Category Archives: Ratings

Drama, FRONT, PayTV, Ratings, Sci-Fi, TV

Jessica Lange and American Horror Story Returning for Season 4

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With American Horror Story: Coven about to wrap up it’s phenomenal season (seriously, this should have been made into a regular series!) co-creator Ryan Murphy (Glee) has let loose on some details of what to expect for the show’s fourth season.

First up, Jessica Lange will be back!  It was noted late last year that Coven would be her last with the franchise but Murphy confirmed that Lange will indeed be back along with the news that Angela Bassett and Kathy Bates (both whom are new comers to the AHS series)  have been approached to return too.

Keep an eye out for little hints sprinkled about the final few episodes of Coven that will reference to where season 4 will be going.  Says Murphy “It’s set in 1950, if you look historically what happened in the year 1950, there’s some more clues in that year. It’s a period piece. We try and do the opposite of what we’ve done before. Jessica Lange has already started practicing her German accent so I’m very excited!”

The 1950’s setting and German accent has fans speculating that series four will take place around the Cold War which took place right after World War II and lasted for most of the 20th century.

This season of AHS has proved to be the most popular yet, pulling in just under 8 million American viewers weekly (up 83% in total viewers over season 2!)

AHS: Coven airs Monday nights on Channel 11.

 

Comedy, FRONT, Local TV, Ratings, TV

Ja’mie King: A Lesson In Not What To Do

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Wednesday night, we will bid farewell to a crass and thoughtfully careless teenage girl who has divided critics and fans alike.  Ja’mie: Private School Girl will finish up after a short 6 week run on ABC1, and, even I’m shocked to say this, I am glad.

I was among the thousands who clapped with glee when it was announced that it was Summer Heights High alum Ja’mie King who would be the star of Chris Lilley’s new show.  For me, Ja’mie was the standout and a welcome return to TV after first coming into contact with the socially conscious teenager in We Can Be Heroes.  What I didn’t realize though, was when watching Ja’mie in Summer Heights High, the other characters – troublesome Jonah Takaluah and star in his own eyes Greg Gregson (Mr.G) played the perfect offset to the teen with the forked vipers tongue.

It’s the lesson learnt that while the idea maybe great, the delivery may not meet the expectations.  Yes, Lilley’s beloved Ja’mie King, cannot hold down a show on her own and with no other outlet for us, the viewer, to step away from King, we’re left watching a half hour program about a racist and over-sexualized teenage girl who has no qualms about expressing views on race, social hierarchy or her own wealth, who will rip out troubled stories of her struggles with anorexia in an attempt to win her own way.  A girl who is never left for wanting and has the inability to socially connect with those that may be in a  different social standing to herself.  Even Ja’mie’s one redeeming feature (her charity work for African refugees) is out-shined by her complete selfishness and inability to understand that there can be serious consequences to her actions.  Funnily enough, it’s those unattractive qualities in Ja’mie that made us all love her in the first place.

Don’t get me wrong, I am still in awe of Lilley’s ability to create characters that push the limits as to whats acceptable when it comes to self appreciation.  Even though it seems that there can be such a thing as too much Ja’mie, the character herself, still fits perfectly in Lilley’s world of misfits and over-achievers and I still adore her..(but maybe just a little bit less than before Private School Girl came along).

I for one hope this will not be the last we see of Ja’mie King, but, I also hope that when that day comes where our paths cross, it’s given in smaller doses.

Ja’mie: Private School Girl finishes up this Wednesday night at 9:00pm on ABC1

ausANTM, Comedy, Crime, Drama, FRONT, Local TV, PayTV, Pretty Little Liars, Ratings, Reality Television, Sci-Fi, The Walking Dead, TV

Foxtel Unveils iQ3 and Show Info at Upfronts

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Wentworth star Nicole Da Silva

Tonight saw Foxtel hold their annual upfronts for Programming and technology launch for 2014 in Sydney with some news on the new highly anticipated iQ3 system plus news on new programs and information on existing ones too!

Jennifer Hawkins
Jennifer Hawkins Stays with Foxtel

First off, It seems model Jennifer Hawkins must have impressed with her hosting duties on Australia’s Next Top Model.  She’s just been announced in a deal with her signing to Foxtel for another two years.  She’ll be joined by Naomi Campbell who is expecting to start filming a local version of her modelling show “The Face” next month.  Popular shows including Veep, House of Cards, The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones will continue to be broadcast through the pay-TV network, making it’s mark on the ratings board.

Foxtel announced that “The Devil’s Playground” a mini series based off the 1976 movie of the same name and starring Simon Burke (He appeared in the original movie) will be aired through it’s Showcase channel.  Almost four decades on, Burke is to reprise his role as Tom Allen, now a respected psychiatrist and secular confessor to the Catholic clergy, who becomes entangled in political and theological intrigue.  The US version of ABC1’s Rake and starring Greg Kinnear will be screened through a re-branded Universal channel.

