Life on the Fast Track

The curious case of fast tracking television to Australia

You know the thing that the earth does, with the sun and the rotating and such. It’s a phenomenon that means that us here in the southern hemisphere are getting sun burnt and sweaty while those in the north are chilling out with their frostbite, and then visa versa, versa visa.

Now you may ask yourself, why the clearly in-depth, well thought out science lesson, it is because these subtle differences in hemispheres, that have a very significant effect on what television programs are shown when in Australia.

For those who watch television and I hear that's a few people, more than two at least, it has meant  that for a very long period of time a television program that run in America could be done and dusted twice over in its homeland before trickling slowly, if ever, to the land down under.

Now that was fine, the circle of life, it was filmed there, they win and it didn't matter that much.

That was however was before the magical creation of the Internet. This newfangled invention has meant that Australian audiences have access to television programs as they air in America that was never possible before.

Hence Fast Tracking, Television stations airing returning and new TV shows as close to the American air date as they possibly can.

On Wednesday the 19th of September Fox 8 will be premiering Revolution, a brand new series created by Eric Kripke (Supernatural) and produced by J.J Abrams (everything) is broadcasting the show 'Express from the US'’ after it airs on NBC.

 It is one of many of shows that the station is bringing forward advertising new shows 666 Park Avenue and returning shows Gossip Girl (season 6) Hart of Dixie (season 2) and Grimm (season 2) all 'Express from the US’.

 Alongside it, FX will be airing the first episode of season 2 of The Walking Dead  hours after it premieres in the US and free to air channels like Channel 7 have announced that they will be fast tracking the 9th season of Grey's Anatomy

So what’s the problem then? Simply put: summer time.

At the same time as our shows are going into hibernation for the summer, the American programs are just ramping. With new seasons having only started  in September, they are heading into a period known as 'November Sweeps' the highest rating period, when shows pulled out all the twists, turns and celebrity cameos to get viewers to watch.

Therefore shows that have been fast tracked to Australia are stopped only a few episodes into a season and are half over in America by the time they are brought back in January or February.

Now what are the options?

- Fast track and air them over the summer following the same breaks between episodes as overseas (American shows have mini hiatuses throughout the season including a mid-season hiatus into the new year) The risk being that shows do not rate well over the Summer period, therefore they risk shows being pulled due to lack of viewers before getting a chance to build a fan base and less revenue from advertising.

- Fast track and air the first few episodes before pulling it for the summer non-rating period. Meaning that the audience who is getting into a show have to now wait for a few months until it starts again, by that time the United States is well into the season.

-Wait and start the season next year, meaning that audiences may have already watched it online or it the case of shows like Revenge and Once upon a time after months of constant advertising, having to rush through episodes airing sometime more than once or twice a week to catch up, as the show has already finished overseas. But on the flip side they will be airing the programs for a larger viewership than they would over the summer months.

Now on one hand I am excited to get shows like The Walking Dead as soon as possible and will be shamelessly begging Fox 8 to air the next season of the Vampire Diaries as soon as it airs in America, but on the other I understand that Television networks do need to make money through advertising to function and keep airing the shows we love as well as having to board members etc therefore cannot run shows during times that don't rate well.

I have no affirmative answers that would make everyone happy, so I wanted to open it to debate.

How do you think Australian TV stations should go about airing American TV shows? Do you mind waiting? If they did run them over summer would you stay in to watch?

Let me know in the comments below, I'm really interested to hear your thoughts.

Keep Calm and have yourself a merry little Christmas

Downton Abbey 

Season 2 – “Christmas Special”

“Oh the weather outside was frightful, but Violet was still delightful, and since they love Mary so, Richard and Matthew came to blows.”

Season’s Greetings. I bring you good news and tidings of great joy. Mostly.

We've reached the end Ladies and Gentlemen. Season 2 is done, finished, final, no more. But don't be too sad. We could have been left with only the memories of episode 8 to keep us going until Season 3.

No sugar plums but the images of dead Lavinia, chained Bates, sad Matthew and even sadder Mary, dancing around in our heads.

Perspective.

I will admit under oath and fear of imprisonment, that I was excited about this episode.
Not only did we get a bonus Downton Abbey but the previous UK Christmas Specials I have seen, which were mostly, if not all Doctor Who, were all very well done. Therefore I was expecting some high quality work. I'm glad to report that I was not disappointed.

Was it perfect? Like parts of the second season it wasn’t always but there were enough moments and sparks of absolute brilliance that you couldn’t help but enjoy the sleigh ride.

