Should The Ex-PM have screened on Wednesdays?
ABC exec answers the question on why Micallef comedy didn't get a slot on comedy Wednesdays.
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Everybody loves to play backseat programmer…
Some readers have been asking why The Ex-PM was scheduled on Thursdays instead of ABC’s comedy Wednesdays.
As it wraps up its second season this week, TV Tonight asked ABC Director of Television David Anderson that very question.
“The Ex-PM had a different tone to what you would otherwise have seen Shaun do on a Wednesday.
“We’ve had narrative comedy on a Thursday before,” he said.
“The numbers aren’t what I think it deserves, but it’s getting a good run on iview.
“The Ex-PM series 2 builds on series 1. I think it’s a really good series.”
ABC also moved another CJZ production Gruen XL on ABC2 to avoid it screening at the same time as the Micallef comedy.
The season finale sees Lisa McCune guest as Dugdale’s opponent Lorelei Baggins in a debate moderated by Barrie Cassidy.
It also wraps the TV career of the great John Clarke.
The Ex-PM concludes 8:30pm Thursday on ABC.
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8 Responses
I want to love this show, but I find it rather unfunny.
Likewise. I remember the first season being funnier, a bit more “clever”, and less reliant on annoying stupid characters. Plus I couldn’t help feel a bit bummed out each time John Clarke graced the screen in his much larger role this season – a constant reminder of a talent we lost too soon (loved the tongue-in-cheek reference to Fred Dagg in this episode).
I’m not fussed when it airs just so long as there’s more than 6 eps every two years.
Yes it would have ended outside of ratings, but they should have put it on at 8.30 after Gruen finished. ABC aren’t supposed to be primarily motivated by the ratings period anyway.
Than Rosehaven could have stayed at 9, where it was performing well anyway
Putting Rosehaven on after show that hardly anybody is watching and would be moved further disrupting viewing habits would be stupid. Gruen and Rosehaven had to be early on Wed night. The argument that because the Ex-PM is different from Mad As Hell it had to go on a different day is crazy though. They prioritised launching Letdown, with a good pairing and lead in, over The Ex-PM which already had an audience and Micallef’s name. Given the ratings for Letdown and Ex-PM they got it right.
I’ve loved the show, last year in that mansion was hillarious. Curtis is a scene stealer “Mr Dugdale”, as is Nicolas Bell. The wife.. Goodness me.
It still should have screened on Wednesdays.