Opinion: Packed to the Rafters... With Men

What on earth was the deal with Packed to the Rafters last night?

In the Seven drama's first post-Rachel episode (Jessica Marais departed the show to pursue other avenues overseas, hence her character left the sunny borough for greener pastures in the big Apple), the show was remarkably heavy on male characters.

Whether this was a concerted effort or not, it would still be mildly disconcerting for any Rafters fan.

Let's give the show the benefit of the doubt for a second; maybe the show wanted to have an episode that was more heavily male-influence in order to establish the core cast of characters- let's face it, it didn't have a great deal f female characters to start with.

And given the show centered around Dave's relationship with his estranged father, it kind of makes sense to place an emphasis on the men.

However, even a show about male relationships needs to feature women in some worthwhile capacity...

And last night's show didn't exactly do that.

Last night, the men in the show were Dave and his father; Coby and Jake; Carbo, Ben and Nathan; and Michael Caton's Ted. Oh, and in case that wasn't enough, we also had Jake's brother who has cerebral palsy literally drop in.

Amongst that, we had - count them - two female characters: Julie Rafter and "Retta". Neither of them had any real bearing on the plot; Julie was being a "worry wart" at the beginning and Retta said something to someone at one stage.

And symbolic of the dearth of female presence in the show, there was actually a pink balloon with a picture of Rachel's face taped on to it floating around. The question had to be asked: why wouldn't the show just replace the existing characters with balloons, and maybe introduce a few more to address the balance.

All attempted humour aside, hopefully the show can not only introduce some substantial female characters soon (a couple of actresses have been hired, apparently), but also give its existing characters some decent storylines (next week Julie looks to have a decent enough storyline, so we'll see how that goes). It also needs to give Retta some personality so that she doesn't just have to act as the foil to Carbo (come on, her name literally complements his- Carbo-Retta, etc.).

In a nutshell, the show has not coped, or even attempted to deal with the absence of female characters; first it was Sammy who left, then it was Mel, now Rachel. Other strong-ish characters like Chrissy and "Chel" are nowhere to be seen.

It simply has never recovered.

If it can do address this imbalance, the show's prospects look good- and will show that the show can survive the loss of key cast members, but if it can't, I'd be very worried for its future (at least creatively).

News: The Chaser has a "new" show - The Hamster Wheel

theage.com.au

Well, after all the rumors of the Chaser boys splitting up or going their separate ways, they will be back with a "new" show on the ABC again. 

The show, called The Hamster Wheel will "examine the contemporary media landscape, where everyone from journalists to political fixers is perpetually at risk of spinning out of control"- something that sounds like a cross between Hungry Beast and well, its old show The Chaser's War on Everything. 

Not that it's a bad thing, it just would have been good to see the ABC experiment a bit more with a new team, or an entirely new format. 

I repeat- some satire is better than no satire on Australian TV, and Yes We Canberra showed the Chaser still have a bit left in the tank. 

So it's clear the team are well and truly back together after a multitude of solo projects; Andrew Hansen's Strictly Speaking bombed, and Craig Reucassel's Balls of Steel hasn't exactly been met with rapturous reception. 

It will be an 8x30 min part program and will air later this year. 

5 Second News: Good News World to Premiere Monday 5th September

The "rebooted", "refreshed" version of comedy stalwart Good News Week will premiere September 5, Monday 9:30pm.

I don't like to judge shows before they air, especially not Australian ones, but this looks pretty bad.

You be the judge:

It looks to be a mix between a sketch show, and all manner of other things.

Oh dear, let's hope this won't be as bad I think it will be...

Your First Look at The Joy of Sets (In Pictures!)

Take a look at the following photos posted on the Facebook page of upcoming Channel Nine show "The Joy of Sets" (featuring Tony Martin and Ed Kavalee).

Those hoping for a "Get This with pictures" type scenario will be delighted with the following images.

Basically, if the words "Warwick Capper" and "Long Blonde Locks" mean anything to you, you will not be able to wait for this show...

There's also a look at the set, which looks to be a fairly relaxed set up of two comfy chairs, and shelves decked out with various accoutrements.

And by the looks and sounds of things, the show will feature various recorded and live sketches (see Tony Martin choreographing a musical routine of some sort below). There will also be a "Block" sketch.

News: Community Season 3 Promo released!

Take a look at the first new trailer for Community season 3 below. We know already that it will feature John Goodman (who features in the clip) in a recurring guest role (as Vice Dean Laybourne), as well as Martin Starr and Michael Kenneth Williams.

