Wake up, Australia!

I am afraid that it is time for another rant against Australian television.

For some reason, in the US there was a 'reality' program that had several seasons of success, Jersey Shore, with 'success' being defined as the program having multiple seasons. The program's basic hook was it exploring the lives of a series of frankly quite unlikeable, young, stupid empty-heads in the Jersey area. It worked over there so it was only a matter of time before there was a 'me too' version produced in Australia. And so we have The Shire, yet more empty-headed, shallow, vacuous individuals. If they actually had any brains at all, they wouldn't be caught dead doing that rubbish. But I have a feeling that these idiots think this is some sort of short-cut to fame and a career. As Gough famously said "wake up, Australia."

Big Brother disappeared from Australian television several years ago, to the relief of many. The behaviour of some of their 'contestants' was becoming increasingly worse. And a contact inside the industry did assure me that it had caused Channel Ten increasing problems. But just like a bad smell, it's back again, now on Channel Nine. And it was going to be all new, all different. I forced myself to sit through a bit of it the other night. Nothing new. Nothing different. The only possible saving grace was that of Sonja Kruger as host, who, at age 47, still looks decidedly yummy. But the lovely Ms Kruger's attractions aside, there ain't much there to be any sort of real attraction to viewers.

Wake up, Australia!

Following on from The Shire, we now have yet another 'me too', this time about a group of New Zealanders living on the Gold Coast. Except apparently we're not supposed to call it the Gold Coast any longer. It's the G.C. "All the girls love me on G.C." announced one of the male contestants, while posing his sculptured body. Looks like the same formula of badly-behaved empty-heads whose contribution to society is to laze around pools and beaches.

Wake up, Australia!

A slightly different slant comes with Don't Tell the Bride, hosted by the ever-cute Kate Ritchie. Each episode features a couple about to get married and given $25,000 to throw the wedding but on the proviso that the groom does everything and is banned from contact about it with the bride. And from the promos it seems yet another carefully selected couple are appearing, with what is now the apparent requirement for 'reality' television - empty-heads. Assuming (and a big assumption it is too) that it isn't all scripted, we see one of the thickest blokes I've ever seen, supposedly running the planning of the wedding. And his bright idea of invites - a session on the mobile phone, telling people about it. And that's probably the highlight. His bride seems to be a prime specimen for the female 'reality' role using the 'me too' program role models.

Wake up, Australia!

Channel Nine have added something else to the mix - another mini-series in the Underbelly franchise. I have refrained from previously commenting much on that franchise as one of their script writers is someone I know and admire greatly. But c'mon - isn't the same format over and over getting just a bit tired?

Wake up, Australia!

Pretty much as long as I can remember, I have heard people complaining that Australian television is rubbish. Well right now 'rubbish' as a derogatory term is looking pretty positive compared to the insults running through my mind. Talk about damned pathetic.

Here's a thought (or two or three) for all the television networks. Do you remember the concept of 'entertainment'? Is this stream of junk really that 'entertaining'? Do we always have to suffer through the 'me too' b.s.?

We have all sorts of wonderful and talented people in the creative side of the entertainment fields in Australia. So why restrict them by pretty much dumping anything actually creative? How about introducing something like more comedy and it doesn't have to be things like the tiresome Hey Dad back in the day (and presumably alleged pedophile actors are merely an optional extra). In the US there was a quite interesting thing called Last Comic Standing which saw stand-up comedians competing for the viewing audience vote. Why not try an Australian format for that? Just give us something worth turning the idiot box on to watch. Please.

Wake up, Australia!


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