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.

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.

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?

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.

Hamish and Andy's "Gap Year" in NY: Their TV Show Plans Revealed

UPDATE: Turns out the show will be called "Hamish & Andy's Gap Year"

Today Hamish & Andy held one of their "family meetings", famous for containing their big announcements. These have included announcing their Caravan of Courage stunts (among other harebrained ideas) and more recently, confirmation of their deal with Channel Nine.

Today, they announced their intentions for their TV show.

They will "set up shop" in New York, where they will film their adventures.

Andy describes it as a Caravan of Courage trip but "longer".

But don't worry, fans of the radio show, they will continue their weekly radio show.

First they spoke of having a "6 day weekend", and all of their extra time.

They have decided to fill this spare time, they will be moving to New York for a couple of months to have a "Gap Year".

This will take place in the second half of the year.

Their TV show will be based around their adventures living in New York.

The title still remains a mystery, and will Nine air it as a series of specials ("Hamish and Andy's Gap Year", "Hamish and Andy Take New York", that sort of thing) or simply call it "Hamish and Andy"... like their cancelled Seven show?

Who knows, but it sounds like a great idea to me, with their travel specials such as the Caravan of Courage specials (in which they visited America), usually drawing the best ratings for them.

They are also at their best doing stunts, meeting people, etc. rather than reading off an auto-cue, cooped up back in a studio in Melbourne.

They have also spent a week in LA, where they participated in the Rove LA specials, where they broadcasted their radio show.

But it will certainly bring more attention to their show, at least in the beginning. It will also provide easier access to celebrities, which will draw even more publicity.

But if I were Channel Nine, I'd start to get worried about them spending so much time in America... it's only a matter of time before they hit the big time, isn't it?

Hamish and Andy's "Gap Year" in NY: Their TV Show Plans Revealed

UPDATE: Turns out the show will be called "Hamish & Andy's Gap Year"

Today Hamish & Andy held one of their "family meetings", famous for containing their big announcements. These have included announcing their Caravan of Courage stunts (among other harebrained ideas) and more recently, confirmation of their deal with Channel Nine.

Today, they announced their intentions for their TV show.

They will "set up shop" in New York, where they will film their adventures.

Andy describes it as a Caravan of Courage trip but "longer".

But don't worry, fans of the radio show, they will continue their weekly radio show.

First they spoke of having a "6 day weekend", and all of their extra time.

They have decided to fill this spare time, they will be moving to New York for a couple of months to have a "Gap Year".

This will take place in the second half of the year.

Their TV show will be based around their adventures living in New York.

The title still remains a mystery, and will Nine air it as a series of specials ("Hamish and Andy's Gap Year", "Hamish and Andy Take New York", that sort of thing) or simply call it "Hamish and Andy"... like their cancelled Seven show?

Who knows, but it sounds like a great idea to me, with their travel specials such as the Caravan of Courage specials (in which they visited America), usually drawing the best ratings for them.

They are also at their best doing stunts, meeting people, etc. rather than reading off an auto-cue, cooped up back in a studio in Melbourne.

They have also spent a week in LA, where they participated in the Rove LA specials, where they broadcasted their radio show.

But it will certainly bring more attention to their show, at least in the beginning. It will also provide easier access to celebrities, which will draw even more publicity.

But if I were Channel Nine, I'd start to get worried about them spending so much time in America... it's only a matter of time before they hit the big time, isn't it?