William McInnes doesn't mind narrating a fly-on-the-wall series when it has a sense of humour.
The observational documentary is so prevalent among Australian television lately that it was inevitable somebody would turn the cameras towards parking inspectors.
Nine's new fly-on-the-wall series The Enforcers follows local council officers as they deal with the general public.
Narrating the series is renowned actor William McInnes (East West 101, Bligh, Blue Heelers), who admits it's a change from his usually-more-serious acting roles.
"It's a bit of fun. One of those observational television shows that people seem to like. By their very number they're popular. Look, it's not as if anyone is being used and abused. They're targeting what you think would be a pretty boring and mundane occupation. Who hasn't wanted to scream at a parking inspector?" he says.
"No-one ever says anything good about parking inspectors and council officers, people that we come into contact with regularly -- especially in suburbia."
The show features everything from stray dogs, even stray sheep, to neighbourhood disputes, illegal rubbish dumping and helping the underprivileged.
In showing council officers working with the public it may just manage to show another side to the people who are often the target of public anger. With its sense of humour it will hopefully differ from the run-of-the-mill stories filed on current affairs shows.
"There's a bit more generosity," says McInnes. "The basic premise is to watch some guy lose his mob and yell at a parking inspector but they're just doing their job.
This year McInnes has completed two feature films as well as appearing as narrator in the ABC's documentary series The Making of Modern Australia. He says there are elements of The Enforcers that capture a sense of Aussie spirit as a social snapshot.
"This is of Australia. It has a tendency to throw the spotlight beyond the eccentricity of local behaviour, which I think is interesting.
"So it's taking it in a slightly different area which is good, I guess. It's of its kind, it's well made and it will serve its purpose I think."
The Enforcers premieres 6:30pm Sunday on Nine.






Comments