Guests: Before the Game Round 19 - July 30

Tonight on Ten's Before the Game, Kangaroos star Andrew Swallow will be there to answer the tough questions over Friday night's loss against Carlton.

Beau Waters will also be on the show after the Western Bulldogs versus West Coast Eagles game.

News: Party Down's Martin Starr to join Goodman, Williams on Community Season 3

cinemablend.com

In addition to the casting of John Goodman as the study group's new nemesis, and the news that Michael Kenneth Williams (The Wire) would be also appearing as an intense biology professor, NBC's popular comedy Community will also be adding Martin Starr to the mix.

He is most famous, perhaps, for his role on Party Down, the critically acclaimed comedy on Starz; and might be fondly remembered by some for his role in Freaks and Geeks.

He will be playing a "poly-sci" professor in the show, according to TVLine.

Community is creating quite a lot of buzz around these new guest stars, however, you have to hope that they don't go overboard in the amount of guest casting they do.

When you look back at season 2, how many of the "guest star" episodes would rank among the best of the season? The Betty White cameo in the premiere? Possibly, but it wasn't "classic" Community. Even if you look back to the first season, the Jack Black cameo was well, pointless. Same with the Hilary Duff "Mean Girls" spoof in Season 2 - even creator Dan Harmon admitted the whole Mean Girls parody was poor:

Again, f*cking stories about how women dress. I can’t take it anymore. I actually said that aloud during 207. “No more stories about sweaters! Enough! I can’t take it anymore.” ... I must have been the one to somehow f*ck up that story. I don’t know how it became Abed walking around and snapping people about their clothes and then learning that he shouldn’t. (AV Club)

Maybe it wasn't written around Hilary Duff, but from a viewer's perspective, it sure seemed that way.

I'd draw on the episode "Conspiracy Theories and Interior Design" with the fantastic Kevin Corrigan as an episode that didn't seem to be written around a particular guest star, but more so a character and interesting plot idea. Hopefully all these upcoming episodes will take a similar approach.

5 Second News: Craig Kilborn to appear on Chuck

Ex-Late Late Show host Craig Kilborn will appear on NBC's Chuck as a "conniving investor".

He will feature in the show's fifth and final season of 13 episodes.

It will premiere on October 21, 2011 with "Chuck versus the Zoom".

News: HBO Premiere Dates for Hung, Boardwalk Empire and more

HBO

HBO has released premiere dates for some of its most popular shows, including Hung and Boardwalk Empire (see the full press release at Spoiler TV).

But there are also some other shows to get people excited, including the Dustin Hoffman-starring Luck.

Here is what you need to know:

RETURNING SHOWS

September 16 - Real Time with Bill Maher - Season 9 (Returning after hiatus)

September 25 - Boardwalk Empire, the 1920s gangster drama starring Steve Buscemi has its Season 2 premiere.


October 2 - Hung - Season 3 Premiere

October 2 - How to Make it in America - Season 2 Premiere


October 10 - Bored to Death - Season 3 Premiere


2012 - Game of Thrones - Season 2 Premiere


2012 - The Ricky Gervais Show - Season 3 Premiere


2012 - Eastbound and Down - Season 3

It has also confirmed finales for other shows

September 11, 2011 - Entourage - Season 8/Series Finale

September 11, 2011 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - Season 8 Finale

September 11, 2011 - True Blood - Season 4 Finale

NEW SERIES

5 Second News: Mad Men Season 5 starts shooting Aug 8

AMC

Mad Men Season 5 will start shooting on August 8, with Jon Hamm directing its premiere episode, according to EW.

Hopefully this means it will premiere in early 2012 on AMC.

This follows the show's 19 Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actor (Jon Hamm) and Outstanding Lead Actress (Elisabeth Moss).

News: Patricia Clarkson to play Tammy 1 on Parks and Recreation

imdb.com

After all of the speculation over who would play Ron Swanson's first wife "Tammy 1" on Parks and Recreation, the role has finally been cast- and it's Patricia Clarkson, who has been seen most recently in Friends With Benefits alongside Justin Timberlake.


While I initially hoped the role would be played by Debra Messing (to set up a Will & Grace synergy of sorts with Tammy 2, played by Megan Mullally), I trust the producers of the wonderful "Parks and Rec".


And Clarkson is no stranger to TV comedies, having appeared on Frasier back in the day for a story arc.


She will appear in (at least?) two episodes of the NBC show, starting with the premiere.


Of her character as Ron Swanson's (played by Nick Offerman) first wife, producer Mike Schur promisingly told TV Guide:

"We didn’t want to do the same thing we did with Tammy 2... Tammy 1 is her own specific brand of demon." 

Season 3 will premiere on September 22 in the US.


Source: TVLine

News: Mick Molloy compares reaction to Hamish and Andy's Gap Year to criticism of his own

If there's anyone qualified to judge a new comedy variety show it's Mick Molloy.

While he's never really had a bonafide TV variety show hit with his two "solo" efforts The Nation and The Mick Molloy Show, it's hard to doubt his staying power, with The Jesters being a comedy he can be proud of and he has been a welcome addition to Before the Game.

