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TV Lounge

The TV Lounge is an Open Forum for you to add comments or ask questions on TV that you can’t see anywhere else on the site.

So if there’s something TV-related you’ve been meaning to get off your chest, or a TV question that doesn’t seem to fit anywhere else, here is where it goes! Please check Programming & Calendar before duplicating programming info.

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1,705 Responses

  1. As Neighbours has begun filming today, perhaps my guess for scheduling should be:

    At 6:00pm, perhaps Friends (or The Simpsons if t`hey could reclaim the rights to it…), followed by Neighbours at 6:30pm, then a shortened version of the Project at 7:00pm and then whatever it is they air at 7:00pm.

    1. As it’s going back to Channel 10, not 11, I’d guess the news would be 5-6pm and Neighbours would go to it’s old time slot of 6:30-7:00 and then The Project from 7:30 as it was. They may or may not repeat Neighbours on 11 at some stage. Just a thought.

    2. Network 10 have only said that it will air on Network 10. 6:30pm on channel 11 would seem obvious, avoiding Home and Away, which has 10 times the regular audience, as well as the 6pm and 7pm Newses which have 1m live viewers.

  2. Unfortunately for Stan’s ‘Lucky Hank’, episode three of ‘Succession’ happened otherwise this week’s episode of that show would have been the best thing on TV this week. I’ve thought ‘Lucky Hank’ has been largely middling and a little forgettable due to it being underwhelming in terms of its characters and storytelling and unidentifiable tone, but man did that latest episode smash it out of the park! What is it with shows that have an episode involving a dinner party often becoming their best ones? I’ve always adored Mireille Enos since ‘Big Love’ and the underrated gem that was ‘The Killing’… she’s always been amazing and she brings her best work in this show so far to this tense, emotional episode… and what can you say about Bob Odenkirk that hasn’t already been said? I’ve stuck it out with ‘Lucky Hank’ this long solely because of these two and episode five has given me the spark I was looking for. I hope it maintains it now.

  3. So beyond excited that the Harry Potter series is being remade for Max! Hopefully they do it justice this time – with seven series (one per book), there is going to be no excuse for leaving out details! I hope it’s pretty much like-for-like from the books!

    1. It depends on who’s doing it. I could end up being mediocre like House Of The Dragon or His Dark Materials, or terrible like Lord Of The Rings. Getting something as good as Game Of Thrones is probably unlikely. They’ll still have to edit Goblet of Fire quite a bit, it was Rowlings attempt to write a long adult novel and full of confusing array of subplots and was way too long.

    2. The expectations are going to be sky high for this series given Harry Potter’s widespread popularity and the amount of knowledge many fans have about both the books and the movies.

  4. After watching the first 20 minutes of Frozen Planet 2 episode 2 I’ve decided to call it a day. It seems the same as the first season and to me the BBC have milked it too long now , no interest in the last 4 episodes.

    1. I have seen similar stuff many times before. But it is still pretty and I hadn’t seen those Alaskan Auklings? before. I put it on to exercise to. The concluding line to every segment being and they will all die soon due to global warming is getting tiresome.

    2. I thought the orcas hunting seals on ice flows in episode 1 was very good… didn’t think much of the smarts of the seals though, staying side on to an oncoming wave🤦‍♂️

  5. A question that has got me thinking:

    Which popular Aussie TV show should be the local equivalent to shows like Friends, Seinfeld, Frasier, The Office (US), Gilmore Girls, Sex and the City, Parks and Recreation etc in terms of their enduring success, lasting appeal, popularity and merchandising long after their final episodes. What would your answer be?

    In my opinion, my answer would have to be Kath and Kim, if its success on Netflix and reruns on Channel Seven and Nine is anything to go by!

    1. Comedy wise, perhaps Mother & Son? In recent years I’d say Utopia and Rosehaven. But before that in the 90s, reruns of All Together Now and Hey Dad were often shown. Due to what we know now about its lead actor, we’ll never see reruns of Hey Dad again. Australia hasn’t had that many hits with sitcoms from what I remember, most only lasting one or two seasons. For drama, Prisoner and A Country Practice still have a big following.