So without further ado, let's rock around this Christmas tree.

  
We wish you a Merry Christmas

It was Christmas time at Downton and do they know how to party. I can’t remember how many nights I would stay up just waiting for that magical day when I would get to stand in a line and wait for the people I work for to hand me stuff.

I’m kidding. The Downtonians’s had a very wonderful Christmas thing happening as we first join them during Christmas time of 1919. The festivities included a presentation of presents from those upstairs to those down (Mary + Anna BFF’s 4ever) to a roaring game of charades, an occasion that cemented Sir Richard as the evilest man of all time. Though I shouldn’t be surprised he hates charades, he has always struck me as more of a monopoly man.

As the New Year came to a close many if not all of our characters were in need of a little holiday cheer.

Edith still couldn’t hold onto a man. Thomas was stealing dogs, losing them than somehow still come out on top of the situation. Daisy was still fretting over William before she finally found some peace and a new place for herself in Downton and Lady Rosamund was being conned by an old guy and her maid.

Oh, and Sybil’s pregnant. Yes, that right, Branson and Sybil are going to have a child. Somebody may want to warn England.

All is calm, all is bright

Yes, the residents of Downton all had their share of problems, but at least they weren’t jail. Poor, poor Mr Bates, he looked miserable. I loved that fact that everyone was Team Bates and working had to support Anna and get him out of jail.

Saying that with friends like these who needs evidence. You knew that Bate’s quip about the “late Mrs Bates” was going to come back to bite him, but it didn’t stop the crushing feeling as Robert struggled to admit the particulars of that damning conversation. Mrs Hughes and O’Brien have also been called up to give statements that seemed to lead towards a guilty verdict but it was Robert’s testament that did Bates in.

Going into the sentencing,  I thought I saw where this was leading “Season 3: Bates in Jail” but no immediately following Bate’s guilty verdict being read, the judge put on his hat and proclaimed that Bates would be hang by the neck the following day. I swear I think my heart stopped just for a minute there.

Luckily this is TV land and I know a good doctor so everything was a little better by the end of the episode. Following a winning appeal Bate’s is now looking at a life of imprisonment rather than execution, so yay?

Deck the Halls

But who has time to stay worried about silly, little things like murder trails, when there is still the hunt. I don’t know what I was expecting an proper English hunt to look like, but in my mind it was something along the lines of that scene from Mary Poppins, when they are in the street painting and the cartoon men on horses blow their trumpets and chase the talking fox who Mary Poppins ends up saving from becoming dog food or a scarf.

It turns out an actual non-illustrated hunt is a lot like high school except in tweed. Mary chooses to stand next to Matthew during the shootings, thereby declaring her love for Matthew for the entire world to see.

At that point nobody really understood why Mary was still with Carlisle. Even Robert, once he stopped making out with Maids and paid attention, didn’t get it.

Questioning his daughter’s attention, Cora thought “well, there’s no time like the present” (I’m really, really sorry for that one) and decided to fill Robert in about the night of the dead Turkish diplomat.

What followed was a series of purely excellent moments as Mary finally confronted the event that she felt shamed her whole world war ago.  

From Robert’s acceptance of his daughter’s transgression (he can’t throw stones) and his “go find us a cowboy us a cowboy” speech to the Mary’s confession to Matthew about her past lover was perfect. We all knew that Matthew could never hate Mary, but it didn’t make it any less special for us to see that Mary now knows it as well.

Now all the cards were on the table and the fists started to fly. So long Richard Carlisle. I’d say don’t let the door hit you on the way out but you did really seem to actually have cared about Mary at the end and there’s probably someone already there to open and close the main door for you.

So what else was left for this episode to do? Oh yeah this happened.....
　
... And a Happy New Year?

Matthew proposed to Mary. In the snow. There was twirling. It was awesome.

Well, that’s it for Downton Abbey the second season. I have really enjoyed writing about this fantastic show and I really hope that you have enjoyed reading them.

Next: Season 3. I’m excited. What do you want to see from season three?

We know some of what’s going to happen: SPOILERS:

Shirley Maclaine in the house, Branson’s at the dinner table, Matthew and Mary are wedding planning, episode one will start with Bates walking out of jail with a guard shouting behind him “sorry for the misunderstanding.” Ok, I may have just made up the last one.

Until then, I wish you an early merry Christmas and a happy season 3.

For my other Downton Abbey Season 2 recaps click on the link here: http://popandfizz.blogspot.com.au/search/label/Downton%20Abbey

You can also follow me on Twitter: @Hanniebee852

(It’s like this, but shorter.

