Significant seven: TV flops
Over the next few days, we are publishing highlights from this year’s Mumbrella Annual.
1. Ben Elton Live from Planet Earth
Before the days of Twitter, we would have to wait a full 12 hours to hear just how much of a flop Ben Elton was. But now in 2011, the evidence was as plain to see as the jokes were unfunny. Live from Planet Earth was shit. And so it got axed.
2. Angry Boys
After Summer Heights High, big things were expected from Chris Lilley’s Angry Boys. The ABC series began with a decent audience but there just weren’t enough laughs to keep them coming back. It will be interesting to see what the Americans make of it, particularly black-up rapper S. Mouse. Angry Boys makes its US debut in January 2012.
3. The Renovators
Ten programming boss David Mott was setting The Renovators up for a fall when he told Mumbrella there was no plan B if the expensively produced series wasn’t a smash hit. It wasn’t.
4. 6pm with George Negus
A hit on the then-named 7pm Project for his journalism nous, George Negus seemed like a goer hosting his own bulletin. But the audience rarely hit 500,000 even after a move to 6:30. The show was axed in October.
5. Warnie
Shane Warne’s talk show premiered at the end of 2010 with an impressive who’s who of guests. Although five episodes of the series were shot, Warne couldn’t pull an audience like he can pull Liz and the show was axed early in 2011.
6. Park St
Plugged as a glamorous fly-on-the-wall exposé of the ladies behind Australia’s best-known magazines, Park St proved to be tortuous viewing made worse by rumours that its stars vetted the final cut before it went on air.
7. Rescue Special Ops
Over three years on air, Rescue Special Ops suffered a slow ratings decline. Despite a noticeable improvement thanks to preceding renovations smash hit The Block on Nine, the third series would prove to be its last.
This list first appeared in the Mumbrella Annual, which is currently on sale priced at $10 for access to the digital edition or $20 for both print and digital access.- Both can be ordered through Realview, via this link
Tricky Business will be #1 for 2012
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Agreed MM! Tricky Business looks horrific.
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