The Vicar of Dibley

I guess Channel Nine don’t think Australia’s got much talent – judge wise as UK comic queen Dawn French has emerged as the offbeat, but exciting, new choice of judge on Nine’s revamped series of Australia’s Got Talent.

The Vicar Of Dibley star will join fellow Brit Mel B on the four-person panel, with the remaining judging spots, yet to be announced, confirmed as reserved for local headliners. Continue reading »

If you’re not out with family or at a Christmas function of some description, and find yourself stuck in front of the TV, there is plenty on offer, despite the fact we are deep in summer non-ratings TV. A mix of Chritsmas themed episodes of regular shows, Christmas movies, and regular programming across our networks should provide something for most people.

The following were our picks for the day – as usually seen in our regular “What to Watch on TV Tonight” posts:

The Vicar of Dibley Christmas Special, Seven, 6.30pm
Supermodel Rachel Hunter pays an unexpected visit to the village of Dibley. Geraldine celebrates her 10th year as the vicar and, as usual, nothing goes to plan. The Christmas carol-writing competition is a disaster, and Geraldine heads off a plan to have a stripper at the Christmas Eve cocktail party.

The Queen’s Christmas Message 2011, ABC1, 7.20pm
HM Queen Elizabeth gives her annual Christmas message to the Commonwealth.

Christmas Movie Triple – Nine from 6.30pm
First up is Deck the Halls at 6.30pm, then National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation at 8.30pm followed by Billy Bob in Bad Santa at 10.30pm

Little Shop of Horrors, GO!, 10.30pm
Another 80′s classic. A monster musical black comedy about an extraordinary triangle involving a flower shop employee named Seymour, his whimsical co-worker and a plant.

Fear Factor, ONE, 11.10pm
Christmas Episode. In each pulse-racing episode, contestants recruited from across America must decide if they have the guts and determination to face their most primal fears and confront a series of challenging stunts.

Doctor Who: A Christmas Carol, UKTV, 8.00pm AEDT.
2010′s Christmas special. Amy and Rory are trapped on a crashing space liner, and the only way the Doctor can rescue them is to save the soul of a lonely old miser. But is Kazran Sardick, the richest man in Sardicktown, beyond redemption? And what is lurking in the fogs of Christmas Eve?

But wait… there’s more…
Many regular shows over most channels will air Christmas episodes. On ELEVEN, Everybody Loves Raymond, The Simpsons and Futurama are Christmas episodes. Older shows on that channel like Cheers, Family Ties and The Brady Bunch also fit the festive theme. GEM has Black Adder’s Christmas Carol at 6.30pm while ABC1 has a Christmas episode of My Family at 7.30.

If you want to escape Christmas altogether, try SBS ONE and SBS TWO – Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon airs on SBS ONE, followed by Kung Fu Hustle at 10.50. SBS TWO plays Jean De Florette at 7.30 hailed as a modern classic that won 4 BAFTA’s, followed by its sequel Manon Des Sources at 9.40pm.

Over on Seven, once they are done with the Vicar Of Dibley at 7.40, programming is the same as any Sunday night with Dog Patrol and Coastwatch first, followed by Bones and Castle. 7mate is also a Christmas-free zone with Mythbusters at 7.30 and the movie Smokey and the Bandit III at 8.35pm.

Meanwhile, It’s a Knockout Continues on Ten – airing at the later time of 7.50 – thanks to a late finishing Talkin’ ‘Bout Your Generation Christmas Special, followed by the movie There’s Something About Mary. Movies on GO! include Flight of the Navigator at 6.30pm, then Stormbreaker at 8.30. GEM has Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day in glorious HD.

Merry Christmas from Throng Australia.

Sunday August 28 at 8.35pm on THE COMEDY CHANNEL

It’s Geraldine’s fortieth birthday and the villagers club together to buy her a present – an evening at a speed-dating session. Meanwhile, Geraldine is trying to get the villagers enthusiastic about the 20th anniversary of Live Aid and enco enco rages them to rite to the Prime Minister abo t the Make Po ert Histor campaign urages them to write to the Prime Minister about the Make Poverty History campaign.

Sunday August 21 at 8.35pm on THE COMEDY CHANNEL

Slightly unseasonal, but always hilarious, not only is it Christmas in Dibley but it’s also Geraldine Grainger’s tenth year as vicar – and to celebrate they hold a competition to see who can write the best Christmas carol. Meanwhile, at a party toto celebrate her anni ersar Da id s ggests she approach the Archbishop of Canterb r celebrate her anniversary David suggests she approach the Archbishop of Canterbury – toto become a bishop become a bishop.

