Damage Control

7mate are doing some fine tuning to their schedule in the last week of ratings.

Changes on Sunday November 21 mean that there will be three episodes in a row of Scrubs from 7pm instead of Highway Patrol and Destroyed in Seconds that have been airing from 7.30 on Sunday nights since 7mate began.

Russell Crowes’ show Damage Control is not even safe on 7mate – with the 5^th episode set to air at 8.30pm Sunday November 21 pulled in favour for a How I Met Your Mother repeat.

With so many episodes of How I Met Your Mother on 7mate and Seven, it is Seven’s version of Nine’s Big Bang Theory in the sense that there are multiple episodes across both a digital channel and a main channel – in the case of Big Bang, it is on Nine and GO! Both shows rate well for their respective channels.

On Monday November 22, Fifth Gear and Whacked Out Sports that air at 7.30 and 8pm respectively have been removed in favour for a double episode of Family Guy.

10:00pm – Wednesday, November 3 on Seven

DAMAGE CONTROL looks at elite sportsmen and sportswomen from a variety of sports whose careers are undone through injury. We follow them from the moment of tragedy through surgery, rehab, and track their return to top line sport.

On tonight’s episode:

Ben Ross (Part 2) After being a whisker from being a quadriplegic, Ben is determined to play again. With just two days to go before his triumphant return, disaster – Ben is informed his bone grafts haven’t ‘taken’ properly. But that doesn’t deter his spirit. He trains hard with the team, and is finally with just 2 rounds to go given the all clear by his surgeon to play in of the world’s toughest sports – only to be told by his coaches that he’s not game ready. He’s now been two seasons out of the game.

Emily Barnier is a young up and coming netballer who has her sights on playing representative netball, but her body is letting her down. The anterior cruciate ligament in her knee has snapped. Normally surgeons would take one of the patient’s own hamstrings and use that to replace the shattered ligament, but Emily’s aren’t developed enough. Amazingly, her mum Lisa steps in and donates one of her own hamstrings. For his 10,000th knee operation, Dr Leo Pincezewski performs this rare double – taking a hamstring from a mother, to save the sporting career of a daughter

Archie Thompson is one of the more colourful members of the Melbourne Victory football (soccer) team. A regular Socceroo, Archie breaks his foot in a game – and plays on, scoring the winning goal. His celebration is short lived – he must succumbs to the dreaded, smelly ‘moon boot’ and hope his body heals in time to help his team make the A League finals. Archie is selected to play in the crunch game that will get Melbourne Victory the finals, and triumphantly scores the goal that gets them into the grand final

Leigh Adams, a tough North Melbourne (AFL) midfielder, suddenly becomes sick in the last quarter of game. Vomiting on field, short of breath, he presents team Dr Con Mitropoulos with a mystery ailment. Con soon realises Leigh’s heart is beating too fast, and won’t slow down. It’s an anxious wait while Leigh’s body struggles to gain control of itself.

10:00pm – Wednesday, November 3 on Seven

DAMAGE CONTROL looks at elite sportsmen and sportswomen from a variety of sports whose careers are undone through injury. We follow them from the moment of tragedy through surgery, rehab, and track their return to top line sport.

On tonight’s episode:

Ben Ross (Part 2) After being a whisker from being a quadriplegic, Ben is determined to play again. With just two days to go before his triumphant return, disaster – Ben is informed his bone grafts haven’t ‘taken’ properly. But that doesn’t deter his spirit. He trains hard with the team, and is finally with just 2 rounds to go given the all clear by his surgeon to play in of the world’s toughest sports – only to be told by his coaches that he’s not game ready. He’s now been two seasons out of the game.

