Talkin' 'Bout My Generation, Logies, more of Sunday Night

Talkin' Bout My Generation ... First cast shot. Source: The Sunday Telegraph

Hosted by funnyman Shaun Micallef, it pits three generations - baby-boomers, Generation X and Gen Y - against one another in a panel-style battle of wits.

Each week, three regular team captains - Amanda Keller and comedians Charlie Pickering and Josh Thomas - will be joined by celebrity guests from the three generations to field questions on film, television, news and current affairs, fads, advertising, sport and more, in a bid to find out which generation really does rule the family roost.

The show promises a firm focus on funny, with points awarded not only for correct answers, but also entertaining gags and spontaneous performances.

Filming begins on April 15, and the show will be seen mid-year.

Omnibus run a cop-out

NETWORKS have taken an each-way approach to the Easter non-ratings period. They're reeling out re-runs, holding back fresh episodes until the ratings race resumes, delaying launches of big shows and opting for soft launches of others as the battle continues for the 2009 chocolates.

Ten is sticking with its rock-solid favourites, with The Biggest Loser and So You Think You Can Dance rolling on over the period.

Loath to use up its remaining few episodes of Underbelly: A Tale Of Two Cities, Nine has opted for marathon "encore screenings" - read re-runs - to keep its juggernaut in the spotlight.

It will, however, usher in some fresh content with the return of What's Good For You, Commercial Breakdown and Hell's Kitchen.

Seven has abandoned much of its regular prime-time programming, but will continue with fresh episodes of 24, 30 Rock, Lost and Private Practice.

The shining light of fresh content over Easter comes from SBS, which will screen the first series of the cult hit Mad Men, beginning on April 16.

More of Sunday Night

SEVEN has committed to another season of Sunday Night, which has proved solid but is still finding its feet.

Luckily for television, and journalism, the network has renewed the show for another 10 episodes, allowing it to settle into the line-up.

Current-affairs tussle

ON the subject of journalism, Queensland newspaper The Courier-Mail ran an item midweek suggesting Rob Raschke, the Seven Network's news chief in Brisbane, and Sydney's Chris Willis were in a tussle to replace guru Peter Meakin as the head of news and current affairs.

That could be true, but our spies believe Willis, who runs the successful 6pm news bulletin, is up against a few other names. For starters, Mark Llewellyn is a big player at the network, and there's the ever-youthful Adam Boland.

The two teamed up to produce Sunday Night, but Boland is toying with his future and whether to follow his heart overseas. If he stays, and Meakin sticks around for a few more years, the young gun will be very hard to beat.

Morning duo re-signed

TWO of television's nicest presenters, Kylie Gillies and her adorable sidekick Larry Emdur, have been re-signed to Seven for another two years after the runaway success of The Morning Show.

Gillies and Emdur, who have carved out an audience in the 9am-to-11.30am time slot, almost make advertorial television palatable.

The secret of their success lies partly in the lively content, but is also a result of their on-air chemistry. A Seven insider says the pair have "been looked after", which is code for a pay rise.

Logies' gleam tarnished

THE new-look (read budget) 2009 Logies will feature a pared-down guest list and less salubrious after-parties in keeping with these hard economic times.

So maybe it wouldn't hurt to have another look at the nominations period, or hold the awards earlier.

After all, it's a heck of a long time since we saw the likes of Most Outstanding Actor nominees Gyton Grantley, Vince Colosimo and Damian Walshe-Howling on the original Underbelly - let alone Best Actress nominee Kat Stewart.

It might also mean that more than three of the eight Gold Logie nominees - Natalie Bassingthwaighte, Rove McManus and Adam Hills - were actually being seen on our screens.

Hot favourite for the title, Packed To The Rafters' Rebecca Gibney, will be back later this year, however, with another instalment of the hugely popular drama.

Matt's US master stroke

AUSSIE actor Matt Passmore, currently seen on ABC1's The Cut and Nine's Underbelly, is in a purple patch.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Passmore has landed the lead in Fox's US drama pilot Masterwork.

The project, from Prison Break creator Paul Scheuring, will reportedly feature an FBI agent (played by Passmore) who is teamed up with a female MI5 agent.

Jury out on dance judges

THIS year's So You Think You Can Dance contestants have raised the bar and the show has gained the support of professional outfits in its second season - as last week's Australian Ballet performance shows.

So maybe it's time for the judges to up the ante _ viewers can resist the urge to mute the endless gushing of an overly talkative Bonnie Lythgoe and get some respite from Jason Coleman's continual "You look beautiful, darlin' " comments to host Natalie Bassingthwaighte.

Surfing role for Shane

A COUNTRY Practice stalwart Shane Withington has a recurring guest role in Home And Away over the next few months. He plays John Palmer, a member of the surf lifesaving club and a strict father to his stepson, Trey.

Reality check needed

CAIRNS dance teacher Riley won few hearts with her public humiliation of Farmer Tim in last week's finale of The Farmer Wants A Wife.

Fans heaped scorn on the 22-year-old and her tongue-tied performance when quizzed on the couch, fake smile firmly in place, squirming and shrugging her way through basic questions like why she hadn't returned calls or texts after agreeing to visit Tim.

Most accused Riley of being keener on finding 15 minutes of fame through the show than finding a husband.

Some suggested an age limit on prospective "wives", or a few lessons in the right way to let a bloke down.