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ABC1 not renewing The Straits

Updated: ABC1 is not renewing The Straits for a second season citing a strong drama slate but a finite amount of money.

ABC1 is not renewing The Straits for a second season.

The series about a dynasty of misfits living in the tropics was a bold move by the broadcaster with its mix of drama, crime, dark comedy and violence. Word of mouth for the show, in particular for the the performance of Brian Cox as patriarch, was arguably stronger than its overnight ratings.

In a statement ABC1 Channel Controller Brendan Dahill said, “I’m very proud of The Straits and think it was bold and brave filmmaking. At present ABC1 has a strong slate of new and returning drama – but we also have a finite amount of money, and have to make some very hard choices about which programs we recommission. Unfortunately, in this instance, ABC1 is not able to commission a second series of The Straits.”

On their official Facebook page fans are expressing their disappointment, attracting 100 comments in just 3 minutes.

Producer Penny Chapman from Matchbox Pictures told TV Tonight, “The ABC committed big dollars to this bold series and it was a great shame  the younger audiences it was aimed at didn’t turn on to  the ABC in larger numbers.

” The show is selling all over the world and it would have been nice to take a second series to the market. It’s a great disappointment for those loyal viewers who loved the show and that’s showbiz  but we’re developing other series with the ABC that we hope will work gangbusters for them and our audiences.”

12 Responses

  1. Really disappointed that this show will not go on! I live in the U.S. and I have really enjoyed it (on Hulu.com) for it’s unexpected twists, exploration of family bonds under duress (the fact that the kids were adopted adds a layer of complexity to that discussion), scenic locations, a small glimpse into a society that is not mine (eh, bala?) and more. Brian Cox is phenomenal in it…Lola was a hot temptress that got what was coming to her…Kitty displays an startling intensity and intimidation that is veiled by her adherence to societal custom… I think it could be a success in the U.S. and I am sure some TV exec here will “re-invent” it for the U.S. market but it won’t be the same.

  2. I’m so dissapointed. I live in the us and just had a hulu marathon of Season 1 and I actually liked it better than the Sopranos. The Humour Abbott and Costello of Farasses character and his cousin was great to watch and man is Farass easy on the eyes. I thought it was way better than anything on US TV….please sell this to someone, I need to find out if she turned that boat around to meet her family or to save that dude….I won’t be able to sleep.

  3. Actually it isn’t a shame, as I saw season and it wasn’t very well written, but if its producers think it should go on, they could try selling it to Foxtel, or SBS.

  4. Not surprised. A wonderful location failed to compensate for the flawed scripts and contrived situations. But yawn … it was yet another drama about gangsters with guns.

  5. Perhaps if it had been called “Underbelly: The Straits” it may have got a bigger audience. A brilliant series, ignored by the great unwashed (aka “I only watch commercial tv” morons)

  6. That is a real shame. I consider it some of the best television of the year. Understandable in light of the ratings and being shot on what I assume was location makes it somewhat more expensive. Australian television when it is brave can be sensational and this was.

  7. THis was a good show, great location, good story and I could see it working well on overseas TV.

    At the risk of sounding racist, it was one of the few shows where the aboriginals were shown as articulate and in control of their destiny.

    Pity they didn’t do another series, but I am sure it was a decision made by the beancounters.

  8. If the series is “selling all over the world” then wouldn’t it make more sense to renew the series if not to capitalise on overseas sales? A majority of ABC’s in-house productions would be a difficult sell to overseas markets due to so much of their programming being so heavily geared towards our culture (particularly regarding political matters/themes) and they don’t particularly hold up quite as well with repeated viewings. At least this could have potentially generated some revenue for the ABC.

    It’s funny because I walked right past this at JB Hi-Fi a couple of hours ago and I was considering it but I hadn’t known whether or not it was renewed for a second season. Looks like I won’t be bothering at all, then.

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