Nine scored a big hit with its Domestic Blitz special last night, grabbing a huge 1.67m viewers. It thrashed both Seven and TEN, and helped the network win Monday night.
The special for Bianca Saez and her family clearly struck a chord with viewers, especially those who had seen her struggle against Tourette’s Syndrome on 60 Minutes. Anyone who saw the family home saw it was indeed falling to pieces (there were walls smashed in, and doors that you could see right through). Now the home is decked out in every modern appliance and ultra-contemporary. This is clearly smart storytelling by Nine, and in a difficult climate it did everything right.
But was it really necessary to market the show as “Australian Television’s Biggest Celebration Ever?” Note to the promo department. That was one big misnomer. It was a makeover show, guys.
How quickly we forget so many other contenders for that title.
What about all those specials in our 50th TV year? The opening of the Sydney Olympics? There was the time all three commercial networks came together for the tsunami appeal. And in 1988 the ABC brilliantly hooked up live crosses to countless cities, towns and dots on the map to bring us Australia Live, as part of our Bicentennial celebrations.
Perhaps it’s time to start monitoring the excessive descriptions from promo departments to see how what’s promised translates to what is delivered.
This oversight notwithstanding, well done to Nine for giving the family a break and getting some good results.
Also last night ABC’s Enough Rope had a particularly strong night pulling 1.24m viewers for Denton’s interview with Dawn French.
you rock domestic blitz bianca is my bestie she lives like across the street
watched it, not sure why exactly lol – but my gripe was the over-kill of cross promotion in the show. I was expecting any second for Karl & Lisa from today ducking in, followed by Bert Newman, some of the footie boys………like they already had people from getaway, the chopping block etc etc etc…..
Most people probably tuned in to see someone with tourettes. Only curiosity, not a decent show.
Why would viewers sit through essentially a 90 minute long commercial advertising a multitude of products and services? Channel 9….why stop at 90 minutes, why not give viewers “Television’s Biggest Celebration Ever” a commercial marathon lasting 2 or even 3 hours?
I didnt see the show, but it sounds like it was an Extreme Makeover: Home Edition-esk episode. Does this mean they will adopt that approach rather than as focused on home renovation?
David,(It thrashed both Seven and Nine, and helped the network win Monday night) How could a program thrash itself?
Let’s not forget their promo department who listed ‘Bert’ Reynolds in Dukes of Hazzard recently!
this was quite enjoyable, maybe they should move it to a weekday permenantly. if it gets them to win the night. ch7 did it with the zoo and that was a great move.
however definately not “Australian Television’s Biggest Celebration Ever”
i guess this goes down with nine advertising fringe and mentalist as “most anticipated new show of the year” simultaneously.
calling fringe an “epic new drama” and then canning it
advertising 9 news melbourne as “melbourne’s best” when it is losing to 7 in average viewers per week, average peak viewers per week, and total weeks won. wherever they are getting their statistic from it can’t be that spectacular.
The fact that this rated depresses me.
“Australian Television’s Biggest Celebration Ever”. Damn, and i missed it! You just might have given 9 some more ideas for that cheap clip show 20 to 1.