First Review: The Rich List

So Andrew O'Keefe has finally gotten himself a prime time show. What has the world come to?

Seven went and announced The Rich List before American went and cancelled there. That may give you some idea of what we're in for.

The idea of this show is essentially Family Feud meets Millionaire (kinda ironic given Feud is his competition... and equally ironic given 1 vs 100 is Deal meets Millionaire... are u still with me?).

Two teams of two strangers compete to "Name any of the 50 most populous US cities" or "Name any country with a Meditteranean coast". Teams have to declare how many they can name before attmepting such. First team to get 2 complete lists (based on the number they have bid) proceed to the final round. The final round is basically the same list principle with rising amounts of money (up to $250,000) for correct answers. Teams can bank their money when they feel unsure and go head to head with a new team, thus becoming reigning champs over pursuant episodes.

So it's very pop culture friendly, and O'Keefe is there with his usual zest on a hi-tech set he jokingly called the Starship Enterprise.

This should appeal to traditional game show fans and is without the spite of former hits like The Weakest Link. I can't say I was exactly hooked, and with all these game shows (4 new ones in 07) around I don't expect them all to remain.

In the opening episode keep your eye on the two blokes in the second half. One kept jumping on the other in ways that were distracting... if u know what I mean.

The Rich List premieres 7:30pm Monday Jan 29 on Seven.
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Meakin the news when you'd rather not

Today Tonight producer and Seven News executive was in court this week to answer charges of drink driving from last year.

Meakin has pleaded guilty.

This is a messy biz for the Seven lot, especially if the rumours he evaded police turn out to be true. It's not the sort of story you want to hear coming true when your lead current affairs show has gone after law-breakers and evaders for years.

Meakin didn't have much to say to reporters outside. That's fair enough if the case is still underway, a luxury I'm sure Seven News and TT will afford next time it is doorstopping people from future courtcases.

Shame he didn't have the time to confirm whether Anna Coren is to stay put as the permanent replacement for Naomi Robson. Word is her boyfriend cameraman has flown from LA to Sydney, possibly as part of a relocation...
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And baby makes three

Congrats to Jessica Rowe and Peter Overton on the birth of their new bub Allegra.

Jessica managed to turn a pregnancy into a Today soapie storyline, first as an upbeat antidote to the notorious "boning" story of 2006, and then as a springboard for a parade of baby stories on the breakfast show. In fact there were so many I was practically lactating myself!

So it's happy ending... at least for now. Still wondering whether Sarah Murdoch will stay in the chair for Jess' return. Read more...

TV kickin the AFL ball

It's on, it's off, it's on again.

Seven had already announced that all 8 games would be on free to air TV this year (Tim Watson announced this on air during the news some weeks ago), but now there are reports Foxtel is back at the negotiating table, upping their offer to $60m in cash and contra.

This lot (Seven / Ten / Foxtel) should really just sew up a deal and get on with it. Nobody really wants all 8 games on FTA, except maybe sports-rabid fans who don't have Foxtel. Even the AFL doesn't want it this way.

All this to-ing and fro-ing just makes the whole affair as ridiculous as Eddie's CEO uncertainty. Why put out announcements that a (sports) channel is axed or FTA games are assured when it all just sounds like bluff?

This nonsense would never have happened if KP was alive to do the deal.

We are weeks away from ratings, everyone has deadlines, stop confusing the audience.... use it or lose it!
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