A Quiet Word with ...
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television |
| Founded | 2010 |
| Founder | Tony Martin |
| Headquarters | Australia |
Area served | Australia |
Key people | Tony Martin (host) |
| Products | Television interviews |
A Quiet Word with... was an Australian television series centered on conversations, aired on ABC TV during 2010 and 2011. Each installment, lasting 26 minutes, showcased New Zealand-born Australian comedian and writer Tony Martin engaging in dialogue with both domestic and international entertainers, predominantly comedians.
Overview
The program concentrated solely on discussions about the guests' professional journeys, deliberately steering clear of personal matters or promotional content. It avoided the use of supplementary elements such as video or audio inserts to maintain a concise and focused format.
To foster an intimate atmosphere and reduce interruptions, filming took place without a live audience. The production was straightforward—conducted in a neighborhood bar using three cameras, one of which operated without a cameraman—ensuring that the conversation remained front and center. ABC characterized the series as offering "simply engaging conversation, unexpected digressions, and more than a few inexpensive laughs."
Conceptual origins
Martin attributed the inception of the show to a 2009 ABC segment named "One on One" featured on Sunday Arts, which presented two international peers conversing for eleven minutes instead of following a conventional interview structure. Martin was paired with American screenwriting expert Robert McKee; initially hesitant, McKee became more engaged upon realizing Martin’s deep understanding of film.
The segment garnered positive responses for Martin and represented his first solo television interview in two decades. Subsequently, after witnessing a lackluster interview with comedian Will Ferrell on Nine Network's A Current Affair, which emphasized repetitive catchphrases over meaningful content, Martin was motivated to create a more substantive interview series, culminating in A Quiet Word With....
Episode guide
The series premiered with English comedian Bill Bailey during ABC's Artscape slot at 10:05 pm on 28 September 2010. The following episode featured American actress and writer Carrie Fisher, airing at the same time on 9 November 2010. When the show resumed in April 2011 with English comedian Alan Davies, it moved to a Saturday 9:30 pm timeslot for the final nine episodes, broadcast weekly.
Season 1
| Episode | Guest | Original air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bill Bailey | 28 September 2010 |
| 2 | Carrie Fisher | 9 November 2010 |
| 3 | Alan Davies | 2 April 2011 |
| 4 | Rhys Darby | 9 April 2011 |
| 5 | Simon Pegg & Nick Frost | 16 April 2011 |
| 6 | Lily Tomlin | 23 April 2011 |
Season 2
| Episode | Guest | Original air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rob Sitch | 30 April 2011 |
| 2 | Rob Brydon | 7 May 2011 |
| 3 | Catherine Tate | 14 May 2011 |
| 4 | Ross Noble | 21 May 2011 |
| 5 | Shaun Micallef | 28 May 2011 |
| 6 | Richard E. Grant | 4 June 2011 |
Critical reaction
A Quiet Word with... was met with favorable feedback from reviewers. Doug Anderson and Greg Hassall of Fairfax Media observed that although Martin occasionally engaged with guests as an admirer, the interviews resembled dialogues between peers, which helped guests feel at ease and disclose meaningful reflections. Rachel Browne from The Sydney Morning Herald lauded Martin’s thoroughly prepared conversation with Oscar-nominated actress Lily Tomlin, emphasizing his well-balanced curiosity. Likewise, Matt Smith of Crikey praised Martin’s extensive familiarity with his guests and his distinctive approach to questioning. Conversely, Louise Schwartzkoff from The Age offered criticism of the episode featuring longtime companion Rob Sitch, characterizing it as excessively insider-oriented, filled with "shop talk and name-dropping" that could potentially disengage casual audiences.