Writers of Lost

This mock video on the Scriptwriting Room of Lost is so darn funny I had to share it. There's the odd profanity, and one spoiler (which is so quick you may not even grasp it). Enjoy!



Thanks to the guys at Superdeluxe.com. Clearly too much time on their hands! And I thought I had problems. Read more...

Fri / Sat / Sun 16 / 17 / 18

FRIDAY 16
[Biography/7:30pm] Inside the Actors Studio. Cate Blanchett.
[Ovation/7:30pm] Inside the Actors Studio. Drew Barrymore.
Rpt.
[Ovation/8:30pm] The Boy From Oz
[Ovation/9:25pm] Movie: Thank God It’s Friday (US 1978)

[ABC/8:30pm] Dalziel and Pascoe. The Wetherton Wanderers football team and their partners celebrate the success of their promotion to the head of the premiership, but their jubilation is short-lived when their coach driver attempts to wipe out the whole team by parking the coach in the middle of a level crossing. A train heads towards them on a direct collision course but the driver decides he can't go through with his plan and moves the coach on, but he's left it too late. The train clips the coach with devastating results. The coach driver disappears into the night whilst the shaken team vacate the wreckage. Dalziel and Pascoe arrive at the scene, and are appalled by the fatalities and injuries. Amongst the dead is club manager, Martin Bendelow; but his death isn't all it appears to be. A post mortem reveals that the coach crash was used as an opportunity for someone to get their revenge. Coach driver, Dougie Padgett, leaves no trail but through their investigations Dalziel and Pascoe learn that Padgett's name and his coach-driver credentials were stolen by Ben Hawkins, who had briefly worked for the company, and that Hawkins, a Wanderers' fan, had taken his daughter to a football match two seasons ago. The match turned violent, and in the ensuing mayhem his daughter was stabbed to death

[Seven/7:30pm] Better Homes And Gardens. New Series.
[Seven/8:30pm] Movie: The Day After Tomorrow. It all begins when climatologist Jack Hall witnesses an enormous piece of ice break off the Antarctic Ice Shelf. Then a series of increasingly severe weather events start to unfold around the globe: hail the size of grapefruit batters Tokyo, record-breaking hurricane winds pound Hawaii, snow falls in New Delhi, and then a devastating series of tornadoes whips through Los Angeles. Global warming has pushed the planet over the edge and into a new Ice Age... and it all happens during one global super storm. Starring DENNIS QUAID, JAKE GYLLENHAAL, SELA WARD, EMMY ROSSUM, IAN HOLM, DASH MIHOK and JAY O SANDERS.

[Nine/7:30pm] Kings of Comedy. Premiere. Features some of the greatest comedy moments of all time with Peter Cook and Dudley Moore, Dave Allen, The Two Ronnies, Graeme Kennedy and others.

[Ten/6:30pm] Neighbours. It's the end of an era for one of Ramsay street's most loved couples.

SATURDAY 17
[Ten/10:30pm] American Idol. Final
[Ten/6:30pm] Movie: Mean Girls (US 2004) Raised in the African bush country by her zoologist parents, Cady heron thinks she knows all about the “survival of the fittest”. But the law of the jungle takes on a whole new meaning when she enters a public high school for the first time. Starring: Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Lacey Chabert, Jonathan Bennett
[Ten/10:30pm] The 49th Annual Grammy Awards

[Nine/1:30pm] Movie: The Tender trap. (US 1955) Charlie Reader is a successful theatre agent. He is also successful with young ladies. One day he is visited by his old friend Joe, married with three children. Joe falls in love with Charlie's girl Sylvia, while Charlie spends his time with a young actress named Julia. Stars Frank Sinatra, Debbie Reynolds, David Wayne and Celeste Holm.

[Seven/1:00pm] Movie: The Flight Of The Phoenix (US 1965) After a cargo plane crashes in a sandstorm in the Sahara, the surviving crew must fight starvation and their own individual flaws and fears in order to unite and find an escape from the harsh desert before their meagre supplies of food and water run out. Starring JAMES STEWART, RICHARD ATTENBOROUGH and PETER FINCH.

