artefacts and fine art. Quaid is clearly having a ball playing an obnoxious, loud-mouthed git, and if who's ripping off whom – and who we should be cheering for – is not at all clear I suspect that's probably the point.
Taronga: Who's Who in the Zoo
Nine, 7.30pm
One's instinct is to describe this good-hearted factual series as "family-friendly" but it's probably best not to let the juniors watch tonight's instalment unsupervised. Sure, there are adorable baby koalas (seriously, sooo adorable) but there's also a bit of grit and a bit of adult content.
In a typically packed episode we see a croc with a cold (totally G-rated) and a meerkat with a limp – also completely benign, although it was interesting to hear the keepers mention that they might have to manage the enclosure a little more closely to make sure brawling didn't break out within the clan.
The goanna needing emergency surgery was undeniably fascinating but I had my hands over my face for at least half of it. Your five-year-old might find it a bit much. And then there's the attempt to get the Sun Bears to mate. Watching the "instant chemistry" – as narrator Naomi Watts rather euphemistically puts it – might require some delicate explaining.
Tommy
Ten, Wednesday, 8.45pm
Starring Edie Falco, directed by our own Kate Dennis and with the co-creator of House as showrunner, Tommy is better than your average prime-time network drama. Falco plays Abigail Thomas – aka Tommy – a woman with a complicated past who's unexpectedly elevated to the position of LA's Chief of Police: the first woman ever in the role.
It could have been a hot mess of clunky speechifying and patronising exposition but while there is a bit of that – and some of the "witty" exchanges misfire – strong performances and interesting characterisation make the whole thing very watchable.
There's also some nice stuff going on around the edges in the direction and editing that subtly add to our viewing pleasure. Not rocket surgery, but certainly a fresh take on the police procedural.