Rescue Special Ops

Stingers and Rescue Special Ops star Peter Phelps has revealed that he will be joining Seven soap Home & Away when it returns in 2012.

The 51-year old will play Alan, the abusive father of troubled teen and River Boy Stu, who has been a semi-regular in the serial since mid this year.

Stu’s abusive behaviour towards girlfriend Sascha has not gone unnoticed throughout his stint, and his character has been drawn parallels with his father who, to this point, has not appeared on screen.

When Phelps begins in 2012, it will be a long awaited reunion between himself and fellow Stingers star Robert Mammome who ironically plays Sacha’s father, Sid Walker.

“Peter and I have known each other for 20 years,” Robert told TV Week. “It’s like a school reunion when you work with actors that you’ve worked with before for a long time. It’s been lots of fun.

“It’s such a change from when you’re younger and you’re competing for the same work. As you get older, you realise we’re all in it together, and it’s a cool thing when you get older — there’s that mutual respect.”

It is not yet known when exactly Peter’s scenes will go to air.

Rescue Special Ops, Nine, 8.30pm
In the final ever episode tonight, a truck crashes into a service station, everyone is stretched to the limit dealing with multiple traumas. Let’s hope it gives closure to the Dean and Lara saga.

Home and Away, Seven, 7pm
After much promotion, a severe storm is approaching Summer Bay. Leah learns of Irene’s diagnosis. John’s health is at risk. Sasha reunites with her brother Felix, and Romeo battles with a career decision.

Good News World, Ten, 9.30pm
Join GNW favourites, Paul, Mikey and Claire, plus a regular cast of the country’s best comedians, as they tackle the biggest stories on the planet! Think SNL meets The Daily Show with an Aussie twist.

Project Runway, Arena, 8.30pm
Craig, Johnny and Dylan have been selected for the finale and they now face their final challenge. They have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to kick-start their fashion future by creating a collection of 10 designs which will be showcased at a live fashion show in front of their fashion industry peers. Final airs next week.

Neighbours, Eleven, 6.30pm
Apparently four Collingwood football players appear tonight in a scene with Gemma and Eve. After seeing Kyle leave Charlie’s with another girl, Jade does her best to avoid him. Meanwhile, Sonya learns of the shopping centre development.

This Monday (September 5) on Nine, will be the LAST EVER episode of Rescue (Special Ops).

When a truck crashes into a service station, everyone is stretched to the limit dealing with multiple traumas.

The series was not renewed due to lower than expected ratings. Nine say it is better to leave the series while it is doing well, rather than letting it fade away – as is often the case these days with TV shows.

It airs at 8.30pm.

 Just what are channel Nine trying to do to Rescue (Special Ops)?

Last week, Nine did not update their EPG meaning that Rescue showed as starting at 8.30pm and finishing at 9.30pm. But last Monday was the premiere of the new season of The Farmer Wants a Wife which ended up not finishing until 8.45pm. That meant, that my recording of Resuce had 15 minutes of Farmer at the beginning.

And because I did not have the foresight to add an extra 20 minutes to Rescue that night, I missed out on the end. I have to say, I could tell the EPG was not correct based on the fact it still said 8.30 exactly as the start time and 9.30 exactly as an end time, but thought, at worst, it would only end up being out by a few minutes.

Nine have not been that bad in recent months – in fact most of the year – with their EPG being up to date and accurate. Even on their biggest night ever (well since I have been involved in TV writing anyway!) their EPG was correct.

On Sunday August 21,with The Block finale airing from 6.30- 8.30, so concerned was I about a possible huge overrun of The Block that I added an extra HOUR to Underbelly: Razor – which premiered after The Block finale -so I would not miss a thing.

As it turns out, The Block finished at 8.32, and the EPG had 8.34 as the start time for Underbelly: Razor. I was actually worried for a moment as I wrapped up my Block live blog that Underbelly would start a minute early and people who had set it to record may miss the opening minute. Thankfully two minutes of typical channel Nine self promotion prevented that scenario from arising.

Then there is this week. An amendment issued so late and possibly in secrecy to a select few resulted in a double episode of Rescue on Monday night this week – bumping out (as usual) CSI: Miami. Thankfully, I had channel Nine on earlier in the night and heard it was a double episode.

My IQ had not put in the second episode to record, so I had to add it in myself. I do not trust series link for last minute changes like this, and have no idea that, had I have series linked Rescue, that the 9.30 episode would have added itself in after the 8.30 one in any case.

