For 'Dicko' its all about the name

The US reviews for Next Great American Band have been mixed since its premiere last Friday. Most of the comments about Ian 'Dicko' Dickson kept returning to his name....

"If there’s a bigger indignity than being judged by a grown man named “Dicko,” by the way, it’s hard to think of off hand," said Variety. It added, "Ian “Dicko” Dickson (a transplant from Australian Idol) doing his best impersonation of Simon by snarling at the performers and occasionally articulating an interesting thought."

Some of the other comments on his role focussed on Dicko's music background.

"The main thing Ian Dickson brings that's unique from other judges is the reminder that the winner has to be a recording artist, not just a bar band." - MSNBC

"Here they are Goo Goo Doll John Rzeznik; percussionist and erstwhile Prince protégée Sheila E; and Briton Ian "Dicko" Dickson, who was in press and promotions at a number of labels and can drop names like the Jesus and Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine and Oasis for cred-by-association. (He is more lately famous from "Australian Idol," where he is reportedly known as "the bawdy judge.")" - LA Times

But some reviewers found the show more interesting than Idol itself, giving Dicko an upbeat review.

"The show has a mean judge, a nurturing judge and an in-between judge. The mean judge, Ian "Dicko" Dickson, plays a similar role on the Australian version of Idol. He told one group it was "as classy as a rat with a gold tooth." He called another band "middle-aged, loser time-wasters playing dress-up." At least you can see how he acquired his nickname." - Hollywood Reporter
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Dannii back to the Bay?

Dannii Minogue may make a re-appearance on Home and Away as part of the soap's 20th Birthday Celebrations next year.

Minogue appeared as 'Emma Jackson' between 1988-1990.

Dannii is currently appearing on the UK's X Factor and locking horns with judge Sharon Osbourne.

But she is set to return to the judging seat of Australia's Got Talent, so there may well be influential Seven figures pushing her to agree to an appearance on their iconic soap.

According to Inside Soap: "Dannii knows it was Home and Away that really got her to where she is today, and she wants to help them with their anniversary celebrations next year."

Source: Digital Spy.
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SBS Summer Schedule

SBS has released information on its upcoming Summer schedule.

It will feature new episodes of Mythbusters, Top Gear, Drawn Together, Newstopia, RocKwiz and Shameless.

Its new programming will include a local version of the UK's Who Do You Think You Are, the racy British teen drama Skins, the observational series Real Top Guns and the launch of a new Australian drama, East West 101.

East West 101 is a 6 part mini series about the investigations of the Major Crime Squad in Metropolitan Sydney. It follows two detectives - one a Muslim, the other Anglo-Australian, and the battle between them for survival.

The cast features William McInnes, Susie Porter, Don Hany and Daniela Farinacci, and it is created by creatives from The Leaving of Liverpool and White Collar Blue.

Skins is based around teenagers aged 16-18 from Bristol. Each episode focuses heavily on one of the group of friends some of whom are Muslim, gay, suffering an eating disorder, privileged, trying to lose their virginity or are the party animal.

Real Top Guns is a 6 part series made in conjunction with the Royal Australian Air Force.

The Aussies that will comprise the subject of the genealogy series Who Do You Think You Are can be found here.

SUN
7.30 Who Do You Think You Are?
8.30 Science Docs
9.30 Movie

MON
7.30 Mythbusters / Top Gear
8.30 South Park rpt
9.00 Drawn Together
9.30 News
10.00 Shameless / Skins

TUE
7.30 Docs
8.30 Cutting Edge
9.30 News
10.00 Hot Docs

WED
7.30 Food Safari
8.00 Real Top Guns
8.30 Docs
9.30 News
10.00 Newstopia / Movies

THU
7.30 Inspector Rex rpt
8.30 East West 101
9.30 News
10.00 Movie Show
10.10 Movie

FRI
7.30 Diamond Road
8.30 Two men in a Trench
9.30 News
10.00 XY Docs

SAT
7.30 Top Gear rpt
8.30 Long Way Round
9.20 Rockwiz
10.15 Movie

Summer Programming

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Nine axes Viva Laughlin

Channel Nine has axed one of its brightest new hopes, Viva Laughlin, after just one night.

The show struggled last night with only 833,000 viewers.

Nine had pinned a lot on the musical mystery when it picked up the show midway through the year. It screened the show only days after its US premiere, which may ultimately prove a fatal move.

In America the remake of the BBC's Blackpool was heavily criticized, quickly attracting the ominously titled questioned, "worst show ever?"