[ABC/9:30pm] The West Wing. The gap between the Democrats and Republicans closes, so Vinick (Alan Alda) decides to shake-up his campaign by proposing they go after the Latino vote. Vinick undermines the Santos campaign by targeting immigration issues - a topic Santos had previously successfully avoided. Meanwhile, an eager National Security Agency agent briefs Vinick about a serious situation in Kazakhstan. Josh and Bruno (Ron Silver) start debate negotiations. Since several members of the staff have been subpoenaed to testify in the military shuttle leak investigation, C.J. is left to run the office practically by herself. Major trouble breaks out in the Middle East and Bartlet's peace plan is jeopardised after a suicide bomber kills the Palestinian leader, Chairman Farad. Vinick continues to hammer Santos on border issues, and Toby makes a startling confession to C.J. Stars Martin Sheen, Stockard Channing, Allison Janney, Richard Schiff, Bradley Whitford, Janel Moloney, Joshua Malina, Dulé Hill, John Spencer, Kristin Chenoweth, Mary McCormack, Jimmy Smits and Alan Alda.

[Movie Extra/8:30pm] Nightmares and Dreamscapes.

SUNDAY 18
[ABC/2:00pm] Living Famously : Benny Hill. (CC, G, Rpt) Reveals the true story of comic genius, Benny Hill - interviewees share their experiences of the man whose television career spanned 35 years and made him one of the world's best-known comedians.
[ABC/7:30pm] Planet Earth. Jungles cover roughly three percent of our planet, yet contain a staggering 50 per cent of the world's species. Located around the warm, sunny equatorial zone, complete with constant daylight, they are the most productive habitats on earth. Beautiful floating aerial shots introduce the world's most spectacular forest vistas and high-definition cameras enable unprecedented views of the species that live on the dark jungle floor. In the Ngogo forest in Uganda, Planet Earth captures a “natural history first” when the largest chimpanzee group in the world - 150 strong - defends its territory from neighbouring chimp groups. On one patrol, a youngster from a rival group is killed and eaten. But the most successful jungle strategy is to specialise. The red crab spider - the most specialised spider in the world - spends its entire life on a small, water-filled pitcher plant. It feeds partly on mosquito larvae which it catches by swimming to the bottom of the pitcher. Other jungle specialists include the colugo, which has been likened to a flying tea-tray, and the alien-like group of parasitic fungi called cordyceps. Cordyceps infiltrates an insect host, feeds on it, and then bursts out of its body.

[Nine/6:30pm] 20 to 1. Rpt.
[Nine/7:30pm] Sixty Minutes. New Series.
[Nine/8:30pm] CSI. New Series. Built to Kill Pt 1.
[Nine/9:30pm] CSI Built to Kill Pt 2.