Anyway, I saw it was on, checked Throng’s email for amendments and checked internet TV guides only to see that CSI: Miami was still in for 9.30 and we had no email notifying us of the amendment. Any wonder the audience gets confused? Ratings-wise, the second episode only dropped about 100,000 from the first – BUT – with the change being so late, CSI: Miami episode one still would have shown in the ratings top 50 for the day. The first episode was also down on usual, and frankly speaking was nowhere near as good as the previous two were.

Here at Throng, we spotted the erronious CSI in the top 50 for the day and changed it accordingly.

But what if I saw NO channel Nine last night, and relied on my recording to watch Rescue later in the week – as was the case last week? I would have missed the second episode, and not been aware of it to change the CSI entry in the ratings. I would have had no idea it was on which is just plain stupid and a blatant disrespect for viewers. Anyone who had set their recorders in advance and were out, working or away for the night will have been disadvantaged.

Seeing that timeshift figures these days can change completely the outcome for the week in ratings, the networks should have respect for those who watch virtually nothing live recording shows to watch later the same night, or on other nights.

This is the subject matter that got me into writing about TV a few years ago – back then, an accurate EPG on channel Nine and Seven was unheard of, with Ten being the only commercial that offered such a logical convenience for viewers.

It is disappointing to see it still happens in 2011, although I have to say, these sorts of occurrences are rare in comparison to years gone by.

You used to have to program to record baring in mind that an 8.30 start time could mean anything from 8.31 to 8.43, and a 9.30 finish time similar an hour later. I even posted a guide on my blog at the time to help viewers understand what an advertised time translated to into real time.

I have said it before, and will say it again – there is no reason in this day and age for EPGs not to be accurate to the minute at all times, other than when live events run late or there is late breaking news involved. And there is no reason to change programming for a night hours before shows air. There should be rules against this – in some countries, their networks MUST provide an EPG to the minute at all times. Why not here?

What are Seven thinking with their programming next week?

Sure – its finals week on Masterchef – which means most eyes will be on Ten to see how the week pans out, but it seems Seven have made a fundamental mistake with the time that the first season finale of The Amazing Race Australia goes to air on Monday (August 1).

According to current Seven programming, at 7.30 Monday night is a ninety minute special called The World’s Most Extreme Airports (which has already aired on Pay TV) meaning the final for The Amazing Race Australia does not air until just after 9.00pm. This final episode itself is also a ninety minute episode, which will result in a 10.30pm finish time. Possibly too late for some fans.

So why the 9pm start for The Amazing Race Australia? Did Seven presume that Masterchef on Ten was set to finish at 9pm that night – thereby ensuring that the two shows would not overlap and result in fans missing out on part of one or the other?

On Monday night Masterchef finishes at 8.30pm. On Nine, The Block is done by 8pm, while Rescue starts at 8.30pm. Ten again follow Masterchef with The Renovators from 8.30pm on Monday night. ABC1 has Four Corners on until 9.20pm, SBS also have one hour shows from 8.30pm, as do most of the major Pay TV channels.

The end result is that Seven is the odd one out – having Amazing race Australia starting effectively in the middle of shows on the other channels. The question remains as to what will end up happening as The World’s Most Extreme Airports is not likely to be a ratings drawcard.

Seven may well pay the price for the odd start time in ratings as viewers watching other shows see them through to the end, then only switching over to The Amazing Race Australia after 9.30pm. But perhaps the network are banking on the attraction of the final of the series will lure viewers to Seven before other shows finish.

Whatever happens, it is a VERY odd move from Seven.

A Current Affair, Nine, 6.30pm
Tracy Grimshaw tonight has an exclusive interview with Lady Gaga before her performance at Sydney Town Hall – to be renamed Sydney “Monster” Hall on Wednesday.

24, One, 8.30pm
Often copied, never bettered. 24 is the adrenalin-charged action series that pioneered real-time TV drama. Kiefer Sutherland stars in one of the decade’s most acclaimed series. See it from the start.

Rescue Special Ops, Nine, 8.30pm
The Rescue team attend an overturned bus on a lonely stretch of bush highway, only to discover it is full of female prisoners.

Teen Wolf, Seven, 10.30pm
Already bumped to a later time slot after last weeks premiere, tonight we see Scott struggle to balance his new life as a werewolf and the pressures of being a teen, all while avoiding werewolf hunters and trying to score a second date with Allison.

The Amazing Race, Seven, 8.30pm
The remaining teams depart chilly Europe and the competition heats up in the Middle East. In Israel, patience and an eye for detail are required.

ELEVEN’s Next Top Program Change

Bit late on this one although it only came through a few days ago – but America’s Next Top Model has been dumped from ELEVEN (7.30pm Sundays) in favour of The Simpsons and Futurama – just like most other weeknights. America’ Next Top Model now will air at 10.40pm Fridays from June 10, pushing the Late Late show to the late late time of 11.40pm.