    2. Just to clarify my question, it is not a variation on “What is the best show ever?” because that is subject to debate, It was inspired by the many US audiences that have gushed over those shows and binged and re-binged them and published BuzzFeed articles about them, so it thought to me, “Hmm, should there be an Aussie show that has that universal appeal akin to a Friends, Seinfeld or The Office?”

      1. I would say Kath & Kim is a good call.
        One of the only shows I can think of that get prime time re-runs and also still rates well when shown.

    3. Not a TV show, but it probably could/should have been. The Castle. It’s on TV enough to be classed a TV show now. The quotability factor is enormous. It’s the Vibe. It’s Mabo.

  6. I had noticed that NaturEscape on 7plus had disappeared a little while ago. There are times when I’ve wanted to tune in. I hope it returns, or there’s something similar in place.

    Sometimes the mood calls for it, when you don’t want to have programming or advertising that is not calm. It’s even good in the background for sleep. The only pitfall is when the Slow TV programming has ads. I understand it needs to be monetized, so perhaps Slow TV style advertising that matches the programming could be an idea.

    1. There’s a website called Justwatch where you can search where a tv show is streaming (this includes the catchup websites of SBS, ABC, 7,9 and 10 I believe) or where to rent or buy. Just make sure you’re looking at the Australian version of the website. Handy tool.

  7. An interesting ep of ‘Entertainment Tonight’ this morning-the Good Friday ep for the US-unusually completely focused on looking at the life and career of Michael J Fox. I was never a viewer of ‘Family Ties’ but I’ve seen most of his TV and film work over the years-someone who’s risen over a great adversity and still tries…

  8. Note to Channel 7: Not everyone wants to watch “Farmer Wants A Wife”.
    I was watching “Doc Martin” last night on Ch72, I counted 4 times across the bottom of the screen, a message to “Switch Over to CH 7 now to watch “Farmer Wants A Wife”.
    No, if I wanted to watch that rubbish, I would. But, really, stop with the annoying messages that are really distracting. It does not make anyone want to turn over!

    1. I only saw 1, must have blocked out the others. Didn’t really see the point when Farmer started earlier, so if people wanted to watch it they would already be.

    2. Seven should respect that their viewers are watching the multichannels for a reason: because those channels are airing what they want to watch. While you can’t blame Seven for wanting to get as many eyes on Farmer as possible since they need it to do well, they could do so in ways that are less annoying to those who are watching Seven’s slate of multichannels.

  9. Well if Succession wasn’t already going to get all the Emmy’s before that fourth episode in its final season… Succession will now very much get all the Emmy’s for its final season following that fourth episode. Wowee.

    1. Oh dammit… I’ve watched so much TV over the weekend I forgot what episode I’m talking about. Substitute fourth for third in that previous comment and we are good haha

  10. David i notice under Daily Picks you have The Claremont Murders described as “…the biggest unsolved murder case in WA history.” However it is solved.

  11. Noticed Quantum Leap has been moved to Sunday at 10:40pm starting April 16th, so not on this Tuesday April 11th., with the Good Doctor moving to the 10:15pm timeslot.

  12. Was flicking around the breakfast/morning programs over this Easter Weekend and I noticed the absence of Cadbury on set. Sunrise & The Morning Show had bucketloads of Lindt chocolate scattered around (presumably from right across the road) and I believe Today had Haighs chocolate on the desk and sofa which I thought was a little posh.

    Only exception was Melbourne’s Good Friday Appeal which definitely had Cadbury eggs right throughout their telethon.

    Just my unique observations that’s all, Wishing everybody a very Happy Easter.

  13. Anyone watch ‘Hello Tomorrow!’ on AppleTV? A strange show that didn’t quite know whether it was a comedy / drama / futuristic retro sci-fi … that last bit they did well, I liked the world building. But unfortunately shows live and die by their script and story… and I watched 10 episodes of this for not much reward, and I still don’t know whether it was funny or serious… it didn’t really do either very well tbh. A mish mash of character arcs and uninteresting plot… I’d be surprised if it got a second season… the cliffhanger finale was ridiculous too. I always have time for Billy Crudup (the unmistakable standout in the Morning Show), but even he couldn’t save this expensive-looking low level show. A bit of a mess amounting to nothing. Avoid.

