Upright (Foxtel)

Tim Minchin stars in this eight-part series about a road trip across outback Australia with a piano. Millie Alcock is startlingly good as the troubled teen Meg, whose world literally collides with that of washed up musician Lucky. Short, sharp episodes are packed with interest and entertainment as the odd pair develops a kind of friendship. Through flashbacks we slowly discover their troubled pasts and where they might be heading. By the fourth episode the plot starts to stretch credulity as the two continually face disaster and find rescue from increasingly unlikely sources. Not to mention the seemingly indestructible piano. Nevertheless you just roll with it as it’s all so much fun. A very strong supporting cast includes Heather Mitchell, as Lucky’s sick mum, Ella Scott Lynch, Daniel Lapaine and a host of fabulous guest characters. The Nullabor and the outback of South and Western Australia are almost characters in their own right. Kate Mulvaney, (Chaser) Chris Taylor and Tim Minchin developed and wrote the show, which switches between dark sorrow and absurdity with ease. It features laugh-out-loud moments and a fabulous soundtrack, as you would expect from the multi-talented Minchin.