Utopia: The Buck Stops Where? (ABC TV Wednesday 7 June 2023)

Utopia: The Buck Stops Where? airs Wednesday 7 June 2023 on ABC TV

The long-awaited returns of Utopia takes viewers back into the federal government agency responsible for supervising major infrastructure projects: the Nation Building Authority.

In Utopia, we examine what happens when bureaucracy meets utopian ideals. It’s a nod to the politicians who have figured out how to turn long-term thinking into immediate results.

The award-winning series is now in its fifth season, and it continues to follow the struggles of the staff of the Nation Building Authority as they try to complete their work in the face of constant policy changes, governmental interference, and shifting priorities.

Tony Woodford, CEO, and his devoted team are frustrated by project management groups who care only about platitudes. The announcement of a multibillion-dollar project without a business case or cost-benefit analysis. Priorities on the global stage are shifting. The building of a rural road has been stalled because of an unsightly statue. Malicious hacking and a publicly humiliating UNESCO report.

Rob Sitch, Celia Pacquola, Dave Lawson, Dilruk Jayasinha, Kitty Flanagan, Anthony Lehmann, Emma-Louise Wilson, Nina Oyama, Jamie Robertson, Mike McLeish, and Rebecca Massey all return in Season 5 of Utopia as comedic regulars. Utopia is a hilarious comedy for anyone who has ever dealt with bureaucracy and emerged unscathed.

Season 5 Episode 1

Set inside the offices of the "Nation Building Authority", a newly created government organization responsible for overseeing major infrastructure projects, Utopia explores that moment when bureaucracy and grand dreams collide. It’s a tribute to those political leaders who have somehow managed to take a long-term vision and use it for short-term gain. The series follows the working lives of a tight-knit team in charge of guiding big building schemes from announcement to unveiling. Constant shifts in priorities are the order of the day as the staff are asked to come up with plans for everything from new roads and rail lines to airports and high rise urban developments. In short, Utopia examines the forces that go into creating a very well-designed white elephant.

Utopia: The Buck Stops Where? airs Wednesday 7 June 2023 at 20:00 on ABC TV

Featured image credit: ABC TV