[Seven/12:15pm] Movie: How To Steal A Million (US 1966) AUDREY HEPBURN and PETER O'TOOLE star in this romantic comedy about a wealthy family who have two hobbies, collecting
great art and copying it. When their prized Cellini Venus goes on display in a Paris Museum, Nicole hires a thief to help steal back the statue before the experts discover it is a fake and her fathers reputation is ruined. What she doesn't realise is that the thief is a detective in disguise who has set her up. Also starring ELI WALLACH, HUGH GRIFFITH, CHARLES BOYER, FERNAND GRAVEY, MARCEL DALIO and JACQUES MARIN.
[Seven/3:00pm] Movie: Von Ryan's Express (US 1965) A powerful action adventure about a POW escapee who masquerades as a Nazi soldier and plots to steal an entire train to free his POW comrades. An American colonel named Ryan turns up in a POW camp in Italy in 1943 and soon finds himself the ranking officer. His seeming willingness to follow all camp rules faithfully causes the other prisoners to nick-name him 'Von Ryan' - but nevertheless, they follow him in his plan to break out of prison and reach Allied lines. Starring FRANK SINATRA, TREVOR HOWARD and JAMES BROLIN.
[Seven/5:30pm] Coxy’s Big Break. Thailand.
[Seven/6:30pm] Australia’s Got Talent. Premiere. After an extensive search across the nation, a short list of weird, wacky, wild and wonderful acts will make their television debuts tonight as they compete for $250,000. Host GRANT DENYER is joined by the esteemed judging panel of DANNII MINOGUE and RED SYMONS.
[Seven/7:30pm] Ugly Betty. Premiere. When a publishing mogul hands the reigns of his fashion magazine over to his son Daniel, he hires Betty as his son's new assistant - because he knows she's the only woman in the city who Daniel won't sleep with. Neither of them knows the ins and outs of the fashion world, but together they're a formidable team against the label-wearing sharks who will do anything to see them fail. Guest starring GINA GERSHON. Also starring AMERICA FERRERA, ERIC MABIUS, VANESSA WILLIAMS, ALAN DALE, TONY PLANA, ANA ORTIZ, ASHLEY JENSEN, BECKI NEWTON, MARK INDELICATO, MICHAEL URIE, KEVIN SUSSMAN and WILLIAM ABADIE.
[Seven/8:30pm] Grey’s Anatomy. New Series. Time Has Come Today. In the 2007 series premiere, we return the day after the prom and the time has come to pick up the shattered pieces. The interns pull together to help Izzie as she hits rock bottom. Meredith must make an important choice about which path she wants to follow to determine the future of her love life. The Chief must face the consequences of his long work hours and affair. Bailey calms a man stuck in quarantine as his wife is in surgery. Guest starring CHRIS O'DONNELL and The Practice's STEVE HARRIS. Starring ELLEN POMPEO, PATRICK DEMPSEY, SANDRA OH, T R KNIGHT, JUSTIN CHAMBERS, KATHERINE HEIGL, CHANDRA WILSON, ISAIAH WASHINGTON, JAMES PICKENS, JR, KATE WALSH, SARA RAMIREZ, STEVEN W BAILEY, KATE BURTON, JESSICA TUCK, SARAH UTTERBACK, JOANIE FOX, MIS QESLEY and LORETTA DEVINE.
[Seven/9:30pm] What About Brian. Premiere. PILOT. At 34, playing the self-proclaimed 'seventh wheel' to a trio of couples is starting to perturb Brian Davis. While his paired-off friends begin their thirty-something meanderings through love, life, parenting and infidelity, the easy going Brian begins to question his status as the last bachelor standing. Starring BARRY WATSON, MATTHEW DAVIS, SARAH LANCASTER, RICK GOMEZ, AMANDA DETMER, RAOUL BOVA, ROSANNA ARQUETTE, AMY JO JOHNSON, DANIEL BESS, JUD TYLOR, COURTNEY MUN, EMILY LIU, CHARLES WALKER, GREG GRUNBERG, NELSON MASHITA, MIKAILA BAUMEL and PAYTON SPENCER.

[Ten/6:30pm] Celebrity Dog School. Premiere. Well heeled, coiffed and very temperamental - and we are not talking about the celebrities! Celebrity Dog School sees well known Australian personalities pit their dogs against each other in a hilarious bid to see who has the best trained pooch.
[Ten/8:30pm] So You Think You Can Dance. Final.
[Ten/11:30pm] Battlestar Galactica. "Lay Down Your Burdens Part 1"

[SBS/8:30pm] Saving The Twin Towers . They were the biggest fires in American history, in the tallest buildings in the world. The fire-fighters who entered the Twin Towers on 11 September 2001 could only guess at what was happening almost 1000 feet above them. On that day, 343 New York firemen entered the buildings without knowing what awaited them, never to come back out alive. This documentary examines a new computer system devised by Jose Torero to monitor temperatures within burning buildings so that fire-fighters can be given warnings at critical points throughout which could alert them to evacuate and save their own lives. This documentary also examines how fire was responsible for the collapse of the Twin Towers through overheating and melting of insufficient structural pylons, and proposes ways in which skyscrapers could be designed and reinforced in the future to prevent similar collapses happening again. Torero argues that if the lessons of 9/11 aren’t learnt from and pre-emptive measures implemented, then the safety of skyscrapers around the world could still be at risk. (From the UK, in English) PG CC WS

