Born in the USA
September heralds the start of their new ratings year for 2010 -11 in the US so networks are beginning to announce their ‘fall’ schedules which include news that some shows are being axed and new shows have got the go-ahead. Their announcements of course have ramifications for Australian networks which are littered – both positively and negatively – with US product.
Sadly, after 20 seasons, Law & Order will not be renewed and it’s season finale which will air in the US on May 24 (episode 456) , which was not intended as its last show ever, is now the full stop to an incredible television chapter. Somewhat appropriately it guest stars the US Gold Medal Winter Olympian, Lindsey Vonn.
When Law & Order was first broadcast in 1990, New York’s annual murder rate peaked at 2,245. Last year the city recorded 466 — the lowest since records began half a century ago. Unfortunately for Law & Order the viewing figures suffered a similar decline. Even as the show gained an international following, its US audience fell from 19 million to about 7 million.
While the original New York version has been cancelled after 20 seasons it is to be replaced by one set on the West Coast called Law & Order: Los Angeles, which has become quickly nicknamed Lola; and Law & Order: SVU has been commissioned for a 12th season. While there is not much room these days for sentimentality in TV land, the decision by NBC to axed L&O after it’s 20th season seems a bit mean spirited. It has long been stated by Dick Wolf, L&O producer, that his ambition was to break the record for a US TV series set by Gunsmoke, the cowboy drama that ran from 1955 to 1975.
And so with a “da-da” that trade mark ‘musical’ interlude, we say farewell to the series which became a mini-industry, employing thousands of aspiring actors, writers, producers and crew. Jerry Orbach achieved fame as Detective Lennie Briscoe, and the series launched Chris Noth’s career (Sex and the City and The Good Wife) and it even helped Fred Thompson (who played Manhattan district attorney Arthur Branch) in a 2008 presidential bid.
The realistic New York police drama based on plots “ripped from the headlines” has received many accolades since the announcement. NYC’s Mayor, Michael Bloomberg said “Over the last 20 years, Law & Order became a New York City institution. It began filming in the city at a time when few series did, and it helped pave the way for the more than 150 television shows based here today. “
But surely the highest praise comes from Ray Kelly, the New York Police Commissioner, when he wrote in the New York Post, “Having spent most of my life in police work, I typically don’t bother with cop shows, if only because the mistakes and misrepresentations are too tedious to endure. Law & Order was an exception. The show produced convincing detectives, prosecutors, criminals and oddball witnesses. Even the corpses were interesting.”
In addition to L&O other shows which have been axed include Heroes, Flash Forward, Garry Unmarried, Ugly Betty (all which screen on 7 TWO), Ghost Whisperer (Channel 7), The New Adventures of Old Christine (GO!) Cold Case (Channel 9) and Numb3rs (Channel 10). But the flip side is that it makes way for new shows.
It’s been thirty years since we heard the words “book ‘em Danno” and the exciting news is that Hawaii 5-0 will be remade and star Aussie actor Alex O’Laughlin as Steve McGarrett. O’Laughlin was last seen in “Three Rivers” a medical drama set in an organ donation hospital which lasted all of three episodes before being pulled from Channel 10’s schedule. Here’s hoping the remade of this classic TV show, which ran from 1968-80, will last the same length of time, if not longer!
Meanwhile, David Lyons, whom we last saw in Sea Patrol, stars in The Cape – another show to get the green light. Lyons plays Vince Faraday, a cop who assumes the mantle of his son’s favourite comic-book hero after he’s left for dead by his corrupt police force, and sets about to clear his name.
Here’s hoping local networks screen both of these.
The Crime Spree Continues
The crime spree will continue for viewers into 2011 with Channel 9 commissioning three telemovies based on real Australian crimes.
These will be screened along with a fourth Underbelly instalment which will be set in Sydney again. The fifth series of Underbelly will reportedly focus on corruption in Queensland during Joh “Don’t You Worry About that” Bjelke-Peterson’s reign up to and including the Fitzgerald Inquiry.
(Note to SA, NT, WA and Tasmanian criminals – your time will come …I mean as far as the Underbelly script writers go.)
Screentime, who produce Underbelly, will produce these three new telemovies for Channel 9.
