The evolution of the VICE brand from cooler-than-thou scenester chronicle to somewhat legit (but still kinda cooler-than-thou) news and current affairs outlet has been a fascinating one, and we personally find VICE's worldview and journalistic approach — at least on its TV show, which airs in Australia on Foxtel — to be worthwhile and compelling, even if it does wear its self-branded outlaw status on its sleeve.
Crafting a distinctive identity like this is akin to putting a big ol' bullseye on your back and inviting cut-ups to take their best shot, and that's what we've got with DAFUQ?, a six-episode ABC iView series that not only takes the piss out of the VICE format and voice but pokes fun at 'edgy' 21st century reportage.
The DAFUQ? (as in "What the fuck?") team may have not have much in the way of credentials or experience but they do have digital cameras, social media accounts and a burning desire to exact social justice… or at least be seen exacting social justice.
So each episode of the series follows jaded Pandora (Amberly Cull), earnest Rift (Henry Inglis) and horny Lee D (Matt Lovkis) as they investigate international conflict ("It seemed like ISIS was beheading anyone these days"), tackle homegrown hot topics (by putting a true-blue Aussie and a Muslim together in the 'Tolerance Hot House') and delve deep into modern culture (following Aussie musos driven to violent crime by Spotify's "chump change" compensation for their work).
DAFUQ? nails the particulars — the disaffected but right-on tone of the journos is nicely captured by the three leads — and its irreverent, 'insensitive' sense of humour hits the mark more often than not. But the joke wears a little thin after a while, and a little more imagination or outrageousness (in the vein of, say, the UK's Brass Eye or The Day Today) would have been most welcome. Nevertheless, a polished production and a solid start.
