Has The Simpsons changed its opening?

Now don't have a cow, but The Simpsons may have gone and amended their famous opening title sequence.

The 19th series has just aired in the US and reports indicate that the opening has incorporated aspects of 'The Simpsons Movie' into its title.

Whether this is a once-off or a permanent move remains to be seen. The changes involve Bart skateboarding his way through Springfield under construction. In all likelihood it is a once-off, but may lead to yet another new opener next week.

There is no change to the music, blackboard or couch gags.

For more info, and some minor spoilers, on the opening of S19E1 view below.

Courtesy TV.com: Opening Credits: Blackboard Joke: I will not wait 20 years to make another movie. Couch Gag: The opening sequence is re-animated (referencing the conclusion of The Simpsons Movie) and as Bart skateboards home, Springfield can be seen in the process of rebuilding, thanks to Burns Construction. The family runs into the living room to see Spider-Pig/Harry Plopper on the couch. The family sits down and Homer cradles the pig as he says, “My summer love.” Read more...

Aussie celebs to trace family tree

Six Australian celebrities will trace their family roots in the local version of the genealogy series, Who Do You Think You Are?

Cathy Freeman, Jack Thompson, Geoffrey Robertson, Kate Ceberano, Ita Buttrose and Dennis Commetti will learn more about their family history in the SBS show.

The UK series showed British celebs including Julian Clary, Stephen Fry and Jane Horrocks learning more about their ancestors, visiting historic places and experiencing quiet revelations as they traced their roots. It was a fascinating experiment.

Hopefully the local version will be equally enticing when it airs in December.

Press Release:

What mysteries are hidden in old family photographs? Can mouldy old documents reveal secrets, long forgotten by family members? What role does family history play in our daily lives? Can a person know who they really are?

Who Do You Think You Are? is a landmark SBS documentary series chronicling the social, ethnic and cultural evolution of our national identity through the personal family histories of six prominent Australians.

When the original Wall to Wall produced series screened on the BBC , it was a breakout success. In its fourth season the series was viewed by over 6.8million people, in the United Kingdom , and it inspired millions more to research their own family tree.

The season will commence on SBS television on Sunday, December 2 with six episodes from the UK series before the premiere of the six SBS commissioned Australian episodes beginning on Sunday, January 13, 2008.

Throughout the twelve episodes each celebrity embarks on a highly personal journey to discover their own family’s past and its role in who they are today. The SBS commissioned episodes follow six unique Australians as they look to their own roots to explain who they are and how this fits with their view of what it means to be Australian.

This series offers an alternative way of looking at the history of modern Australia – showing the development of a nation from six uniquely personal perspectives while allowing us to share their private stories. For this reason each celebrity has been chosen so that their journey unlocks a different theme in Australia ’s development as a nation.

“Every Australian has an intriguing genealogy that in one way or another has contributed to the history of our country. Who Do You Think You Are? offers a captivating personal look at the origins of Australians and Australia through the eyes of noted personalities. Film Australia , with Serendipity Productions in Sydney and Artemis International in Perth , are extremely proud to have produced this landmark series for SBS," said Film Australia CEO Daryl Karp.

SBS Managing Director, Shaun Brown said, “SBS is proud to bring this extraordinary genealogical detective series to Australian audiences and to be part of such a successful phenomenon that has inspired millions of people in the UK to explore their family history.”

“I am delighted to announce that the Australian celebrities who will embark on the journey to trace their family tree and reveal the surprising, extraordinary and often moving stories of their family are…"

Jack Thompson - Actor and Living Legend
Geoffrey Robertson - QC and Human Rights Advocate
Ita Buttrose - Media personality and publishing pioneer
Catherine Freeman - Gold Medal Olympian
Kate Ceberano - Singer and entertainer
Dennis Cometti - Sporting Commentator Extraordinaire. Read more...

Jetstar Going Places with Nine

Channel Nine's behind-the-scenes show in conjunction with Jetstar Airlines, Going Places will premiere on Sunday October 7.

The show has had a title-change from the originally announced Jetstar (thank goodness!).

It will screen in the 5pm timeslot.

New series that goes behind the scenes of the airline, Jetstar, as it moves into the highly competitive international market. While being a flight attendant is seen as one of the world’s sexiest jobs, it’s clear the selection process is a tough one.

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NSync star for Nine show

Former NSync singer Joey Fatone is coming to Australia to host Channel Nine's new Singing Bee show.

Fatone hosts the NBC original which launched to an impressive 13.1m viewers in July.

The karaoke contest sees contestants trying to accurately remember lyrics to songs for a $50,000 prize.