[SBS/9:30pm] Movie: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon – (Wo Hu Zang Long) – When a politician’s daughter steals a legendary warrior’s precious sword, a sequence of events is triggered to recover the sword, which leads to an encounter with the sword thief’s witch-like minder. A masterpiece from renowned director Ang Lee, watch for the startlingly impressive visual effects that see people defying gravity by bouncing up walls and bounding onto rooftops. The film received four Academy Awards in 2001, including Best Foreign Language Film and Best Cinematography. Stars Chow Yun Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi and Chang Chen. (From Hong Kong, in Mandarin, English subtitles) (Action) (2000) M (V,A,S) (Rpt) WS

[TCM/8:30pm] Movie: Gone With the Wind (US 1939) Read more...

The OC finale airdate.

TEN will screen The OC finale only hours after it screens in the US.

It will end with a double episode on Friday Feb 23rd at 8:30pm.

Could this be a move to thwart torrent downloaders? Possibly.

The Tuesday timeslot will be filled by another episode of NCIS.
Read more...

Thu Feb 15

[Seven/8:30pm] Lost. New Series. Opens with an eye just like seasons 1 and 2. It’s a woman in suburbia. Boom, house rattles. She runs outside to see the jet in the sky, falling apart. What the? Sawyer’s in some cage, held prisoner. Kate is made to shower and change. She’s taken to dine with Henry Gale on the beach. Jack is chained up in a room. Lots to bamboozle us with. Its gonna be a long year.

[Seven/9:30pm] Bones. New Series.
[Seven/10:30pm] Family Guy. New Series. “Stewie Loves Lois”
Meet the lovably dysfunctional Griffin family, whose only sane member is their dog! With the voices of SETH MACFARLANE, ALEX BORSTEIN, SETH GREEN and MILA KUNIS.

[Seven/11:00pm] Starveillence. Using classic claymation and a very wild imagination, viewers will have a fly on the wall view of sorta-actual celebrity events. In this episode, we'll see how Britney and K-Fed planned their sweat suit wedding. Plus join Mary-Kate and Ashley as they shop for their first adult apartment in NYC.

[Nine/7:30pm] Getaway. Plus one of the great drives of the world: San Francisco to Los Angeles and Australia's top 5 beaches.

[ABC/11:25pm] Live At The Basement : Paul Capsis. Paul Capsis recorded live at The Basement, Circular Quay, Sydney. Rpt.

[ABC/1:20am Fri] Movie: Journey Into Fear. (G, 1942, B&W;, Rpt)
An American munitions expert gets caught up in a web of espionage in Istanbul during WWII. CAST: Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, Ruth Warwick

[Ten/7:30pm] Saving Babies. Premiere. The smallest patients, the biggest miracles. This inspirational new real-life series follows the work of dedicated doctors, midwives, nurses and specialists at the Royal Hospital for Women, as they perform lifesaving medical interventions for battling babies. Every journey is unique, every ending is a happy one. Hosted by Kim Watkins.

[Ten/9:30pm] Law & Order: Criminal Intent. “Siren Calls” Guest Stars: Brooke Shields. Goren and Eames investigate after Ashley Gardela, a fellow officer's teenaged step-daughter is found dead in her car after a night of partying. This leads them to her boss, an ex-boyfriend with a record, and the boss's wife. Boring!

[SBS/10:00pm] Sick Tricks – This new four-part comedy series places an unusual spin on the magic show and presents stylish and gruesome tricks. Magician Barry Jones and Stuart McLeod play reoccurring gags in all four episodes. In tonight’s episode, a magician turns a blind man’s cane into a snake, the supermarket pranksters insert a handful of dead insects into a sealed bottle of water without opening it and two magicians make each other disappear. (From the UK, in English) (Comedy Series) (Part 3) MA (L,V,A) CC WS

[31/10:30pm] StudioQ. Encore. Pride March

[UKTV/8:30pm] Who Do You Think You Are? Premiere. Barbara Windsor. Read more...