And it's clear Goodman is being used as a large selling point this season... you can see him cut Dean Pelton down to size in the clip.

And yes, that's a very dishevelled-looking Joel McHale pictured above (and seen in the clip)...

Community returns on September 22.

News: David Hicks' first TV interview on 7PM Project

In what is a massive coup for the Monday-Friday news program The 7PM Project, it has nabbed an exclusive first interview with ex-Guantanamo Bay detainee David Hicks.



Ten are promoting this as Hicks' "First Australian TV interview" in which he goes "one-on-one" with 7PM co-host Charlie Pickering.



It will apparently be "Tell all", with nothing off limits.



Even though the ABC say they aren't after ratings, they must be slightly peeved that 7PM have stolen their thunder a touch. They have been promoting their Australian Story Special (which has been brought forward to this Tuesday August 30 at 8:30PM) by saying "For the first time on television, David Hicks tells his story".

Either way, they should both make compelling viewing (hopefully they approach the interview from slightly different angles... Though it's unlikely). 

And it's also the coup the 7PM Project so desperately needs- it has been whacked in the ratings by The Block of late. It could jump start the show's last quarter of the year to justify it returning for 2012 (which it will, at this stage). 

AFL Guests: Before the Game Round 21: One for Dogs and Pies fans

In the penultimate round of the Home and Away AFL season, Before the Game has some good guests lined up.


This week on the show, see Bob Murphy from the Western Bulldogs who will likely have some interesting things to say about the sacking of former coach Rodney Eade, as well as the Pies' Travis Cloke.


Peter Helliar's Strauchanie will also appear (it seems Peter Helliar can only get work these days popping up on Ten's AFL programs after ironically leaving BTG for the Seven flop "The Bounce"... who knows what he will do next year when Ten will most likely drop its AFL programming).

There will also be Torp of the Week and Tool of the Week.

Casting: Stephen Collins to play Andy's dad on The Office

Today it was announced that TV veteran Stephen Collins (Private Practice, Seventh Heaven, No Ordinary Family) will appear on The Office's eighth season as Andy's dad.

Andy, played by Ed Helms, joined The Office in early Season 3, and since then has become a fan favourite.

However, the fact that we will be seeing Andy's dad could in fact mean that there is more of a focus of Andy himself... does this mean that he will be the new Office manager (replacing Steve Carell's Michael?)

It would certainly seem logical, as Ed Helms has himself enjoyed a recent period of success career-wise with the success of the Hangover franchise.

I would suggest this is the case- The Office has never been a show that delves into the backstories of characters too much (in particular, their families).

The Office returns September 22 with a (confirmed) new big boss and an intriguing plot with an episode entitled "The List".

Analysis: Breaking Bad Death Count (Up-to-date - S04E05)

After the news that Breaking Bad has been renewed for a fifth and final season, why not take a look at an up-to-date (as of Season 4 Episode 5 of Breaking Bad) list of all the people that have kicked the bucket as a result of Walter White's (initially well-intentioned) actions.


Can you guess what the total death toll is? And more pertinently, what will it be at the end of the series?


(Thanks to friend of TV Wrap, Alex)

·      Emilio (Walt)

·       Krazy-8 (Walt)

·       No Doze (Tuco)

·      Gonzo (Accident)

·      Tuco (Hank)

·      The Convient Store Clerk (Robbery of the ATM that Spooge and Mrs. Spooge did after robbing the ounce of Blue Sky meth and cash from Skinny Pete)  

·      Spooge (Mrs. Spooge)


·     Tortuga (Cousins)


· DEA Agent (Tortuga's Head on Turtle Bomb Detonation)

·      Combo (Tomas)

·      Jane Margolis (Accident/Walt) 

·       Wayfarer 515 (167 lost) (Accident/Donald Margolis)

·      Donald Margolis (Suicide)

·      The Smugglers truck (11 + 1 unborn baby; woman in the right wearing red could be pregnant) (confirmed by the number of shots fired and a visual count) (includes the driver of the truck)  

·      Mrs. Pekatewa (Cousins)  

·      Bobby the Reservation Officer (Cousins) 

·      Man in the parking lot (Cousins) 

·       Cousin Marco (Hank)

·       Cousin Leonel (Mike)


·  Juan Bolsa (Gus-ordered hit - unknown assassin)


·   Mexican Gunmen x 4 (Mike)

·       Tomas (10 year old)(Rival dealer #1/Rival dealer #2)

·       Rival dealer #1 (Walt)

·       Rival dealer #2 (Walt)

·       Gale Boetticher (Jesse)

·       Victor (Gus)

·       Cartel gunman #1 (Mike)

·       Cartel gunman #2 (Mike)

Total = 205

Do you think this list is accurate? Anyone we have missed along the way? Let me know below...

