The Oracle 'stars Australian actor John Gregg. He plays Steve Black, a high-rating Sydney radio announcer. Each self-contained episode follows not only the personal life of Steve, but also the stories of some of the listeners who phone him on air to tell their trials and tribulations' (Australian Women's Weekly 21 February 1979, p.47).
While not solely a crime drama, The Oracle touched on people on the fringes of society and vulnerable to desperate (and illegal) actions. For example, The Canberra Times reported (Wednesday 9 May 1979, p.3) that episode 9, 'Pick a Side, Any Side', drew viewers' complaints for 'showing a distraught mother killing her baby', and indicated that the ABC was not inclined to apologise for the episode's content.
The Oracle is frequently described as a spin-off from the telemovie Say You Want Me, and the two do share subject matter. However, while Say You Want Me is dated at 1977 in some sources, its earliest traceable airdate is June 1979, which would mean that the telemovie did not air until a fortnight after the series had finished airing.
Further Reference:
Karen Earnshaw. 'TV '79'. Australian Women's Weekly 21 February 1979, pp.45-50.
Say You Want Me
Breaking Point
( dir. Oliver Howes
)
Australia
:
Film Australia
Nine Network
,
1977
6021660
1977
single work
film/TV
crime
thriller
'The wife of a radio talkback star is raped by a property developer with whom her husband is about to sign a lucrative endorsement contract. The deal goes ahead and she is left to decide whether to push rape charges.'
Source: Australian Television Information Archive. (Sighted: 5/6/2013).
Say You Want Me was one of six telemovies put together by Lynton Taylor, vice president in charge of programming at the Nine Network, in conjunction with Film Australia and the South Australian Film Corporation. Other films in the series included Peter Weir's The Plumber and Arch Nicholson's A Good Thing Going.
Say You Want Me was followed on ABC TV by a twelve-part television series (also written in part, by Say You Want Me script-writer Laura Jones), The Oracle.
Further Reference
James Murray. 'Peter Weir Film Highlights Telemovie Series', Australian Women's Weekly, Wednesday 6 June 1979, p.25.