So today on the Hot Breakfast (Triple M Melbourne), he gave his verdict on Hamish and Andy's Gap Year, which premiered on Thursday night, while also offering some words of wisdom drawn from his own experiences.

Mick said the boys' show wasn't too bad ("I think it'll be great"), but he never judges a "live" show after its first episode- "I refuse to do it".

He also said "I know how long it takes to get something up" and you "need a few flying hours" before a show can settle in and hopefully get into a winning groove.

And "It must've been received pretty well" because normally people "line up" to "kick a new show in the head".

He drew on his first experience hosting his TV show (The Mick Molloy Show), and the bollocking he copped the next day in the media.

"I got bagged in every section of The Age in the following day's paper"... "(In the paper) They unleash an unholy war against me."

"The only section that I didn't get bagged in was the motoring section, but had i had a car for sale, it would have been described as a shit box."

So compared to all that, surely the show isn't tracking that badly?

So while Molloy quite sagely alluded to the fact that the radio stars haven't received a lot of harsh criticism in the mainstream media... however, I would caution that the media don't want to start piling into Hamish and Andy (yet, at least), as it would be like killing Bambi.

The main message to take out of it is, is that all shows need time to develop- it doesn't mean that all of them will be successes, but viewers and critics all need to cut some stars some slack, so that in turn the network can.

Here the audio here at 16:10.

Ratings: Hamish and Andy have a strong debut

Hamish and Andy's Gap Year premiered Thursday night on the Nine network, and viewers seem to like what they see... So far.

It rated 1,456,000, clearly winning its timeslot, with the nearest being Ten's The Renovators on 909,000 and Seven's Law and Order LA on 620,000.

Earlier in the week, I predicted, perhaps a little optimistically that they would rate 1.8-1.9 million. Clearly I underestimated the lower viewing figures on Thursday night- even the top show for the night, MasterChef only slightly above 1.5 million at 1,517,000.

I maintain that if they were on another night such as Monday or Tuesday, they would have rated higher.

Nine will be hoping there will be a strong retention rate from Week 1 to Week 2, and I'd suggest there will be. But anything over 1 million will be enough for the show to keep its timeslot for the next 9 episodes.

Review: Hamish and Andy's Gap Year

There haven't been many shows in recent times that have been more anticipated than "Hamish and Andy's Gap Year"...


... Oh wait, yes there has - there was a little show called Angry Boys. And what on earth happened there? Well, it landed with a great thud and was met with overwhelming disappointment.


And this only increased the pressure on the two lads. Now, more than ever, Australians need to have a show in their lives that delivers on all levels. And yes, viewers have been keeping themselves busy watching MasterChef, The Block and now the Renovators... but don't they deserve something a bit, well, different?


Something without dramatic music to tell you how to feel, without scandal, sweating and exhausted crying?


I, for one, hoped that Hamish and Andy would provide the perfect antidote to an increasingly "samey" TV landscape.


Here's what I wrote earlier in the week as to whether it would work or not:


"Hamish and Andy will not try to reinvent the wheel with this one. They have a great brand and they know it. They also have hours of TV and Radio experience under their belts, so opening night jitters shouldn't be too much of a problem.

They also have hoards of fans that will follow them wherever they go. The main thing that they need to work on is honing their focus and product. If the show seems too slap-dash with no structure, it will turn away people who aren't mad fans- there is little chance it will be too much the other way, with Nine stating beforehand that they would give the pair complete creative control... However, they still need to make sure they don't make the show too casual in its approach.

There is no doubt that it will work, as their specials on Ten have been successes- point a camera at the boys running amok somewhere and hilarity will follow.

The only question is whether the show will become a huge hit- and this can only be achieved if they can bring some of that live and edgy radio energy into a studio.

During their specials on Ten, they often had in-studio links between segments- these were the weakest parts of those shows. If these (which this time will be longer and likely feature guests and other hijinks) are less scripted and contrived in their Nine show, it will be the best thing they have ever done."


And in response to that, I would say that tonight's show was unfortunately was a bit too heavy on the "slap-dash" and the "casual" and not heavy enough on the "edgy"... but bear with me as I run through the first wobbly part- it did get better.

The opening segment was always (always) going to be a rusty one, and without wanting to cut them too much slack, they were justifiably nervous- this is, after all, a live show on a new network, with more than a couple of million dollars riding on it.

But the opening monologue slash introduction did fall flat, and it wouldn't have impressed many newcomers to the Hamish and Andy brand. The set looked very cheap indeed, from the desk which wasn't even joined in the middle to the unpolished wood and bricks surrounding them.

And I know it was meant to be a bit rustic, or charmingly scruffy, but for a primetime show, I'm afraid I wasn't that impressed. 

Hamish kicked off the "joke" proceedings with some Dimitri Martin-esque drawn graphics... Which also seemed more cheap than endearingly immature (their usual stock-in-trade). 

Hamish and Andy also introduced their house-band made up of buskers (see above for what I thought of that), Hamish's electronic drum-kit, their "Traxedos" and their "butler" Cackling Jack. 


