The Loop premiered on Eleven this morning, and while the comparisons to predecessor Video Hits are easy, it delivered a sharp & fun show that has a good opportunity to fill a void created by Ch10.
Hosts Scott Tweedie & Ash London played well off each other with scripted banter, though it’s too early to claim any chemistry yet. Ironically it is seasoned host Tweedie who looked the most stiff while newcomer London was relaxed & seemed to be enjoying the ride. Let’s face it – any music fan who just got a job hosting a music show on TV knows they just got a free Access All Areas pass to every major music festival in Australia, and will get to meet and interview artists from around the world. I’d be enjoying it too.
The Loop isn’t going to cure cancer. At the show’s core it’s a countdown clip show of the top 20 songs from the (presumably Australian) iTunes charts. Though some songs didn’t have clips yet (ahhh, the digital age where release can be rushed to market), and some had clips that couldn’t be shown in a PG rated time-slot – it’ll make for some interesting episodes to come. Some retro clips, YouTube clips, Aussie clips… you pretty much know what you’re gonna get.
While the social media presence for the show is strong – Twitter and Facebook pages working overtime during the show’s airtime, though seemingly ignoring those outside the AEDT & AEST timezones – there’s very little interaction with the cast on-screen/during the broadcast. The Loop notes that tweets to the show may be shown on-screen, the pre-recorded feel of the show is a missed opportunity.
It won’t push everyone’s buttons, but The Loop is a decent show with solid hosts that will improve with opportunity/over time. Pretty sure neither of them will show their genitals on the red carpet at the ARIA awards this year though.
The Loop – Sat 9am, Eleven.
rpts Sat 10:30pm.