Because I ran out of time

Once Upon a time

Season 1 episodes 10 – 22:

"A Rundown" 

Once upon a time,

In a magical land, there was a young girl. She wanted to write, a blog for the world. Where she could share her love of television and so the ideas started to swirl.

She’d talk about dowagers, manors and wars. About vampires and love triangles and a town called Mystic Falls.

She wanted to add just the one more show. A show she was excited about as it was filled with fairytale characters of old. 

But an evil force was at work to keep the girl down. They started to show more than once a week causing her to frown.

“Oh how will I keep up,” she cried with despair.

“I know, I’ll write a catchy rundown about it, to show I still care.”

So here is my recap of episode ten to twenty two, mon chere: 

7:15AM:  

“They were creeping and they were crawling, they were sneaking and avoiding, but it was ultimately true love calling, the Charming family.

He had a bride in Katherine, but the brunette he started macking, Regina saw their lips smacking, a sign that the curse Emma was cracking? The Charming family.”

Fruit of a Poisonous Tree:

“Arabian Nights, like Arabian days. 

The guy from breaking bad was trapped in a lamp before the guy from west wing was played.” 

Skin Deep:

“Tale as old as time, true as they said it could be. 

They weren't even friends, he made roses of her friends, then he smashed everything.”

What Happened to Frederick:

“Prince charming, 

he's the man, 

the man with the plan to save the man,

with the golden tan.” 

Dreamy:

“I dreamed a dream of times gone by.

 Where lights went out and dwarves were made over easy.

 I dreamed the David didn’t lie 

and that paint came off cars with very little cleaning.”

Red-Handed:

“Who was afraid of the big bad wolf?

 The big bad wolf, the big bad wolf.

 Red wasn't afraid of the big bad wolf and ended up eating her boyfriend.”

Heart of Darkness:

“Someday her prince came by, but she was too busy plotting her step-mother's demise.  

Here’s hoping that nobody dies, 

the day that her plan falls through.

Hat Trick:

“A very happy hostage situation to you, to you. 

A very happy hostage situation to you.

Now just make that magic hat work Emma to make Sebastian Stan’s dream come true.”

The Stable Boy:

“She’s going to be an evil Queen so future enemies beware. 

But once she was a teenage girl with slightly longer hair.”

The Return:

“Let’s get to business, cause we’re near the end. 

August said he found his father, but that was pretend.

 Rumple wasn’t happy, though he rarely is. 

In fairytale land his son was lost to him, now he wants to win.”

The Stranger:

“He’s got no strings to hold him down, to make him laugh, to make him frown.

He’s got no strings, but now you see, the poor man’s turning into a tree.”

An Apple as Red as Blood:

“There she sees her, always getting in the way. 

Regina tries to keep up her curse up, but goldilocks Emma is becoming a pain.

Now she knows it, 

her rein on Storybrooke at its end.

What’s an evil Queen to do, but remove the crinkle in her plan?

She just wants to kill the girl. Kill the Girl.”

A Land without Magic:

“He threw a potion in the well. Don’t ask him, we have to wait till season 2 for him to tell.

Before the end, Emma’s been through hell.

But now Regina’s out of the way?

Belle’s now back in the mix.

The Mad Hatter’s still around and he is ticked.

The Sheriff! The Sheriff! The Sheriff!

He is missed!

Regina’s staring.

The Charming's come out blaring.

Rumple’s plan he’s not sharing.

Snow White and her Prince are sure going to be surprised see their baby.

Hey, everyone remembers.

Now that is crazy.

The smoke monster’s purple now.

Is it magic, maybe?”

Keep Calm and Marry On

Downton Abbey

Season 2 episode 8

Dearly beloved we are gathered here today to celebrate the marriage of Lavinia Swire and Matthew Crawley. Or was it supposed to be Mary and Richard or Sybil
and Branson or Anna and Bates or Robert and Jane or Thomas and O’Brien?

In the next to final episode of season 2, relationship drama fills the township in a thick fog of heartache and emotional betrayal as the show moves from wartime hardships back to its soapy roots.

Four couples enter into the Downton Wedding arena, but only one love-struck pair actually makes it down the aisle. That is before the groom is arrested for murdering his ex-wife and is sent to prison forever and ever (or at least until the Christmas Special.)

And while the majority of romantic couple this episode are otherwise engaged, the already married pair do not fair much better with a near case of sudden death not even enough to stop the wandering eye of a man in the prime of his mid-life crisis.

Yes, nothings borrowed and everyone's blue.     