For fans of their (now weekly) radio show, seeing Cackling Jack, is a great in-joke- they would know that last week on the show they discussed his attire and his role quite hilariously. Same goes for their "traxedos" and the drum-kit. The latter has long been raised the ire of Andy on their radio show.


... But for the initiated, all of this would not be delightfully wacky, but confusing, unnecessary clutter.


Yes, I believe that the key to their long-term success on TV is successfully translating their radio show into a visual medium, but it doesn't mean that they need to transplant everything.

A five day a week radio show allowed them to meander in your focus, it allowed them to engage in various flights of fancy and wacky ideas - TV doesn't, especially not the pilot of a primetime variety show.

The links in between guests and segments were always going to be the weakest part of the show (they were even the weakest parts of the Caravan of Courage/Christmas specials), so they need to make sure they hone their focus next week and be more authoritative- but hopefully this will come naturally as they settle in to the show.

I think it's fair to say the audience weren't in raptures at this stage either, and the acoustics of the "plastics factory"didn't exactly help. 

BUT, with all that behind us, and with the promise of a pre-filmed segment and the Taylor Swift interview still to come, I knew things would improve. 

And did they what- the "catfish noodling" segment, which featured Hamish sticking his leg in a swamp hole to catch a fish was classic Hamish and Andy- putting their body on the line for laughs. 


Hamish saying he would be risking his "noodle" by doing this "noodling" and describing to the police officer that he was a "leggy" 6 foot 3 was quite hilarious. 

Then the Taylor Swift interview was a big relief for the studio part of the show. Swift is one of the best guests going around, she was accommodating and unpretentious... and it helped that she was very talented.

Their first guest interview also allowed for Hamish and Andy to relax a bit- it took their gaze away from the cameras pointed at them and brought out the chatty charm that won them two million radio listeners. 

It also allowed for them to improvise a song with her: an instant YouTube classic. 

There was also a surprise guest in Neil Patrick Harris (or was he just a last-minute pick-up?) promoting The Smurfs. And even if the interview wasn't as funny (or as memorable) as the Swift interview, at least it was relaxed enough to allow Patrick Harris to appear as if he cared about being there.

And we also were treated to another one of Hamish and Andy's "Ghosting" style pranks- admittedly, it wasn't as funny, but it was another memorable moment. After "Ghosting", you could almost call this one "Sleep... ing", because they slept in various social situations.

It's good, clean, harmless fun- and funny, most importantly. Watch for that one on YouTube too.

There were other hijinks aplenty, such as Hamish revealing he had the show's time slot tattooed on his arm. Did I mention they put their bodies on the line?

All in all, yes, it was a bit shaky at first, but it lived up to all my (high) expectations.

I never actually thought the pair were going to burst out of the gate with a polished product, but it did show some promising signs; the guest interviews allowed the pair to relax and their pre-filmed segments were strong.

Granted, it wasn't a complete departure for the pair's usual TV style, but if anything, it was the closest they've ever, ever got to bringing their very successful radio show style to the small screen- and that's a very good thing.


If they can just polish a few things for next week (lose the hand-drawn graphics, perhaps) it will not only seem a more confident product, but will be able to elevate the show from a great one (arguably where most of their shows thus far have sat) to an excellent one (arguably unchartered territory for the pair). And after seeing their transformation from two shaky kids on Hamish & Andy (Channel Seven) all those years ago to the two most powerful men on radio, there's no reason they can't be launched into the stratosphere (there's a Hamish and Andy radio show in-joke for you).



Perhaps tonight's show wasn't the best thing that they have ever done, but at this rate (and hoping that ratings are at least 1 million) it will progress in leaps and bounds from week to week.


Something people might forget is that in the past three or four years, Hamish and Andy have had not had the chance to string two successive live TV shows together. Yes, they appeared on Rove quite often, but they only got the chance to host their own show two or three times a year on Ten.


Once they start to string together three, four, five weeks of their show, there is no telling how good the show could be, but if they improve even a little each week from their "OK" premiere (how can anyone say it was terrible, by any stretch?) it could well develop into one of the best Australian shows on TV in recent memory.

Despite its slow start, did it live up to your expectations? And if you weren't a Hamish and Andy fan, did this show make you a convert?

The AFL Footy Show Guests: Round 19

Tonight on the Footy Show we hear from retiring Saint/Swan/Bulldog Barry Hall. St Kilda's Nick Dal Santo will be with Chris Dawes on the panel tonight- it is Dawes' first appearance on the show. Sam is promising an "explosive" Street Talk in Castlemaine. 

And after Andrew Walker's screamer on Saturday night versus the Dons, the team asks who should win mark of the year?

Damien Barrett will also appear to likely drop some bombshells regarding potential new Adelaide coaches.

And Shane Crawford gets on his bike after Cadel Evan's magnificent Tour de France win. 

Review: Dinner Date

This isn't a show that really deserves a lot of analyis- it's a simple show with a simple premise which plays heavily on people's personalities.

So let's have a quick look at the format- a woman (or man) has to date three guys (or women) at their places- and here's the wacky twist: the guys have to cook for the woman.