As we already knew – Wentworth will be back on SoHo for it’s anticipated second season!  In a sneak preview (below) we see the officers and prisoners being introduced to new prison officer Joan ‘The Freak’ Ferguson (in what looks like inspired casting of Pamela Rabe for the role).  UK’s Channel 5 which picked up the rights to air the show (and was drawing in an average of 2 million viewers) have also picked up the second season.

Foxtel also announced news about it’s new iQ3 system and some of the new features it comes with.  This third generation set-top box and digital recorder will come with WiFi capabilities allowing for an integrated internet entertainment.  An electronic program guide (EPG) enhancement will allow viewers to browse back in time by up to 26 hours in the TV Guide on selected channels to watch shows that have already been screened – via the internet.  The 26-hour viewing service has begun a roll-out to internet-capable iQ and iQHD subscribers and it will be available nationally over the next month.

Also announced were new channels coming to subscribers.  Beginning Jan 1st 2014, TV HITS will start broadcasting favourites including Friends, How I Met Your Mother, NCIS plus much more along with the new Syfy channel bringing classic science fiction and fantasy programming, which will launch in high definition early in the new year.

Related Articles:

Foxtel Bets Big on Drama in 2014 – Nelbie.com

Comedy, Crime, Drama, FRONT, Ratings, TV

Surprise Results in New Season Ratings

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James Spader in The Blacklist

Time to talk ratings.  What people watched and what they didn’t.  The ‘fall season’ premiere week is now over in the USA and it revealed some rather surprising results.

The Blacklist was the most watched new drama of the lot.  Nothing surprising there.  The show received a lot of hype in it’s lead up with and just under 13 million viewers in America tuned in while Hostages was on the complete opposite side with only 7.4 million viewers.  I’m a bit worried for Hostages as it’s home network (CBS) is known for offering shows that bring in massive viewers.  A show with even more hype – Marvels Agents of SHIELD came in with 12.12 million.

Sleepy Hollow was a surprise win for FOX which saw 10.1 million viewers tune in against tough competition and seems like the only jewel in the networks line-up.

some comedies didn’t fare too well.  The Anna Faris led sitcom Mom nabbed 8 million viewers (it’s a terrible show and i’d expect that to drop more next week) while my favorite to come out Trophy Wife brought in just under 7 million for ABC.  On the upper scale for comedies, The Goldbergs did well with 8.94 million and the most watched premiere of the week?

The Crazy Ones starring Sarah Michelle Gellar and Robin Williams.  The show brought in a massive 15.52 million viewers and was the number one viewed show for the week.  I’m thinking FOX8 must be pretty chuffed having picked this one up from free-to-air networks.

 

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FRONT, Local TV, Ratings, Reality Television

Ratings Wars: House Rules vs The Block

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House Rules’ Chester Drife

The end of dominant reality show The Voice has begun to take effect on other channel 9 shows with viewers quickly moving onto other networks and other rival shows.

For the first time since launch, Channel 7’s House Rules beat out channel 9’s The Block with 1.159 million viewers tuning into 7’s house renovating show, beating out The Blocks 1.130 million.

The slow start for House Rules is now a distant memory for the 7 network with the show now constantly rating extremely well.  Some viewers have stated the overt-drama and outright nastiness between competing couples is what have turned them off this season of The Block.

Also suffering for Channel 9 is Celebrity Apprentice.  Last night’s challenge episode didn’t even make the top 20 in ratings while the boardroom showdown only managed just shy of 600,000 viewers.

Local TV, MKR, Ratings, Reality Television

Kitchen Wins on Viewers

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My Kitchen Rules Series 2 winners Dan and Steph from QLD

Between a series final of My Kitchen Rules and a battle round of The Voice, it was no surprise to see that last nights television offering drew the most viewers to their television sets this year.

Last nights episode of The Voice saw the Battle Rounds continue on, with both Seal and Ricky Martin using their ‘save’ option to save two singers (Hannah Darling and Jazz crooner Emma Pask) from elimination leaving judge Delta Goodrem with the last save option.  The episode drew a massive 1.97 million viewers but was not strong enough to take down the might that was the My Kitchen Rules finale.

The finale which saw teams Dan and Steph and Jake and Elle, two QLD teams, battle it out in the kitchen in front of eliminated teams and friends and family, and eventually saw viewer favorites Dan and Steph take out the prize, drew the biggest audience so far this year with a massive 2.97 million viewers (Nationally, the program brought in 4.27 million viewers).

My Kitchen Rules is set to return next year for a fifth season (Advertising has already begun for teams to apply) while The Voice continues it’s Battle Rounds Sundays through Tuesdays on Channel 9.