Drama, action, glamour, high stakes… the world of AFL has all the ingredients necessary for a gripping series, but while Playing for Keeps features each of those elements, it seems confused about what type of show it is.
Occupying a middle ground between the OTT camp of Footballers’ Wives and the more intense Friday Night Lights, it ends up not soapy nor gritty enough. Focusing on the WAGs of the players in fictional team the Southern Jets, it could be a giddy circus of catfights, cocktails and C-list fame, but doesn’t push things hard enough.

Sure, there’s extra-marital sex and a death, but there’s also too much mundane dialogue and not enough conflict.
(Starts Wed., Sept. 19, 8.30pm; Ten)
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After cutting his teeth on teen titles Smash Hits and TV Hits (remember them?) in the 2000s, Gavin moved into weekly magazines, working for TV Week for many years and continuing to contribute to that title to this day, and writing for Who, Woman’s Day, New Idea and OK over the past decade or so. He’s also worked for digital outlets, writing and editing for SBS, Pedestrian and Who.com.au, and has hosted and produced TV and music podcasts. Entertainment in all its forms has been Gavin’s focus, whether that be interviewing the latest eliminated contestant from Survivor; reviewing the newest films, TV series and albums; writing opinion pieces about streaming platforms and their offerings; or talking to Australian pop stars past and present about their musical journey. As a long-time freelancer, Gavin goes where the work takes him, with one hand on the remote and the other scrolling through his phone for entertainment updates.
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