Top Stories Archive:
Golden Globes 2009: Nominees
Mad Men, 30 Rock, Brothers and Sisters, John Adams and In Treatment feature prominently in the 2009 Golden Globe nominations.
Both the Hollywood Foreign Press and the Writers Guild of America placed Mad Men and Dexter high on their list, with In Treatment and True Blood getting “new series” nods from the latter. In comedy there was more agreement over 30 Rock, Weeds, The Office and Entourage.
Rachel Griffiths will compete for Best supporting actress in a series, miniseries or made-for-television movie, while January Jones, in Australia for the AFI Awards, is up for …
Gossip Girl
Pretty kids, romantic trysts, sororities, parties and fashion. Is there anything that separates one teen soap from another? Why does 90210 flop in Australia when Gossip Girl gets good buzz?
Based on the novel series by Cecily von Ziegesar (that’s gotta be a pen name, surely?) the second series of Gossip Girl has returned to FOX8, while the first is screening on Channel Nine, who bafflingly sold it to Foxtel in the first place.
Producer Josh Schwartz oversees this adaptation, a man who, after his runaway series The OC, is a challenger to Darren …
Where’s Eddie?
He’s been off all telly practically all year.
Aside from a week hosting A Current Affair, an interview on The Footy Show, and a few leftover episodes of 1 vs 100 it’s hard to recall seeing Eddie McGuire on the box in 2008. Yet when he puts his mind to it, he’s one of television’s best performers.
So now that ‘Eddie Everywhere’ has been rested, will we be seeing him back on our screens in 2009? How is it Nine can afford to pay such a staggering pay packet to McGuire when he …
Thank God You’re Here switches to Seven
Thank God You’re Here is switching from Network TEN to Channel Seven.
It will return in 2009 with Shane Bourne as host and Tom Gleisner as judge.
The hit improvisation show has previously enjoyed three seasons on TEN.
The shift from networks, which follows Seven’s acquisition of Kath & Kim from the ABC, is a major coup for Seven and a huge blow to the TEN Network. It was sorely missed as part of TEN’s Sunday line-up.
“Having taken a year off it felt right to try some new things with the show,” said Tom …
Nine greenlights new local drama
Channel Nine will launch a new drama series in 2009, Rescue Squad.
Described as a “high octane drama” it will centre on the lives and loves of a Special Operations Rescue Squad.
The series will join with Underbelly and Sea Patrol as a flagship drama for the network in 2009. It follows recent news that Nine would not proceed with The Young Doctors.
Amongst some of the other new formats set to launch are several factual and “blue sky” shows that reward ordinary Aussies or make their dreams come true.
Everyday Heroes is a …
ABC 2009: a closer look
Now that the fanfare about The Chaser, Andrew Denton, John Safran and new dramas are out of the way, it’s time to look a little closer at the ABC goodies for 2009. There are more documentaries, arts and natural history programmes that didn’t make the headlines yesterday.
Amongst some of the other treats are the comedy series Laurence Leung’s Choose Your Own Adventure and The Urban Monkey starring Sam Simmons “out to draw conclusions on the similarities between the animal and human world.”
There are documentaries on Skippy, Nigerian missionaries, surfing, kayaking, Charles …
Looking for the magic touch
TEN’s line up for 2009 includes more factual series than ever, returning favourites and new international content. After a disappointing 2008, especially in the second half, TEN will need the magic touch to win back loyal viewers.
The network made the announcement today as part of a three day tour across the country.
Headlining the announcement is the acquisition of the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Cooking show MasterChef Australia will replace Big Brother across a 7pm timeslot mid year.
Another 7pm strip show is yet to be announced.
The new locally produced factual shows include …
Why Love My Way 4 never happened
If there has ever been one burning question that is continually asked by readers of this site it is this: Why, oh why, did Love My Way not continue into a fourth season?
“I’ve just finished watching series 3 in one marathon sitting and can’t believe there’s no more to come,” says Miss Jude.
“I am an American working in Japan and I have a lot of Aussie friends who turned me on to LMW. I am shocked that they would just stop after Season 3!” -Hoeydancer
“I have just finished watching all 3 …
ONE HD bumps TEN HD into limbo
TEN’s “science fiction Thursday”, Neighbours catch-up, timeshifted News and documentaries on TEN HD could become a thing of the past with confirmation that there is no contingency plan announced alongside the launch of ONE HD.
TEN HD will continue on air until April when it is overtaken by TEN’s 24hr sports channel ONE HD. The current home of TEN HD, Channel 12, will broadcast the sports content in standard definition.
That leaves Smallville and other fan favourites in television limbo. Other shows including Torchwood, Battlestar Galactica, Eureka, One Tree Hill, Friday Night Lights …
2008 AFI Nominations
Underbelly dominates the television categories in the AFI Nominations announced today in Sydney.
The Nine drama is nominated for Best Television Drama Series along with acting awards for Vince Colosimo, Damian Walshe-Howling, Gyton Grantley, Madeleine West and Kat Stewart.
The ABC and SBS also feature prominently, including six nominations for East West 101.
The AFIs will be presented on December 7. Full nominees for television categories follows:
AFI Award for Best Children’s Television Drama
* Animalia. Ewan Burnett & Murray Pope. Network Ten
* Blue Water High (Series 3) Noel Price & Dennis Kiely. ABC
* Double …
The dumping ground of television
It’s become one of the stories of the 2008 television year: dumping shows ad infinitum. This month we’ve lost Fringe, Cold Case, Wipeout, Battlefronts, Kitchen Nightmares USA, Kath & Kim (US), 90210, Bondi Rescue: Bali and even a repeat series of Friends. Dropping shows isn’t new, but its rapidity is increasing, confusing audiences and disintegrating trust between viewers and networks.
Nine’s Head of Acquisitions, Daytime and HD programming Les Sampson spoke to TV Tonight about the challenges and ramifications of scheduling.
As we all know, delivering demographics to advertisers is an artform. Programming …
The thin blue line
Tomorrow night on Rush, Inspector Kerry Vincent (Catherine McClements) is pulled over for drink driving. Without giving too much away, she doesn’t take kindly to the directive, which begs the question: how much can you get away with when you’re filming a drama about the force?
Rush and City Homicide both depict a fictional “State Police” which affords them the luxury of stories that aren’t in collusion with Victoria Police.
Producer John Edwards spoke to TV Tonight about the benefits of not having to seek police approval on scripts.
Surprisingly, the move is not …