Muster Dogs

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Muster Dogs
GenreDocumentary Reality television
Created byMichael Boughen
Directed by
  • Sally Browning
  • Monica O'Brien
  • Michael Boughen
  • David Wallace
Narrated byLisa Millar
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes9
Production
Executive producerMatthew Street
Original release
NetworkABC TV
Release23 January 2022 (2022-01-23)

Muster Dogs is an Australian animal documentary and reality television series[1] created by Michael Boughen for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Summary[edit]

Season 1[edit]

Produced by Ambience Entertainment and Essential Media, the first season premiered on ABC TV and ABC iview on 23 January 2022.[2][1] This was despite the ABC originally announcing the program in late 2020, as part of its slate of programming scheduled to air in 2021.[3]

The first season showcases the journey of five Australian Kelpie puppies as they are trained to become muster dogs on farms across Australia under the guidance of expert dog trainers Neil and Helen McDonald. The first season was met with positive reviews.[4][5]

The first series was won by "Annie", trained by Queensland grazier Frank Finger.[6][7]

Season 2 and beyond[edit]

Following the positive reception of the first season, production of a second season featuring Border Collie puppies was announced released and premiered on 14 January 2024.[8][9]

The second season was won by "Buddy", trained by Northern Territory weaner tailer Zoe Miller.[10]

In March 2024, it was announced that Muster Dogs had been renewed for a third season, with six episodes scheduled to air in 2025 with both kelpies and border collies to be featured.[11]

Two companion books to the series have been published. Muster Dogs by Aticia Grey was published in November 2021.[12] Muster Dogs: From Pups to Pros written by series narrator Lisa Millar was published in January 2024.[13]

Millar has spoken at length about the surprising success of the show and how it has become the highlight of her career.[14]

Graziers[edit]

Season 1[edit]

Grazier[4] Hometown Dog Result
Frank Finger Clermont Annie Winner[7]
Aticia Grey Western Australia Gossip Lost
Rob Tuncks Victoria Lucifer
Joni Hall Northern Territory Chet
Catherine Scotney Spice

Season 2[edit]

Grazier[9][10] Hometown Dog Status
Zoe Miller Northern Territory Buddy Winner[10]
Cilla Gympie Ash Lost
Lily Wilcannia Show
Russ Tasmania Molly
Steve Winton Indi

Reception[edit]

Critical reception[edit]

In a positive review, Graeme Blundell of The Australian wrote, "Muster Dogs is simply delightful TV as well as being thoughtful, engaged and cast with a bunch of wonderful characters from the land, their laid-back humour coloured with a hard, sceptical and sombre undertone. ... They are the five farming families, on properties ranging from the red earth of the Top End to the green pastures of regional Victoria, who take on the challenge of training new kelpie pups and testing their worth on the properties they run."[4] In a 2022 review, Melinda Houston of The Sydney Morning Herald wrote, "It's sort of a competition to see who can best train a working dog pup in just 12 months, but the more interesting face of the show is the insight into the dogs themselves, the people who breed and train them, and the farmers who work them."[2] David Knox of TV Tonight wrote, "These pups all come from the same litter, a lineage of trained dogs, but can they all be trained when they are split up and given to new owners?".[15] Margaret Lyons of The New York Times wrote "you need some inspiration for naming a new dog in your life, look no further than this unscripted Australian series, which includes dogs named Jumpy, Lucifer, Gossip and Trunk. “Muster” follows five kelpie puppies given to five ranchers, reconvening after one year to see which dog’s herding skills are the most advanced. But the show is much more about the journey than the destination".[5]

Awards[edit]

In 2022, Muster Dogs editors John Unwin, Orly Danon, Fiona Strain, Brendan Cain were nominated for the AACTA Award for Best Editing in Television at the 12th AACTA Awards but lost to Nicholas Holmes from Mystery Road: Origin.[16][17] The 2022 series was also nominated for the AACTA Award for Best Factual Entertainment Program but lost to Old People's Home for Teenagers.[16][17]

At the Screen Producers Australia Awards in 2023, Muster Dogs was named Documentary Series Production of the Year.[18]