The announcement of Fatone as host is an unusual move by Nine and it's hard to recall another game or variety-style show where local talent has been sidelined over an international presenter (David Campbell won't be too happy). Nine will no doubt be pitching this as a bold move, to illustrate they are serious about making the show a success. I guess Richard Wilkins' old Key Notes showreel didn't win him the gig?

No airdate yet.

UPDATE: Rob Mills has also been mentioned as one of the four regular vocalists on the show.

Press Release:

The man who created the buzz about the world’s newest musical game show is coming to Australia.

Joey Fatone, *NSYNC singer and host of THE SINGING BEE (USA and Canada), will bring his hit program alive in the Channel Nine studios with the same enthusiasm that created a chorus of fans throughout the world.

The rules of the game are simple: you don’t have to sing it well, you just have to sing it right.

THE SINGING BEE challenges contestants to accurately sing the lyrics to popular songs from the 1960s through to today. A live studio band and some of the top singers in the country will play a familiar tune and when the music stops the contestant must finish the next part of the song word perfect.

With songs guaranteed to have viewers singing along at home, THE SINGING BEE will feature recognisable tunes that have inspired hilarious wrong answers. Each episode sees six brave contestants step into the spotlight, but there will be no middle ground for partially correct answers – one wrong word and you’re out of the game.

Through a process of elimination of song-based games the last person standing will face the ultimate melody mind-boggler and the opportunity to win up to $50,000 in cash.

“We are absolutely thrilled that Joey Fatone is bringing his show to Australia ,” said Michael Healy, Nine Network Head of Programming. “There is no one as comfortable on THE SINGING BEE stage as Joey. His fantastic energy, wit and enthusiasm bring the show to life and this has been a major reason for the show’s massive success in the US .”

“Joey’s music credentials – having enjoyed huge musical success with *NSYNC – make him the perfect choice for this show.”

THE SINGING BEE premiered on America ’s NBC on July 10, 2007 to an audience of 13.1 million viewers. It was the biggest US summer premiere since ABC’s Dancing with the Stars.

Filmed in the Channel Nine Melbourne studios that have produced so many famous Australian television favourites over five decades, THE SINGING BEE is a program with a remarkable formula designed to entertain the whole family

Kindly link to this website when sourcing or posting in messageboards, thanks! Read more...

High School Musical hits ratings high

There is no stopping High School Musical 2 which this week was the #1 show on subscription TV, no easy feat when the title usually goes to stand alone sporting events.

The saccharine Disney movie snared a whopping 185,000 viewers, ahead of the ICC 20 20 Cricket trailing in second place on just 98,000.

HSM2 outdid the first screening audience of The King earlier this year (176,900).

The figure for the movie even toppled recent AFL figures on Foxtel.

There are more screenings of the film due 6:30pm Wed Sept 26, and Mon Oct 1.

The news wasn't as good for The Singing Office, FOX8's own locally-made karaoke-fest. It failed to make the week's top 100, coming in under 24,000 viewers.

High School Musical 2 will also air on Seven on a date yet to be advised.

Pay TV Ratings Week 38 (download)
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Ratings Week 39

Saturday:
1 AFL Grand Final Ten 2,572,000
2 Grand Final Wrap Up Ten 2,387,000
3 Grand Final Pre Match Ten 1,944,000
4 New Tricks ABC 1,360,000

Friday:
1 Better Homes And Gardens Seven 1,319,000
2 Seven News Seven 1,305,000
3 Today Tonight Seven 1,229,000
4 Home And Away Seven 1,184,000
5 Nine News Nine 1,162,000
6 A Current Affair Nine 1,053,000
7 Airline Nine 1,039,000
8 Temptation Nine 1,030,000
9 ABC News ABC 966,000
10 Airport Nine 958,000
11 Bewitched Nine 940,000
12 Wire In The Blood ABC 937,000


Thursday:
1. Seven News Seven 1.408
2. The Footy Show Nine 1.383
3. Today Tonight Seven 1.343
4. Home and Away Seven 1.312
5. Getaway Nine 1.218
6. A Current Affair Nine 1.125
7. Ghost Whisperer Seven 1.118
8. National Nine News Nine 1.076
9. ABC News ABC 1.047
10. Temptation Nine 1.041
11. So You Think You Can Dance Ten 1.006
12. The 7:30 Report ABC 0.837
13. Deal or No Deal Seven 0.821
14. Ten News Ten 0.805
15. Catalyst ABC 0.727