Emily Barnier is a young up and coming netballer who has her sights on playing representative netball, but her body is letting her down. The anterior cruciate ligament in her knee has snapped. Normally surgeons would take one of the patient’s own hamstrings and use that to replace the shattered ligament, but Emily’s aren’t developed enough. Amazingly, her mum Lisa steps in and donates one of her own hamstrings. For his 10,000th knee operation, Dr Leo Pincezewski performs this rare double – taking a hamstring from a mother, to save the sporting career of a daughter

Archie Thompson is one of the more colourful members of the Melbourne Victory football (soccer) team. A regular Socceroo, Archie breaks his foot in a game – and plays on, scoring the winning goal. His celebration is short lived – he must succumbs to the dreaded, smelly ‘moon boot’ and hope his body heals in time to help his team make the A League finals. Archie is selected to play in the crunch game that will get Melbourne Victory the finals, and triumphantly scores the goal that gets them into the grand final

Leigh Adams, a tough North Melbourne (AFL) midfielder, suddenly becomes sick in the last quarter of game. Vomiting on field, short of breath, he presents team Dr Con Mitropoulos with a mystery ailment. Con soon realises Leigh’s heart is beating too fast, and won’t slow down. It’s an anxious wait while Leigh’s body struggles to gain control of itself.

10:00pm – Wednesday, October 27 on Seven

DAMAGE CONTROL looks at elite sportsmen and sportswomen from a variety of sports whose careers are undone through injury. We follow them from the moment of tragedy through surgery, rehab, and track their return to top line sport.

On tonight’s episode:

Liam Anthony is one of the young guns of North Melbourne Australian Rules team – always hungry for the ball. He smashes his shoulder when hit from behind while taking a high mark. North’s Doctor Con Mitropoulos ‘pops’ the shoulder in at the game, but the damage needs surgery to repair the joint. After surgery, Liam amuses the team with his post op hallucinations. However, it’s his effort to get back on the field before the end of the season that has the doctors really talking.

Ben Ross (Part 1) was once one of the highest paid men in Australian Rugby League. A talented and tough forward playing for Cronulla & Qld, he was famous for his charging runs and crunching tackles. In the first game of the 09 season Ross fell awkwardly in a tackle, and smashed a disc in his neck. His surgeon later told him he was a whisker off being a quadriplegic. 12 months and 3 surgeries later Ben never gives up hope he’d be playing league again. His wife Renai has doubts, but Ross won’t be deterred. He joins South Sydney after Cronulla decline to renew his contract. He’s finally given the go ahead to play, provided his bone grafts heal a little better. After nearly losing the ability to walk, and a 12 month lay-off, he’s now just 4 weeks away from smashing his body again.

Kade Mosig is an up and coming Super X motorcycle rider (Super Cross is a more extreme and commercial version of Motor X) with his eye on the big dollars to be made in the USA. Riders than can make upwards of $7 million a year if they’re good enough. In a racing accident he falls on his knee and snaps his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), the knee’s main stabiliser. Remarkably, he can still ride, but knows he’s at risk. Tragically, he falls again, and succumbs to surgery to fix his knee before permanent and irretrievable damage is done. Normal recovery for knee operations is 6 months, but Kade needs to be back competing in just 3, so he opts for a radical artificial ligament that his doctors’ claim will have him back competing in just 6 weeks.

Wednesday nights at 9.30pm on Seven continue to be a sore point for the network.

As already reported, Russell Crowe’s Damage Control is moving to 7mate from Sunday October 31, and will no longer be seen on Seven. The move is due to low ratings, as the show was watched by just 375,000 this week, less than half the 724,000 that tuned into Highway Patrol seen before it, and just over a third of City Homicide’s audience.

It was an odd mix of programs though – to have City Homicide – then Highway Patrol – then Damage Control. Highway Patrol usually does well in 7.30 or 8pm timeslots – did they hope for the same at 9.30?

At 9.30 next Wednesday October 27, there will be two episodes of Highway Patrol from 9.30pm – 10.30pm. At 9.30, it’s a new episode, but 10pm is a repeat. Like last time they put this show on over an hour, the repeat will seamlessly merge with the new episode, hopefully keeping viewers watching.

9.30pm the following Wednesday November 3, sees the return of the City Homicide double. As always, the 8.30pm episode is new, the 9.30pm is a repeat.

It is not known what will happen to Highway Patrol from then onwards. Perhaps a future return to an earlier timeslot would be me beneficial for ratings of that show. It used to pull way over a million in its old 8pm Monday timeslot (which of course is not available now) after Border Security.