And the premise itself is quite good- not revolutionary by any stretch, but it does add another interesting dimension to the average dating format.

But in essence, it's basically a cross between Perfect Match and My Kitchen Rules... And given Seven's recent success with the later, surely they'd be able to pull this one off?

And they largely do, because they stick to the basics of good TV.

The personalities of the suitors is highlighted, but not played for excess drama.

Yes, there's obvious music played over the top- when Marc (the "Italian Stallion") is introduced we get "Smooth Operator" in the background... Because he's apparently a... Smooth operator.

They have installed a likeable host in Manu Feildel, who is really the man of the moment after winning Dancing With The Stars. And though he may draw criticism for his garbled Frenglish delivery, he still is more of a character than some other cookie-cutter hosts out there- not mentioning anyone in particular here, but I'd rather Manu than someone called Drant Genyer bouncing off the walls.

Yes it's crappy TV, but at least Seven to good crappy TV. For example, Beauty and the Geek- not fantastic TV by any stretch, but it's car-crash TV at its best (or worst), and I know you know what I mean by that.

And it's great to just point and sometimes laugh at people for an hour, rather than get involved in a heavy plot of a crime show or watch people bawl their eyes out as they state their passion for cooking and passion for being on a journey of self-discovery and realising dreams...

Anyway, on tonight's show at least there were some great watercooler moments; when Simone said "Oh my God", Marc said "Please (call me) Marc", Nick drinking glass after glass of champagne after finding out Simone had a kid, Nick's apparent likeness to Hugh Grant/Prince William, Marc's overly touchy nature, etc.

Most of these also show what sets Dinner Date apart from your average dating show- the fact that it's set in someone's house allows people to let their guard down for a bit (or as much as you can when there are cameras in your house, at least).

There were even some surprisingly interesting points for discussion that were brought up- Marc wanted to name his kid (if he eventually ha one) after his father, to which Simone said he needs a wife who doesn't have an "opinion".

We were not only witnessing a clash of gender roles, but also a clash of cultures- one of them being the traditional Italian culture.

And there was actual suspense leading up to the end of the show- and weirdly I cared who Simone would pick...

She didn't choose Nick, presumably because he ran the proverbial mile away mentally when she brought up her kid, but who would have thought she would choose Marc? Especially after she caught a glimpse of his overly intense and controlling side.

But who cares? It's her life and it made for a weirdly compelling hour of TV.

Yes, it is schlocky, crappy, paint-by-numbers TV, but again, who cares? None of that means you can't enjoy it, which I did, incidentally.

Highlight: Hughesy has a swing at Kyle over his Australia's Got Talent Absence

Following in the wake of the supposed Rove McManus - Kyle Sandilands feud being reignited, another one of Rove's mates has stepped back into the fray.


And it just happens to be the bloke that Kyle said he would "punch in the throat" - Dave Hughes... even though that was in response to Hughesy calling Kyle a "dickhead" at the Logies.


Anyway, it doesn't change the fact that there is no love lost between Kyle and most members of the media, and this morning on Dave Hughes' radio show on Nova, he called accused Kyle of being weak after he didn't turn up for the Grand Final. 


Hughes said he turned up "via some weird video link" from Sydney after Kyle said he had "two ear infections" which prevented him from appearing live.


Hughesy contrasted this to one of the contestants Tom Percy , a 70 year old member of the barbershop quartet Benchmark who has been diagnosed with cancer for the second time.


"This guy's had cancer twice... he made it to the show", he said of Tom.


"You couldn't be bothered because you've got how many ear infections?"


Hear the audio here:

News: Breaking Bad Season 4 Episode 2 Spoiler: Who Called Walt? Find out here!

Spoilers ahead (Australian viewers)!

UPDATE: Even though Alan Sepinwall reported that series creator Vince Gilligan said it was Tyrus, the official AMC Breaking Bad site has it that it was indeed MIKE:

Late that night, Walt approaches Gus's house, gun in hand, but loses his nerve when Mike calls telling him to "Go home, Walter." His every move is being watched.

I guess you have to go with that, then...


Here's my original post...


Fans of Breaking Bad would have been left in agony once again over the speculation of who called Walt before he walked up to his boss Gus' house...

And today, Alan Sepinwall at HitFix has revealed all after asking series creator Vince Gilligan.

So who was it? Gus- who may have been watching Walt all along? Or was it Mike? Trying to stop Walt from doing something stupid while simultaneously protecting his boss- his job?

Well, it was neither - it was newly appointed supervisor Tyrus; here's what Sepinwall reported:

"There's been so much debate in the comments about who called Walt - Gus or Mike - that I went and asked Vince Gilligan. I don't view his answer as any kind of spoiler (as it's info from an episode that's already aired), but in case you do, don't read the next short paragraph: 

So as it turns out, it wasn't Mike. And it wasn't Gus. It was, instead, the new third man in the operation, Tyrus (played by Ray Campbell), whom we saw earlier weighing the batch. And that explains why no one could agree on whether it was Esposito's voice or Banks's voice, I suppose."

