The Assembly (TV series) explained

The Assembly is a seven-part Australian television documentary series on ABC TV, which premiered on 20 August 2024.

Format

Hosted and mentored by Leigh Sales, the documentary series focuses on a group of 15 autistic journalism students and lecturers at Macquarie University^[1] as they prepare for and eventually interview some of Australia's best-known personalities.^[2] The students have been given paid internship at the ABC.^[3] The series' format is based on French series , created by Éric Toledano and Olivier Nakache.^[4]

Production

The seven-part series^[5] is produced by Mark Fennessy's Helium Pictures for the ABC, with production beginning in May. Fennessy also executive produces the Australian version alongside director Melissa Maclean, Therese Hegarty, Vanessa Oxlad and Julie Hanna.^[6]

Episodes

Season 1 (2024)

Reception

The first episode of The Assembly received an overnight average audience of 577,000 viewers,^[8] alongside a national audience reach of 859,000 viewers.

David Knox of TV Tonight gave the series four out of five stars.^[9] Debi Enker of The Sydney Morning Herald wrote about the series' tone, "The tone of The Assembly, like other ABC factual productions, is warm. ... So in addition to being a worthwhile and engaging undertaking, it represents a breath of fresh air in terms of TV interviews, particularly those featuring politicians, but not confined to them.^[10] The show has also been criticised as ableist,^[11] with further criticism over the fact that the journalism students, initially, were not to be paid.^{[12] [13]}

Notes and References

1. News: Rugendyke . Louise . 15 August 2024 . Leigh Sales on the bold show that puts 15 autistic students in charge . registration . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240815082455/https://www.smh.com.au/culture/tv-and-radio/leigh-sales-on-the-bold-show-that-puts-15-autistic-students-in-charge-20240812-p5k1va.html . 15 August 2024 . 18 August 2024 . . TV & radio . . Sydney . en-AU.
2. Web site: Laidlaw . Kyle . 10 May 2024 . ABC announces 10 additional new series still to come in 2024 . 18 August 2024 . TV Blackbox . en-AU.
3. Web site: Vann-Wall . Silvi . 12 June 2024 . ABC offers internships to cast of The Assembly . 18 August 2024 . ScreenHub . Creative Hubs Group.
4. Whittock . Jesse . 9 May 2024 . The Assembly, Groundbreaking Interview Format That Sent Michael Sheen Viral, Set For Australian Remake . 18 August 2024 . . en-US.
5. News: Sales . Leigh . Leigh Sales . 15 August 2024 . Leigh Sales on what she learned about interviewing from autistic journalism students on The Assembly . 24 August 2024 . ABC News . ABC Backstory . . Sydney . en-AU . While The Assemblys official guest list is six people long — Sam Neill, Hamish Blake, Anthony Albanese, Delta Goodrem, Adam Goodes and Amanda Keller — as it turns out, there was a seventh interview..
6. Web site: Knox . David . 22 July 2024 . Airdate: The Assembly . 18 August 2024 . . en-AU.
7. Web site: Knox . David . 30 September 2024 . The Assembly: Sept 30 . 1 October 2024 . TV Tonight . . en-AU.
8. Web site: Knox . David . 21 August 2024 . The Assembly doubles Made in Bondi debut . 24 August 2024 . TV Tonight . . en-AU.
9. Web site: Knox . David . 18 August 2024 . The Assembly . 18 August 2024 . TV Tonight . . en-AU.
10. News: Enker . Debi . 22 August 2024 . Real people in unreal situations: why series like The Assembly engage . subscription . 24 August 2024 . . Green Guide . Nine Entertainment . Sydney . en-AU.
11. Web site: Delmenico . John . 11 October 2024 . ABC's assembly of ableist tropes . 11 October 2024 . The Shot . . en-AU.
12. Web site: Delmenico . John . 11 October 2024 . John Delmenico's tweet . 11 October 2024 . Twitter . . en-AU.
13. Web site: Knox . David . 11 October 2024 . Auditions: Autism-friendly interview program . 11 October 2024 . TV Tonight . . en-AU.