Nine 34.7%
Seven 25.6%
Ten 21.0%
ABC 13.4%
SBS 5.2%

Wednesday:
1. Thank God You’re Here Ten 1.951
2. The Chaser’s War on Everything ABC 1.594
3. Seven News Seven 1.506
4. Home and Away Seven 1.447
5. Today Tonight Seven 1.447
6. RSPCA Animal Rescue Seven 1.276
7. Summer Heights High ABC 1.235
8. Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? Ten 1.217
9. Spicks and Specks ABC 1.208
10. National Nine News Nine 1.200
11. Medical Emergency Seven 1.157
12. A Current Affair Nine 1.141
13. RPA Nine 1.140
14. Temptation Nine 1.077
15. ABC News ABC 1.031

McLeod’s Daughters 0.937m
Prison Break 0.899m
Damages 0.688m
City Homicide 0.606m
Las Vegas 0.377m

City Homicide broadcast only in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth (Las Vegas in Sydney and Brisbane)

Ten: 28.8
Seven: 26.7
Nine: 22.4
ABC: 18.7
SBS: 3.5

Tuesday:
1. Dancing with the Stars Seven 1.757*
2. Home and Away Seven 1.457
3. Seven News Seven 1.454
4. Today Tonight Seven 1.420
5. National Nine News Nine 1.211
6. A Current Affair Nine 1.200
7. The Simpsons – 7:30pm Ten 1.123
8. The Simpsons – 8:00pm Ten 1.122
9. ABC News ABC 1.081
10. Temptation Nine 1.054
11. NCIS Ten 1.011
12. All Saints Seven 0.962*
13. Crime Investigation Australia Nine 0.953
14. Surprise Surprise Gotcha Nine 0.916
15. CSI: Miami Nine 0.873

* Preliminary figures only due to overrun.

Seven: 36.6
Nine: 25.3
Ten: 20.5
ABC: 13.7
SBS: 3.8

Monday:
1. Border Security Seven 1.549*
2. Seven News Seven 1.544
3. Today Tonight Seven 1.544
4. The Brownlow Medal Seven 1.396*
5. A Current Affair Nine 1.307
6. National Nine News Nine 1.255
7. The Brownlow Medal – Red Carpet Seven 1.245*
8. Home and Away Seven 1.243*
9. Temptation Nine 1.226
10. ABC News ABC 1.173
11. Law and Order: SVU Ten 1.070
12. Australian Idol Ten 1.065
13. Ten News Ten 0.831
14. Australian Story ABC 0.861
15. Deal or No Deal Seven 0.854

Californication 0.806m
1 vs 100 0.798m
The Force 0.778m*
Commercial Breakdown 0.762m
Just For Laughs 0.728m
City Homicide 0.681m*
RFDS 0.561m

* limited broadcast due to Brownlow

Seven: 40.5
Nine: 19.3
Ten: 18.5
ABC: 14.8
SBS: 6.9


Sunday:
1. Kath & Kim Seven 2.050
2. National Nine News Nine 1.687
3. Burke’s Backyard Spring Special Nine 1.510
4. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Nine 1.495
5. 60 Minutes Nine 1.480
6. Seven News Seven 1.399
7. Australian Idol Ten 1.347
8. My Name Is Earl Seven 1.312
9. NRL: Preliminary Final Nine 1.265
10. Hot Property Seven 1.155
11. Rove Ten 1.103
12. Australia’s Best Backyards Seven 1.047
13. ABC News ABC 0.992
14. Damages Nine 0.970
15. America’s Next Top Model Ten 0.801

Nine: 31.1
Seven: 26.6
Ten: 22.9
ABC: 13.2
SBS: 6.2 Read more...

US Temptation now airing

The American version of Temptation, as piloted at GTV9 Melbourne last year, has been airing in a daytime slot in the US since September 10th.

The FremantleMedia show is screening on the MyNetworks channels weekdays at 2pm.

The host is Rossi Morreale, an American football player, one of People Magazine's 50 Sexiest Men Alive, and a former single on Temptation Island.

A major departure from the Aussie template show is that viewers are encouraged to buy the gift shop products, making the show a hybrid between a game show and the Home Shopping Network.

I hear word that Jay Leno's infamous 'Ross the Intern' also auditioned for the gig! This clip will air this evening in Oz on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

Meanwhile question marks still hang over the fate of the local Temptation and hosts Ed Phillips and Livinia Nixon. It is rumoured to be returning in 2008 after a rest soon. But where and when....? Read more...

Neighbours cast changes

Eliza Taylor-Cotter, who plays Janae in Neighbours, will leave the show next month for overseas travel. Janae was the young bride of Boyd, played by actor Kyal Marsh who recently criticised the direction of his "stupid character" after leaving the show.

Ben Lawson, who plays Frazer, will also leave for overseas travel.

Meanwhile Dan O'Connor has re-signed until October 2008 and Logie winner Natalie Blair has extended her contract until September 2008.

Source: Herald-Sun. Read more...