When I heard Ed Kavalee and Tony Martin were making a TV show together called The Joy Of Sets, I was so excited I think I fainted. When I heard Ashton Kutcher was joining the cast of Two and a Half Men to replace Charlie Sheen, I pretty much couldn’t care less. When I noticed that the Charlie Sheen Roast was being tacked on to the end of this double, I thought that was pretty sneaky and will likely be pretty funny – those Americans know how to hang crap on people good. From the press release:

The Joy Of Sets, a unique take on television – the good, the bad and the gloriously misguided – premieres Tuesday, September 20 at 9.00pm on Channel Nine.

Written and hosted by Tony Martin and Ed Kavalee, The Joy of Sets will take you to parts of the television universe you never knew existed. By the end of the series keen viewers will have learnt enough to create their own smash hit TV format – or their money back. *

In the premiere episode, Tony and Ed start their tutorials at the very beginning – opening titles or, as it’s known in the trade, “selling the meat”. What’s the best way to hook an audience – sex, freaky weirdness or cheesy headshots? Joining the boys to help explain are Peter Phelps, veteran of title sequences from Sons and Daughters, Baywatch and Rescue Special Ops, and for some unknown reason Warwick Capper.

Throughout the series Tony and Ed teach the audience things about television that they probably would have already noticed if they hadn’t wasted so much of their lives watching television. How do cooking shows turn peeling potatoes into ratings gold? Why does every third cop on American TV seem to be called “Ramerez?” Who killed Warwick Capper? All these questions, and more, will be answered on The Joy Of Sets.

New Zealand-born comedian Tony Martin first appeared on Australian TV and radio as part of the D-Generation comedy troupe and was part of their Logie-winning cult hit, The Late Show. He has made multiple appearances on Kath & Kim, Thank God You’re Here, The 7PM Project and Spicks and Specks. Most recently he directed episodes of The Librarians and Judith Lucy’s Spiritual Journey, and has hosted two series of A Quiet Word.

Ed Kavalee has appeared as a TV regular on Thank God You’re Here, Out of the Question hosted by Glenn Robbins, Good News Week, and Santo Sam and Ed’s Cup Fever during the 2010 World Cup. He currently anchors Hughesy and Kate on radio for Nova.

Tony and Ed first worked together in 2006 on Triple M’s radio program, Get This.

From Andrew Denton’s production company, Zapruder’s Other Films, The Joy Of Sets is an affectionate and funny journey through the world of television.

*Offer applies to free-to-air television only

All New Two and a Half Men – Tue 20/09 8.30pm, Ch9.
The Joy of Sets – Tue 20/09 9pm, Ch9.
Charlie Sheen Roast – Tue 20/09 9:30pm, Ch9.