Sunday July 24 at 8.35pm on THE COMEDY CHANNEL

Also known as “The Seasonal Specials” this series follows a year in the life of the potty parishioners of Dibley through the four seasons. In Series 3, Hugo and Alice return from their honeymoon, Geraldine continues her dalliance with David’s brother, the christening of Baby La-La approaches, Dibley is in the grip of a drought, and the live Dibley Christmas Nativity is a little more realistic than expected.

This Sunday following the finale of Dancing with the Stars, supposedly at 9.30pm (come on – we all know it will be more like 9.50pm!) will be a repeat of Castle (S1E09)– some guides were showing this time slot as TBA still.

On Wednesday July 13, at 9.30pm, is the season two return of Covert Affairs. New CIA recruit Annie Walker is brought in to retrieve secrets from a Russian spy seeking asylum but he is assassinated by a sniper before the exchange can be finished.

The Vicar of Dibley settles into Thursday nights, with two hours of the British comedy airing from 7.30pm July 14.

That is followed at 9.30pm by one of those trashy top 50 specials that pop up on Seven from time to time – 50 Greatest Plastic Surgery Shockers.

The Friday night movie for NSW & QLD on July 15 is the premiere of State of Play while the two Saturday night movies on July 16 are Nim’s Island at 6.30pm and Gladiator with academy award winning Russell Crowe at 8.30pm.

Dowton Abbey finale airs at 8.30pm Sunday July 17, running for 90 minutes.

6.30 – 8.30pm Sunday July 17 remains TBA, but Sunday Night will almost certainly return to 6.30pm, and, even though it is scheduled for the next two Mondays, Border Security will most like land at 7.30pm paired with another factual. Seven made a similar move last year, where Border Security returned on Monday nights before moving to Sunday nights once Dancing with the Stars concluded.

Sunday, July 3 at 8.30pm on THE COMEDY CHANNEL

Starring the British international treasure that is Dawn French this runaway comedy success has become a firm favourite of viewers the world over.

AsAs Easter comes to Dibley Geraldine suggests that the council members all give up something for Lent Easter comes to Dibley, Geraldine suggests that the council members all give up something for Lent.

Meanwhile there’s heated controversy among the locals about the existence of the Dibley Bunny.

Well, honestly, what were Seven thinking putting on No Ordinary Family for two nights this week? Especially seeing that the Monday episode doesn’t even do that well in the ratings?

Thanks to abysmal ratings on Thursday night, No Ordinary Family from next Monday now officially becomes a 7mate show. Next Monday July 4, episode 12 will air on 7mate at 7.30pm instead of double How I Met Your Mother. Being on 7mate, it will be in HD, and remains only the one night per week.

Please, Seven, leave it there now and let the remaining 8 episodes play out for fans of the show.

Over on Seven, Border Security will air at 7.30pm Mondays, while The Vicar of Dibley moves back into 7.30 Thursday nights from July 7.

8pm Monday July 4 is Border Patrol, while 8pm Monday July 11 will be Crash Scene Investigation.

Meanwhile, due to the longer running time of The Vicar of Dibley, all shows that follow on Thursday night on Seven start ten minutes later than usual.

This means, the season finale of Grey’s Anatomy will air at 8.40pm July 4, with Desperate Housewives at 9.40 and the season finale of Private Practice at 10.40pm. On July 11, the season finale of Desperate Housewives airs at 8.40pm. 9.40pm July 14 still TBA

7TWO gets a summer makeover of sorts as well with a number of shows new to 7TWO in the schedule.

New 7TWO titles include All Creatures Great and Small, 10 Years Younger, Great British Journeys, Escape to the Sun, Extreme Health Farm, Jonathon Creek and Pie in the Sky.

