1. INXS get re-cast & re-made.

A drama about one of the biggest Aussie bands ever? Well it *could* work, but only if you had the support of the surviving members of the band and the casting managed to find actors that look like the original six members.

Somehow, Shine Australia did it all. Luke Arnold (Winners & Losers, City Homicide) will star as Michael Hutchence, newcomer Nicholas Masters is Tim Farriss, Ido Drent (Offspring, Shortland Street) is Jon Farriss, Andy Ryan (Underbelly: Squizzy Taylor, Reef Doctors) is Andrew Farriss, Alex Williams (Underground: The Julian Assange Story) is Kirk Pengilly and Hugh Sheridan (Packed to the Rafters) is Garry Gary Beers, while Damon Herriman (The Sullivans, Love My Way) is the band’s manager, CM Murphy.

It also registers that Hugh Sheridan is no longer part of the Ten talent pool.

Never Tear Us Apart: The Untold Story Of INXS, a two part mini series will air later this year on Seven.


2. Nelson Aspen launches his own show.

Earlier this year Sunrise’s US entertainment correspondent/editor/all round nice guy Nelson Aspen celebrated his 10th anniversary with the show – no mean feat by anyone’s standard. Never one to rest on his laurels he has launched his own web series from his Upper Westside apartment, subtly titled …@ Nelson’s. The series is allows viewers to eavesdrop on a wonderful relaxed chat between the host and his famous friends.

Check the episode guide – new episodes due to drop weekly. A smart and intelligent journalist proving good TV can be made on your own terms (and be entertaining and enjoyable).


3. Boland continues to raid his former castle.

While information continues to dribble out of the Ten compound (mainly via the new Director of Morning Television himself) we’re still well off formats, names and even broader on-screen cast. Adam Boland assures us all is well in hand and a salivating media are at at his beck and call to report every drip we’re offered (like this post!).

What has become plainly obvious is that Adam wants to surround himself with people behind the scenes who he is both comfortable with and have come through the “Boland school of Breakfast TV”. Rob McKnight – new EP for the yet-to-be-publicly-named Ten Mornings program – came most recently from Nine but spent time producing on Sunrise under Bolo.

Add to that list Senior Weekend Sunrise Producer Stefan Mitchell, Former Sunrise/The Morning Show Production Manager Shannon Carr, and Weekend Sunrise Producer Ciaran Flannery (“one of the best producers I have ever worked with”) who Boland announced as the Supervising Producer of Breakfast v2.0. Given he plans to deliver both new programs in 2013, warming up ahead of Ten’s Winter Olympic responsibilities in 2014, expect more announcements on a weekly basis.

Want to stay in the loop? Follow Ten Mornings on Twitter.


4. Everything old is new again again.

Australia’s Most Wanted was a great success for Seven back in the 90’s and once they were done with it even Nine had a go (though quite unsuccessfully). You’d be wrong to think that it was now Ten’s turn.

Hosted by Sandra Sully & Matt Moran, assisted by Former Detective Superintendent Terence Dalton and Forensic Anthropologist Dr Xanthe Mallett, Wanted intends to employ a broad range of social media to encourage the public to help solve crimes, with viewers being encouraged to provide immediate information anonymously that could prove a vital lead.

Ten have delivered localised promos to boot – this one from Brisbane:

See. Nothing like Australia’s Most Wanted. There’s no cops walking through the background for one.


5. The mid-year reset is upon us.

While holidays are upon most of us, the middle of the year is a time when a lot of programs seem to neatly wrap up allowing a network to reinvent itself for the second half of the year. The networks have all sizzled what’s coming for months – but this is what’s actually coming…

ABCTV:
The Years That Made Us – Sun 23/06 9:25pm ABC1 (3eps).
Twentysomething – Tue 25/06 8pm ABC2 (6eps).
Kitchen Cabinet S03 – Tue 02/07 8pm ABC1 (6eps).
Shitsville Express – Tue 02/07 9:30pm ABC2 (6eps).
Wednesday Night Fever – Wed 03/07 9:30pm ABC1 (7eps).
Janet King – TBA (August) 2013 ABC1.
Tractor Monkeys S02 – TBA (August) 2013 ABC1 (Why God, Why?!).

SBS:
Tour de France – Sat 29/06 10pm SBS one.
Food Factory: Supersized – Thu 11/07 7:30pm SBS one (6eps).
Housos S02 – Mon 22/07 9:30pm SBS one (9eps).

Seven:
Red Widow – Mon 01/07 9pm Seven (8eps).
The Mole – Tue 02/07 7:30pm Seven (Tue/Wed/Thu weekly).
Winners & Losers – Tue 09/07 8:30pm Seven (13eps).
Please Marry My Boy – TBA (July) 2013 Seven.
The X Factor Australia – TBA (July) 2013 Seven.

Nine:
Hamish & Andy’s Asian Gap Year – Mon 08/07 8pm Nine (2eps).
Australia’s Got Talent – TBA (July) 2013 Nine.
Great Australian Bake Off – TBA (July) 2013 Nine.
Underbelly Squizzy – TBA (July) 2013 Nine.
Revolution – TBA (August) 2013 GO!.
Big Brother – TBA (August) 2013 Nine.

Ten:
Under The Dome – Tue 25/06 8:30pm Ten (13eps).
Wanted – TBA (July) 2013 Ten.
Puberty Blues S02 – TBA (August) 2013 Ten.
Secrets & Lies – TBA 2013 Ten.
Ripper Street – TBA 2013 Ten.
Wonderland – TBA 2013 Ten.
Recipe to Riches – TBA 2013 Ten.
The Bachelor Australia – TBA 2013 Ten.
Batavia – TBA 2014 Ten.