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Block to basics

Block producer concedes this season has been "too long, for too many weeks" and is going back to basics.

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The Block producer Julian Cress has reiterated recent statements by Nine exec Andrew Backwell that the episodes are too long, and that the format will go ‘back to basics’ later this year.

There will also be fewer episodes, at one hour each, and no elimination challenges at the top of the season. Hallelujah for that. It’s a fine line between giving viewers more of they are responding to and over-egging a valuable brand.

The Block, remarkably, has frequently performed well with family audiences, but asking kids to stay up to 9pm across multiple nights is a big ask.

“We are going to give it a back to basics makeover,” Cress said told AAP. “We’ve probably got to a point where we were asking the audience to tune in for too long, for too many weeks and too long each night.

“We are going to pull it back and give them what they love about The Block and that’s just an hour show.”

With Reno Rumble set to begin soon, Nine has put a lot of its money on renovation red this year.

So here’s a radical thought: when does The Block go back to basics, a move that arguably rescued MasterChef from oblivion? I would be keen to see the show zero in on what it does best: renovate (no silly challenges) as a twice-weekly show, with more compact judging and elimination, and less horrendous recaps. –The Block: Triple Threat review, January 2015.

Meanwhile Nine has confirmed the auction for The Block: Triple Threat as 7:30pm Wednesday April 29.

20 Responses

  2. The Block guys really have overcooked the show. Would be a lot of worry about reno Rumble.
    You wonder how they can justify rolling out basically more Block (aka Reno Rumble) after a poor season of The Block.

  5. I can only hope that The Block and MKR lose numbers shortly, I do not watch either much but MKR at this rate will go on for a full year, I watch a bit of Masterchef which is about the food, not the bitchiness and rivalry of the other people.

    I prefer to watch my DVD box set of Maverick than watch a full season of MKR or the Block……contrived reality shows….in my opinion should be scrapped and go on to the next thing. I used to watch a lot of Seven but not now, and well as for Nine I will not watch any show as I have caught out a few times really getting into shows and they get taken off, so I do not watch much now, most of viewing is Ten, ABC, and SBS.

    Whatever happened to Gotham ?

  6. I’m still enjoying block but only one hour eps I’m all for it and gives dramas a chance, I do find it funny how this season was called triple threat but never had 3 fav vs 3 new teams which that would of been awesome, I find MKR is worse for length and boredom

  7. Back to basics? It would be nice if it returned to the early days and have the show air as a non-stripped format. Season One aired once a week, while Season Two and Three aired twice a week. There is no need for having renovation shows air for six-nights a week.

  9. There were lots of things wrong this season. I agree about the recaps. How many times did we have to hear about Daz’s ceiling?!
    I also think the casting was wrong. Two unlikeable couples and too much nastiness between the group. Bring back the laughs.

  10. That might be what the producer wants but even though it’s very much common sense will the network agree to it? They seem to refuse to acknowledge it’s their own scheduling which is killing many shows.

  12. I’m not averse to reality TV but I’ve never really shown much interest in The Block. But I did see some of the repeat on Sunday afternoon. Amazes me that people would sit through that for nights on end. Ten minutes and I’d had enough after being slammed over the head with product placement, staged drama, squabbles over money… etc. Very little entertainment value.

  13. i love the block. i do agree with the other comments. I personally think the reveals should be Sunday, Monday should be when the contestants go and give their scores and the buyers jury come in as well and Tuesdays should be hightlights and recap of the week. Channel 9 should consider this. over easter they only had the block on one day and it was sunday and the ratings for that were impressive and it was the number show of the night. have the block to 3 episodes a week (Sunday through to Tuesday)

  15. I think the Sunday show should go altogether. Shaynna is great on Selling Houses Australia but on The Block she highlights how out of touch the current room scoring system is. Move the Monday impartial buyers jury, that is a much better judge of the rooms, to Sunday. We do not need Judges, Buyers Jury and neighbour votes, just use the Jury. Get rid of the Wednesday challenges also and we are down to 3 hours a week (the old Mon and Tue episodes).

  16. The Block focuses on conflict between participants, contestants, judges etc. I agree with the quote above from Jan. 2015. The Block should focus more on renovations. The last couple of seasons it’s like the renovations are an after thought to all the social and dramatic stuff that’s happening. I tune into Sundays only-to see the reveals and that’s it. Too many re-caps, ads. and dramatic diversions during the week for me. I thought that they were going to get back to basics this season. And I also agree that MasterChef was much better last season, if they keep it simple this year I’ll tune in. The Block should follow suit if they want to maintain their audience, and sponsors.

  17. I’ve moved off The Block this season. There seems to be too many egos, a lot of arguing, and too much expected of the contestants in the time allowed. I don’t see the point of two foremen, except to manufacture more tension.

  18. One thing I wonder is whether The Block might also get back to basics from a renovation point of view. Aside from Sydney most of the property market is a bit ‘meh’ and the economy is middling, perhaps it’s time to show something a bit more realistic from a finishes/budgetary point of view? The Block has been all about a premium product, but maybe it’s time to see ‘what can be done on a budget’ to suit the times

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