The hunt goes on for something new in television current affairs, the latest search party being sent out just last night by TV3 in the shape of The Vote.
Describing itself as a "competitive" current affairs show, The Vote is a once-a-month stand-in for TV3's regular new primetime series 3rd Degree.
The Vote takes the regular show's under-used frontmen, Guyon Espiner and Duncan Garner, and puts them to proper work as team leaders in a loose debate format with broadcaster and lawyer Linda Clark as referee while they address a topic of national importance before a studio audience.
Last night the issue being argued was whether to tax junk food and it wasn't half bad television.
What could have been a neck-stiffening to-and-fro from this side and that swiftly became a great deal more fun as it morphed into an often-shouty courtroom drama, starring sharp-tongued Judge Linda, with Garner as the Crown prosecutor and the waspish Espiner as a wily and theatrical - sometimes hysterical - defence. Each had a team of two specialists and there was plenty of cross-examination, audience involvement, star guests, judicial exasperation, grandstanding and a good smattering of information - including the wish of the food police for a 20 per cent tax on junk food, starting with soft drinks.
