★★★★★ 0/5

The 7PM Project

Format, format, format. Aiming for a middle ground between humour and news, so far TEN's new show ends up missing both.

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7pm4There was a moment at the end of Tuesday night’s 7PM Project when Shaun Micallef raced through the set to tell Charlie Pickering to hurry up and get to Talkin’ ‘Bout Your Generation. I tried to yell out “Wait! Stay!”  to Micallef but in a flash he was gone….

It was a fleeting reminder, in television fantasies, of what might have been. How ironic that Micallef had also previously presented news but not as we know it, on SBS’ wry NEWStopia.

It’s now been a week with TEN’s newest baby and there has been much debate about how it has performed. On this site alone it has generated more comment than any single topic (ratings excluded). That shows awareness and engagement with the product. It would be far worse if nobody had an opinion. Some critics scored its first night a Pass, just. In fairness to the show, I’ve held off comment until it had a week in the bag.

On the positives, TEN was right to try something new. Hit reality shows notwithstanding, the timeslot has been a dog for too long. It was even right to try a genre such as this. The news premise is worthwhile (more on the execution shortly). The set looks bright and lively, the live element adds a sense of danger and, individually at least, the cast are appealing.

On the negatives, it’s format, format, format. This show doesn’t know what it is yet. It’s attempted to be bold by saying it will present news irreverently. But it isn’t working well enough yet as either a news and information show, or as light entertainment. Aiming for a middle ground, so far it ends up missing both.

Central to this is a desire to cram so much information into its 30 minutes, causing news item to arrive as a mere headline accompanied by a punchline. Suggestions that the show will go behind the news or provide some analysis, even comedic analysis, are yet to be realised. On Friday a cross to the premiere of Balibo lasted 50 seconds. An interview with Tony Moclair lasted 90 seconds. Putting less on the running sheet would allow more food for thought, unless this is a smokescreen to disguise the possibility the team has little depth to offer (none of which would be their fault, they are hardly experts on these subjects).

The hierarchy of news items is also questionable. On Thursday the Miss Australia winner ranked higher than the charging of a mother over the murder of her disabled son. On Friday the third news story of the day was a possible 5c rise in stamps. And for a team that promises to talk about the serious news it already shows a habit of avoiding many sensitive issues. One internet bullying subject was tackled, with Ruby Rose talking about her high school experiences and advice from Dave Hughes to “Just don’t do it.” Hiring a News Editor in journalism could address some of these points.

The live element has kept the team on their toes. It’s been a week distinguished by shaky cameras, presenters not knowing which camera to address, talking over one another, pregnant pauses, vision switching issues and three network cross promotions. Nine’s THIS afternoon showed just how difficult it is to talk about news events and so far The 7PM Project demonstrates it is yet to show the way forward.

The casting of the five personalities is yet to prove diverse enough to warrant a nightly conversation with the audience. Unlike the robust debates on Q & A, there is little black and white here. Dave Hughes is a funny guy, Charlie Pickering is a likable guy, but so far there isn’t enough to justify why their opinions, or those of the other cast, warrant a nightly visit.

Bickmore’s sing-song voice-overs accompanying video packages are too light and too identified with Rove, undermining her television shift as a serious newsreader. There is a reason female newsreaders have an Alto vocal range -to add gravitas.

It is hard not to compare the show with TEN’s former Panel, which similarly borrowed many elements from radio. That show benefitted not just from a later, weekly and longer slot but also a thoughtful discussion that took time to smell the roses. 7PM could do a lot worse than read all the news headlines at the top of the show then work out which ones it was going to dissect for the remainder of its airtime with some insight. Radio does it all the time.

That said, TEN should stick with the show, even with some lowly figures. It’s still a good idea if it is allowed some fine-tuning and addresses its news make-up with more conviction.

3_starsThe 7PM Project airs weeknights on TEN.

72 Responses

  1. Spot on evaluation. The show doesn’t know what it is yet. It’sgot potential. It is funny, it is interesting to watch, but the hosts aren’t all the right people for the role and don’t go together. The content is all confused, serious news followed by light news with gags. Once it gets all these things sorted it could certainly be a worthwhile program for Ten and get a solid audience each night. While numbers dropped during the week, if it improves, word of mouth can do wonders. Look at Masterchef, slow to start but then bam. If this show can hover around 1 mil mark nightly then keep it.

  2. See – i think it does deserve to fail. And all the people who are envolved with it! Its the same old tired thing offered up by the same old tired people.

    Rove can’t even make his own show work properly, why let his goonies inflict us with more nonsense. How about giving some unknown’s a go. Sure have some famous heads to host it, but there are a million other ideas for a TV show that some other crew could come up with.

    If channel 10 are serious about taking chances, p**s Rove’s people off, they have been out of touch and out of date for years.

    And can someone explain what this 7pm Project’s intent is because all i get out of it is.

    News story… punch line
    Look at the wrong camera
    Lesbian says she’s a lesbian for some reason
    People in other states crack jokes funnier than anyone on the panel
    Look at the wrong camera
    Cut half of Carrie’s body off in a 2 cam shot.
    Interstitial ‘s that pop up out of no where!

