AUSSIE TV networks are abandoning reality trash in favour of hard-hitting political dramas in a last-ditch bid for 2012 ratings supremacy.

Channel 10 is set to debut controversial Aussie political drama Underground: The Julian Assange Story within the month.

Ten is also fast tracking the second season of hard-hitting US political drama Homeland to Aussie screens.

Seven is getting in on the act too with acclaimed American political drama Scandal.

The only reality shows on the horizon are another series of Beauty & the Geek Australia and Melbourne socialite Brynne Edelsten's My Bedazzled Life.

"The past month has shown that Aussie audiences are hungry for quality drama,'' media analyst Steve Allen says.

"By contrast, reality shows including The Shire, Don't Tell the Bride, I Will Survive and Being Lara Bingle have struggled to connect with audiences.''

Nine's Howzat, which detailed media magnate Kerry Packer's rebel World Series Cricket bid, was a monster ratings hit.

Puberty Blues, based on the bestselling book by Gabrielle Carey and Kathy Lette, is Ten's most successful show of the past month.

Nine's crime drama Underbelly: Badness has pulled strong figures.

Ten has just released its first trailer for Underground, which stars Alex Williams as the teenage Assange and Rachel Griffiths as his mother, Christine.

The telemovie, from the producers of Balibo and The Slap, will delve into Assange's time as part of a group of rebels that used their computer skills to hack into Government security systems.

Homeland is one of Ten's most acclaimed shows. Earlier this year it won the Golden Globe award for Best Drama Series.

Claire Danes stars as bipolar CIA officer Carrie Mathison with Damian Lewis as US Marine turned suspected terrorist Nicholas Brody.

Part of Homeland's second series has been filmed in Tel Aviv, Israel.

"The first series of Homeland performed very strongly for Ten,'' Mr Allen says.

"Even though it was about American homeland security, it was so well acted, scripted and produced that Aussie audiences got into it.''

Scandal is a political thriller set in Washington DC from producer Shonda Rhimes (Grey's Anatomy).

Kerry Washington plays crisis management consultant Olivia Pope who is a former employee of the US President.





DRAMAS



Underground: The Julian Assange Story



Network: Ten



Stars: Alex Williams, Rachel Griffiths, Anthony LaPaglia



Plot: Investigators track teenage computer hacker Julian Assange



Audience appeal: High. There is plenty of fascination in the Wikileaks founder.



Prediction: Hit



Homeland



Network: Ten



Stars: Claire Danes, Damian Lewis, Mandy Patinkin



Plot: Counterterrorism officer tries to unmask suspected terrorist.



Audience appeal: High. Everyone who watched series one will be back for series two.



Prediction: Hit



Scandal



Network: Seven



Stars: Kerry Washington, Columbus Short, Katie Lowes



Plot: Crisis management team protects images of nation's political and social elite.



Audience appeal: Strong central female character will draw women viewers.



Prediction: Moderate Hit



REALITY



Beauty & The Geek Australia



Network: Seven



Stars: Bernard Curry



Plot: Beauties and geeks share a house and compete for $100,000 prize.



Audience appeal: Past three seasons have rated well. No reason to thing the fourth series won't repeat the formula.



Prediction: Moderate Hit



Brynne: My Bedazzled Life



Network: Seven



Stars: Brynne and Geoffrey Edelsten



Plot: Follows the life of Melbourne socialite and former Dancing with the Stars competitor Brynne Edelsten.



Audience appeal: Limited. There are already rumours the series has been shortened.



Prediction: Miss



Originally published as Networks dump reality for gritty drama