News: Le Late Late Show Avec Craig Ferguson airing Next Week

Yes, you read that right- it's partly in French. That's because Craig Ferguson recently filmed a week's worth of shows in Paris, France, to be broadcast next week.

And it will be well worth watching not just for Craig and his robot pal Geoff's usual hilarity... And not just for the fact that it will feature Kristen Bell, Eddie Izzard and Jean Reno...

But also for the fact that it has been filmed literally (literally) out and about in Paris - which will be a first for late-night TV for the sheer fact that there is no studio whatsoever involved.

And of course, you can't visit Paris without visiting the famous landmarks, which is why "The Ferg" will be showcasing the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and the Moulin Rouge, among others.

The show will also have on famous Parisians such as Christian Louboutin, the luxury shoe designer.

The shows will air next week (Mon Aug 1 to Fri Aug 5) on CBS and in Australia from Tuesday August 2 to Monday August 8.

... Oh, and in case you were wondering, yes, Secretariat will be there too.

Source: zap2it

Premiering: The Office Season 7 - Tonight on Eleven

And here's yet another reason why the multi-channels have been so successful...

Tonight Ten's multi-channel is finishing up Season 6 of The Office with the finale "Whistleblower", and barrelling straight into Season 7 of the show with the premiere episode "Nepotism".

Once upon a time (a time not so long ago), once the networks had dumped a show such as The Office (which Ten did many moons ago), it was anyone's guess when it would be seen on Australian TV again - if ever.

Now, since channels like Eleven have aired shows like The Office, fans have been able to catch up on seasons worth of shows.

Eleven has now run through seasons five and now six in a consistent timeslot.

In the US, fans are waiting for Season 8 to premiere in September, but if Eleven keeps up its consistent programming (two episodes every week), Australian Office fans will be almost level with their US counterparts.

The Office Season 7 Premiere airs 9:00PM Tonight on Eleven

News: "We know it's [likely] the final year" - Desperate Housewive's Brenda Strong Confirms Season 8 Looks Like The End

Note: Some spoilers for Australian readers...

In an interview with TV Guide about her character (Mary Alice Young) and her role on the ABC show Desperate Housewives, Brenda Strong has again reiterated that the cast and crew and prepping for the end of the show.

She reveals that she will have more screen time in the shows eighth season, in what will be a busy year for Strong, she will also be appearing on the new Dallas.

Here's what she has to say about the season's central mystery:

"My presence will be woven in more as a series bookend since we know it's [likely] the final year... Flashbacks will provide some new Young family information that will culminate in an amazing finale." 

It's probably the right time to end the show, as although ratings are strong, they are gradually slipping year by year. The show is almost as creatively strong as it has ever been, but there's no point waiting until it goes off the boil- let it end on a high.

Season eight will again feature Vanessa Williams reprising her role as René.

The only questions that remain pertain to the way the show will end - will it dare break up any of the relationships of Susan/Mike, Gabrielle/Carlos and surely Lynette/Tom will reunite by the end of the season...

News: Odette Annable becomes a Regular on House

In response to a Season 7 that wasn't exactly met with rapturous reception, House seems to be taking things in an entirely new direction in Season 8.

For starters, we know that Lisa Edelstein will be leaving the show- so people will not have to worry about the whole "Huddy" dynamic weighing the show down (if you felt that way)...

And then there's the small fact that House rammed his car into Cuddy's living room, this will mean he will be spending at least the start of Season 8 in a jail cell.

Today, Deadline reports that Odette Annable will also be joining the cast and will become the only recurring female cast member.

She was most recently seen on Fox's Breaking In (which was cancelled, but could be revived), but luckily for her, and Breaking In fans, there is an option for her to return should the show return.

Prison stints are a popular option for TV shows, and often provide for a multitude of new story lines. My Name is Earl quite notably based most of its third season from the "big house", and it worked largely because of the strong criminal element to the show.

And more recently, Weeds opened its seventh season with its main character in the "slammer".

And House is no stranger to changing up its setting, with the sixth season opening up with House in a psychiatric hospital.

Whether this prison stint and new cast member will serve to revitalise House (which could be seen to be slowing down) and allow it to extend its run for another couple of seasons is anyone's guess.

News: Can of Worms takes a Huge Hit in Episode 4

Yesterday I wrote a post about how Ten crowbarring The Renovators into its schedule was anything but good news for its other new show Can of Worms.
And I take no pleasure in saying that I was unfortunately correct in my estimations. According to TV Tonight, Can of Worms rated a very, very average 591,000.
It isn't disastrous, obviously, but to lose over a third of its audience is horrible- and to think it was all Ten's doing.
Yes, they want to promote their new show The Renovators (which pulled a nice 978,000 in its second outing- showing it will likely be a slow, but steady burner a la MasterChef Season 1), but why do it at the expense of a fledgling yet promising show?
I can only hope that it doesn't sink any lower next week, when there will be a similar situation- it will be extraordinarily hard to claw its way back from a sub-500,000 number, which I fear is where it's heading.

