Seven moves Australian Spartan to non ratings period, didn’t do ‘the job it needed to do’
Seven has put its newest show Australian Spartan on a two week break, with the show to recommence during the Easter non ratings period, the broadcaster has confirmed.
The program, similar to Nine’s successful Ninja Warrior series, debuted a week ago with 816,000 viewers.
Spartan debuted just two weeks ago
But the following Sunday, it had fallen by almost 300,000, to an audience of 524,000 metro viewers. Nine’s Married at First Sight, which ran in the same time slot, attracted almost triple the amount of viewers.
It follows comments by Nine’s programming boss Hamish Turner, who told Mumbrella he felt Seven was keen to “emulate” the success of Ninja Warrior. But he warned “you have to question where the line of appropriation and imitation is.”
The show is inspired by a fitness phenomenon known as ‘Spartan Race’, and sees teams tackle a set of obstacles to win a grand prize. Seven’s version is run by hosts Edwina Bartholomew, Hamish McLachlan and Wendall Sailor.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6rkKo79eaE
Angus Ross, director of programming at Seven, said despite “the best efforts” of a great team, the show had not done the “job it needed to do”.
“Australian Spartan will take a two week break, before finding its new home in the prime-time schedule, in line with the kick off 2018 AFL season,” Ross said.
“The series will return with fifteen teams entering the Spartan arena to compete in the Finals Deciders shows leading to the ultimate test of endurance, strength and teamwork and $150,000 in prize money.”
Not sure what they were thinking. I guess they made a few assumptions off the success of Ninja Warrior. What they rolled out was a vastly different format to the established US version where 75% of an episode was watching teams struggle then fail on the same obstacle over and over and over and over….
User ID not verified.
9 didn’t think Ninja Warrior was going to be a success, so they stripped it to get rid of it. That, and the fact that there was nothing much else against it, turned out to be its saving.
7 didn’t use whatever brains they have left, went into “copycat” mode and failed. SNAFU.
User ID not verified.
Maybe the problem is partly due to your commentators, what with their screaming and carrying on I turned off. I liked Edie on Sunrise but she grated with the Winter Olympics and now this show.
User ID not verified.
I don’t like either shows but do like eddie. A show i do like is a 4×4 show called Top of Down Under it is a locally produced show that was on Briz 31. It’s a shame we can’t see it Brisbane.
User ID not verified.
I don’t like either shows but do like eddie. A show i do like is a 4×4 show called Top of Down Under it is a locally produced show that was on Briz 31. It’s a shame we can’t see it in Brisbane.
User ID not verified.
Just call it for what it is – shit boring television.
User ID not verified.
I think it’s a great show but it needs to be aired at a more family friendly time. The Kids love it so family’s would watch it together. But not if it’s finishing that late on a school night & especially against married at first site, I think most Parents put the kids to bed & then watch the adult shows like mafs.
User ID not verified.
Yabbbiiieeeeeeeesssssssss!!!
User ID not verified.
It’s just boring, The American Ninja show has at this moment in time, teams compete against each other with real excitement, while Australian Spartan tries to cultivate an atmosphere that just isn’t there. Good idea destroyed by poor execution from a production/presentation point.
User ID not verified.
I really enjoyed the show but found the sound levels really low … couldn’t hear the commentary or the contestants.
User ID not verified.