AFL out? Horsies in.

Nine's getting all excited over a deal that gives it horseracing on Saturday arvos. Great. But it's not football.

And it's not the Melbourne Cup.

Still, it's a way for Nine to reassert its commitment to sport (like it was ever in doubt). Personally I'd rather see Nine assert it's commitment to women. I guess The View will do that (and there are whispers of more formats coming).

Broadcasting the races will at least give Nine better ammunition next time the contracts are up. If they can show a year-long commitment to the sport of kings, maybe the VRC will consider a switch in the future?

Nine's Press Release follows:

Horse racing is returning to the Nine Network, which will cover a winning selection of Group One races at the Autumn and Spring Carnivals in Sydney and Melbourne this year, with 13 race meetings and more than 70 premier races, in conjunction with TVN.

Nine Network Chief Executive, Mr Eddie McGuire, said today: “Horse racing is a sport of many champions and it’s great to have it back on Nine. This is a most significant agreement – never before has there been this level of coverage on free-to-air television.

“As Australia’s leading sports broadcaster, the Nine Network is delighted to bring viewers live coverage of big races like the Blue Diamond and Golden Slipper for two year-olds. And in April we will bring Australia’s free-to-air audience the AJC Easter Carnival, headlined by the Australian Derby at Randwick.

“In Spring, we will have the Caulfield Guineas, a magnificent race, and the time-honoured Caulfield Cup, as well as the weight-for-age championship of Australasia, the WS Cox Plate, the race of legends.”

Mr Harold Mitchell, Chairman of ThoroughVision Pty Ltd (TVN), said the programming arrangement marks a new level of exposure for Australian racing at a time when it is attracting unprecedented global interest.

“This commitment by the Nine Network recognises the unique cultural relevance of thoroughbred racing to Australians. In Australia, horses can be heroes,” Mr Mitchell said. Nine’s racing coverage begins on Saturday, February 24 with Melbourne’s top two-year-old event, the Blue Diamond Stakes, with Simon O’Donnell and Nicole Livingstone co-hosting the broadcast.

The Nine Network will televise Group One events on the following race days in 2007:

Blue Diamond Caulfield 24 February
Futurity Stakes Caulfield 3 March
Coolmore Classic Rosehill 17 March
Darley Guineas Rosehill 24 March
Golden Slipper Rosehill 31 March
Australian Derby Randwick 7 April
Doncaster Handicap Randwick 9 April
Australian Oaks Randwick 11 April
Sydney Cup Randwick 14 April
Epsom Handicap Randwick 6 October
Caulfield Guineas Caulfield 13 October
Caulfield Cup Caulfield 20 October
Cox Plate Moonee Valley 27 October
Read more...

GayTV channel dropped

Gay and Lesbian cable channel Curve TV has been dropped by Australian Pay TV provider SelecTV.

SelecTV is a smaller subsciption network offering packages that specialise in languages. The CurveTV package which was launched in mid 2006 was meant to appeal to G&L; viewers with content built upon the Candian Out Network output in the US.

But SelecTV has a pricey set-up of several hundred dollars for satellite dishes, and nowhere near the marketing push of Foxtel or Optus.

Curve did next to no advertising in the G&L marketplace. The pink dollar is readily available to those who deliver aggressive and comprehensive content. Much of Out's output is lightweight infotainment and reality fare. There's not a lot by way of queer drama. And gay viewers want more than gay shows. Whilst the Curve package included Movie One, Movie Extra, MTV, Ovation, E!, and BBC, big ticket channels like Fox8 and Arena which include drama were missing.

The failure of Curve will be closely analysed by Foxtel who are on record as saying a G&L channel was only a matter of time.

Has that time now been and gone?
Read more...

Wed Feb 14

[ABC/8:00pm] The New Inventors. James O'Loghlin celebrates Australian ingenuity tonight with - a Self-Drilling Bolt, the Snapit Ampoule Opener and the Spray and Save high pressure, low volume, water sprayer.

