Nine Network, Terminated?
Over the last few years, Australia's Nine Network, one of only 3 major commercial free-to-air networks has become all but irrelevant to audiences under 40. With a stellar program lineup involving Eddie McGuire upon Eddie McGuire, and one mind-numbing game show after another, it has gone from the top-rating network, to ranking similarly to government-owned multi-cultural station SBS, where a lot of the content is subtitled.
In 2007 Nine hit rock-bottom when it lost its contract with CBS. This resulted in the abrupt cancellation of several shows and Letterman making the switch from Nine to Network Ten. Fortunately for Letterman fans this also resulted in an upgrade to high-definition for the late-night talk-show, which was being broadcast in upscaled bootleg 4:3 NTSC format on Nine, even years after the show stepped up its format in the US.
Despite the CSI franchise being CBS shows, Nine managed to retain the rights because their distribution contract is with the production company, not the network. If not for that, Nine might have become immediately and completely unwatchable.
Fast-forward a year later and Nine is trying to recover some ground with fresh promos for its new-season lineup. Featuring heavily are venerable favourites like the three CSIs, and less interesting shows like Cold Case and Without a Trace coupled with locally-produced zombie droolfests like Sea Patrol and McLeod's Daughters -- a show even my 68 year old mother is bored by.
Nine is also promoting a couple of new additions to the schedule, but it remains to be seen how successful they'll become.
Cashmere Mafia
The popularity of Sex and the City has spawned what at first glance seems to be a severely hackneyed spinoff called Cashmere Mafia. I hope that it turns into something watchable for the girls, but I'm not holding my breath. Despite rather enjoying Lucy Liu, I don't hold out too much hope. They say not to judge a book by its cover, but that's because authors aren't graphic designers. I'm quite secure in judging a book by its title though, and this title (along with the repulsive redhead) makes me want to avoid the pilot episode - not a good sign.
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
As a die-hard science fiction fan, I'm holding out a lot of hope for The Sarah Connor Chronicles. Whilst the last couple of terminator movies haven't been particularly brilliant from a sci-fi lovers point of view, the story offers incredible detail and potential.
I know better than to hold my breath, though. So many science-fiction shows have turned out to be incredibly disappointing, because executives insist on ignoring the sci-fi for bullshit plotless action. Nevertheless, the promos look really interesting and will have me watching a show on Nine for the first time in a year.
Sci-fi junkies will remember Summer Glau from her portrayal of a psychotic killing machine in Firefly. While she was definitely convincing as an unstable reprogrammed supersoldier, I've found her kind of difficult to watch in other roles such as the young soldier's wife she played in The Unit. She has annoying facial musculature which is more apparent when she's not in an exaggerated character.
Having said that, she's back to playing a machine (more literally this time) so perhaps I won't notice so much.
The tagline to this show is quite apt for all parties involved. "Hope is Unleashed" indeed for the Nine Network, as they could badly use a hit outside of the CSI franchise, and my hopes have been unleashed, for a sci-fi show worth watching. With any luck it won't be cancelled in the first season, or turn out to be a complete waste of time like Bionic Woman.
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I love the fact that they HAD to abandon their “still the one” slogan! Sucked in… stupid eddie everywhere! Nobody wants to see him anywhere!!
And yeah, as much as I used to love cold case, it is slowing becoming less interesting.
I am a ten junkie :) I think they do news better, they don’t do a trashy current affairs or today tonight… they have Aussie Idol, Rove, I am looking forward to SYTYCD Aus. Version. I don’t watch it, bt Neighbours is better than H&A, They have House. The Ten HD logo is less annoying than nine hd. They poached F.R.I.E.N.D.S… etc.
This year I will be watching ITT on seven (obviously), but other than that… I would be quite happy if I only had ten. Heroes is on seven… ut I d/l from the states anyway… bad luck 7!!!
I agree, Ten is definitely my favourite of the three, but there are some really watchable shows on seven too - though not in the reality show department, nor in the gameshow department.
… just in the “made in the USA” department ;)
omg… imdb, much?
You can haz a cookie, nao.
Keyword junkie —>
(ps: Friends repeats can BURN IN HELL)
She did do a rather good job as River Tam (crazy, psycho woman who can kill you with a thought or a gun). I’ve not gotten around to watching the Sarah Connor Chronicles, of course, but here’s hoping.
That said, can’t these nut-jobs come up with ONE original idea? Sheesh. They just go around rehashing the same old, over and over again.
I agree, I’ve had it up to my eyeballs with remakes and rehashing. That’s what concerns me the most about a terminator series.
Usually a rehash is a sure sign of trying to make a quick buck, story be damned… and of course there’s the delicate nature of people’s expectations given an already established franchise.
I don’t mind if they deviate, but it would be another blow in a very long decade of sci-fi disappointment if they don’t take it seriously.
I may have to fire up the dvd player and watch Babylon 5, yet again.
baha - I’m with ya on the friends repeats Milo.
I cant even get Channel 7 (something to do with the satellite dish) and I dont miss it one little bit.
I would have to agree 10 is the best of the crappola network channels. I dont think I would watch TV at all if I couldnt have Pay TV, although ABC is sometimes tolerable.
I was raised by TV and I still love it, but these days I’ve chosen quality over quantity and as a result, I’ve become obsessed with high-definition.
I’m not going anywhere near foxtel until it starts taking advantage of my HDTV. The weeks-in-a-day of additional content are just of no use to me.
I DEMAND resolution. *thumps fist*
HD is coming to foxtel soon :)
.. I LOVE FRIENDS!!!!! I have watched all 10 series, and are working my way through again hehehehe
*sigh*. what are we to do with him ^
^ love me? OH woops… too late ;)
I want to waatch cashmere mafia, simply for one of the songs they use to advertise it =)
hehe - oooh why is it too late??!!
So if you guys are shunning pay TV do I take it you cant get American Idol? If that’s the case you are missing out big time - it’s shaping up to be an epic series.
*I* am not shunning it, I am watching US Idol, and it is making my foxtel subscription very worth it :)
oooh - are you watching it! Excitement. I love it. Don’t forget to post in the Am Idol Thread I started at RLCL - you may (most probably) not have noticed it yet….!
Also, Happy ‘back-to-school- Mr Bleach. Is this already your 2nd year as a teacher…wow time flies.
I expect to *cough* not hear of your middle of the night antics now that term has started.
[Milo - - - sorry about turning your thread into a chat one!]