  3. I have audience tickets for tomorrow night, so it will be interesting to see it live. I’ve previously been to The Panel and to TGYH, but we’ve been told that this time we’ll be standing. I’m assuming they’re filming in a news studio and we’re there so the stand-up comedians behind the desk have an audience to play to. (Though they need to learn to look down the camera, not at the audience.)

    I’ll report back after I’ve been.

    As for ‘fixing’ the show, here’s my top five:
    1. Get rid of Dave Hughes. He’s a funny guy, but this show needs acerbic news analysis not aussie-drawl.
    2. Get rid of James Matherson. He’s totally pointless. Totally. As is every story he’s been a part of.
    3. Have Ruby do any (pre-recorded and well-edited) interviews. No need to be at the desk.
    4. Get rid of 80% of the content and Slow Down.
    5. Get some writers. Don’t rely on the hosts to write everything. You need professionals providing the material who have time to carefully analyze the news.

    Bonus suggestion: Give Charlie some of the headlines to read or put them all at the top of the show.

  5. over all an enjoyable show to watch, but more for the comedy rather than the news, as almost all the stories i have already heard in the 6pm news, maybe they should focus more on the underreported but still important news, also the cross to news in other cities segment is just stupid, they should have used this opituinity to talk about actual news not just lighted hearted stories.

  6. The problem is none of them are funny or interesting, it’s the same as Rove without the occasional interesting guest.

    I preferred Newstopia- better host, clever humour, on once a week to prevent becoming stale and on at a later time so you had a chance to actually digest the news of the week before seeing it from a different view.

  7. Great review David.
    Might you, you are being very generous towards the hosts.
    Hughes is shocking, as Bass says “deer lost in headlights”, pregant pauses, which camera, should I be funny or serious and on it goes…This show is not for him.
    Pickering could be good, if only someone would shake him by the collar and tell him to think first…
    Bickmore should be a hit in this but her role and the format stuffs that up.
    I watched the whole 1st ep, then have seen 5 mins of 2 other eps.
    I doubt if I will return.
    The show needs a shake up – it needs a strong host and needs lengthy interviews not 30 seconds cameos.

  8. I wish that Ruby Rose* would put some clothes on. I’ll vomit if I see those hideous camouflage arms any longer. Looking like one of Jim Rose’s freaks.

    *and what are her abilities anyway?

  9. Agree with you David, I think you have been generous in your assessment, Hughesy just seems lost, very deer in headlights, stumbling and bumbling over his ‘punchlines’ its a bit like watching Gretel do the Logies again.

    Charlie Pickering just doesn’t seem right as host, there is something missing, seems to have very little presence, Carrie is good and manages to hold some of it together but she can’t hold up the entire thing.

    I hope they iron out the kinks, and 10 holds its nerve, but it just seems like there wasn’t enough done to get the chemistry/format right, the sneak peeks came off like the lame Breakfast Radio promos that are meant to entice you to tune in, but you leave it saying to yourself, “did they actually think that was funny?”

    Also the audience – where is it? and if you have them there, what about a warm up guy, cos I’ve been to funerals which have been more animated (well not really but you get the point) 🙂

  10. A very perceptive review. Not sure I agree with your closing comment , although I fear that this show will end up doing well.

    This because the very few free-to-air shows I enjoy are poorly treated (30-Rock, Boston Legal, The Office, Newstopia), while the shows I loathe (anything Rove, cheap US sitcoms, any soap, current affairs, reality shows, made-for-TV dramas, game shows and …..well, everything else really!) seems to flourish.

    Therefore, using that simple logic, this stinker of a show will live on.

  11. I agree that they should stick with it, and they really need to work out what they want out of it. For me there are too many celebrity interviews, interviewing the stars of G.I. Joe: The Movie isn’t news it’s a cheap grab for Ten’s target audience.

    I’d much prefer to hear Hughesy, Charlie and Carrie get into real and funny discussions about the news of the day.

  12. The pace is my biggest problem with the show, too.

    Does it have to be live? Can’t they record it at 5.30 and then rapidly edit it down, with time for pickups to tidy up the edges?

  13. Great article David. I agree completely.

    I don’t know why, but I personally want this show to be successful and am willing to give it a good chance. It’s certainly generated a lot of conversation. I guess people are just desperate for something good in this time slot.

  14. fair review.. i like the fact ten took a chance on this show, just a pity that it doesnt work.. Theres just not chemistry on set, you dont get the impression they’re friends sitting around having a chat.

    Only thing you got wrong is dave hughes. he’s not funny. period.

  16. This is a fair review, and I agree with it. The major issue with The 7PM Project is that they don’t know what they are aiming for. Is it comedy, or is it news, or is it a talk show? That, and they try to pack too much into the half hour slot.

    Still, I would rather watch this than 7’s Home and Away, or 9’s Two and a Half Men.

  17. To me, everything about this programme is wrong. It’s got the wrong name, the wrong time, the wrong hosts, the wrong format & the wrong production company.The only good thing about it is that it’s not on weekends.

  22. After starting of with a very impressive figure on Monday (5th position) to 18th position on Friday nights rating,I think it will be downhill for the 7PM Project from hereon.

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