Week 23. OMG. How did we get here so quickly? Usually the middle of the year is quite predictable: 2 reality shows up against each other, some drama struggling to see light of day in a late timeslot, the occasional movie of note but otherwise nothing. Sounds like we’re on par then.
What you may not realise is that the lead out of winter is growing bigger by the year. What happens when MasterChef and Dancing With The Stars finishes? Who’ll fill that void? WHO’LL THINK OF THE CHILDREN?!? As long as you’re happy for your kids to pick up a nail gun and a sledgehammer, then your children are well thought of… It seems our late winter/spring will be filled with renovations. Again. Nothing new under this Australian sun.
CAN’T MISS
- Dancing With The Stars (new series) – Sun 6:30pm, Ch7
- 60 Minutes – Sun 7:30pm, Ch9
- MasterChef Australia – Sun/Mon/Tue/Wed/Thu/Fri 7:30pm, Ch10
- Downton Abbey – Sun 8:30pm, Ch7
- The Kennedys – Sun 8:30pm, ABC1
- Mythbusters – Mon 7:30pm, SBS one
- The Amazing Race Australia – Mon 8:30pm, Ch7
- Rescue Special Ops (Series 3 return) – Mon 8:30pm, Ch9
- AFP – Tue 8pm, Ch9
- Winners & Losers – Tue 9pm, Ch7
- Sea Patrol: Damage Control – Tue 8:30pm, Ch9
- The Office (US) – Tue 8:30pm, Eleven
- Spicks and Specks – Wed 8:30pm, ABC1
- East West 101 (FINAL) – Wed 8:30pm, SBS one
- Fringe – Wed 8:30pm, GO!
- Glee – Wed 8:30pm, Ch10
- Angry Boys – Wed 9pm, ABC1
- Hungry Beast – Wed 9:30pm, ABC1
- The Defenders – Wed 9:30pm, Ch10
- Sons Of Anarchy – Wed 9:30pm, Eleven
- MOVIE: Caddyshack – Fri 9:40pm, GO!
- RocKwiz – Sat 9:20pm, SBS one
- A Quiet Word With… Richard E. Grant – Sat 9:30pm, ABC1
BURIED TREASURE
- Fawlty Towers – Sun 6:30pm, 7Two
- Compass – Sun 10pm, ABC1
- Deadwood (rpt) – Mon 9:30pm, ABC2
- Warehouse Comedy Festival – Tue 9pm, ABC2
- Eastbound and Down – Tue 10pm, 7mate
- Detroit 1-8-7 – Wed 10:30pm, Ch7
- Arrested Development – Thu 8:30pm, ABC2
- MOVIE: Batman (Keton/Nicholson) – Sat 8:30pm, GO!
SECRET TV PLEASURES
- 6:30PM with George Negus – Weeknights 6:30pm, Ch10
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars – Weekdays 5:30pm, ABC3
- The 7pm Project – Weeknights 7pm, Ch10
- An Idiot Abroad – Mon 8:30pm, Eleven
- Q & A – Mon 9:35pm, ABC1
- Good Game – Tue 8:30pm, ABC2
- Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares – Tue 10:30pm, Ch9
- The NRL Game Plan – Thu 8:30pm, One
- NRL – Fri 7:30pm/9:30pm, Ch9
AT YOUR OWN RISK
- Bones – Mon 8:30pm, Ch7
- Everyday Gourmet – Weekdays 4pm, Ch10
- CSI: Miami – Mon 10:30pm, Ch9
- Australia’s Got Talent – Tue/Wed 7:30pm, Ch7
- BIG: Extreme Makeover – Wed 9:30pm, Ch9
- Grey’s Anatomy – Thu 8:30pm, Ch7
- The Cape – Fri 8:30pm, 7mate
LAST CHANCE(S)
- Hawaii Five-O – Sun 9pm, Ch10
- No Ordinary Family – Mon 7:30pm, Ch7
- Offspring – Mon 8:30pm, Ch10
- Jamie’s Food Revolution – Fri 9pm, Ch10
DO. NOT. BOTHER.
- Cougar Town – Tue 11pm, Ch7
- MOVIE: Sex & the City – Tue 9pm, GO!
- Desperate Housewives – Thu 9:30pm, Ch7
- NRL Footy Show – Thu 9:30pm, Ch9
- 30 Rock – Thu 11:30pm, Ch7
After much hype, and much promotion, Downton Abbey finally hits our screens this week. The period drama is sure to get at lot of eyes for the first ep tonight and likely maintain them – it’s very good. Prove me wrong, people.
The Kennedys continues to surprise. By surprise I mean Katie Holmes can actually act, although I suspect it’s a ploy so that she has some trade to fall back on when her relationship with Tom Cruise is finally revealed for the ruse that it is. Greg Kinnear is always dependable and delivering strongly as JFK.
While usually the name “James Belushi” strikes fear into the hearts of TV viewers (with good reason), The Defenders actually delivers a half decent buddy-drama-comedy (or BudDramCom). Sure, Jerry O’Connell plays the same character he does in every role but he’s likeable. And as long as Belushi doesn’t play harmonica on screen and pretend to be married to Courtney Thorne-Smith he’s likeable enough too. But what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Except for this show, which makes it a partial win.