Eleven's blog

Channel ELEVEN celebrates its first birthday this Wednesday 11 January as the highest rating multi-channel in all key demos, and things just keep getting better.

We couldn’t be more proud of all that we’ve accomplished over the past 12 months. From special events (Lady Gaga in concert) to Sci-Fi (Star Trek Next Generation, SGU); from animation (The Simpsons, Futurama) to the occult (American Horror Story), ELEVEN is the home of digital TV that not only entertains, but challenges the viewer.

Network Ten Head of Programming, Beverley McGarvey, said about ELEVEN: “Channel Eleven ended the survey year significantly ahead of our closest competitors, and in 2012 we plan on going from strength to strength.

We’re looking into some fresh ideas to bring to the table, as well as bringing back some of the best TV the US has to offer.”

Of course, where would we be without our Neighbours? Australia’s longest-running soap is now the highest rating program on ELEVEN, as big numbers continue to tune in to the dramas and daily lives of the residents of Ramsay Street.

Under the twinkling eyes of presenters Labby and Stav, Couch Time remains an integral piece of the ELEVEN puzzle. It is the key element that connects our viewers with the best of ELEVEN programming, and continues to grow in personality.

In 2012, ELEVEN promises to continue being awesome. We’ve got two exciting home-grown developments to celebrate, ELEVEN’s own mini-drama Micro Nation, and the launch of our weekly music and entertainment program coming at the end of January.

But before we get to all that, let’s party.

This week we’re bringing out the big guns. While we’re saying hello to Neighbours for the first time in 2012, we farewell Steve Carell on Tuesday night in back-to-back episodes of The Office. We’re celebrating the season return of The Simpsons, Supernatural and Smallville, and ramping things up in the penultimate episode of American Horror Story.

On Wednesday, we’re airing special birthday episodes of Futurama, Everybody Loves Raymond, The King of Queens, Cheers, Family Ties, Happy Days and The Brady Bunch! Couch Time will also be presenting a special birthday episode, that may or may not involve a giant cake.

Like a dog in heat, ELEVEN is sweating happiness over securing the broadcast rights to the US adaption of the critically acclaimed, Australian cult comedy hit, Wilfred. Grrrrr! 

Co-created by and starring Aussie Jason Gann (Mark Loves Sharon, The Wedge), Wilfred had shagged out two seasons on SBS before being scooped up and groomed for the US network FX by David Zuckerman (Family Guy, American Dad, King of the Hill). 

Launching on FX in June and ELEVEN later this year, Wilfred is a half-hour, live-action comedy about “Ryan” (played by Elijah Wood), an unlucky dweeb who resides firmly on struggle street, until he forms a unique friendship with “Wilfred” (Jason Gann), his neighbour’s dog/dawg (you choose). Everyone else sees Wilfred as just a dog, but Ryan sees a crude and surly, yet irrepressibly brave and honest Australian bloke in a cheap dog suit.  

Network Ten chief programming officer, David Mott, said: “We think the US version of Wilfred fits in perfectly with the demographic ELEVEN is focused on. It’s a fresh, very funny adaption of the Australian version and we think the ELEVEN audience will love it. We are also delighted to have Jason Gann back on the Network, he’s a fantastic talent and it’s great to see this clever series find an international foothold”. 

Gann, who is serving as Co-Executive Producer, said: “Elijah and I are both super excited for Australian audiences to see this new incarnation of Wilfred. David Zuckerman and the whole creative team have bravely taken the show to a new place. It’s crazy, darker than ever, and yes… Wilfred still smokes bongs and has sex with anything that moves… and everything that doesn’t.”  

Serving alongside Zuckerman and Gann as Executive Producers are Rich Frank, Paul Frank and Jeff Kwatinetz of Prospect Park as well as creative maestros Joe Connor and Ken Connor of Renegade, producers of the Australian version of the series. Wilfred is produced by FX Productions and distributed by 20th Century Fox.

Just when you thought ELEVEN couldn’t get any more awesome, we’ve teamed up with HBO and the Fame Monster herself to bring you the concert event of the year – LADY GAGA PRESENTS THE MONSTER BALL TOUR! 

On May 8 at 8.30pm, the Monster Ball tour is coming to your lounge room only a few short hours after its US debut.  Filmed in February this year at Madison Square Garden, NYC, Gaga’s ‘pop electro opera’ will feature all of her chart topping hits, as well as two new songs from her forthcoming album, Born This Way. 

The madness will begin a week earlier, as ELEVEN’s  ‘Couch Time’ goes Ga Ga from Monday May 2. Join hosts Labby and Stav weekdays from 4pm-6.30pm to get you in the mood for the big event. 

Lady Gaga’s phenomenal rise to superstardom began only a few short years ago. Her debut album, The Fame, was released in 2008, winning Grammy®s for Electronic/Dance Album and Dance Recording (“Poker Face”). Gaga’s follow-up, The Fame Monster, just received three Grammy®s, including Female Pop Vocal Performance, Pop Vocal Album and Short Form Music Video (all for “Bad Romance”).  

The Monster Ball Tour is the hottest ticket in town and the only place you can see it is on ELEVEN.   

So defrost your meat dress and turn up your speakers – it’s time to join the Monster’s Ball. 

In only its second week, Australia’s newest digital multi-channel, ELEVEN, has taken top spot among digital multi-channels with its target audience of 13-29s, capturing a 9.4% per cent prime-time commercial share.

ELEVEN has the top two programs in 13-29 for Week 4 across all digital multi-channels with The All New Simpsons and Futurama (Mon Ep 2).

