HOW good is Gruen Nation?

It's gone through more name changes than a Queensland Government department, but its core theme of lifting the lid on the advertising industry has been a constant.

Every series is packaged in a beautifully-produced, highly-entertaining format. And the panellists are outstanding, nine times out of 10.

This is television that provokes, inspires, educates. It challenges you to, gasp, think. And this time around, it is back for a special Federal Election season.

It is exactly what a politician-weary nation needs - someone to tear strips off those alien beings with the letters MP after their names. And, my, don't these cows have plenty of rich fodder to feast on this year?

The first show's panel sparkled with wit, one-liners and insight as it explored the campaign ads from each of the main political parties.

Host Wil Anderson, he of the black eyes and even blacker sense of humour, was on fire. The Eddie McGuire of Gen-Y politics, Lachlan Harris, was typically smarmy and authoritative, managing to make Annabel Crabb squirm with use of the word "lubing".

Annabel, thoroughly likeable in her Dame Edna specs and Jackie O neck-scarf, has a vocabulary greater than a thesaurus.

John Hewson was a bit crusty and looked like a headlight-lit deer when asked how he would feel running in the social media age.

Jaws dropped when it was revealed the Greens ad was nearly identical to one seen on the show's Pitch segment three years ago. The same company responsible for that ad now has the Greens account. Hmm, no such thing as a new idea?

This week's Pitch featured campaign songs for both sides, won by the Liberals' hokey pokey.

And Wil's line about Andrew Bolt's head exploding because the Coalition had won something on the ABC drew raucous laughter.

Let us all rejoice: the election campaign just got interesting.