First in the line up (and one which I think will be the most intriguing because it already reads like a script) is the story of Colin McLaren. He was a crooked Victorian cop who, looking for redemption, agreed to go undercover and infiltrate the Calabrian Mafia. For 18 months he lived within the mob, surviving on his local knowledge and wits, until… (Only kidding, I won’t ruin it! You will have to wait for the telemovie).
The second story is set in the late 90’s in Melbourne when during a stake out, two uniformed policemen – Gary Silk and Rodney Miller, were gunned down in cold blood.
The third telemovie is about the criminal known as Mad Dog. Russel Cox has the somewhat unusual title of Australia’s most successful armed robber. (I am not sure who learnt more from him – the cops or crims.)
But telemovies?
In February this year Channel 9 screened the telemovie – Wicked Love – starring Rebecca Gibney and Vince Collosimo, based on the Maria Korp story. There was Scorched which screened in August 2008, starring Vince Collosimo (hello!), Georgie Parker and a Daddo – but really apart from this there has been a dearth, or should I say, death of the telemovie.
While one-off documentaries and mini-series has been the domain of SBS and the ABC and its international counterpart the BBC, commercial networks have moved away from this format in the last decade. Does Channel 9’s commitment to these three crime telemovies, plus another telemovie – which is described as an action-paced disaster thriller – herald the return to this format?
Who knows? Who cares, right? As long as they are compelling.
On the topic of compelling, congratulations must go to SBS and their gritty crime drama series East West 101.
Hot on the heels of collecting two of SBS’s four Logies last week, comes the news East West 101, staring Don Hany and Susie Porter, picked up a Gold Medal for Best Mini Series as the New York International Television and Film Awards.
These awards, which honour the world’s best work in news, documentary and entertainment programming, receive entries from over 30 countries. Given the tight production budget for this show this award is even more impressive.
Onto much lighter and brighter subjects, Channel 7’s meteorologist and nightly weather presenter, David Brown has been visiting a different Victorian government school each week to discover their ‘outside the classroom’ projects, ranging from organic cooking classes to water catchment programs.
These special segments have been broadcast each Saturday night as part of the Seven News bulletin since 24 April and this will continue throughout the year.
The segment which has received great feedback came about quite by chance.
Channel 7’s news department was in discussion with the Department of Education about ‘something completely different’ when the idea emerged.
“Two meetings later and Brownie was in his car and visiting schools,” according to Channel 7’s Director of News, Steve Carey.
“It’s exciting to see what projects our children are undertaking at school and it’s important the wider community has a chance to share that experience,” Mr Carey said.
Schools interested in being showcased can contact the Department of Education’s media unit who co-ordinate the visits with Channel 7.
If you are interested in whipping up a storm – in the kitchen, the producers of My Kitchen Rules would love to hear from you. Simply log onto www.mykitchenrules.com.au and follow the prompts.
The show, hosted by Manu Fidel (who will certainly be nominated for next year’s Best New Talent Logie) and Pete Evans will return to Channel 7 later this year after a very successful first series.
Someone who won’t be back of the box anytime soon is Rocky. He bow-wows out of Neighbours after a year on the show. Rocky joined the cast of Neighbours as a Guide Dog puppy who grew up in front of our eyes. He is now ready for his very important job of becoming a fully fledged Guide Dog. It was a clever pr exercise to include a Guide Dog into Ramsey Street and every so gently raise awareness of what this wonderful institution does.
By the way, if you want to check out some other incredible stories of dogs at work, try Channel 9’s Send in the Dogs (Sundays 7pm) and Channel 7’s Dog Squad (Wednesdays 7.30pm). Did you know that dogs’ noses are forty times more sensitive than humans? And that there are dogs which can track down drugs, money and guns? Amazing. (Best I get me one of those clever puppies as I could do with a little bit more – money, that is!)
And the Logie goes to…
And the Logies goes to Mr Bert Newton of course. The Big B… the consummate professional, our TV darling. Bert may have said ‘I like tha boy’ to Mohammad Ali, but I love the man, and I know I am not alone. Surely he can’t stop at 19. A neat 20th time for 2011 or even a 21st time for 2012 would be a nice full stop to his Logies hosting gig.
Outstanding Performance goes to k.d. lang. A last minute ring in (replacing Susan Boyle) she shone singing “Halleluiah” and deservedly got a standing ovation. Halleluiah indeed. She for me was the highlight of the night.
