Comments on: 2.58m: Underbelly sets new record

By: Nick

Nick — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 05:39:26 +0000

Gee, it was just okay wasn’t it? And therein lies the problem- this was seriously unsophisticated television. As with the original Underbelly, A Tale of Two Cities is peppered with caricatures; characters we don’t really care about all that much because we don’t get any tangible insight into them for a multitude of reasons (average script writing, so-so direction and bland performances). Weedy Matthew Newton couldn’t knock the froth off a cuppucino and Billing didn’t seem like he had an ounce of Italian in him. Seriously, are these guys supposed to be menacing? Second rate pimps at best.

The plot was simply a number of set pieces involving different characters linked lazily by too much voice over narration. We all knew the furniture salesman was going to be taken out but it took so long to get there! And why, at the start, with the title ‘A Tale of Two Cities’, did we get the earnest voice-over, ‘this is Melbourne’s story’ ? Period detail was re-created nicely in an authentic if overtly garish fashion. Great to see so many positive female role-models too, progressive enought to remove their tops for no apparent reason (or over two million reasons, depending on how you look at it…)

Channel Nine- still the one for making the biggest deal out of the most superficial of product. Sure, biggest ratings in people-meter history. So what? Oztam should never be used as a quality-meter! Never underestimate the power of hype and sadly, the low standards of the wider public. I’m sure, in years to come, we’ll have regressed so far through top rating prequels that we’ll be faced with the prospect of ‘Underbelly 10: The Kelly Gang’.

By: Shelly

Shelly — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 04:00:53 +0000

I didnt think it was worth all the hype. I wont be watching it again…

By: cookieS

cookieS — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 01:54:33 +0000

watched GWN and Dexter and loved it…. recorded Underbelly and so far so good – of course will never live up to hype, but it’s a hell of a lot better than so much else that’s out there

By: Jerome

Jerome — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 00:27:38 +0000

well i am honored i guess. if i knew it was going to be published and read by thousands i would have put more thought into it but i stand by what i said.

TVtonight is probably the most positive blog out there there on this topic. There are articles with comments out there on the daily telegraph, ninemsn, couriermail ect. and it’s very rare to find a positive comment i wonder what made them pick my comment.

some examples: Captain of C’Town: “A load of fictitious rubbish and not very entertaining at that.” Carmen of Melbourne: “watching paint dry is more exciting” terry hill: “very ordinary”, Tanya of Camden: “He (newton) would be better off playing Humphrey B bear.” Pete of Melbournes underbelly: “peewee herman, i mean matt . . . whats up with that. he couldnt intimidate a fly” aka of sydney: “just a greedy grab for money and ratings” ect. ect. and thats just from the most recent few comments on the daily telegraph article “Underbelly comes out fighting”. there seem to be endless complaints about matt newtons acting.

so sorry if i’ve hurt any fans feelings but it could have been much worse.

By: David Knox

David Knox — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 14:47:51 +0000

Internet feedback reaches the SMH, including one quote from this site (go, Jerome): "not as good as the hype."

By: Barrie

Barrie — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 13:07:53 +0000

Didnt watch it last night but recorded and just watched it. I haven’t seen UB1 so can’t compare but thought Matt Newton was the weakest actor of the cast. Plank and Wood come to mind. In fact the rest of the cast were fine except the Aussie guy who tried the Scottish accent. The story wasn’t that interesting and I got bored after 30mins and switched off. The tits and bums were un-necessary. They added nothing to the atmosphere. I’ll be watching Foxtel next week.

By: Mark

Mark — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 10:15:18 +0000

I’m with ali’s comment above; sick and tired of FTA TV at the moment. Foxtel or DVDs or the Internet are the only real options.

By: aha

aha — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 09:56:13 +0000

Meh.

It will loose 500,000 each week for the next couple of weeks as people realise it cannot live up to the hype (like the Australia flop).

Most will return to DH – a series that can sustain more than one season… and that doesn’t have Matthew Newton in it.

By: Nate

Nate — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 09:31:45 +0000

Be interesting to see how many stick with it next week. Loved the initial series, but this was very mediocre.

By: Benno

Benno — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 09:00:25 +0000

I only came across promotions on the radio and newspapers. I never saw the series and don’t plan to. Say that i’m missing out, but it doesn’t bother me.

By: fizzin

fizzin — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 08:44:07 +0000

Rubbish! 3000 people meters across Australia, don’t make me laugh

By: vid

vid — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 08:27:39 +0000

zambora… grow up!

By: ali

ali — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 08:21:57 +0000

I watched a dvd. sick of all FTA channels at the moment.

By: ducko

ducko — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 08:19:03 +0000

Kev, I don’t consider myself as a fanboy extremist & I enjoyed it. I thought it started slowly but built quite well. I think it will only get better & will be worth watching over the next few weeks. Not great, but very good.

By: Disco Stu

Disco Stu — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 07:29:36 +0000

I think you’ll find Ten’s 5pm-6.30 news actually beat Seven’s 6-7pm bulletin…. those figures are from the ‘bushfire special’ before 6pm on 7.

By: Zambora

Zambora — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 06:42:33 +0000

Watched Underbelly on basis of hype over First series and only seeing “heavily edited show here in Vic.
Must say was disappointed and the casting left a lot to be desired.
The good point – Billing was fabulous in his role as Trimbole.
Bad – Matt Newton as a menacing Kiwi drug kingpin – you are having a laugh !! Certainly not believable at all..
And the protrayal of the police was astounding – looks like they watched Bargearse & early eps of Cop Shop.
Sorry Nine, I won’t be back.