Monday night’s a big gamble

Nine has a lot riding on this Monday night.

It is hoping to turn around its run of bad luck (or is that just bad programming?) that has seen it languish in lowly figures and a string of flop Monday shows. What a Year, ER, Weeds, Commercial Breakdown, and RFDS are now dropped, paused, shelved, rested or axed -depending on your preferred terminology. And Eddie McGuire’s 1 vs 100 has made way for Eddie McGuire’s Who Wants to be a Mullionaire, now with a whopping $5M on offer.

Nine’s bold move to air the show entirely live and from 7pm is clever (although figures will show if 90 minutes is taking things too far). The network must be hoping it can give away a big chunk of the cash and reap the publicity.

Viva Laughlin‘s premiere immediately afterwards is already being tarnished by disappointing reviews in the US. American critics have not warmed to its musical / drama hybrid. Several reiterated my review’s point (or had I reiterated theirs?) that the direction was not committed enough. That said, claims it is “the worst show ever” are way off the mark.

Nine will follow the premiere with a movie, shelving episodes of the cult Weeds and Girls of the Playboy Mansion.

But Monday isn’t all about Nine. The ABC has a terrific Helen Mirren interview on Enough Rope with Andrew Denton. And SBS is launching a new series of both Pizza and Shameless.

Meanwhile there are a couple of interesting guests on Seven.

Former Neighbours actor Shane O’Connor makes a return to screen in City Homicide years after his much-publicised falling out with producers. O’Connor eventually won a nasty legal battle claiming wrongful dismissal.

And on Criminal Minds former Dawson’s Creek star James van der Beek turns killer in the first of a two part storyline.

That just leaves TEN with its youthful line-up of Idol, Supernatural and the racy Californication.

May the best network win!