With the Logies come and gone for another year, perhaps as was suggested by an interstate metro newspaper, what about The Bogies? Something akin to the USA’s The Razzies (the Golden Raspberry Awards). Sandra Bullock showed the entertainment world she had both guts and a great sense of humour when she did in fact attend the Razzies. She not only picked up the dishonourable award but a whole lot of new respect and what we would colloquially say, a good sort.
A rival network could broadcast the Bogies with the most annoying ads run in between. I reckon it’s got legs. So hypothetically speaking, who would you nominate for the following awards.. Most Annoying Personality, Biggest Ego on TV, Worst actor/actress, Worst dressed star, most unconvincing newsreader, TV gaffe of the year and Show You’d Most Like to Axe.
Speaking of axing, Channel 7’s The Bounce has been drop punted. Or should I say, gone into a production hiatus, a new term. Of course you could say Hey Hey It’s Saturday and The Block went into production hiatus’ and look what happened to them. Hey Hey back after ten years and The Block – which has the prestigious attribute of highest average ratings of any show on television ever (yes which does beg the question why it was axed, I mean went into a production hiatus, but it was a victim of boardroom politics) - back after 7 years.
But I digress. The Bounce, OUT. The Vicar of Dibly, IN. There were two reasons why this show didn’t work. Peter Hellier as the host. A brilliant comic, a great foil but Hellier is no traffic warden and that’s what you need in a host. Secondly, the timeslot. Better Homes and Gardens should be moved to Thursday or Saturday nights, and a footy-themed show, hey what about The Bounce, goes in at 7.30 to precede the televised football match. Audiences have been crying out for live coverage of Friday night games and if Channel 7 is unprepared to do that, then they should at least throw the dog a bone and give them something.
More headaches came for Channel 7 on Thursdays with the over-hyped US import, Cougar Town staring former Friend star Courtney Cox and the ‘comedy’ How I Met Your Mother. These shows have been replaced by the killer show Criminal Minds which rates very well for Channel 7. Fans of the aforementioned shows can see them later this year in the summer schedule.
Masterchef is on fire. Every night since its premiere on 19 April it has been the most watched show nationally – except on Sunday night when Underbelly was top dog. In an earlier column (21 April) I suggested that the soft lead in of the 7pm Project could impact on Masterchef in its new timeslot. It hasn’t. Masterchef is consistenly bubbling away at around 1.5 million viewers a night nationally. And in fact The 7pm Project is now enjoying its best ratings since its launch on 20 July 2009. This is because people are tuning in to watch Masterchef and seeing the tail end of The Project. This could be the shows saving grace.
But it’s not all beer and skittles for Masterchef. The judges George Calombaris, Matt Preston and Gary Meighan have all come under attack from Nutrition expert Professor Peter Clifton of the Baker Institute, saying they are setting a bad example for having stacked on the weight between season 1 and 2. It’s an occupational hazard. They all work around food constantly. On top of this, on the opening night of season 2, the judges had to sample 50 barbecue dishes – simply to be able to do their job. Some of the foods since then have been highly calorific and then with the long shoot days, it means there is little time for anything else.
It’s a tough break, calling them bad examples but it does beg the question, can Channel 10 do a ‘healthy’ Masterchef, or perhaps they have plans for Celebrity Chef Biggest Loser after this season of Masterchef!
Still on the topic of food, Rick Stein’s cooking show, Far Eastern Odyssey, started screening on the ABC (Tuesdays 8.30pm). A seven-part series it is part cookery, part travel and part politics. It’s beautiful shot as he travels through Cambodia, Vietnam and other eastern countries. Stein shops, cooks and eats with the local people which bring to life the synonymous cuisines.
Closer to home, Poh (Wednesday 6.30pm ABC) catches up with the wonderful Ian Parmenter in Western Australia. He cooks a delightful dessert pizza – a grape pizza! He places local table grapes sprinkled with sugar on a dough based and then covers them with a second layer of dough, which he tops with another layer of grapes. The grapes in the middle become a warm juicy filling, while the topping grapes hold their shape and provide a burst of flavor and crunch!
Now that’s inspired cooking. More please!
Australia Your Friendly Neighbour
The current Neighbours promotion in the UK will do more to publicise Australia than any Australian Tourism advertising campaign could ever achieve – and for a smidgeon of the cost.