Episodes[edit]

Season 1[edit]

No. in
season		TitleOriginal air date Viewers
(millions)

Season 2[edit]

No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleOriginal air dateAus. viewers
51"Episode 1"14 January 2024 (2024-01-14)534,000[19]
62"Episode 2"21 January 2024 (2024-01-21)429,000[20]
73"Episode 3"28 January 2024 (2024-01-28)1,110,000[21]
84"Episode 4"4 February 2022 (2022-02-04)1,171,000[22]
95"Episode 5"11 February 2022 (2022-02-11)773,000[23]

Note: From 28 January 2024, OzTAM ratings changed from Total Reach reporting to National Reach reporting. Muster Dogs reached a national audience of 1,110,000 viewers.[24]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b McKinnon, Alex (21 January 2022). "Muster Dogs: the new Australian reality show set to charm the world". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  2. ^ a b Houston, Melinda (15 January 2022). "Muster Dogs: working pups get their own reality TV series". The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney: Nine Entertainment. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  3. ^ Byrnes, Holly (25 November 2020). "Bluey gets some cute competition as the ABC reveals its new slate of programs in 2021". The Daily Telegraph. Sydney: News Corp Australia. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  4. ^ a b c Blundell, Graeme (21 January 2022). "Muster Pups and Outback Ringer brilliant Australian television". The Australian. Sydney: News Corp Australia. Archived from the original on 2 June 2024. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  5. ^ a b Lyons, Margaret (8 June 2023). "How much watching time do you have this weekend?". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 9 June 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  6. ^ Semmler, Erin (14 February 2022). "Muster Dogs Frank Finger humbled by kelpie pup Annie's win". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  7. ^ a b Semmler, Erin (28 March 2022). "Muster Dogs Annie and Lucifer prized members of Frank Finger's team". ABC News. Rockhampton: Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  8. ^ Knox, David (7 April 2022). ""Nothing beats dogs": Ita confirms second season planned for Muster Dogs". TV Tonight. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  9. ^ a b Lenton, Patrick (14 January 2024). "Muster Dogs returns – with border collies instead of kelpies: 'It's like comparing Holdens to Fords'". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  10. ^ a b c Knox, David (12 February 2024). "Buddy becomes a Muster Dogs champion". TV Tonight. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  11. ^ Knox, David (6 March 2024). "AIDC 2024: Third season for Muster Dogs". TV Tonight. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  12. ^ Grey, Aticia (17 November 2021). Muster Dogs: An outback story of red dirt, kelpies and the future of a family farm. HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 9780733341588.
  13. ^ Millar, Lisa (17 January 2024). Muster Dogs - From Pups to Pros: How ten dogs stole hearts and changed lives forever. HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 9780733343094.
  14. ^ Rugendyke, Louise (6 January 2024). "Lisa Millar on Muster Dogs, beating bullies and finding that silver lining" (published 7 January 2024). TV Liftout. ISSN 1323-1987. ProQuest 2910844780. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  15. ^ Knox, David (18 January 2022). "Muster Dogs". TV Tonight. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  16. ^ a b Cartwright, Lexie (23 October 2022). "AACTA reveals 2022 film, TV nominations". news.com.au. Sydney: News Corp Australia. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  17. ^ a b "Winners & Nominees". Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts. 6 December 2022. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  18. ^ Knox, David (6 May 2023). "Screen Producers Awards 2023: winners". TV Tonight. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  19. ^ Knox, David (15 January 2024). "Sunday 14 January 2024". TV Tonight. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  20. ^ Knox, David (22 January 2024). "Sunday 21 January 2024". TV Tonight. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  21. ^ Knox, David (29 January 2024). "Sunday 28 January 2024". TV Tonight. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  22. ^ Knox, David (5 February 2024). "Sunday 4 February 2024". TV Tonight. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  23. ^ Knox, David (12 February 2024). "Sunday 11 February 2024". TV Tonight. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  24. ^ Knox, David (29 January 2024). "Australian Open reaches 4.767m viewers". TV Tonight. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
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