Probably the biggest fault of this fabulous account of the 1970s Australian rock music TV show, Countdown, and its charismatic host, Ian 'Molly' Meldrum, is that it's almost TOO affectionate. It chugs along with a relentlessly wacky and positive tone. That's a harsh criticism, though. Overall, this is a wonderful tribute to a phenomenally popular show that was part of growing up for a generation of Australians. Playing Molly, Samuel Johnson is perfect. As others have said, he was born to play this role -- the character a curious mix of playful naive partygoer and astute, hard working rock music presenter. The series could probably have conveyed more effectively how smart and persistent Molly really is. He makes it look easy, but don't be fooled. What this show does convey well is how Meldrum lights up a room, how even his mumbles and mistakes and crazy antics add spice to our lives, and how the Australian music scene - and the ABC - would have been a lot duller without him.

Great subject matter, brilliantly acted by Samuel Johnson. You think you're watching the real Molly Meldrum at times. The writing is terrific, the dialogue is convincing, and the supporting cast is solid. This two part mini series follows the trajectory of Countdown, and re-creates some of the iconic appearances on the show cutting real footage of some performers, with actors playing others. It flashes back to his childhood and forward to his nearly tragic fall from a ladder in later years. The series also doesn't hold back from showing Molly's relationships with lovers, friends and business acquaintances. It's not clear if the uptight Mr. Wade was a real ABC stuffed shirt, or an amalgam of the type of resistance Molly faced within the ABC, but the audience certainly gets a sense of how uneasily Countdown sat within the conservative ABC establishment.If you grew up during the Countdown years, it's definitely worth a look.

I just took a huge nostalgia hit watching Molly. Best Aussie TV series I've seen. Meldrum was an anchor for Australian music, but that was pretty-much all anybody in the public saw at the time. The screen writing of Molly is superb, as we connect to a character we can all laugh and cry with, while assuring respect for the subject material. The cast was amazing, and the cameos flawless. Samuel Johnson is perfect as Molly. The show includes awesome cameos as the artists of Countdown, most notably: John Paul young, Skyhooks, Kiss, Madonna, John and Yoko, but my favourite was an amazing Freddie Mercury scene. If you didn't grow up with Australian TV, you might not appreciate Molly quite as much, and that makes me part of an elite audience. I can live with that.

Molly will bring back a lot of 70's and 80's memories. The t.v. movie is well approached, story wise, and the material well handled, and I'm glad I caught it. One of the reasons why? I would of missed one of the most remarkable Aussie acting performances, I've seen in years. Samuel Johnson (not Jackson) will just blow you away with his rendition of Humdrum, you won't be able to steer your eyes, away. He has this character down pat. This was just a real life character, he was born to play. Meldrum's personal life opened a lot of doors. This guy was a true blue sport, but admirably, he wouldn't take S..T. We follow the story, through the catalyst, and origin of Countdown, and sadly come to the months, dwindling towards it's demise, of that once famous show, where if a night owl, you can catch old episodes on Rage, Sunday morning. The other actors are almost just as terrific, and I must say, some of the legendary muso's, you'll instantly make from their attire and hairstyles, are impressively played, none more than the woman, who played Madonna. Again, she had this down pat, where at moments, she had me questioning if it was really the material girl, honestly. Molly will make you life and cry, but mainly, it'll make you remember. There are some hilarious moments, one I'm thankful for with Shirley Strachan, hitting rock bottom, doing Shirl's Neighborhood, and you'll never guess who's under the wallaby costume. Sadly, or thankfully for some, we hardly spend anytime on Boy George. Another Aussie telly movie to cherish, and own, part, thankfully for it's gifted actor lead, who really packs a punch in both respects.