Damage Control – the fly-on-the-wall series about elite sports men and women – will move to the new prime time timeslot of 8.30pm Sundays, on Seven’s bloke-friendly digital channel, 7mate.

The gripping new series, executive produced and narrated by Russell Crowe, premiered last night on Seven, in the 10pm timeslot. It will move to its new timeslot and channel from Sunday October 31.

Each episode of Damage Control follows top Aussie sports stars who suffer injury in the line of sport – from the moment of tragedy when their careers are undone, following them through surgery, rehab, and tracking their return to the top. 

Featured in the next episode:

Liam Anthony is one of the young guns of North Melbourne Australian Rules team smashes his shoulder when hit from behind while taking a high mark. North’s Doctor Con Mitropoulos ‘pops’ the shoulder in at the game, but the damage needs surgery to repair the joint. After surgery, Liam amuses the team with his post op hallucinations. However, it is his effort to get back on the field before the end of the season that has the doctors really talking.

Ben Ross was once one of the highest paid men in Australian Rugby League. A talented and tough forward playing for Cronulla and Queensland, he was famous for his charging runs and crunching tackles. In the first game of the 09 season Ross fell awkwardly in a tackle, and smashed a disc in his neck. His surgeon later told him he was a whisker off being a quadriplegic. Ben never gives up hope he’d be playing league again.

DAMAGE CONTROL moves to its new timeslot next Sunday October 31, at 8.30pm – on its new home, 7mate.

You’d be forgiven for thinking we were in a non-ratings period right now, with the Commonwealth Games taking over all Ten programming for 11 days and Seven and Nine holding off premiering any new shows or season returns until after the Commonwealth Games.

The final two month dash to the 2010 ratings finishing line has been delayed for a few weeks while the Games play out, leaving just six weeks of the ratings battle for the networks to get  you watching their shows.

Come next week, from Sunday October 17, it is game on for the ratings war with Seven, Nine and Ten providing many new offerings and season returns competing for your attention and filling your PVR with recordings.

It all starts on Sunday night as Junior Masterchef returns to Ten at 7.30pm, fighting it out with Seven’s X factor at the same time. In an attempt to get you over to Ten first, new Modern family premieres at 7pm Sunday Oct 17 for its 2nd season. After the X Factor, Seven are hoping to lure even more viewers for the new season of Bones, sort of fast tracked, as it airs nearly 4 weeks after it did in the US. Meanwhile, Nine are hoping viewers will be glued to their sets watching Sherlock, which begins at 8.30 Sunday Oct 17. On Ten, Offspring continues at 8.30, followed by new Medium at 9.30.

As we move to Monday night, Junior Masterchef continues on Monday nights from October 18, hitting The X Factor again as it competes in the same timeslot for the second night in a row. But Nine have NEW Two and a Half Men – back in its usual timeslot of 7.30pm Mondays. Squeezed in between two repeats (at 7pm for metro markets and 8pm everywhere), the new episode will be a welcome break for fans of the show from the hundreds of repeats spread over Nine and GO!

At 8.30pm Monday October 18, Sherlock continues on Nine, while The Event on Seven plays in its 8.30pm Monday night timeslot before making its move to 9.30 the following week. Ten have the Australian version of Undercover Boss, focussing on Dominos Pizza.

Tuesday night Oct 19 is an all out three way tussle for viewers at 7.30pm. Seven are hoping that Iron Chef Australia will continue the cooking show craze – we note they don’t dare put that against Junior Masterchef! – while Nine roles out all new Top Gear Australia. Ten return one of their ratings hits Talkin’ ‘Bout Your Generation to that timeslot.

At 8.30pm, the ancient Tuesday late season battle between new NCIS on Ten and Packed to the Rafters on Seven is back. Both shows draw huge audiences, leaving little for the rest of the channels. New NCIS can reach as high as 1.6 million, while Rafters often flirts with the two million mark. In Packed to the Rafters itself, the story lines are starting to gear up for a big season finish.

While Ten premiere the new season of NCIS a few weeks after the US, Nine seem to give up with a repeat of the UK Top Gear featuring Jay Leno at 8.30pm. Survivor, as a result, is pushed back to 9.40pm, which puts it against NCIS: LA repeats on Ten (wonder why they have not gone for new episodes) and Parenthood on Seven which does very well for its time.