[ABC/8:30pm] Spicks And Specks. Joining Adam Hills this week are Nancye Hayes, Jonathon Biggins, Dann Hume from Evermore and Dave O'Neill.

[ABC/9:00pm] Extras. New Series. Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, creators of the double Golden Globe winner The Office, return for a second series of Extras. Despite still being infuriated by Maggie (Ashley Jensen), his hapless best friend and bit-part actor of little repute, and Darren (Stephen Merchant), his stupendously useless agent, Andy Millman (Ricky Gervais) has finally made the move from background artist to TV face with a lead role in a new sitcom. Is it really the big breakthrough he always dreamed about though? This week, Andy and the BBC are in conflict over Andy's sitcom, When the Whistle Blows. His idea of a classy sitcom for BBC2 is in tatters because the BBC want to show it on BBC1 - and make him wear a silly wig and glasses. Meanwhile, on Maggie's film set, Orlando Bloom is trying to convince everyone he is sexier than Johnny Depp and can't believe she doesn't find him attractive. Guest stars include Orlando Bloom, Keith Chegwin, Sophia Myles (Tristan & Isolde), Liza Tarbuck (Linda Green

[ABC/9:35pm] The Worst Week of My Life, New Series. Following the critically acclaimed first series, The Worst Week of My Life returns to ABC TV for a second series. Having finally made it down the aisle, after the worst week of his life, it seems like things are finally going well for Howard (Ben Miller). He and Mel (Sarah Alexander) are about to move into a new home together, and are expecting their first child, it seems like for once everything is going right! If only life was this simple. In this episode, it's a busy Monday for Howard and mum-to-be Mel. It's the day they move into their new cottage, but they also have to attend Granny's funeral. An emotional day all round, but at least at the end of it they'll be in their new home…

[ABC/10:05pm] At The Movies. New Series. Margaret Pomeranz and David Stratton take us into the world of cinema. NOTES ON A SCANDAL film version of the 2003 novel that was shortlisted for the 2003 Man Booker prize - starring Cate Blanchett and Dame Judi Dench (both with Oscar nominationed performances, and film nominated for Best Music Score). THE GOOD SHEPHERD directed by Robert De Niro and starring Matt Damon, Angelina Jolie and De Niro. LITTLE CHILDREN Starring Kate Winslett, Patrick Wilson and Jennifer Connelly.(Best Oscar nomination for Kate and also for Adapted Screenplay) THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND starring Forrest Whitaker (Best Actor Oscar nomination) HANNIBAL RISING - chronicles the early life of Dr. Hannibal Lecter. MUSIC AND LYRICS - a comedy/romance starring Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore

[Nine/8:30pm] Cold Case.
[Nine/9:30pm] Without A Trace. “Candy” First Ep Series 7

[Seven/7:30pm] Border Security.
[Seven/8:30pm] Heroes. Chapter Three 'One Giant Leap'
As the 'Heroes' continue to test their newfound extraordinary abilities, Claire tries to maintain a normal social life when a romance with the football quarterback takes a tragic turn. Hiro convinces his friend that they are destined to travel to America to save the world. A frightened Niki follows instructions from a mysterious, unknown source that directs her to the middle of the desert. Nathan uses Peter's accident to propel his political campaign. Officer Matt Parkman, Mohinder Suresh, and the FBI are all on the trail of the mysterious Sylar. Guest stars CLEA DUVALL and NORA ZEHETNER. Also starring MILO VENTIMIGLIA, ADRIAN PASDAR, HAYDEN PANETTIERE, GREG GRUNBERG, ALI LARTER, MASI OKA, SENDHIL RAMAMURTHY, SANTIAGO CABRERA, TAWNY CYPRESS, NOAH GRAY-CABEY and JACK COLEMAN.

[Seven/9:30pm] Prison Break. “Scan.” Holly Valance is back. Lucky bitch, hanging around Wentworth like she owns him. The guys are discovered when they park outside a shop. The car is hauled off with all their fake ID info. Grr. So Wentworth has to get it back from a car yard. Nasty Bellick talks his old jail buddy (the one who ratted on him) into tracking them down.