Here is the summary:

Sunday Nov 28
6.00 Love Thy Neighbour
6.30 All Creatures Great and Small (new to 7TWO)
7.30 Bargain Hunt
8.00 10 Years Younger (new to 7TWO)
8.30 Escape to the Country
9.45 Great British Journeys (premiere)
10.45 Escape to the Sun (premiere)
11.15 Extreme Health Farm (premiere)

Monday Nov 29
6.00 Floyd’s American Pie (Mon – Fri)
6.30 Bargain Hunt (Mon – Fri)
7.00 George and Mildred (Mon – Wed, Fri)
7.30 Heartbeat
8.30 Jonathon Creek (new to 7TWO)
9.40 Movie: Half Broken Things (premiere)

Tuesday Nov 30
7.30 Fawlty Towers
8.15 The Vicar of Dibley
9.15 Benidorm
9.45 Not Going Out
10.20 Movie: Little Nikita

Wednesday Dec 1
7.30 Heartbeat
8.30 Pie in the Sky (new to 7TWO)
9.40 Wycliffe (double)

Thursday Dec 2
7.00 Movie: Mermaids
9.10 Movie: Gooooood Morning Vietnam

Friday Dec 3 and Saturday Dec 4
No Changes – remain the same as previous weeks.

Please note, I am no longer keeping this post up to date as the number of reads compared to the work involved does not make it feasable anymore.

You can see what is on 7TWO at yahoo TV, yourtv.com.au or other internet guides including the ICE TV guide here on Throng.

Due to ongoing and regular massive last minute programming changes, I will be keeping the TV guide for GO up to date. Also alot of people view it daily.

At this stage, I have no plans to do the same for any of the new channels 7mate or GEM. Again you can find out what is on these channels via your favourite internet TV guides.

7TWO Highlights, updated September 20, 2010.

Packed to the Rafters 1st Season – Sundays 5.00pm until Sept 19.

That 70′s Show – moves to 7mate from Sept 25. 6pm Sat Sept 25, 6pm Sun Sept 26 and then 7pm Mon-Fri from Sept 27 on 7mate.

Flsuhed Out – Sunday Sept 26, 6.30pm

Family movies – Sundays, 6.30pm

World’s Strictest Parents – Sunday 8.30, Sept 26.

The Xtra Factor – Sundays, 9.00pm, after the X Factor airs on Seven . Also Mondays 8.30pm. Encores Monday and Tuesday afternoons around 4pm and 3.30pm respectively

Heartbeat – Mondays, 7.30pm & Saturdays 7.30pm.

October Road – Mondays, 9.30pm from Sept 20.

Mistresses – Mondays, 10.30pm from Sept 20.

Fawlty Towers – 7.30 Tuesdays from Sept 14.

The Vicar of Dibley – 8.05 Tuesdays from Sept 14.

Benidorm – 8.45 Tuesdays from Sept 14.

Not Going Out - 9.15 Tuesdays from Sept 14.

Garry Unmarried – 9.30 Tuesdays Sydney and Brisbane and Perth ONLY.  Final ever Sunday Sept 26, 8pm for Syd, Bris and Perth. Melb Adel get season 1 final then.

The Sopranos – Tuesdays, 9.30pm Melb, Adel. Double eps (10.30 Syd and Bris and Perth). Check local guides for exact times, it varies.

The Royal – Wednesdays, 7.30pm from Sept 15.

McCallum – Wednesdays, 8.30pm from Sept 15.

Wycliffe – Wednesdays 10.40 from Sept 15.

The Black Donnellys – Wednesday nights 12 midnight. Not Sept 22. Final Sept 29.

Family movies – Thursdays, 7pm.

The Professionals - Thursdays 11pm or so

Eli Stone – Thursday nights, midnight after The Professionals

Airline USA - Monday, Tuesday, and Fridays (not Sept 3), 7pm. Also Wednesdays from Sept 15. Back to S1Ep1 Friday Sept 17.

Ghost Whisperer – Fridays, 7.30pm.

Escape to the Country – Fridays 8.30pm.

60 Minute Makeover – Fridays 9.45pm.

The Great Outdoors – Fridays 10.45pm.

Doctor Finlay – Saturdays 6.30pm

Heartbeat – Saturdays 7.30pm. Mondays 7.30 as well.

Cracker – Saturdays from Sept 25, 8.30pm

The X Factor Encores – Mon and Tue mornings 6.25am as well as around 2 or 2.30pm Mon and Tue afternoons.

Some programming updates sourced from TV Tonight. Full up to date TV guide for 7TWO can be seen at www.yahoo7.com.au

7TWO can be seen on digital channel 72 and 127 Foxtel (Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne). 7TWO also available through 7QLD. 7TWO now on Prime – 7TWO on Prime can be seen on channel 62 in Prime digital areas of regional NSW, ACT and VIC.