Wednesday October 20, is Glee night for many – it returns at 7.30pm that night. Seven have the ever popular Border Security and The Force combo against it, while Nine has the demo-friendly The Block remaining at the same timeslot. Moving to 8.30, and Ten brings us season two of The Good Wife on a new night, while Seven keeps City Homicide alive. Nine, however, are hoping new episodes of The Big Bang Theory will bring some shares their way at 8.30pm. A repeat follows at 9pm. Nine’s move to put new Big Bang on Wednesday night 8.30pm could be as a way to catch younger viewers after they watch Glee. Both Glee and Big Bang do VERY well in younger demographics.

Still on Wednesday, its not all over at 9.30pm. Ten have moved House to 9.30pm, while Seven have replied with new Highway Patrol at 9.30pm, followed by Russel Crowe’s Damage Control at 10pm. Nine, at this stage, are leaving RPA at 9.30pm. Both Nine and Ten seem to have a very mixed order of shows on Wednesday night.

Thursday October 21 sees Seven roll out the second season of Beauty and the Geek Australia at 8.30pm. Nine are keeping Cops LAC against it – for now, with new CSI featuring Justin Bieber at 9.30pm. Later in the night, Seven have new 30 Rock at 10.30pm. Tens’ night consists of new Bondi Vet at 7.30pm, Keeping up with the Joneses at 8pm, and Rush returns at 8.30pm in a movie length episode.  Burn Notice returns to 9.30 Thursdays from October 28. The first episode of Keeping Up with the Joneses can be seen at 9pm (NSW & VIC, others check local guides) on Thursday Oct 14, in between the last day of Commonwealth Games competition and the Closing Ceremony.

On Friday nights, Ten will be airing Junior Masterchef Masterclass at 7.30pm from October 22. On Saturday nights, Hey Hey it’s Saturday returns to where is should be – Saturday nights from Saturday October 16 at 7.30pm.

Moving on to the following week, and Monday October 25 sees the 3rd season of the Mentalist premiere at 8.30pm on Nine. With Seven moving the Event to 9.30pm from that night, a program for 8.30pm has not yet been announced – although I would guess new Criminal Minds would be a good chance for that timeslot. On Ten, Undercover Boss Australia continues.

With such a tight battle between the three networks, expect there to be numerous programming changes particularly in their digital channels as they tweak their line ups to help grab those all important ratings points to win the year. It is still very close between Nine and Seven, with Nine appearing to be promising a lot more still to come in the year than Seven are.

Whether all these shows Nine keep saying are coming make it or not, is to be seen. One we know for sure in coming weeks, is the National IQ Test. Wonder if that will play out on their weakest night – Tuesday?

Last year, the last week of ratings saw an unbelievable number of programming changes with Seven, 7TWO, GO and Nine all making significant changes to their schedules – adding extra episodes of some shows, moving others, all for the sake of a few extra shares. There was almost too much to watch in that final week 2009. This year, with more channels than last year, they’ll be at it again.

In Summary from next week:

Seven – new shows:
Iron Chef Australia – 7.30pm Tuesdays from Oct 19
Damage Control – 10pm Wednesdays from Oct 20

Seven – season returns:
30 Rock – 10.30pm Thursdays, from Oct 21
Bones – 9pm Sundays from Oct 17
Beauty and the Geek Australia – 8.30pm Thursdays from Oct 21
Highway Patrol – 9.30pm Wednesdays, from Oct 20

Nine – new shows:
Sherlock – 8.30 Sunday Oct 17, Monday Oct 18 and Sunday Oct 24.
Top Gear Australia (ep 2) – 7.30 Tuesdays, form Oct 19

Nine – season returns:
CSI – 9.30pm Thursdays, from Oct 21
Hey Hey It’s Saturday – 7.30pm Saturdays, from Oct 16
Two and a Half Men – 7.30pm Mondays from Oct 18
The Mentalist – 8.30pm Mondays, from Oct 25
The Big Bang Theory – 8.30pm Wednesdays, from Oct 20