In this the soap’s 25th year, BBC 5 – the UK broadcaster is running a competition called Be A Star on Neighbours which will see the winner spend five weeks on set. That’s a wonderful ‘prize’ in its own right, but of course there is much more at stake. The role will also give the winning applicant worldwide exposure, as the show is screened in over 65 countries.
And as we all know, Neighbours launched the careers of Guy Pierce, Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan and created a lifetime of employment for the likes of Ian Smith who played Harold Mitchell for 20 years.
The winning actress – who must be over 18 years of age, will play Poppy Rogers, a friend of Mal Kennedy. Poppy will be staying with the much-loved Kennedy family during her time on Ramsay Street, alongside Dr Karl and Susan – who was ranked the 7th most popular TV mother in a UK poll.
Aspiring actresses must down load the script and upload their auditions onto You-Tube.
The public’s top two finalists will be announced in the UK at the end of June and in July both will fly here for a week of orientation, where they’ll meet the cast and crew and be put through their paces by Neighbours’ producer Neal Kingston and Executive Producer Susan Bower. The winner will be announced at the end of the week and the winner will immediately start a four week contract filming the role of Poppy. The episodes featuring the competition winner will be aired both here and in the UK later this year.
The BBC’s and Channel 10’s publicity departments will go into overdrive with the publicity of this character and the show, and this is why I say this competition will do more for the promotion of Australia to the Poms in particular but the world, generally, than any Australia Tourism advertising campaign.
“Poppy” will no doubt get to see and do many iconic (if not somewhat clichéd) activities like hold a koala, pat a kangaroo, go to the footy, visit Ayres Rock, climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge, swim at Bondi Beach…
And of course, there will be several inter-show cross promotional opportunities with Bondi Rescue or Bondi Vet – both of which are already screened overseas.
Speaking of overseas, the television executives and programmers are recovering from jetlag having returned from the South of France. Poor things. Each year at MIPCOM – the trade show for television industry, deals are done over a pina colada as networks buy up overseas comedies, drama and reality shows.
Good news for fans of crime writer Patricia Cornwell. Channel 7 has picked up the rights to broadcast a series of movies based on her novels. Meanwhile, Channel 9 has secured the rights to screen a TV industry satire series called Episodes starring Mat Le Blanc (as himself!). If it’s anything like Working Dog’s exception production, Frontline we are in for a treat.
Another import Channel 9 has picked up is the US version of Who Do You Think You Are? It will premiere tonight (Wednesday, April 28, at 9.30pm). If you are not familiar with this show, it’s a kind of Find my Family celebrity style.
The series will kick off with Sex and the City star, Sarah Jessica Parker, then include Lisa Kudrow (Friends), Susan Sarandon, Brooke Shields and Matthew Broderick – interestingly predominately women – who travel around the world and go back in time to unearth fascinating stories about their ancestors. They learn how their family links to the past have shaped the world they live in today.
SBS has screened the original BBC series over the years and of course produced their own fantastic local version which featured Ron Barassi, Ita Buttrose, Catherine Freeman and Jack Thompson and has promised us another series.
Confidence Breeds Local TV Shows
Underbelly 3 – The Golden Mile blasted its way back our screens with a two hour premiere Sunday week ago with a peak of 2.4 million and an average 2.2 million people tuning in to see the Kings Cross action. It is the highest rating premier episode of a show for 2010.
Other local shows are rating superbly and confidence breeds confidence. Sure there will be some turkeys amongst the tinsel but this year is shaping up as a massive year for locally produced shows which is great for viewers, actors, writers, producers and vital production staff – whose names are not familiar to us.
Another winner for Channel 9 is Sea Patrol which returned last Thursday night. Nationally it was the most watched show of the night with 1.2 million viewers and the fourth most watched show in Melbourne winning its timeslot. This is its fourth series and I believe its best season yet with a faster pace, a solid story arc and the introduction of three new ensemble cast including Conrad Coleby and Tammy Mackintosh.
And there are more series of other local dramas in production including a third season of the ABC’s Bed of Roses (sadly without the late, great Bud Tingwell), City Homicide, Rafters,
As far as reality goes – it goes! Dancing with the Stars (series 9 or 10!) this year includes Channel 7 stars George Houvardas who plays Carbo in Rafters and Home and Away star and Gold Logie nominee Esther Anderson, plus Australia’s Got Talent new judge Kyle Sandilands wife Tamara Jaber and former Miss Australia Rachel Finch.