News: John Goodman to guest on Community

Wow, to say that Community casts out of left-field is an understatement. Well, possibly that's the wrong term to use, but their guest-casting is forming a trend of being diverse and interesting to say the least.
John Goodman will join the popular show for at least 6 episodes in its third season, as a new "nemesis" for the study group to deal with.
Of late, TV has been a new home to Goodman, appearing on Treme and Damages, but it's good to hear him appear on a comedy.
This is of course in addition to the casting of Michael Kenneth Williams from The Wire as an "intense" new professor- something which has sent hardcore TV fans into anticipation overdrive.
Season 3 of Community will be back in September... And it can't come quick enough!

Show Preview: Hamish and Andy's Gap Year

What do we know?

Hamish and Andy will host a show from a "desk" in a warehouse, where they will interview various celebrity guests, as well as cut to pre-filmed segments, out and about in New York. What the rest of the show will be made up of is unknown.


Who's in it?

Hamish Blake and Andy Lee will host.

Their radio show's "button pusher" Jack Post will feature as a "butler" of sorts, and has hinted that he will be wearing a suit t-shirt with white gloves.

Ryan Shelton will appear in an as-yet unknown capacity. Will he file individual comedy segments filmed in NY, or will he be another co-host?


What does Episode 1 hold in store? 

Taylor Swift will be a guest, as first alluded to by Hamish and Andy on last Friday's show, and also confirmed by Channel Nine today.
She is obviously great friends with the boys, especially after the gave her the "Australian" nickname "Swifty Taylor" a couple of years ago.


Will it Work?

Hamish and Andy will not try to reinvent the wheel with this one. They have a great brand and they know it. They also have hours of TV and Radio experience under their belts, so opening night jitters shouldn't be too much of a problem.

They also have hoardes of fans that will follow them wherever they go. The main thing that they need to work on is honing their focus and product. If the show seems too slap-dash with no structure, it will turn away people who aren't mad fans- there is little chance it will be too much the other way, with Nine stating beforehand that they would give the pair complete creative control... However, they still need to make sure they don't make the show too casual in its approach.

There is no doubt that it will work, as their specials on Ten have been successes- point a camera at the boys running amok somewhere and hilarity will follow.

The only question is whether the show will become a huge hit- and this can only be achieved if they can bring some of that live and edgy radio energy into a studio.

During their specials on Ten, they often had in-studio links between segments- these were the weakest parts of those shows. If these (which this time will be longer and likely feature guests and other hijinks) are less scripted and contrived in their Nine show, it will be the best thing they have ever done.


Ratings Predictor

Their large listener base will likely provide for a solid audience in Episode 1 (especially given they have been in New York broadcasting for a couple of months now, talking about the show). So think at least 1.2 million listeners will tune in.

Then add in the promotion-factor- Nine have put up billboard ads all across Australia. Add another 200 thousand.

Then consider that there will be very little competition from other networks- Seven has the cancelled Law and Order: LA premiere, while Ten has The Renovators, which doesnt look like it will put up much of a fight. ABC1 also has the very average Crownies. Add another 200,000 people curious channel-surfers.

Then add another 200,00 or so for the sheer fact that it's a new, expensive product, and a pure comedy show.

I put the premiere's ratings at 1.7-1.8 million.


When does it air?

Hamish and Andy's Gap Year airs on Thursday at 8:30PM.

Analysis: Can of Worms' Dangerous Bump to 9:50PM: Why Have Ten Thrown a Hammer In The Works?

Can of Worms premiered on Network Ten three weeks ago, and despite a luke-warm reception to its uneven premiere and its polarising nature, its ratings have been remarkably decent and more importantly, remarkably consistent.

Most of this is due to Ten's bold strategy of thrusting it into an imposing primetime slot- Monday 8:30, following MasterChef's strong rating elimination night.

It was no doubt given a leg-up in the ratings, helping it to reach the very respectable heights of 900 thousand plus viewers.

However, this week Ten seem to have thrown a spanner in the works, or should that be a hammer, with the second episode of Ten's shiny new reality format The Renovators snatching its old timeslot of 8:30.

This forces Can of Worms to move into a later slot. Before it has even aired, I can tell you it will lose some of its coveted audience. Automatically. This is just basic television ratings 101- move a show to a later timeslot, there will be less viewers. People start going to bed, is one reason why. Another is the obvious fact that it will confuse viewers, as well as frustrate them. One of the gripes of viewers with networks is the way shows are shoved around the schedule with little notice, or consideration for viewers.

And of course there are exceptions; quality shows with a large, devoted following will rate at 9:30.

Take Summer Heights High a few years ago; Chris Lilley had built a large following due to We Can Be Heroes, and they followed in him in droves to his new timeslot.

And normally if a show changed timeslot to 9:30 it wouldn't be the end of the world... But this is 9:50, not only an irregular time-slot to put into your mental viewing diary at less than a week's notice, but also will lead to a large drop-off at around 10:30, which will severely decrease its averaged out ratings.

And viewers aren't stupid, they know when a show isn't working, it is shunted to a graveyard timeslot, and while 9:50 isn't quite that, it is close enough, and who will want to jump on board an unpopular show?

