I really wanted to like this. Honestly I did.
It's set around the introduction of a fictional Tasmanian side into the AFL.
But it's not based on the real Tasmanian side that is joining the AFL - the show makes sure to avoid those legal pitfalls by admitting up front it's all made up.
It called to mind the 1998 series The Games, which was a mockumentary concept looking into the organisation of the Sydney Olympics.
But I have to say, Ground Up is not as funny or sharp as The Games.
Maybe it's because the mockumentary format was fresh in 1988 but is now something we've seen done plenty of times - and done better than in Ground Up.
The real shame is the way lead Sam Pang is wasted.
He's much funnier in other shows where he gets to write his own stuff rather than reciting someone else's lines.
Here we get none of his arch, sarcastic humour that works so well - humour that is expected given the often-foolish and dim characters he has to interact with.
It's hard to understand how people in the public eye like Rolf Harris and his contemporary Jimmy Savile ever got away with sexually abusing children.
I still can't fathom how the TV networks chose not to intervene when they heard complaints about Harris' behaviour - simply because he was making money for them.
It speaks to an astonishing lack of ethics to put money making above abuse.
This two-part documentary also shows TV footage of Harris, where he is routinely overstepping the line with young women in terms of kissing and touching.
Maybe it's because I'm looking at it with modern eyes, but the behaviour is intensely creepy and yet no one seemed to notice at the time.
This series also gives his Australian victims a chance to be heard.
While a trial took place in Britain, where he was found guilty of 12 counts of indecent assault, his Australian victims never had their day in court.
It's harrowing and sad and will make you angry that he got away with so much for so long.
At the start of the episode the ex-soldiers inform us about how they will break these celebrities, how it will be the worst thing they've ever experienced and other stuff like that.
Hey guys, give it a rest. We're up to season five of SAS - we know what the concept is.
You don't need to bang on about it as though we're all clueless.
You could actually spend more time banging on about who the British celebrities are.
There are three and I'd never heard of any of them before.
Of the original contestants, three from Britain were reality TV famous (more proof the reality TV concept is eating itself), one was a YouTuber and another a "social media personality".
So safe to say I wouldn't have a clue who anyone on the British team is. Also safe to say, the UK is running low on celebrities willing to appear in something like this.
Can't say I blame them. Going through this would be deeply, deeply unpleasant.
But still less painful than MAFS - either appearing on it or watching it.
