Returning: Weeds, Playboy Mansion (yes, really!)

Yes you heard it here first!

Weeds is coming back to Nine!

After dropping the show as part of its renewed Monday scheduling, Nine is returning the Showtime drama from 10:45pm Monday November 5.

It will be followed by the return of Girls of the Playboy Mansion.

Nine is licking its wounds over the failure of Viva Laughlin and appears to have heard the feedback that Weeds is a drama with an avid following.

Is this a sign of things to come?

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AFI Nominees announced

He is gone but not entirely forgotten.

David Tench Tonight has been nominated for an AFI Award. Tench competes with Wilfred and Supernova for Best Performance in a Comedy (TV).

Announced in Sydney today, the big winner in TV nods is Bastard Boys which has 6 nominations. Others with several in contention include Wilfred, Love My Way, The Circuit and The King. The ABC, SBS and Foxtel dominate the TV list.

And what's this? A possible gong for Julian McMahon in Nip / Tuck?

AFI Award for Best Children’s Television Drama
The Adventures of Bottle Top Bill – Jacqueline Chan & Noel Price (ABC)
I Got a Rocket – Suzanne Ryan (Network Ten)
Lockie Leonard – Kylie du Fresne (Nine Network)
The Sleepover Club – Susie Campbell (Nine Network)

AFI Award for Best Television Comedy Series
The Chaser’s War on Everything – Andy Nehl, Julian Morrow & Jo Wathen (ABC)
David Tench Tonight – Todd Abbott (Network Ten)
Supernova – David Maher & David Taylor (UKTV)
Wilfred – Jenny Livingston (SBS)

AFI Award for Best Television Drama Series
All Saints – Bill Hughes & MaryAnne Carroll (SevenNetwork)
Dangerous – John Edwards & Imogen Banks (Fox 8)
Love My Way – John Edwards & Claudia Karvan (Showtime)

AFI Award for Best Light Entertainment Television Series
The New Inventors – Anita Jorgensen & Jo Wathen (ABC)
RocKwiz – Brian Nankervis, Ken Connor, Peter Bain-Hogg & Joe Connor (SBS)
The Sideshow with Paul McDermott – Ted Robinson, Pam Swain & Megan Harding (ABC)
Spicks and Specks – Anthony Watt & Bruce Kane (ABC)

AFI Award for Best Telefeature or Mini Series
Bastard Boys – Brett Popplewell & Ray Quint (ABC)
The Circuit – Ross Hutchens & Colin South (SBS)
The King – Jason Stephens (TV1)

AFI Award for Best Direction in Television
Bastard Boys – Ray Quint (ABC)
The Circuit: Home Is Where the Past Is – Richard Frankland (SBS)
The King – Matthew Saville (TV1)
Lockie Leonard: Cyril – Tony Tilse (Nine Network)
Wilfred: Dogs of War – Tony Rogers (SBS)

AFI Award for Best Screenplay in Television
Bastard Boys – Sue Smith (ABC)
The Circuit: Home Is Where the Past Is – Kelly Lefever (SBS)
Lockie Leonard: The Ladder of Love – Keith Thompson (Nine Network)
Love My Way: Cars Without Brakes – Tony McNamara (Showtime)

AFI Award for Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama
Daniel Frederiksen – Bastard Boys (ABC)
Khan Chittenden – Dangerous (Fox 8)
Stephen Curry – The King (TV1)
Ben Mendelsohn – Love My Way (Showtime)

AFI Award for Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama
Catherine McClements – Call Me Mum (SBS)
Tammy Clarkson – The Circuit (SBS)
Claudia Karvan – Love My Way (Showtime)
Noni Hazlehurst – Stepfather of the Bride (ABC)

AFI Award for Best Guest or Supporting Actor in a Television Drama
Mark Priestley – All Saints (Seven Network)
Justin Smith – Bastard Boys (ABC)
Jack Thompson – Bastard Boys (ABC)
David Ngoombujarra – The Circuit (SBS)

AFI Award for Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama
Lynette Curran – Call Me Mum (SBS)
Vicki Saylor – Call Me Mum (SBS)
Monica Maughan – The King (TV1)
Justine Clarke – Love My Way (Showtime)

AFI Award for Best Performance in a Television Comedy
Drew Forsythe – David Tench Tonight (Network Ten)
Peter Kowitz – Supernova (UKTV)
Jason Gann – Wilfred (SBS)
Adam Zwar – Wilfred (SBS)

There are also awards covering either film or television which have been shortlisted for:

AFI International Award for Best Actor
Eric Bana – Lucky You
Julian McMahon – Nip/Tuck (Nine Network)
Hugh Jackman – The Prestige
Dominic Purcell – Prison Break (Seven Network)

AFI International Award for Best Actress
Rachel Griffiths – Brothers & Sisters (Seven Network)
Rose Byrne – Damages (Nine Network)
Jacinda Barrett – The Last Kiss
Toni Collette – Little Miss Sunshine

L’Oréal Paris AFI Young Actor Award
Irene Chen – The Home Song Stories
Joel Lok – The Home Song Stories
Corey McKernan – Lockie Leonard (Nine Network)
Kodi Smit-McPhee – Romulus, My Father

The full awards are listed here.

The AFI Awards are on Thursday December 6 and broadcast on the Nine Network.
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Meakin appeals driving charge

Seven News boss Peter Meakin is appealing the dangerous driving conviction and two sentences that he received in May.

His counsel claims the magistrate made errors in law.

Meakin was charged with drink driving and dangerous driving after he was pulled over last October.

He was sentenced to a fixed jail term of six months for drink driving, plus a maximum of 12 months for the dangerous driving. Served consecutively these could be fulfilled as weekend detention over 14 months.

The Today Tonight boss is not challenging the drink driving conviction.

Source: AAP.

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Pushing Daisies wins full season

Some good news today for Channel Nine with US series Pushing Daisies winning a full season from ABC.

The offbeat drama tells the story of Ned, a pie maker who has the unique ability of being able to bring back the dead with the touch of his finger. But with that comes the downside that he can't touch anybody without popping them off too.

The series, which has attracted good ratings and reviews, bursts with more colour than Ugly Betty.

It is created by Bryan Fuller (Dead Like Me and Wonderfalls).

Others in the cast include Chi McBride, Swoosie Kurtz, Ellen Greene, Kristin Chenoweth and Jim Dale as Narrator.

Filmmaker Barry Sonnenfeld who directed Men in Black, The Addams Family and Get Shorty is one of the producers.
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