ELEVEN’s top programs for the week include:

Program Viewers

The All New Simpsons 330,000

Futurama (Mon Ep 2) 318,000

Neighbours 292,000

Supernatural 264,000

So You Think You Can Dance (US) 234,000

FROM 8.30PM FRIDAY, JANUARY 21 

Episode 2 (603 & 604) 

Tonight, television’s hottest dance com- petition series So You Think You Can Dance heads to Boston and Atlanta for the next round of auditions. 

The series kicked o last week with an impressive bunch of dancers burning up the dance oor in LA, and tonight’s hope- fuls are eager to do even better! 

First up, SYTYCD host Cat Deeley and judges Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy and Tyce Diorio head to Boston, Massachusetts, to see the best [and sometimes worst] the east coast has to o er. 

Expect some outstanding contemporary routines, with a few Breakers, Crumpers and Latin Cha Cha dancers impressing the judges too. But its not all tickets straight to Vegas, there are some dancers who have missed the mark completely – both on the dance oor and in the wardrobe [blue spandex pants anyone? 

Next up judges Nigel and Mary are joined by guest judge Lil C for the best of the best in the dirty south. Atlanta delivers plenty of hits, some misses and a few crazy’s out there on the dance oor. Keep an eye out for Billy, Amber, Jamal and Victor – a bunch of contemporary dancers who excel and head straight to Vegas. 

7.30PM FRIDAY, JANUARY 21 

THE JET SET Season 1, Episode 2 

Scream with joy 90210 fans, the wait is over! After 14 years, Beverly Hills 90210 originals Brenda Walsh (played Shannen Doherty) and Kelly Taylor (played by Jennie Garth) reunite in tonight’s star studded episode. They catch up on a decade and a half’s worth of goss over lunch at the Peach Pit, where original Peach Pit owner Nat (guest star Joe E. Tata) joins them for a reunion. 

Later, Dixon impresses his peers when he helps them play a prank on a rival lacrosse team, Silver posts a video on her blog revealing that Ethan cheated on Naomi, and Annie misses the deadline to audition for the spring musical. But sparks y when she meets the leading actor Ty, one of the most popular students on campus. Ty impresses Annie by ying her to San Francisco for dinner in his private jet, but Annie fails to mention her plans to her parents.

6.30PM FRIDAY, JANUARY 21 

Episode 6080 

LUCAS’ DESIRE TO EMBRACE LIFE TAKES A RISKY TURN 

2010 was a quiet year for Lucas. Aside from his on again o again lover Stephanie Scully being sent to jail for culpable driving, he laid pretty low. 

Tonight he nds himself at a loose end and with all his mates coupling up, he decides to reconnect with his old mate Billy, who he met in rehab after his bike accident. 

However Billy has more on o er than a night out – a wad of cash in exchange for storage space at the garage and Lucas’ silence. Aware it’s a little dodgy, Lucas accepts the deal. Is he starting down a dan- gerous road? Answer: yes. 

Turning her back on New York, Donna decides to re- enrol at university. 

Fearing she’ll regret the decision, her friends and family rally to try and change her mind. They try a number of tricks in an attempt to inspire Donna, but Donna holds rm until she runs into her old colleague Lindsey. Will Donna’s brush with the past inspire her to reclaim her dream, or make things even worse?

8.30PM THURSDAY, JANUARY 20 

AIR (Part 3) Season 1, Episode 3 

With the air supply failing on the Destiny, a team disembarks to a desert-like planet in search of the mineral needed to scrub the ship’s air of carbon dioxide. After testing nu- merous sand samples without success, and with their window of opportunity closing fast, the group opts to split into two to cover more ground, despite the unbearable heat. 

While one team presses on to nd the treas- ured mineral, the other has another goal in mind. When it is apparent that Dr. Rush (ROB- ERT CARLYLE) can’t go on, Lt. Scott (BRIAN J. SMITH) decides to go it alone and orders Sgt. Greer (JAMIL WALKER SMITH) to return to safety with the exhausted scientist. 

Meanwhile, with life on the ship looking bleak, and with the aid of the communica- tion stones, Col. Young (LOUIS FERREIRA) reports in to O’Neill, and Chloe (ELYSE LEVESQUE), has one last chance to see her mother.

6.30PM THURSDAY, JANUARY 20 

Episode 6079 

TASH SUFFERS A CRISIS OF CONFIDENCE – WILL SHE BE PERMANENTLY SCARRED? 

Tash is still worrying that she’ll be permanently scarred from the re as her check-up appointment fast approaches. Petri ed deep down she tries to stay positive and reaches out to her boyfriend Andrew for comfort. But Andrew’s freaking out because he’s done the dirty with Summer behind Tash’s back. He quickly realises that to keep his cover he needs to turn into the perfect boyfriend, fast. Will her dreams of becoming Erinsborough favourite pin up girl be doomed? 

Donna’s having design block for her New York folio. Everyone around her tells her how talented she is but is pretty sure they’re just being nice. Her Dad puts his foot in it by telling her the honest truth and she’s pretty devastated. To make matters worse Tash bluntly insists there’s no point aim- ing for something you’re never going to achieve. Is this the end of her dream? 

The All New Simpsons was Wednesday night’s top program on digital multi-channels in its target demographic of 13-29 and also in total people, with an audience of 330,000. The All New Simpsons is the highest-rating program on ELEVEN so far.

Neighbours was the #2 program on digital multi-channels in 13-29s and also in total people, again building its audience at its new home with 321,000 viewers tuning in.

On Wednesday night prime-time, ELEVEN was the #1 digital multi-channel in 13-29s and took a 12.9% share of commercial television viewing in its target demographic.