Image credit: Unit9.com

News: AFL Carlton v Hawthorn clash "very unlikely" to be live on Seven

In yet another case of the dollar winning out over public interest, Channel Seven looks "unlikely" to televise the clash between Carlton and Hawthorn live.

Even though they sit fourth and third on the ladder respectively (and the result will dictate who will claim third spot next, and possibly for the rest of these season), Seven seems to be sticking with its strategy of airing Better Homes and Gardens before the footy- even in the lead-up to the finals series.

Hamish McClachlan- host of Seven's AFL Game Day- recently said on Twitter that "Friday Night looks unlikely to be live" however, did signal that things would change next year, with the AFL's rights negotiations with Seven meaning it will have to air more games live.

Here's what he said:

Guests: Before the Game: Saturday August 20

This week on Before the Game, catch Carlton star Marc Murphy, as well as the newest smooth operator in the media, Jack Watts, from the Melbourne Football Club.


Before the Game airs on Saturday in Melbourne at 6.30pm, Adelaide at 5.30pm and Perth at 4pm.

News: The Office: Season 8 Episode 1 Title, Plot Revealed + Trailer

When the appointment of James Spader to "replace" Steve Carrell was announced, it certainly raised a few eyebrows, but after seeing how the show will handle the new addition to the cast, it could well be the best thing that has happened to the show since the addition of Ed Helms as Andy in Season 3.


Here's what we know:

• "Robert California" is expected to appear in 15 episodes (much more than the previous CEO played by Kathy Bates did).
• He is appointed CEO
• He is a persuasive, mysterious and "enigmatic"character

And today, EW has revealed a number of story lines that will hopefully jumpstart the series, as well as establish Spader's character as one to watch.

EW calls the premiere episode's synopsis, entitled "The List", "simple" and "brilliant", and it's hard to disagree:

Spader’s persuasive and mysterious character Robert California is appointed CEO of Dunder Mifflin and, during a visit to the Scranton branch, accidentally leaves behind a piece of paper. There’s a line down the middle of it, with the names of every Scranton staffer either on one side of the line or the other. Employees go into a frenzy trying to figure out: What does this mean?... (It) will showcase California’s inscrutable oddness and his impact on the rest of the team as they struggle to figure him out.

Showrunner Paul Lieberstein also hints at other story lines which will surface in season eight: 

California challenges the office manager to double sales. Dwight builds a productivity machine that becomes a sort of Doomsday device when it threatens to shut down the company if people make too many mistakes. The entire warehouse staff wins the Lotto and quits. And, of course, there’s Jim and Pam’s second baby.

He also has a dig at last season's criticised "The Delivery" in which Pam gave birth to her and Jim's first child: “We’re not doing what we did last time; we’re not doing any weird rush to the hospital,” before he revealed what her second delivery will constitute:

“We’re doing something fun with her hormones, [which] are in a state where she doesn’t know who to trust. After a scene of everybody being very polite to her, saying she’s more beautiful than ever, and ‘the old and the pregnant are the most beautiful,’ Dwight is the only one honest with her. She starts to think Dwight is the only one she can trust.”

And remember, they still have to decide who the new boss will be...

The Office season 8 premieres September 22 on NBC.

Ratings: Can of Worms does just enough to secure its future, Suits bombs

Can of Worms seems to have weathered the critical media storm, as well as lukewarm viewer reception to post a respectable 789,000 viewers in its seventh episode on air.

And it has seemingly done it against all odds, as it is not being done any favours by Ten by having near-certified flop The Renovators as its lead in. Last night it rated a paltry 670,000.

Yes, that means it increased its audience from The Renovators lead-in.

It also survived a dangerous bump to 9:50pm some weeks ago, when Ten were messing up its schedule just to launch The Renovators.

Because of that bump, it posted 591,000 viewers.

After it got a more respectable timeslot the next week, it climbed slightly to 593,000.

Shoved back in its normal 8:30pm slot the next week, it grabbed 745,000 viewers, then of course this week, it climbed back up to 789,000.