Ten – new shows:
Keeping Up With the Joneses – 8pm Thursdays from Oct 21. First ep 9pm (NSW, VIC, 8pm QLD & WA, 8.30pm SA) Thur Oct 14.
Undercover Boss Australia – 8.30pm Mondays from Oct 18

Ten – returning shows:
Burn Notice – 9.30pm Thursdays from Oct 28
Glee – 7.30pm Wednesdays from Oct 20
House – 9.30pm Wednesdays from Oct 20
Junior Master chef – 7.30pm Sundays and Mondays from Oct 17 & 18, Masterclass Fridays from Oct 22
Medium – 9.30pm Sundays from Oct 17
Modern Family – 7pm Sundays from Oct 17
NCIS – 8.30pm Tuesday from Oct 19
Offspring – 8.30pm Sundays from Oct 17
Rush – 8.30 Thursdays from Oct 21
Talkin’ ‘Bout Your Generation – 7.30pm Tuesdays from Oct 19
The 7pm Project – Weekdays 7pm from Oct 18
The Good Wife – 8.30pm Wednesdays from Oct 20

Academy Award winner Russell Crowe will present Channel Seven’s gripping new sport series DAMAGE CONTROL premiering on Wednesday October 20 at 10 pm.

Crowe, also Executive Producer of this fly-on-the-wall program, will reveal intimate moments when top-line athletes highly-tuned bodies are exposed to the shock of injury, the brutality of surgery, the burden of rehab and the emotional return to doing what they live for – playing elite competitive sport.

Each episode follows elite sportsmen and women from the initial injury until the return to their top line sport.

In episode one, NRL Rabbitohs player Eddy Pettybourne breaks his jaw in a tackle, but plays the whole game. Days later, he undergoes surgery to have his jaw fixed. Making the most of the opportunity, Dave Tyrrell takes Eddy’s place in the team only to have his eye socket smashed in a chance encounter with an opposition elbow. How long before both return to the field?

Big wave surfer Ross Clarke Jones endures dangerous spinal surgery after years of countless wipe-outs under tonnes of water, resulting in the calcification of his spine, leaving the nerve that controls his hand and arm heavily restricted. Will Ross ever be allowed back on his board again?

AFL star Lachie Hansen smashes his nose after leaping into the air to catch the ball for The North Melbourne Football Club, before stomaching the pain of having his nasal cartilage pushed back into place, not once, but twice. How long is it before he gets back out there and plays again?

Damage Control is produced by Beyond Productions and South Sydney Media for Channel Seven.

 DAMAGE CONTROL premiering on Wednesday October 20 at 10 pm on Seven.

Russell Crowe is the creative force behind a thrilling new show, DAMAGE CONTROL, which will air on Channel Seven next year.

Oscar-winning actor Crowe is executive producer and presenter for the show which will give viewers a front row seat to the real life drama and cutting‐edge work being done by medical teams to keep Australia’s elite sports stars at the top of their game.

Australians thrive on the most brutal contact sports in the world. And every day Australia’s most gifted and committed athletes push their bodies to the limit.

From remarkable major surgical procedures to on‐the‐spot treatment techniques, DAMAGE CONTROL shows how far elite sports people will go to reach the peak of their sport and the key role medical personnel play in keeping them there.

DAMAGE CONTROL will feature exclusive and unprecedented access behind the scenes of Australia’s most popular sports, including AFL, NRL, A‐League, basketball, netball and more.

Seven’s Director of Programming and Production Tim Worner says:

“Australians love their sport and they particularly love their sport on TV.

“A compelling factor in the coverage of Australian sports, including rugby league and AFL, is the physical courage displayed in every moment of the game.

“Damage Control reveals the absolute courage of the player in a way not seen before.”

Mikael Borglund, Managing Director and CEO of Beyond International, adds:

“The access is unprecedented. Damage Control will take viewers to where they’ve never been before. It’s compelling viewing and a show Russell is extremely passionate about.”

Produced by Beyond International and South Sydney Media for Channel Seven, DAMAGE CONTROL is coming to Seven in 2010.