    1. I gave up after one episode, similar thing, I didn’t know what the show was supposed to be. A lot of content on Apple TV seems to be about signing on a high profile cast member over quality of script and interesting/entertaining story. Ted Lasso, lost me after 4 episodes when I could not work out if it was actually supposed to be a comedy, same episode count with Shrinking, and two episodes of Schmigadoon. While I watched both seasons of Morning Show, season two had very little to offer in regards to hooking me in, I doubt I will be back for a third season.

      1. I couldn’t disagree more about Shrinking and Ted Lasso. Both shows are the opposite to Hello Tomorrow! in that it’s clear they are comedy/dramas and tread that line beautifully. There is a simmering tension to Ted himself this season… he’s a wildly unhappy person dressed up in this overtly positive persona. I like that juxtaposition that despite your best intentions, not everything is rosy all the time. His character is bubbling like a pressure valve that’s about to explode and he is being played expertly by Jason Sudeikis, I hope we see him lose it. I think the tone of both Ted and Shrinking completely went over your head, which is a shame because both shows are excellent imo. But I understand they’re not for everyone which is why we love TV… opinions! Haha.
        I also agree S2 of the Morning Show just veered to the left off the highway and parked in a no standing zone… it was on borrowed time for me, very frustrating follow up to an excellent S1.

      2. Oh and Schmigadoon is excellent. I think I’m preferring S2 even more than the first season. Very clever show with a killer cast delivering wonderful musical numbers and just the right amount of laughs. I’m a sucker for a good fish out of water type show no matter the context.

      1. If the rumours are true Troy, your use of the word “bed” may indeed have been part of what put it to sleep! There’s a reason why 1 of the stars from last season was no longer on the show… No longer in the country, in fact!

  14. A nice tribute to musician Ryuichi Sakamoto on Rage last night – although there were some confusing moments, two clips with different names but where the music was virtually identical? And some live footage where the video looked out of synch with the audio. But still, very nice, especially the collaborations with David Sylvian, and the final solo revisit to “Forbidden Colours”. One of my faves from when I was younger was David Sylvian’s “Secrets of the Beehive”, to which Ryuichi provided crucial contributions. I know this is wandering outside of the remit of TVT, but just wanted to share.

  15. I know the RCH GFA isn’t what it used to be and ratings (albeit very long run on a very sacred/quiet day) have been very low recently, but I still think it’s well done and it’s such an institution, it really makes you slow down, reflect about yourself and your life and put yourself in someone else’s shoes for a bit, whether you’re spiritual or not, something in a secular and busy rough world that’s seldom done and I still think AFL on Good Friday is wrong, we never had it and still don’t need it and it’s a bit of a fail anyway, at least it’s not in prime time. Some people say Perth Telethon and Kerry Stokes has bias, but I think that’s rubbish and they’re completely differently structured telethons. I do think The Morning Show in favour is wrong however.

    1. Unfortunately the almighty dollar now rules Easter and Christmas viewing. Not one Easter-relevant movie on Good Friday. Day and night NRL, AFL. I recall the better times when the ACMA predecessors dictated no commercials before 6pm and the networks aired appropriate programming at Easter and Christmas Day. Unfortunately in NSW we had NRL in primetime and apparently AFL was somewhere on 7 from 7pm, watched by very few.

          1. The 2016 version. There are two others. The original made in 1959 and another in 2010.

          1. The 2010 version was a TV miniseries with an excellent cast but the 1st film version was 1907 and a major silent film in 1925-nothing will ever match the 1959 version in spectacle for a combination of cost and OH’nS reasons. The 2016 version was the movie remake no one asked for and pretty much no one saw at the cinema…

  16. Netflix’s new show titled ‘Beef’ has sneaked into their lineup, it stars Steven Yeun (best known for being in The Walking Dead). Despite the distracting title this show could become a binge watch over Easter, especially if you like quirky comedy satire, the acting and comedy dialogue has been good so far.

    1. Quirky is putting it lightly.. you need to get on its wavelength to have any sort of enjoyment out of it. So far… it’s really good imo.

  17. And again, 9:50 Thursday night, 7 Sydney/NSW running the same old misleading, defamatory Air Crash Investigations promo featuring a Qantas plane and “a small metal part”. Nothing whatsoever to do with the program that followed. Kobe Bryant helicopter crash.

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