Fans of The Bachie, or just reality TV in general, need to check out UnREAL. It’s an American black comedy/drama set around filming of a Bachelor-style show, called Everlastingg. The cast includes the great Constance Zimmer (Entourage, House of Cards) and Sheri Applebay, who I best remember from Roswell.
While it’s fictional it’s written by people who’ve worked on the Bachelor and I learnt a lot about how the show is made by watching. It’s one of IT Sidekick’s faves at the mo.
It’s showing on SBS2 and you can catch up online at SBS On Demand. Sheri and Constance
A media release from Channel 7 – presumably “coming soon” means “but not until after MKR finishes”:
Is the grass greener on the other side?
Four couples in strife will put their relationships to the test as they participate in an experimental marriage with a total stranger.
In Channel Seven’s new series, Seven Year Switch, four couples on the brink of separation will embark on a daring new social experiment in an attempt to save their marriage.
Our relationship psychologists will be there to guide the couples, as viewers follow the journey of each broken relationship to see whether it can be saved by being placed in an extraordinary situation.
The lovelorn couples are at a crossroads in their relationship and will get the chance to live with a likeminded new partner for two weeks, in a trial marriage, to reveal whether similar traits and characteristics
in a partner is the missing ingredient to making a relationship stronger.
This unorthodox experiment is totally unpredictable and life-changing.
Two relationship experts will guide the couples through the therapy process, as they adjust to living with an experimental partner.
At the end of the month-long experiment, each of the couples will reunite and make the decision to either part ways or reaffirm their commitment.”
Channel 7 has finally released deets of its new digital channel, 76. To be known as 7Flix, it promises big movies and big shows.
On the promo we see snippets of Scandal and Grey’s Anatomy, so that’s Shondaland covered, Once Upon a Time, Seinfeld, Amazing Race (hopefully in a timely fashion), The Muppets and movies like Pitch Perfect, Pretty Woman, Frozen and Coyote Ugly. Oh, and The Mindy Project is there, which is exciting for me but I think only three other people in Australia watch it, and one of those is Mr Juz.
So they’ve thrown everything at the wall and will see what sticks.
It launches Sunday, February 28.
Just a heads up about a few shows returning to the ABC this week, with Wednesday being a busy night.
At 8pm Julia Zemiro’s Home Delivery has a chat with TV icon Kerry O’Brien, delving into his childhood and journalism career.
Also this Wednesday at 8.30pm, Charlie Pickering returns with The Weekly, aided by Tom Gleeson and Kitty Flanagan. And then at 9pm, it’s a new series of Black Comedy.
On Friday at 8.30pm, Craig McLachlan returns in The Doctor Blake Mysteries. The synospisis: “Dr Lucien Blake returns home to find Ballarat hosting a very public stopover in a round Australia motor race – and a very suspicious death.”
I still can’t believe Henry Ramsay grew up to be Dr Blake as well as another famous doctor, Frank N Furter. You must go see him in Rocky Horror – he’s hilarious.
Morning, all … I’ve redone the poll so you can select up to three shows and added a couple more options (results won’t be strictly scientific, but who’s watching …).
If you have ideas for other polls, just post below. I’ll do ones relating to specific shows once the casts are revealed.
For the past month it’s been nothing but cricket and tennis on TV (I’ve been making the most of Stan’s 30-day free trial) but now it’s time for the annual bombardment of premieres of shows old and new.
Channel 10 is attempting to get ahead of the pack by launching the second season of I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here! – a whole 24 hours ahead of the other channels. It premieres Sunday, January 31 at the family-friendly timeslot of 6.30pm (check your local guide).
There’s meant to be an after-show on Eleven, hosted by Bachelor reject Heather Maltman and jungle reject Joel Creasey, but it’s not showing up as yet on Sunday TV guides.
The following night the other channels join the party.
Nine kicks off with Australia’s Got Talent and a new panel of judges: Kelly Osbourne (daughter of Ozzy and fashion commentator), Eddie Perfect (beloved by Offspring and Play School viewers) and Sophie Monk (remember when she was an unknown on one of Australia’s first reality shows, Popstars?). Hughesy is hosting.
The Farmer Wants a Wife, also on Nine, starts the same night at 8.45pm.
I suspect Channel 7 is where most of us will land on the Monday night for the return of My Kitchen Rules (with the first part of much-promoted Molly telemovie looking likely to air on February 7).
Backtracking a little here, but if you have time the previous Monday night (January 25) turn to the ABC for the Australian of the Year Special. Four finalists have been selected for each state and territory in the categories Australian of the Year, Senior Australian of the Year, Young Australian of the Year and Australia’s Local Hero.
Other shows due in February are Nine’s scripted comedy Here Come the Habibs! and the Australian episodes of If You are the One on SBS2. Wanted, the TV series Rebecca Gibney developed and in which she stars, starts in February on Seven. Over in Pay TV land, the excellent Selling Houses Australia returns February 3 on the Lifestyle channel.
Here’s a link to a Channel 7 ad for the MKR premiere and a few other shows that start the same day:
So, what will you be watching?
UPDATE: The Celeb after show is now appearing in the TV guides. It’s called Get Me Out of here now, runs 9.30-10.30pm this Sunday (check your local guide) on Eleven and is rated M for “Adult Themes or medical procedures, Coarse language”.
Welcome to a new site about watching TV. Whether you love a show or loathe it, this is the place to talk about it. Reality TV – especially Australian content – is my guilty pleasure but those with more highbrow tastes are also welcome. However, if you’re a fan of Two and a Half Men you may want to slink away to another corner of the interweb … Bear with me while I find my feet with this new-fangled technology.
Cheers
Admin Juz
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