For better or worse

Nothing is very rosy in the garden of the newlywed Mr and Mrs Bates. Since it has become dreadfully clear that nobody in the law enforcement agencies surrounding Downton has watched the past seven episodes as we have, assume that Bates killed his ex-wife.

They may have stuff like evidence and motive but we know the truth of his innocence right?

Anna, defender of the convicted valet and champion of being proactive, when it looks more and more likely that her fiancée will be taken away, takes charge and marries the love of her life in a hastened but romantic wedding ceremony, so that she will not be excluded from any legal decisions. Practical but charming, isn’t that the Bates way.

After only one night of wedded bliss the world once again crashes in on the loving couple as Bates is escorted to prison by two policemen in fancy hats as I contemplate whether I could survive a whole third season of sad Anna and a jailed Bates.

For richer or poorer

For all future grooms out there, barging into the sitting room of your betrothed’s family, who you are more than certain are going to disapprove and you start yelling at them, it is not a good move. While Branson and Sybil are all “but we love each other and nothing shall keep us apart” they do not find too many supporters of their union.

 It’s very lucky for the young lovers that the patriarch of the Grantham family was also only very recently making eyes and smacking lips with one of the help, that without that leg to stand on Sybil and Branson get the blessing to wed.

While they may not be my favourite romantic pairing, the star-crossed lovers are growing on me and I have high hopes that now that Sybil and Branson are married he may stop yelling at his beloved and start fighting other people. Whatever happens next, season 3 is going to be very interesting and I cannot wait for Branson’s first sit-down dinner with the new in-laws.  

In sickness or in health

The Spanish flu. The Spanish flu, you say is sweeping through the nation. What are the chances that, that virus could possibly make its way into the halls of Downton Abbey causing all sorts of chaos and health related drama for the good people upstairs and down?

Pretty good I say.

One by one numerous characters are struck down by the illness to various different degrees. Some like Carson and it seems Lavinia are only slightly unwell, but poor Cora is nearly claimed by the disease. From high fevers to nose bleeds it does not look good for our Lady of the Abbey.

Fortunately she has a legitimate medical reason for feeling sick to her stomach and unlike us doesn’t have to witness the gut curling madness that was Robert and Jane the maid making out.

Your wife is dying in the next room Robert! Dying!

Coming to his senses after a number of close calls and the realisation that Carson and Mrs Hughes probably already know (they probably even knew before it started what was happening and just forgot to warn him) Jane “leaves/is sent packing” from the grounds of Downton never to be seen from again, just in time from Cora to make a full recovery and presumably never find out what happened. Or will she? (Imagine dramatic music playing- now)

Until death do us part?

As the curtain closes on season 2 and the Christmas special right around the corner, coming into this episode you knew or at least hoped that something was going to be done about the love square that was Mary, Matthew, Richard and Lavinia, but who knew that it would involve one of the sides being removed altogether.

Firstly, Matthew can still walk and therefore procreate, and while everyone was in full swing making preparations for the Crawley-Swire wedding, we knew that all cards were now back on the table. They knew it, Violet knew it, even Isis the dog knew it (he’s just too classy to say anything.)

With Richard  becoming more and more the evilest of villains and Lavinia still the humblest of wallflowers, the sparks between Matthew and Mary had never been more evident.

The dance, the kiss, the interruption, the outbreak of a deadly pathogen.

From the moment Dr Clarkson said that Lavinia only had mild symptoms you knew that she was a goner, but it was the way she chose to leave her mark that was very impressive.

With the simple statement of “isn’t it better this way” Lavinia swiftly and brutally crushed any hopes of Matthew and Mary being together ever again in the saddest, noblest, most devastating way possible. Well played Miss Swire, you lacked fire in life, but you sure went out with a bang.

So much happened this episode, O’Brien nearly confessed to the soap incident to Cora while she was on her death bed, Moseley drank half the wine in Downton trying to impress, Violet was awesome, I nearly stood up and applauded as Thomas slowly crept his way back into employment at Downton making himself indispensable during their time of need. He may be evil, but sometimes you just have to admire his work.

With the dismantling, shattering, rebuilding and launch of so many different relationships, nobody came out of this episode unscathed.

As wedding season passes, with thoughts of veils and flowers tucked away and swapped for funeral attire, let’s hope that as we head towards Christmas that there is an abundance of Christmas cheer hidden behind a tree somewhere, waiting with good tiding and great joy for our Downton favourites.

 If anyone is going to make it to season 3 happy and healthy they are going to need it.