The next couple of weeks of television will be very interesting as Ch9 & Ch10 fast track a number of their new international shows/series to air before the end of the ratings year. Lots of good programs lining up, some legitimately deserving of the title “fast tracked” as they air here in Australia but a few hours after they air in the US. Others – like Survivor: South Pacific will be delayed by a couple of weeks to suit the local schedule. In a feat of sheer lunacy if you wanted to watch the Emmys on Monday and do not have access to pay TV, you’ll have to wait until this coming FRIDAY to see it on Eleven. 5 days after it has been broadcast. What ARE Channel 10 thinking?!
CAN’T MISS
- Sunday Night – Sun 6:30pm, Ch7
- The Renovators – Sun 6:30pm; Mon/Tue/Wed/Thu/Fri 7:30pm, Ch10
- Grand Designs – Sun 7:30pm, ABC1
- Wild Boys – Sun 7:30pm (rpt following Sun 10am), Ch7
- Underbelly Razor – Sun 8:30pm, Ch9 (rpt Fri 8:30pm, GEM)
- Talkin’ ‘Bout Your Generation – Sun 7:30pm, Ch10
- Camelot – Sun 9:30pm, GO!
- Louis Theroux: The City Addicted to Crystal Meth – Sun 11:30pm, Ch7
- Mythbusters – Mon 7:30pm, SBS one
- Australian Story – Mon 8pm, ABC1
- Four Corners – Mon 8:30pm, ABC1
- Breaking Bad – Mon 9:30pm, ABC2
- Two and a Half Men (feat Ashton Kutcher) – Tue 8:30pm, Ch9
- The Office (US) – Tue 8:30pm/9pm/10:30pm, Eleven
- The Joy Of Sets – Tue 9pm, Ch9
- Wilfred (US) (season final) – Tue 9:30pm, Eleven
- Charlie Sheen Roast – Tue 9:30pm, Ch9
- Californication (rpt) – Tue 10pm, Eleven
- Spicks and Specks – Wed 8:30pm, ABC1
- Glee (new season) – Wed 8:30pm, Ch10
- The Gruen Transfer – Wed 9pm, ABC1
- At Home With Julia – Wed 9:30pm, ABC1
- Eric Stonestreet’s Modern Love – Wed 9:30pm, Ch10
- Sons Of Anarchy – Wed 9:30pm, Eleven
- Four Weddings – Thu 7:30pm, Ch7
- Crownies – Thu 8:30pm, ABC1
- Beauty and the Geek Australia – Thu 8:30pm, Ch7
- MOVIE: Ocean’s Thirteen – Thu 9:30pm, GO!
- 63rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards – Fri 9:30pm, Eleven
BURIED TREASURE
- The Chaser’s War On Everything – Sun 9:30pm, 7mate
- Compass – Sun 10pm, ABC1
- Suits – Mon 10:30pm, Ch7
- Can Of Worms (rpt) – Tue 9:30pm, ONE
- Arrested Development – Thu 8:30pm, ABC2
- Lockdown – Thu 9pm, 7mate
- Richard Hammond’s Engineering Connections – Sat 7:30pm, SBS one
- Ross Noble’s Australian Trip (rpt) – Sat 8:30pm, ONE
SECRET TV PLEASURES
- 6:30PM with George Negus – Weeknights 6:30pm, Ch10
- The 7pm Project – Weeknights 7pm, Ch10
- Media Watch – Mon 9:15pm, ABC1
- Q & A – Mon 9:35pm, ABC1
- Good Game – Tue 8:30pm, ABC2
- Hardcore Pawn – Wed 8:30pm, Thu 9pm, 7mate
- Pawn Stars – Thu 8:30pm, 7mate
- The NRL Game Plan – Thu 8:30pm, One
- Embarrassing Bodies – Thu 9:30pm, GEM
- Operation Repo – Wed 10:30, Thu 9:30pm, 7mate
- Up Late – Thu 11:50pm, GO!
- NRL – Fri/Sat 7:30pm, Ch9
- MOVIE: Jurassic Park – Sat 2pm, Ch7
- MOVIE: The Lost World: Jurassic Park – Sat 6:30pm, Ch7
- MOVIE: Almost Famous – Sat 8:30pm, GO!
- MOVIE: Jurassic Park III – Sat 9pm, Ch7
AT YOUR OWN RISK
- The X Factor Australia (Live shows) – Mon/Tue 7:30pm, Ch7
- Farmer Wants A Wife – Mon 7:30pm, Ch9
- Undercover Boss Australia – Mon 8:30pm, Ch10
- Good News World – Mon 9:30pm, Ch10
- Packed To The Rafters – Tue 8:30pm, Ch7
- Dinner Date (UK) – Tue 9:30pm, Ch7
- twentysomething – Tue 9pm, ABC2
- World’s Strictest Parents – Wed 7:30pm, Ch7
- Poh’s Kitchen on the Road – Wed 8pm, ABC1
LAST CHANCE(S)
- Hamish & Andy’s Gap Year – Thu 8:30pm, Ch9
- Rush – Thu 9:30pm, Ch10
DO. NOT. BOTHER.
- Swift & Shift – Mon 8:30pm, SBS one
- Same Name – Wed 7:30pm, GO!
- NRL Footy Show – Thu 9:30pm, Ch9
Finally, we all get to see The Joy Of Sets. This first episode looks at show openings, and the impact they have on all our expectations of shows (mind you, their opening titles are pretty good). It’s Tony and Ed at their best, and the show is over far too quickly in 30 minutes.
In the States, the premiere of the Kutcher Two and a Half Men is up agains the Charlie Sheen Roast – nice serve. Here we’re seeing the two somewhat in order, and fast-tracked from the US. I’m not sure TaaHM will be worth it, but just pointing it out. Any roast featuring William Shatner hanging it on Charlie Sheen is worth watching in my books.
In a rare show of intelligent (if out of date) programming, this Saturday Channel 7 are delivering all 3 Jurassic Park movies, starting at 2pm. The first film remains a marker in reimagining film special effects (and is a great story to boot), the second isn’t much chop, and the third is OK if not obviously a money-spinning attempt. Excellent popcorn fodder all three.