This is around the numbers that allowed Good News Week to survive for so long, so logic dictates that Ten will keep Can of Worms.

With only 3 episodes to go until the end of the first season, it is unlikely to drop very far beneath 700,000 viewers.

Basically, Can of Worms is one of the only moderately successful new shows they have debuted this year; The Renovators has bombed, 6:30pm with George Negus is still struggling and The Defenders has been moved to One.

In other news, one of Seven's shiny new US products in Suits looks set for the scrap-heap after pulling only 383,000 viewers in its debut episode, dropping to 335,000 for its second episode.

It was soundly beaten by Q&A on 647,000.

Fans should hope Seven at least shift it to 7mate and not dump it completely.

Though Seven can take heart from the fact that the Dana Delany vehicle Body of Proof nabbed 830,000 viewers.

News: Breaking Bad renewed for a FINAL 16 eps

Well, I guess it's good news and bad news for Breaking Bad fans.

The show has been renewed for 16 more episodes- that's the really good news...

Especially since tense contract negotiations between AMC and Sony were getting many people worried that the show would have to shift networks.

And the bad news is that it will be the last 16 episodes the show will ever film- after this current season of 13 episodes of course.

And I say "bad news" because knowing that a great show has an imminent end date is sad. However, there had been talk that creator Vince Gilligan was thinking about the fifth season of the show as being the last.

It will give the show a nice sense of symmetry and also makes sure it ends on a high (creatively, not necessarily plot-wise).

There is also discussion as to whether the final 16 episodes will be split over two seasons, meaning next season will not be the last.

I am leaning towards thinking an epic 16 episode final season is the way to go, but would understand it being split into 8 and 8 episodes- though they would seem extraordinarily short.

Episode 6 of Breaking Bad Season 4 airs today in the US.

How do you feel about this news?

News: Joel Selwood interview on Footy Classified tonight

Heads up for AFL fans: Joel Selwood will appear on tonight's Footy Classified in the hot seat to answer the tough questions.

The show hasn't had many guests appear on the show this year, but when they do, it is usually worth watching.

Joel will likely receive questions about Sunday's hard-fought win against Adelaide, as well as Geelong's finals campaign; does he think the team has a place for so many talls and what does he think a settled Geelong team will look like.

He will likely discuss taking over as captain of the team- will it be as soon as next year?

Footy Classified airs tonight at 10:30PM on Nine.

News: Hamish and Andy perform well in Week 3, with a consistent 1m viewers

Last week, the media jumped on Hamish and Andy for shedding around 400,000 of viewers from Week 1 to Week 2 for their new TV show Hamish and Andy's Gap Year.

I also said that they took a "hit" from their strong first showing, however, any time a show loses that many viewers, it will always be a loss.

And the fact that this week, they managed to hold on to their 1 million viewers is a great, great sign for the pair.

It means that viewers weren't put off by the few critical reviews in the big papers, and it also shows they have a loyal following willing to give them another chance or two (after, let's face it, were a couple of very weak starting episodes).

And those who did give them another chance would have been rewarded- this week's show was much, much better than the previous two weeks.

In Episode 3, it pulled 1,057,000 viewers (compared to last week's 1,069,000)- a very handy figure for it to build on.

Unless it takes a drastic turn for the worse, it's hard to imagine it heading too much further south, meaning the show will at least serve out its first season run in its timeslot.

All the show needs is another A-list celebrity (a comedian, possibly) to bring some of the Week 1 audience back, and it will be onwards and upwards for the duo.

5 Second News: Suits Renewed for 2nd Season

The USA program Suits, currently in its first season, has been renewed for a second season.

The show stars Gabriel Macht and Patrick J. Adams and is described as a legal dramedy about a lawyer and a college drop out with an eidetic memory.

This is great news for Channel Seven in Australia, who have just begun airing its first season - the second season will consist of 16 episodes.

News: At Home With Julia to air on September 7 at 9:30PM

Today the air date has been announced for the ABC's upcoming comedy series At Home With Julia, as well as the other characters and actors that will appear in the series.

It will air on September 7 at 9:30PM on ABC1. The series will only be made up of 4 30 minute episodes. 

It will replace Judith Lucy's Spiritual Journey on Wednesday nights. 