Last night during the live broadcast of Who Wants to be a Millionaire even former CEO Eddie McGuire mentioned the criticism in passing, possibly hoping viewers might tune in to see just how bad it was.

Viva Laughlin will replaced next monday by the movie Two Weeks Notice, ironically brought into TV schedules with less than one week's notice.

Meanwhile the Seven Network enjoyed a seamless Monday evening with a 34.6% share to Nine's 22.0% and TEN's 19.8%.

There is better news in store for Nine with two of its other acquisitions faring better in the US. Sitcom Big Bang Theory has won a full series from CBS and quirky drama Pushing Daisies is attracting a buzz as an original new show.

UPDATED: Nine will now screen the second and final ep of Viva Laughlin at 10:35pm this coming Monday night, Oct 29.

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Old tricks beaten by New Tricks

Commercial network programmers should take another look at Saturday nights.

Last week the ABC was booming with an audience for New Tricks and several of its other offerings. It indicates an older and somewhat frustrated audience at home on Saturdays.

New Tricks was the top show of the night with 1.36m viewers -the #11th biggest show on television all week. ABC News, Gardening Australia and The Bill also made it into the evening's Top Ten (ABC News is on a roll at the moment, sometimes winning bigger audiences than commercial networks in some markets -although it has to be said they don't go head to head).

Saturday was the ABC's best night of the week with a huge 24% share, well ahead of TEN's 18.3% and almost toppling Seven's 24.2%. Nine won the night with 26.7% thanks to its News and ever-reliable Funniest Home Videos.

A further indicator that the audience is bored with commercial offerings is the 6.8% share for SBS, its best night of the week.

Nine, Seven and TEN all ran movies for some of their prime-time scheduling including the films Are We There Yet, Brother Bear and Back to the Future 3.

Seven managed to get 789,000 for Judge John Deed but some Programmers would argue that as the ABC has the older audience tied up, they are more strategic to target alternative audiences.

Week 42 Ratings.
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Newsman unhappy at Nine reshuffle

A recent reshuffle at Nine's Sydney newsroom which has seen Ian Cook installed as Director of News over John Choufiate is creating headaches for Nine.

Choufiate is believed to have quit yesterday.

According to the Daily Telegraph a Nine spokesperson said, "the Network is in discussions with John and those discussions are continuing." According to industry buzz, "he's going and not quietly.''

Choufiate is believed to have seconded the same legal team as Mark Llewellyn, former Nine News boss whose affadavit infamously catapulted the word "boned" into the Australian vernacular.

Choufiate is said to be "open to offers."

Photo: What's on the Tube
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CBS yanks Viva Laughlin

CBS is pulling all remaining episodes of Viva Laughlin from the schedule effective immediately, after only 2 episodes.

The move doesn't bode well for the Nine Network which premiered last night to a middling 833,000. It was hailed by Nine as one of its bright new acquisitions earlier this year, and the networks had high hopes it would help turn around its ailing Monday nights.

Even last night on air during Millionaire, host Eddie McGuire openly admitted the show had "caused a storm in the US" with critics dubbing it "the worse show ever," a phrase he felt was a bit strong. He's right, it's far from that.

CBS will replace Viva Laughlin with new eps of The Amazing Race, brought forward from a planned 2008 season. Remaining eps of the Jackman musical may be streamed online or elsewhere. The show becomes the first scripted casualty of the Fall Season.

The problem with the Americanisation of Laughlin was, aside from being a bold musical format, it lacked the exuberance of the British original. It tried to play it too safe and as a result appears to have ended up winning few fans. Culturally, it was probably always an awkward mix for Americans. But worst show ever?

Source: Variety.
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Seven selling snake show

Salesmen who used to wander the American frontier were known to peddle snake oil. Now our television networks are about to borrow a leaf from their book.

Channel Seven is looking for participants for a new show that will cure them of their fear of snakes. Yowza.

"We're looking for people who wish to be treated for their phobia by a team of trained professionals. The treatment is free but you must be willing to be filmed for a new television programme," says the Seven website.

Talk about turning a Fear Factor segment into a whole show. I guess the Worm had its own show, now they're evening out the balance?

If you're interested in this ludicrous idea, and available on November 15 (not sure which city) feel free to apply, because I sure won't be. I could barely even bring myself to put a picture of a snake on this site! So I settled for a smily, cartoon snake. Anything real would have turned away my traffic!
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