But most importantly, Ten is putting it in direct competition with Q and A- its nemesis, or older cousin, if you prefer. And CoW needs some of that Q and A audience, but who would switch to Ten after watching 15 minutes of a more established, more settled, more sophisticated program?

And that's the other thing, Can of Worms is still finding its feet, so why pull the rug out from under it?

For what it's worth: Can of Worms is actually becoming a great show, and a valuable one at that. Even if it plays too much on its controversy and "awkward" factors, at least it is aiming to be a thoughtful and intelligent show.

And I believe that once MasterChef finishes, it will return to its old timeslot, but by that stage, I fear it may be too late to regain the 300-400 thousand viewers I fear it will lose.
Will you follow the show to 9:50 or do you think everyone else will?

News: Latest Dexter Season 6 Trailer + Analysis

Here is the newest promo for Season 6 of Dexter set to Marilyn Manson's "Personal Jesus".

This one is certainly the longest and most comprehensive trailer we have seen so far.

It also features guest stars Mos Def, Colin Hanks, Brea Grant and Edward James Olmos, though there are not many more clues as to how they will relate to Dexter, apart from the fact that there is some sort of religion-based plot afoot.

Among the many snippets of scenes we get to see, there will be many that will get fans very excited: Dexter seems to have a lot of people back on his table this season, the first of which seems to be a guy who has killed his wife... and has a tattoo of Jesus.

At 0:44 we also see that Dexter has been shot.

There are also some more cryptic images, such as various shots of statues of Jesus, as well as one of what looks to be a blood-soaked hand.

And what is this symbol?

And whose hand is this running over Dexter's slides at 1:42?

And will Dexter be receiving even more female attention this season?

At the very least, Masuka might be, with Brea Grant playing his "intern" this season- she has been described as his "perfect match".


Here they are taking what looks to be a severed hand out of a box.

And here's Mos Def, playing a " hardened ex-con who claims to have found religion yet seems to continually find himself surrounded by violence. Michael C. Hall’s Dexter will reveal the truth of who he really is." (Hollywood Reporter)

And Colin Hanks as an artefacts expert - he will be Dexter's main nemesis this season (but there will not be a "big bad" this season).

And finally, Edward James Olmos as an enlightened religious studies professor.









It also features the tagline: "This Season He'll Make You A Believer".

Dexter Season 6 Premieres October 2 on Showtime.

Did you notice anything else in this trailer? How do you think all the guest star characters will fit in to the overall arc of the season?

See the full trailer after the jump.

News: Karl Pilkington Coming to Australia for An Idiot Abroad: The Bucket List

In an interview with Nova FM's Fitzy and Wippa, Karl Pilkington has revealed that he has filmed some parts for his upcoming show, An Idiot Abroad: The Bucket List.

This is the follow-up to the highly succesful An Idiot Abroad, in which Karl visited the Seven Wonders of the World.

Fitzy and Wippa spoke to Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant and Karl Pilkington about all manner of things, including aliens, prostate checks and why Karl will probably never get married to his long-time partner Suzanne.

Of course, Karl offers up many more of his famous quotes, including Karl's ideal persona - "Bullshit Man"

But most importantly, Gervais let slip "Australia features... (Karl's) just done his time in Australia"

Then Karl said "I've been all over the shop, I was in like Adelaide, Sydney- I mean I didn't film that much there, it was just getting to where I went for the dolphin-swimming thing"

Then when Karl mentioned "Port Lincoln", co-host Fitzy twigged and said- "That's where the sharks are... out at Neptune Island"

Karl then said "Well there you go then, you worked out what I was doing with the swimming with dolphins"

"He knows that now," Gervais laughed. "He got there expecting dolphins".

Of Australia, Karl then said "It's just a bit big, isn't it?"

"It was nice, though", he followed it up with.

Then another quotable quote from Karl: "If anything, it's so much like England, it's not worth going... If you know what I mean"

You can listen to their full (unedited) interview here:

Hayden from MasterChef calls Yumi Stynes "rude" for saying his food's "gross"

Quite an awkward exchange occurred this morning on Channel Ten's weekday chat show The Circle.

Hayden Quinn was eliminated from MasterChef last night, so he appeared to do the obligatory post-elimination interview on a Channel Ten program, but this isn't to say it would be all smooth-sailing.

After being praised for his good manners and general handsomeness, Yumi Stynes- never one to be part of a crowd- decided to launch one of her trademark uncomfortable and slightly inappropriate questions at Hayden.

"What were you thinking teaming up tapioca and fish. That is just gross..."

This related to his serving of  sesame coral trout, tapioca pearls and garlic cream last night, which turned out to be over-seasoned.

Hayden, noticeably taken aback returned with "Gross? Oh that's a bit rude... Peter Gilmore (chef) doesnt think it is gross"

Stynes, not content with how far she had pushed it added "Its sort of like frog spawn... Like its gooey..."

Hayden attempted to justify his cooking style: "There were all different textural elements". 

