The Force

Next week, Australia’s Got Talent moves into semi-finals, after three weeks of auditions, and lands on a different night of the week to past years.

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I only watch the stories I am interested on Sunday Night on Seven – which sometimes, is none, sometimes is one, but hardly ever the whole show. Last night, it was the first story. Border Security – really don’t watch anymore as it is too much of the same. The Force – never got into. Bones and Castle – nothing wrong with both shows actually, but one can only watch so much TV in a week, and not everything we would like to watch ends up being watched.

On Ten – of course it is YTT at 6.30 – uplifting and full of energy! (our recap here). Although not as good as it used to be, new Modern Family still gets a look in. As for New Girl – we defy the ratings trend as we gave up after the second episode. Same with Homeland, while the Concordia Special didn’t grab our attention either – having seen enough new on the disaster when it happened.

To Nine – the first session of the cricket ran late, meaning it flicked over to GEM at 6pm (Sydney market) – I turned over around 6.15 after seeing the main stories on the news to see what target Australia had set the Indians. Later in the night – around 9.30 – I was back to see that Australia would win – and they did. All over soon after 10. The movie on Nine after the cricket has been on GO! so many times over the past few years, I’d be amazed if there was anyone left who would be choosing to watch it first time on Nine last night.

ABC1 – Definitely not into Grand Designs, nor Midsomer Murders – but my parents are! Wonder if Seven is eying off Midsomer Murders for 7TWO – would really fit in with all those other British mysteries! Have been recording The Code on SBS ONE but yet to watch any of them.

Not sure how I missed this one – as I check every few days online TV guides and EPGs of Nine, GO! and GEM for programming changes – seeing that Nine do not send out amendments to those of us who write for TV – but Suburgatory was on GO! as two episodes last night (and next Sunday as well). Thankfully my series link on IQ caught the second episode – BUT – with recording The Code on SBS ONE from 8.30-9.30, and Suburgatory now on GO! 8.30-9.30, that meant Shameless on W – which we could not wait for last night – with a 9.20 start had its first 10 minutes chopped off. We went to watch it after seeing where the cricket was up to – only to see the start was missing. If I knew that before hand, either The Code or Suburgatory would have been moved to TIVO to record.

We then decided to re-record Shameless from W+2 from 11.20pm, and watch it another night – only to have Foxtel satellite lose signal from an hour from 11pm-midnight thanks to a huge storm up our way. Thankfully, it is Foxtel and there are many repeats to chose from!

That’s Sunday night – what did you watch? Your thoughts?

Wasn’t hard to predict this line up.

Seven’s first Sunday after the tennis is a very familiar line up.

Public affairs program Sunday Night returns at 6.30pm. It is followed by Border Security and The Force at 7.30 and 8.00pm respectively.

Then, at 8.30 is new Bones, followed by new Castle at 9.30pm.

And if you want to see the last episode of Castle’s previous season, it airs tonight (Jan 29) after the Australian Open Men’s Final – the guides say 10.30pm, but when it ends up starting depends on how the tennis goes.

Next week (Spet 25-30), with the Brownlow Medal airing in AFL markets on Monday night (Sept 26), The X Factor will air ond day later then its usual timeslot.

The Top 11 live performance show will air on Tuesday Sept 27 from 7.30pm, and conclude around 9.30pm which means Packed to the Rafters will have a week off. Results show will air Wed Sept 28 at 7.30. Wolrd’s Strictest Parents is on at 8.30pm that night.

Thursday at 7.30 Sept 29 is Four Weddings., and of course Beauty and the Geek continues with its second episode of Australia’s third season at 8.30pm.

9.30 that night is TBA for two hours which suggests maybe a movie?

Back to Brownlow night, and non-AFL markets will see a one hour special of The Force at 7.30pm Mon Sept 26. Those markets can see the Brownlow Medal live on 7mate.

Meanwhie, Law and Order: LA will no longer air on Thursday nights on Seven, as the network opts to air the series on Wednesday nights only at 9.30pm.

May 1 marks the return of the 2011 ratings survey, after having two weeks off for Easter.

Much of Seven’s schedule returns with familiar shows in familiar timeslots but there are a few TBA’s around suggesting possible timeslots for some of those new shows Seven have been promoting lately.

Sunday May 1

At 6.30pm Sunday Night continues, followed by a one hour special of The Force. Bones at 8.30 is a repeat (not new as previously suggested) and there is a double helping of new Castle from 9.30 – 11.30.

Monday May 2

7.30 is TBA. Another Bones repeat at 8.30pm, followed by new Brothers & Sisters at 9.30pm. 10.30 is TBA as well.

Tuesday May 3

7.30 is TBA. Winners & Losers is back at 8.30pm, with an episode called “Like a Virgin”. Parenthood continues at 9.30, while 10.30 is another TBA, with Cougar Town at 11pm.

Wednesday May 4

Again 7.30 is a TBA – could Australia’s Got Talent appear over two or three nights, or will it fit into one hour? Normally the show is longer than an hour. We’ll find out in due course. Meanwhile, new Criminal Minds is at 8.30, then Detroit 1-8-7 at 9.30 and the final of I Shouldn’t Be Alive at 10.30pm.

Thursday May 5

At 7.30 is the final episode of Heston’s Mission Impossible (yes, there weren’t many!) looking at Cineworld Cinemas. The rest of Thursday night is as per usual with Grey’s Anatomy at 8.30, Desperate Housewives at 9.30, Private Practice at 10.30 and 30 Rock at 11.30.

Seven have released programming details for next Sunday (Feb 6) as well as confirmation that Packed to the Rafters returns Tuesday week (Feb 8th).