Series 2 of Masterchef returned to our screens on Monday night at 7.30pm. It was the Master blaster of ratings last year and was the most watched non-sporting show in 2009.
Will Channel 10 get a second serve of the ratings pie? Last season it screened at 7pm and didn’t have a great deal of competition with Home and Away, and repeats of 2 ½ Men. It was a genuine viewing alternative. Showing Ten’s confidence in the product, it’s up against the very popular Top Gear, Australia’s Got Talent, The Zoo, Find My Family, Getaway and Hey Hey It’s Saturday. In addition, it screens after The 7pm Project – a soft lead in which may hurt it.
An extension of the Masterchef brand comes Junior Masterchef which saw 2000 kids apply. Auditions take place in May, with the show being shot in July and August. Confidentiality agreements are normally signed with these kinds of shows to ensure the winner isn’t revealed until the final episode. The question is – can a kid (and a proud as punch parent) keep a secret? The answer is probably no, so I suspect Channel 10 will have a shoot and screen policy.
Junior Masterchef is a cute enough name and reinforces the Masterchef franchise but I would have perfered it to be called Kids in the Kitchen and have Scott Carn host!
New productions include a yet unnamed show dramedy. Channel 7 will shoot a pilot for this in Melbourne in May. No cast has been revealed but it is about four women who were childhood friends and are reunited in their 30’s. It sounds like The Big Chill meets Friends. Given Channel 7’s recent success with family friendly Packed to the Rafters (which will return in the second half of this year) I am sure the writing, acting and production will be replicated here.
Meanwhile, last Monday, (19th April) filming started in Queensland on the ABC’s 90-minute telemovie, Sisters of War – a story of strength, survival and forgiveness.
It stars Claire van der Boom (The Pacific, Rush), NIDA graduate Sarah Snook, Gerald Lepkowski (Dirt Game, East West 101) and AFI award-winner Susie Porter (East of Everything, East West 101, RAN).
Set in 1942, Sisters of War is inspired by the true story of two extraordinary Australian women: Lorna Whyte (Sarah Snook), an army nurse and Sister Berenice Twohill (Claire van der Boom), a Roman Catholic nun from New South Wales.
The telemovie is adapted from the wartime diaries and interviews with Lorna, Sister Berenice and others who survived. The story of their captivity, their friendship and their extraordinary courage has never been told.
More good news is that Talkin’ ‘Bout Your Generation (which finished on Sunday night) will be back. The bad news – not until August. That’s yonks away. That’s when supermarkets start to hang up their Christmas decorations.
It’s a great series and while I am not suggesting it’s easy to produce, it’s easy to produce and pretty darn cheap too.
The show could easily maintain its audience throughout the year. It’s what The 7pm Project wants to be – easy banter with lots of fun. It’s Hey Hey but without the band. It’s The Panel without the news topics. It’s the 3MP of tv – ‘easy listening’ except its easy viewing.
I am all for a network not flogging a program to death, but why such a long break? Perhaps Mr McCaulif needs a break. Perhaps Gen X General Josh Thomas needs a breather.
Still on reality shows, there will be another series of Channel 7’s World’s Strictest Parents, My Kitchen Rules and Channel 9’s Farmer Wants A Wife and continuing with the theme of show resurrections (a la Hey Hey) we will see the return of The Block on Channel 9.
Back in 2003, The Block, hosted by Jamie Durie, saw four couples competiting against each other to renovate an apartment within the same block. The first series was set in Bondi, the second in 2004 was set in Manly and both series were a ratings hit for Channel 9. But it disappeared from our screens due to politics behind the scenes.
Now, with the GFC, perhaps the time is right as people are DIY’ing again with renewed energy (and necessity!). If you want to be part of the show, there is still time to apply via the Channel 9 website.
Will it rate 6 years later? I loved the show then and see no reason why it won’t replicate its success with host Scott Cam, although certainly not to the heights of the first season because it was new then and had a genuine point of difference to anything at that time.
The Block launched Dr Andrew Rochford ‘s television career. He has appeared in Channel 9’s What’s Good For You and hosted the summer series “The Waiting Room” and he now appears on The 7Pm Project to talk all things medical in terms the yoof of today can understand.
If Australian television was Dr Rochford’s patient, I am sure he would say it’s in excellent health.