The ABC has also revealed the swathe of actors that will be appearing in the short series:

Here they are, complete with "humorous" asides by the ABC:

Kevin Rudd played by Paul McCarthy (Comedy Inc. – The Late Shift)

Paul Keating played by Jonathan Biggins (STC Wharf Revue)

Tony Jones played by Jonathan Biggins (they obviously ran out of money)

Wayne Swan played by Alan Dukes (Beneath Hill 60)

Bob Katter played by Drew Forsythe (freaking STC Wharf Revue again)

Rob Oakeshott played by Jim Russell (Comedy Inc. – The Late Shift)

Tony Abbott        played by Nicholas Cassim (Tough Nuts, All Saints)

Alan Jones    played by Geoff Moxham (in his first, and quite possibly last, TV appearance)

The inclusion of actors like Paul McCarthy is, well, necessary- I don't know how they could have a Kevin Rudd character without him. 

It is clear they will also be satirising shows like Q and A and talkback hosts such as Alan Jones- this will either be great or just pathetic. 

What is not clear, though, is whether the series will play like a nuanced mockumentary, or will be a hammy sketch show, with no plot, just a succession of characters and impressions. 

You might notice that Jonathan Biggins is playing two characters in the show... Something very sketch-showy. This isn't to say if it plays like a sketch-show it can't be funny, I just hope they don't go for the same old jokes right off the bat. 

Guest Casting News: Ray Romano on The Middle, Ricky Gervais on Family Guy

nndb.com

In what is being touted as an "Everybody Loves Raymond" reunion of sorts, Ray Romano will be heading to the ABC comedy The Middle, where he will star alongside his former on-screen wife Patricia Heaton.


But it's not the first time a "Raymond" alumnus has guested on the show, with Doris Roberts appearing in the Season 2 premiere.


Romano will play "Nicky Kohlbrenner, a man from Frankie Heck's (Heaton) past. Look for the character to have had some involvement in ruining Frankie's honeymoon many years ago," according to AOL TV.


This news will be bitter-sweet for Romano-fans, as it comes at the same time as his TNT show Men of a Certain Age was cut down in its prime after only two seasons.


Ricky Gervais will also be lending his voice to a character on the popular Fox series Family Guy. He will play Billy Flinn, a dolphin who moves to Quahog, according to TV Fanatic.


But here's the twist (if the fact he was playing a dolphin wasn't a twist enough): he will be sticking around for a full season.


Family Guy is Gervais' favourite show, and this appearance only adds to the mountainous list of projects he has lined up for 2011-12.

News: FX Renews Wilfred, Louie and It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia

hitfix.com

Today FX has announced that it's bring back three of its off-beat comedies: Wilfred, Louie and It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia.


TV Guide reports that Wilfred- starring Elijah Wood and Jason Gann- will be coming back for a second season of 13 episodes.


Louie- starring Louis CK- will return with a third season of 13 episodes.


Both series have enjoyed good ratings with Wilfred pulling around 5 mill a week, and Louie increasing its ratings to around 3 mill.


They have also been praised for their unique styles and tendencies to eschew the normal.


And "Always Sunny" has nabbed itself a whopping two more seasons (bringing it into the "veteran" catergory with Seasons 8 and 9 on the way). Astoundingly, FX President John Landgraf also said "We actually have an option ... to pick up a 10th season (but) We're just picking up two for now." They obviously have a fan of the show in the big boss- which always helps.


Wilfred's renewal is good news for Eleven on Australian TV, who have been fast-tracking its debut season, while "Always Sunny" has been aired by Channel Seven.


Surely it's only a matter of time before an Australian network picks up Louie?

News: Desperate Housewives Season 8 to be last - Vanessa Williams confirms the "rumors are true"

Following on from my post about Desperate Housewives' Brenda Strong stating that Season 8 would be the final year, it seems that it is pretty much the case.

EW has recently reported that the ABC show will end in May, 2012, and also that the core cast of the show, which still comprises of Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross, Teri Hatcher and Eva Longoria was shocked by the decision - as was creator Marc Cherry.

However, fans and non-fans will probably agree that it is best that the show ends while it's still moderately popular and is at least near the top of its game in terms of storytelling.

... And if you needed any more confirmation of the show's end, here's Vanessa Williams telling fans the "rumors are true", this will be the "final season of a landmark show".

Ratings: Hamish and Andy take a small hit in second week

Last night Hamish and Andy's second episode on air pulled 1.069 million.

Yes, it's a sizeable difference between its first week audience of 1.456 million, but it is to be expected that a show loses audience from a hyped premiere to a second ep... or if you prefer, a show's premiere figures are usually inflated due to curious channel surfers, etc.