Sundays from Feb 6:

6.30pm Sunday Night
7.30 Border Security – new
8.00 The Force – new
8.30 Bones – new
9.30 Castle – new.

Bones will also remain on Monday nights at 8.30pm with new episodes – so for now, Bones is on twice a week.

And on Tuesday Feb 8, Packed to the Rafters returns at 8.30pm. Parenthood settles into its regular timeslot of 9.30pm Tuesdays as well.

The final week of ratings on Seven sees two very big nights of The X Factor – both the Sunday show and the Monday show will be two hours long (and then will most likely run overtime as well).

The final three acts perform on Sunday November 21, only two of which will go through to the Grand Final on Monday November 22. The winner for The X Factor 2010 will be crowned that night.

The Xtra Factor on 7TWO continues after both shows, with its final show on the Monday night following the X Factor live Grand Final.

With the X Factor finishing around 9.30, that means Bones on Sunday night and Criminal Minds on Monday night will also start around 9.30 on their respective nights. Both are repeats.

At 7.30pm, Tuesday November 23, is the final of Iron Chef Australia.

As Packed to the Rafters has its season finale on Tuesday November 16, the 8.30pm timeslot for Tuesday November 23 is yet to announced. 9.30 that night also is a TBA although I would not be surprised if Parenthood fills at least one of those two vacant hours.

UPDATED: Parenthood will air as a two hour finale, Tue Nov 23, 8.30pm.

Onto Wednesdays, and Seven have decided to finish The Force in a double episode on Wednesday November 17 at 7.30pm. At this stage, Wednesday November 24, 7.30pm – the same night the Block has its final on Nine – remains as a TBA. Going against the Block, I would expect Border Security – which always beats the Block in overall ratings – will end up in that timeslot.

At 8.30, Wednesday November 24, is the two hour finale of City Homicide. The show has not yet been renewd for a 5th season although there is a six part mini series to air in 2011.

Thursday night November 25 sees The Amazing Race continues at 7.30. The fast tracked series will continue throughout summer until it reaches the finale, like it did last year, although it may end up on a different night.

Beauty and the Geek Australia has its season two finale from 8.30pm Thursday November 25, in a special 90 minute episode. Expect an announcement for a third series as it ends.

Meanwhile, on 7TWO, the later start for the Xtra Factor on Monday November 23 means there will be an extra episode of Heartbeat that night, taking the total number of episodes in the week to five. Wedding Planner – currently in the 6pm timeslot has a final on Wednesday Nov 24 and is replaced by Floyd’s American Pie from 6pm Thur Nov 25.

Encores of the X Factor and the Xtra Factor remain on 7TWO at 2.30pm Monday and Tuesday. 7TWO now has at least one movie every night except for Tuesdays.

Over at 7mate, the season final of Caprica is on 9.30 Thur Nov 25, while the final season of Star Gate Atlantis plays from 8.30 Thur Nov 25. The encore of The Event remains at 10.30 Thursday night, that being a repeat of the episode seen on Seven on Monday Nov 22 at 10.30pm.

Please note, all this information is correct at time of posting and is subject to change via network amendments. While times for shows most shows will not change, in the last week of ratings for the year, there is likely to be numerous last minute changes to programming especially on 7TWO and 7mate.

Wow – that didn’t take long.

Looks like we will only ever see two episodes of Beat The Star on Seven, with the network choosing to take it off from the week after next, and move Four Weddings into its Tuesday night timeslot.

Beat the Star failed to attract a similar audience to Minute to Win It with less than a million watching the show’s first episode last Tuesday. Even the 7.30 Report on ABC1 did better. It’s the kind of show that would probably be more suited to a weekend timeslot rather than the ultra competitive nightly weekday prime time.

As for Four Weddings, it faired better in ratings, but its move to Tuesday night from September 21 will see it avoid being impacted by the premiere of season 2 of Glee on Ten at 7.30 Wednesday Sept 22. In it’s place that night will be Border Security and The Force. Both are repeats.

Summary:

Four Weddings Wednesday Sept 15 7.30, then Tuesdays 7.30pm from Sept 21.

Border Security and The Force repeats from 7.30pm Wed Sept 22.

Beat the Star Tue Sept 14, 7.30pm, then gone altogether.

8:00pm – Monday, July 19 on Seven

- ALL-NEW

This week on THE FORCE: RBT, Perth’s Traffic Enforcement Group have an operation to target prolific drink drivers. Concerned members of the community call police to dob in someone they believe is a risk to the public and themselves.

On routine patrol, police spot a car travelling at speed the other way and decide to take a closer look. The driver pulls over to the side of the road and it’s immediately obvious he’s been drinking. But is it the only charge he’ll face tonight?

Police have just run up a car’s number plate but find a lot more than they bargained for.

THE FORCE: RBT, hosted by SIMON REEVE, takes an inside look at the daily life of Australian police officers as they strive to keep our streets safe.

After suffering a battering in the ratings, Seven have moved Breaking the Magicians Code: Magic’s Secrets Finally Revealed to 7TWO, effective immediately. The show will move to 7TWO with its third episode from 6.30pm, Sunday, July 4.

Replacing the Magician’s Code will be Border Security at 7.30pm and The Force: Random Breath Test at 8pm on Monday June 28. The random breath test episode of the Force comes one day after Nine premieres its new factual series called RBT about random breath tests.

On 7TWO, on Sundays, Packed to the Rafters repeats move to 5pm Sunday.

In other Seven programming news, Trauma will move from 11pm to 11.30pm Monday nights, with an episode of Scrubs at 11pm.

A Hung encore will play on Sunday June 27, at 11.20pm, pushing out Russell Brands’ Ponderland for that night.