[Seven/10:30pm] 24. 11:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M.

[Ten/7:30pm] The Con-Test
[Ten/8:30pm] House. “Cane and Able.” House and the team treat a young boy who claims there is a tracking device in his neck, and believes he has been the subject of alien experimentation. Cameron is outraged when she learns Cuddy and Wilson have been lying to House.
[Ten/9:30pm] Medium. "Blood Relation"

Cable: Goodnight and Goodluck, Swimming with Sharks, Picture of Dorian Gray Read more...

Humphrey barely survives the bone

Nine isn't about to bone the bear.

With more than 40 years behind him, the legendary Humphrey B. Bear is staying put on Nine - a very wise move.

Humphrey has had a dud run of late, barely on screen with no clear vote of confidence from the network that loves Hi-5. Yet they drag him out every year for Carols by Candlelight (how could they not?).

Eddie must have sensed this would have reflected badly on him, and he was right. One of his best skills is in sniffing out the feel of the public. It's served him well on this occasion.

Humphrey was unavailable for comment. Again. Somebody really should do something about that.

Nine's Press Release follows.

Following animated negotiations, Channel Nine is pleased to announce that Humphrey B. Bear will come out of hibernation to record a new series for the first time since 2003.

While new terms have been agreed upon, Nine drew the line at increasing Humphrey’s clothing allowance for pants to match his vest.

Nine Network Director of Programming, Mr Michael Healy, said: “It’s fantastic that the families of Australia will continue to enjoy what’s been an institution in this country for more than 40 years.”

Creative Director of Banksia Productions, Mr Stewart Lamb, said: “We look forward to continuing and building upon the long history Humphrey has had with the Nine Network.”

Humphrey B. Bear made his first appearance on television on May 24, 1965 and over the years his show has become one of the most successful programs for pre-schoolers in Australia.

The series is studio-based in Humphrey’s very own tree house, right in the middle of the Magic Forest. Humphrey’s house is brightly coloured and magical. In fact, just about anything can happen with Humphrey and his friends in the Magic Forest and invariably does.

This adds to the numerous programs Nine currently has for children on its schedule, including the multi-award winning series Hi-5, New MacDonald’s Farm, The Shak, Deadly, Streetsmartz, Maddigan’s Quest , The Sleepover Club, Kids WB and the recent winner of two awards at the New York Festival, Mortified.

Humphrey will be back and ready to play in new episodes on Channel Nine later this year.
Read more...

Anna vs Tracey vs Schapelle vs Jodi

This week the 6:30 current affairs shows have gone tit for tat on the whole Jodi Powers vs Schapelle Corby saga.

It's been a relentless scandal-driven reminder that the two shows are fighting it out in the first week of ratings.

Seven recorded the interview with Powers in November, and held onto it until the first day of the new ratings year. It was a good "get", regardless of whether Ms Powers is telling the truth or not. Personally, I viewed her comments with considerable skepticism. Clearly she has an agenda after falling out with the Corby clan, she was paid handsomely by TT and she failed one of 3 lie-detector tests.

But it got Seven what it wanted - a whopping 2m viewers and a declaration that Anna Coren has landed.

Others including Mercedes Corby, Jodi's husband and mother, and a slew of experts on lie-detectors and body language have since weighed into the debate.

Seven also accused ACA of chequebook journalism, a claim that pretty much applies when it comes to the Corbys and Nine. Ray Martin sewed up that association ages ago.

If we ever needed Media Watch to sort through all this smokescreen it is now!

So who is lying and who is telling the truth? Frankly, who cares. TV is thriving on this dirty laundry and that's ultimately the bottom line for the news editors. Everyone will believe what they want to believe.

But I think given we are seeing this night after night, the veil of Corby vs Power calling each other liars should just make way for the real fight. They are just the vehicle for a much bigger stoush.

It's Anna vs Tracey. May the best girl win.

Disclaimer: David Knox has appeared as a TV Critic on A Current Affair.
Read more...