And of course the drop is not ideal, but at least it is not "panic stations" yet.

However, if the pair bring another average episode like last night's to the table next week, it will drop even further.

And next week is shaping as one of the show's last chances to convince the audience it is, or at least can be a funny, snappy show. Here's why:

• If the episode is anything like last night's, ratings will drop below a million - time to panic?
• Though it had stung competition in The Renovators (1.056 million), the reality show will not have MasterChef as a strong lead-in
• There is very, very little resistance from the other networks; Seven's Law and Order: Los Angeles is a turkey (it pulled 633,000 last night) and the ABC's Crownies is not far behind (567,000).

Review: Hamish and Andy's Gap Year Episode 2

Oh dear, last night's Hamish and Andy's Gap Year was not good.

... Or at least not as good as was expected; I, and many others had hoped for at least a modicum of improvement from week 1 to week 2.

But there was hardly any... which doesn't bode well for the series.

Last week, the premiere dragged an impressive, but not amazing 1.45 million, and I shudder to think what the tomorrow's ratings hold.

Obviously the neutral-to-scathing reviews that came out after the show's premiere will not help its word-of-mouth cause in week 2.

But for the viewers that tuned in, what happened to the pair's promise ("We'll sharpen up, we'll sharpen up for next week.")?

Most of episode 2 would have turned off the more casual Hamish and Andy fans - for the most part it was flat, messy and amateurish.

In my first review I skirted around these points, choosing to brush them off as the show finding its style. Then there's of course the fact that you can never truly judge a show based on its first episode. 

But there comes a time when you have to start looking at what the show is choosing to stick with for its entire run - what will plague it, and what will serve it in good stead.

So, unfortunately for the show, it is sticking with the same half-baked jokes, including the hand-drawn sketches, the robot, the bobble-heads, etc. Maybe they are aspiring to be Craig Ferguson-types, with the parallels of the robot and desk-clutter certainly eerily consistent- but the difference is, they have introduced all of this all at once, seemingly without rhyme nor reason.

It may be a case of throwing things at the wall and seeing what sticks at the moment, but wouldn't you prefer them to start with the basics (Hamish and Andy's banter, funny antics, etc.) then work their way up, adding various accoutrements on the way? 

And the rest of the show?

The Ryan Shelton segment, "100 Second New York Lesson" was nothing special (certainly no better than anything he used to do on Rove) and came off as a cross between his absurdist Rove segments and his regular podcast "For One Minute Only". Presumably the podcast idea of condensing jokes into a limited number of seconds is now his "thing".

The James Franco interview was not live - even though the show is filmed in the States. Not good enough, especially not for a second week. I'd rather they have a B-list guest in studio than an A-list one in a pre-filmed interview with bizarre time-portal prop jokes.

But worst of all, my main gripe was that the first segment was by far the worst part of the show- something it can ill-afford to continue every week. This means it lost any undecided viewers forgiving enough to give the show another go.

And there were some OK points, don't get me wrong, but they were sandwiched in the mess that continues to be the rest of the show.

Their presenting style was marginally better, and it will continue to be. People have to remember that they have hosted a radio show for the best part of a decade, not a TV show- and TV is much less forgiving.

The roller derby segment was pretty good- but again relied too much on Hamish and/or Andy getting hurt and/or getting nude for laughs. The "Ultimate Wingman" segment was also an OK idea, but somehow didn't succeed- possibly because the Candid Camera-type set ups were so obvious (or puzzling) to onlookers that they didn't receive any reactions to bring home the jokes.

Once again, I don't take any joy out of picking apart the show like this, but hopefully it points out what will cause the audience to switch off gradually.

I still throw my full support behind the pair, and still believe that they can produce a good show at the very, very least.

They need someone over there that can tell them if a joke isn't going to work, and in which case, they need to drop that joke and perhaps sit on the couch for a segment with no script and no props, where they can just muck-around.

But most importantly, they just need more than a couple of episodes under their belt- I'm sure they will be able to nut out what works and what doesn't by themselves...

But, unfortunately for them, they don't have the luxury of time- Nine will be wanting results, and quickly.

And if ratings drop off too steeply, it will only increase the pressure on the pair- which would not create a very conducive attitude for comedy.

They need to smooth out the kinks quick-smart, because they are at risk of losing even more of their audience.

I sincerely hope I am wrong, but don't think I am.

What did you think? Was there a marked improvement or have you given up watching altogether?

If you missed it, here is last night's show.