"The fish, the crust, the almonds, the vegetables and the tapioca pearls"

Jane Hall - filling in for Denise Drysdale - backed him up by having a light-hearted dig at Stynes: "... Says the woman who's been talking about rabbits' nuts all morning (Styne's pet rabbit is going to be de-sexed)

And Hayden just made things even more uncomfortable by saying "That could be on dinner tonight"

After the interview, Gorgi Coghlan said to Stynes "He was sticking it to you, Stynesy", to which Stynes replied "He's not sticking it to me" with a cheeky grin.

Jane Hall chastised Stynes only semi-jokingly, "Are you happy with yourself?"

By the look of Stynes, I think she was...

TV News Wrap: Thursday July 21

Today's 5 biggest stories...


1. South Park has been RENEWED through to 2013 - this will take it up to 17 seasons (EW)


2. Here's your first look at a poster for the new CW show "Ringer" starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ioan Gruffudd  and Nestor Carbonell from Lost - the show's tagline is "The Ultimate Double Cross" (EW)


3. Dexter Boss Sara Colleton has revealed about the show's upcoming sixth season "(Dexter’s) at the top of his game in every way" and of the show's long-term future "Every year we are as excited as we were about the previous year... as long as there are new, profound ways of examining human nature, the show stays fresh. When we feel we have reached that end, nobody on the show wants to start treading water. When that will be, we’ll know when we get there, but I don’t see it as an imminent thing." (TVLine)


4. Fran Drescher seems to have shaken off any "Nanny" stereotyping with the news that her new TV Land sitcom "Happily Divorced" (she is a co-writer as well as acting in it) has been renewed for a twelve episode second season. While critics have been quite scathing in their appraisals, it's clear there is still a hunger in viewers for schlocky sitcoms. (Hollywood Reporter)

5. In more Dexter news, here is your first look at Dexter Season 6, featuring shots of Mos Def and Colin Hanks, among others (The TV Addict).

Finale: Lawrence Leung's Unbelievable

Tonight sees the finale of Lawrence Leung's Unbelievable.


In his final "investigation", Lawrence "tests the boundaries of rationality by confronting an unsuspecting individual with increasingly unbelievable experiences. Can Lawrence turn a sceptic into a believer?"


It hasn't exactly set the world on fire in terms of blowing the lid on any undiscovered hoaxes, and it's decision to stage some of the "stunts" make it lack gravitas and believability... but its softly-spoken host, or guide, Lawrence Leung saves it from becoming an uneven mess.


Its highlight so far has been the psychic experiment in which a group of (apparently) unknowing participants were fooled into feeling as if they were receiving messages from the dead (including feeling cold, etc.).


Its ratings haven't exactly been strong either (it rated 380,000 last week, 414,000 the week before and 432,000 the week before that), but I repeat, it has been good casual viewing.


Lawrence Leung's Unbelievable airs tonight at 9:30PM on ABC1.


It will be replaced next week by Judith Lucy's Spiritual Journey.

Preview: Tonight on At The Movies - July 20

Tonight David and Margaret will be having a look at the following flicks; 


Larry Crowne (Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Breaking Bad's Bryan Cranston)


The Conspirator (James McAvoy, Robin Wright)


The Eagle (Channing Tatum. Jamie Bell)


Bad Teacher (Cameron Diaz, Justin Timberlake, How I Met Your Mother's Jason Segel)


The DVD Classic for the week will be Classic Sweet Smell of Success.

Preview: AFL Footy Show Round 18 Guests

This week on The Footy Show, there will be a firm spotlight on Port Adelaide - is it a "club in crisis"? Matthew Primus will be in studio to answer his critics. Roughy (an injured Jarryd Roughead), Spike (Mark McVeigh from the Bombers) and Billy Brownless will be on the panel.


There will also be a discussion about Jonathan Brown - "is he too brave for his own good"? 


And this week's Street Talk is in Werribee, where Sam will ask about Richmond selling home games. 


There will also be the usual segments; Almost Football Legends, Sam's Mailbag... and a "visit from a world champ". 

AU News: Round 18 Before the Game AFL Guests

We're already at the point end of the AFL season, which also means there are only a handful of Before the Game episodes left for the year- and maybe even forever!


Here are the guests for this week: St Kilda coach Ross Lyon, who will, for the first time in a while, be able to talk about his team without being apologetic. Lions star Luke Power will also be on the panel, and will likely discuss his captain Jonathan Brown's (excessive) courage. 


It will air in Melbourne at 6.30pm, Adelaide at 5.30pm and Perth at 4:00pm on Saturday June 23.

News: How I Met Your Mother Season 8 will most likely be the Last

Recently TV Guide interviewed How I Met Your Mother creator and executive producer Craig Thomas about the upcoming season of the show, as well as things beyond that.


One question in particular has caught people's eye:


Are you still approaching Season 8 as the last one for now?

Thomas: All of our contracts are up after 8, so we're preparing for that to possibly be the end...

So, it would seem as if they are planning to wrap after season 8... however, he does add this:

...As long as we know that a year from now, that's fine. But if we don't, then that's a problem! We know exactly the ending minute or two of Season 7. It's going to take place in the future at that wedding day and we're going to end Season 7 there. It's going to be something! And we'll also end with a baby being born and then head into 8.

And then there's this...