ELEVEN have also dumped Dexter repeats at 9.30pm Mondays in favour of more episodes of Supernatural – which is now a double as a result.

Bondi Rescue Bali on ONE

From Wednesday June 15, Bondi Rescue stripped at 6pm on ONE moves into the Bali series – Bondi Rescue: Bali.

7mate rearranges Friday Nights.

No more Gene Simmons Family Jewels. Movies at 7.30pm Fridays now on 7mate, Reaper now at 9.30pm.

Eastwood and Down

New series Eastwood and Down which airs on 7mate from 10pm Tuesdays will be a double episode on Tuesday June 14, bumping out My Name is Earl.

Rescue (Special Ops) encore on GEM

And it’s in HD too – see season 3, eps 1 & 2 that aired on Nine last Monday on GEM, from Midday Monday June 6.

The Game Plan Late gets Later

The late airing of The Game Plan on ONE moves to midnight this Thursday (June 9) with UFC moving into its 11pm timeslot. The Game Plan Late is the NRL version in AFL markets, and the AFL version in NRL markets.

Secret Dealers no more.

GEM have replace Secret Dealers with more episodes of As Time Goes by from 7.30pm Saturdays.

There is a new discovery on Rescue: Special Ops this season: beneath all that cool, steely professionalism, Lara (Gigi Edgley) has a heart. For two seasons the rescue paramedic with the smart mouth and stunt moves, a long-term partner in the wings, and a “will-they-or-won’t-they” relationship with rescue paramedic sidekick Dean (Les Hill) has managed to guard that heart under a veneer of work.

Just three episodes into season three, viewers will see the new Lara shaken from her customary cool, unable to keep all her cards close to her chest. This week, we see Lara conflicted but trying to get on with the job – until an accident in which a shaken husband professes his love for his “soulmate” wife sees Lara’s doubts and secrets bubble up to the surface.

“This is the season we see the more personal Lara,” says Edgley, who is enjoying exploring her character’s private side. “She’s more feminine, she’s harbouring a few secrets.” It doesn’t hurt that at the moment she’s subconsciously juggling three men in her life, and trying to make sense of all of it. Husband Hamish (Wil Traval) is absent working overseas and new face on the rival rescue team, Cam (Todd Lasance), is flirting outrageously with her.Butting heads with Cam is Dean (Les Hill), her professional partner and confidante with whom she’s always had chemistry. Viewers will discover this week, harbouring a secret about her relationship with Hamish.

“Lara is going to be forced to unveil her heart”, Edgley says. And ultimately, she laughs, that means her character could ultimately end up getting some action that doesn’t include abseiling down cliffs. The complicated scenario seems set to amp up the already adrenalin-charged series. The Cam/Dean dynamic adds extra spice to Rescue: Special Ops this season: it’s all adrenalin and alpha males. Their blokey professional rivalry is sharpened by the realisation that both could care for Lara. It’s a recipe for some spicy stand-offs, sometimes humorous blokey posturing, big brother-style warning-offs, uneasy, unspoken truces, and, occasionally, grudging respect. A great story line for an under rated show.

With Easter just two weeks away, the networks are starting to promote shows that will air after Easter, in May and beyond. Seven lead the way with the most titles, Ten are aggressively promoting Masterchef’s return, while Nine are spruiking the return of two of their local productions Rescue and Sea Patrol.

Here is the run down of some of the shows that will grace our screens in May.

Masterchef, series three. Ten from Sunday May 1^st.

The third series of Masterchef promises to be the best yet with new challenges, new guests, more sponsors – watch out for product placement – and plenty of the drama that has helped make Masterchef the highest rating series on Australian television.

Offspring, second season. Ten in May.

Ten have just started promoting the return of season two of Offspring, retuning in May. At this stage the timeslot is not known. Chances are, Ten will try the show on a different night as Hawaii Five-O currently occupies Offspring’s 2010 timeslot of 8.30pm Sundays and has still has enough episodes to play to continue in that timeslot until the end of May. Despite the second season not even airing yet, Offspring has been renewed for a third season.

Stars: Asher Keddie, Kat Stewart and Don Hany.

Dancing With the Stars 11. Seven in May.

The celebrity dancing contest returns for another year, with eleven more hopeful “celebrities” including My Kitchen Rule’s Manu Fiedell vying for that elusive mirror ball trophy. Dancing with the Stars will almost certainly return to its regular timeslot of 6.30pm Sundays. Premiere date is most likely May 1, the night of the Logies and the premiere of Masterchef season 3.

Australia’s Got Talent. Seven in May.

