Miriam Margolyes: Australia Unmasked

The utterly brilliant Margolyes sets out across just pre-pandemic Australia to discover what the "fair go" means there and bumps into the great, the good and the real. It's a testament to the structure of the series that it always feels a bit impulsive. Yes, clearly they would have got permissions and done scouting beforehand but Miriam seems to just wander around meeting real people. Her humanity is peerless, her self-awareness unmatched, and watching her just going around taking things in is beautiful. Much like the "planned/unplanned" vibe, where the trip ends is both accidental and somehow completely perfect. She gave it a fair go.

Once again the irrepressible Miriam Margolyes takes to the road in her adopted country, Australia, and talks to people from various sectors of society to find out if Australians are still getting their characteristic "fair go." It is often very moving, largely because of her empathetic interest in people and their stories; it is scenic -- how could it help it? And it is informative about various strata of Australian life.

Perhaps not quite as dynamic as Almost Australian, it is nonetheless an un-put-downable watch. Margolyes is one of the few "celebrities" I have seen who genuinely shows what humble means. She lets others shine because she sincerely admires them for what they do. She is an inspiration.