I'm excited to see where the ABC's 'Race Around The World' goes
After a 28 year break, the format still works...mostly
After a 28 year break, the format still works...mostly
In a 2024 interview with TV Tonight, then Chief Content Officer at the ABC Chris Oliver-Taylor showed an interest in reality formats at the ABC.
The interest seems to have stuck despite Oliver-Taylor's departure, with a revival of 1997's 'Race Around The World' airing tonight on the ABC. It's not exactly a cooking series or a singing competition, but the competitive element gives the show a familiar hook.
Each week six amateur filmmakers create a film that is judged by a panel, as well as viewers at home. And after a 28 year break, the format still works...mostly.
The format isn't as novel as I assume it would have been back in the 90s. Everyone can now FaceTime abroad or send movies to friends and family.
The more connected world we live in now also means that more risky films can't always be produced. Some of the films shown on Sunday's episode could put participants, or even the filmmakers, at greater risk than they would have experienced in 1997. Back then an Australian TV show wasn't likely to be shown anywhere else, at least not in realtime. In 2026 I was able to watch the show live from London through a VPN in the highest quality ABC iView has to offer.
'Race Around The World' gives amateur documentarians a plane ticket, a camera and a small budget. The cameras are a little too good at times, a lot more polished than the digital cameras of the 90s. But I'm happy to see there isn't too much production interference in the films themselves. You still get scratchy voiceover work and poorly mic'd interviews.
The films also seem to be uniquely produced by the filmmakers, each with a clearly different direction and approach. My biggest fear with the new series was that the polished, risk-averse ABC of 2026 would be tempted to step in and stop certain films from being made, or guide the process too much.
But this doesn't seem to be the case. At times participants were forced by the judges to defend their process and detail it, including the specific editing or structural decisions of a film. Luckily it seems there is still a relatively hands-off approach to the show.
And the format really shines with these assessments from the judging panel and the competition element. It's almost like a course in media literacy.
When you watch the 6PM nightly news, the studio host never follows a story by questioning the decisions behind the construction of the story, the questions the journalist asked, the music used.
'Race Around The World' does question these decisions, with discussion of narration, editing, structure, music, participants. Are there too many participants. Is the documentarian too involved, or not involved enough. Was there a story thread they missed.
I found it to be the real glue of the show. It makes you not just consume a story, but also question it and discuss it yourself. Maybe you disagree with the judges too. I did a few times, particularly around my favourite film about the Michael Jackson impersonator who moonlights as a wrestler. I will remember the Moonwalker DDT for many days to come.
It's hard not to feel like an armchair documentarian while watching. Part-way through the third film I did start to think about how I'd approach it myself. And just like a cooking show where you might root for, or against, a certain amateur chef, the show is all about questioning what you're seeing and putting yourself in the shoes of the people making the work you're seeing.
Some of the films weren't great, to be honest. I hope people don't see that as a failing of the format. It's actually the whole point.
I'm sick of seeing polished shows on the ABC that are clearly made in a way to appease the News Corp. and Daily Mail critics of the world. Those publications should be challenged, and preferably ignored. And I hope the Australian public actually gives the participants a chance to improve. There is a real lack of opportunity in Australian TV for people to start small and grow.
My biggest hope is that we see the feedback from the judges spill into the next films we see. Because just like in reality show, you want to see the participants improve and thrive, not just because you'll see a better film, but because the show inherently gives you a bit of a connection to the contestants.
I'm really excited to see where it goes.
'Race Around The World' airs on the ABC at 7:30pm Sunday and on ABC iView.
