2011: The shows they missed

Every year networks tease us with a number of shows we look forward to seeing, but for some reason some just never reach our screens.

It isn’t always their fault. Scheduling and Programming is a tricky business, subject to so many varying factors -including local production delays, plus output failures in the US.

But here is a list of shows flagged for 2011 that somehow just never arrived.

NINE:
The Weighting Game,
Episodes,
Mr. Sunshine,
The Games: London Calling,
Shameless,
Justified,
Dance Nation,
The Politically Incorrect Parenting Show,
Earth Flight,
Great Barrier Reef,
The Hard Times of RJ Berger,
Hart of Dixie,
Suburgatory,
The Vampire Diaries S3.

Both Episodes and Mr Sunshine were announced in mid 2010 as being fast-tracked comedies. The latter was cancelled after 9 episodes, while the former has gone on to attract Emmy and Golden Globe nominations and in its second season. In August this year a Nine Spokesperson told TV Tonight, “Episodes and Mr Sunshine are still planned for 2011. Stay tuned.”

The Games was subsequently re-set for 2012 in line with the Olympics, but unconfirmed media reports indicate it is now shelved. Dance Nation is also believed to be off the table.

Great Barrier Reef was always set for a 2012 delivery, however Nine flagged it in its 2011 slate at the end of last year. Earth Flight now takes off in 2012.

The Politically Incorrect Parenting Show has now been promised for both 2010 and 2011. An earlier production of Shane Jacobson hosting When I Grow Up has been languishing for around 18 months.

A number of other shows planned for GO! have been on-sold to Foxtel.

SEVEN:
Until recently, Seven has kept its slate under wraps, which makes it less accountable at year’s end. That avoids situations like trumpeting The Marriage Ref as it did after MIPCOM 2009, holding auditions and never actually producing a show. Seven has also pulled the pin on Wild Boys for 2012 which it initially announced at its September programming launch.

ABC:
Woodley,
Outland,
Accused,
Oliver Stone’s the Untold History of the United States,
Attenborough’s Last Journey,
Sporting Nation,

Woodley, Outland, (both of which were filmed around the top of the year) Accused and John Clarke’s Sporting Nation will now all air in 2012.

TEN:
Class of…,
Inside Out,
Don’t Stop Believin’,
Lone Star,
Traffic Light (aka Mixed Signals)

Class of 2011 is now Class of 2012. TEN previously confirmed that Inside Out and Don’t Stop Believin’ were now abandoned.

SBS:
SBS has a pretty good record at delivering on its promises, however, local drama series Dusty, flagged for 2012, is no longer going ahead. Swift & Shift Couriers 2 finally saw the light of day after the exit of former managing director Shaun Brown.

FOXTEL:
Got to Dance Australia,
Cricket Superstar,
Dating In The Dark Australia, season 2,
Tangle, season 3,
The People Speak Australia,
Untitled Alan Jones project,

All of the above are either scheduled or promised for 2012.