Judges Kyle Sandilands, Danii Minogue and Brian McFadden return as judges in an effort to find who’s got talent in 2011. The level of promotion for the show suggests a return in the first week of May.

The Amazing Race Australia. Seven late May.

Seven are certainly rolling out the local productions this year. The Amazing Race Australia has already been filmed, and will premiere on Seven after the conclusion of the current US series which is airing on 7mate. The US series has 6 episodes to go, with the next episode airing Wednesday April 20, 7.30pm. Hot tip for timeslot is Mondays, 7.30pm from May 30.

No Ordinary Family. Seven soon.

This show is about the Powell family who mysteriously obtain hero-like super powers after the crash of their plane in the Amazon River. The father Jim has the power of super-strength, mother Stephanie speed, 16 year old daughter Daphne telepathy and 14 year old son JJ who once had a learning disability is graced with genius level mental abilities. The series deals with how the family handle their powers, as they try to come to terms with their new found abilities.

Stars: Michael Chiklis, Julie Benz, Kay Panabaker and Jimmy Bennett.

Downton Abbey. Seven soon.

Downton Abbey is an English produced period drama set in pre-WWI England, centred on the Crawley family and their servants. The seven part series starts off in April 1912, when the heir to the title of Earl of Grantham, long term inhabitants of Downton Abbey perishes on the Titanic. In order to inherit the wealth, the current earl, who owes his wealth to his rich American wife only has three daughters who cannot inherit by law. The challenge is to find a husband for the eldest, but the most likely candidate turns out to be gay. Donwton Abbey has a second season which airs in the UK late 2011. Stars Hugh Bonneville, Laura Carmichael, Michelle Dockery, Elizabeth McGovern and Maggie Smith.

Rescue. Nine, soon.

Rescue, formerly known as Rescue Special Ops, returns to Nine for its third season most likely in May. Stars Peter Phelps, Andrew Lees, Les Hill, Gig Edgley and Libby Tanner.

Sea Patrol. Nine, soon.

Sea Patrol returns to Nine for its fifth and final season soon, also most likely in May. Stars Lisa McCune, Matthew Holmes and John Batchelor.

Seven by FAR have the most new content coming up in May with five titles currently being promoted. On top of those five, there is also Jersey Shore coming soon to 7mate, while 7TWO will expand its British crime library with the addition of The Bill and Doc Martin to its line up in May.

Meanwhile GO! continue to promote new shows like Glory Daze yet to be given an air date. Questions remain as to when numerous new content titles return to GO! including The Vampire Diaries, Pretty Little Liars, Hellcats, Community and the second season of Spartacus.

On SBS ONE in May is the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest, The Secret History of Eurovision, the FA Cup final and new Monster moves. A new (to free to air) nine part series of the UK version of Who Do You Think You Are? returns in May featuring Alan Cumming, Jason Donavon, Rupert Everett, amongst others.

Critically acclaimed East West 101 returns for a new seven part season, Tuesday April 19, 8.30pm on SBS ONE. The return of the multi-award winning series explores the fallout from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan through a series of violent crimes committed in Australia. In the first episode, a sophisticated robbery of an armoured guard van leaves four dead, including some of the robbers themselves. Meanwhile Malik clashes with new detective on the squad, a former army officer, Neil Travis, in his impassioned pursuit of those who have hurt him and his family. Stars Don Hany, Susie Porter and Matt Nable

Coming to ABC1 in May is the four part series, The Kennedys starring Katie Holmes as Jacqueline Kennedy and Greg Kinnear as John F Kennedy. It will air as a four part mini series, with each episode being 90 minutes long.

May will also see ONE HD relaunched with more general entertainment – read more about the ONE HD makeover here.

Nine went into overdrive on New Years’ Eve with the amount of self promotion they threw at those of us watching or playing back later the 9pm and 12 midnight fireworks.

The 9pm fireworks alone had two Nine’s ads promoting the network’s line up in 2011 between 8.40 and 9.00 in addition to an interview with one of the stars of Rescue Special Ops where we found out what her and her character’s New Year’s resolutions were. The 3rd season Rescue Special Ops won’t even be on air until mid-year.

Their coverage for the midnight fireworks provided even more reminders of the shows Nine hope we will be watching on their network in 2011. Again self promotion ads went into overdrive in the lead up to the main event at midnight.

We all know the networks have to promote what they have to offer, but seeing so many ads for the same shows over and over risks making the audience sick of shows before they even air. When it comes to Nine, they are notorious for overdoing self promotion to point where it is more of a turn off.

As for Nine saying what they are the “Home of” in every ad, it just re-inforces the fact that the network is the home of “self promotion” before anything else.