Post by Cornwallgirl on Mar 7, 2007 18:17:41 GMT 1
Neighbours In The Firing Line?
Is it time to evict Channel 10’s Neighbours?
While arguably our greatest ever soapie, the sad reality is that our beloved Ramsay Street residents have fallen on hard times of late. Average daily ratings for the show have plummeted 22 per cent on last year, from 819,498 viewers to 638,017 viewers.
Even the show’s UK audience, which once hovered about 18 million viewers a day is now down to about six million viewers.
What’s wrong with Neighbours? Firstly, it’s useful to point out that Neighbours’ downward spiral has come as the two current affairs programs, A Current Affair and Today Tonight, declared war on each other in a shameless grab for ratings.
But that doesn’t excuse one of Neighbours’ biggest problems. The younger characters just aren’t as compelling anymore. For example, Sky Mangel, played by Stephanie McIntosh, who leaves the show this year, is no Charlene Robinson or Nina Tucker (Delta Goodrem), for that matter.
This year, we’ll welcome to the cast Rowena Wallace, mostly famous for playing Pat The Rat on ‘80s soap Sons And Daughters (although younger viewers will probably know her more for her reality TV detour and brush with the law).
Fact is, unless they can find another Kylie or Jason or Guy or even Holly, the cast looks a little grim. But the problems are not confined to the characters’ lack of appeal. The show itself, including the sets, also looks as drab as a Melbourne skyline.
Unless the show moves into this century, regains whatever mojo it once had, Ramsay Street could well be bulldozed to make way for ... well, probably more episodes of Futurama or The Simpsons.
The Daily Telegraph, Monday, March 05, 2007
By Stephen Downie
Is it time to evict Channel 10’s Neighbours?
While arguably our greatest ever soapie, the sad reality is that our beloved Ramsay Street residents have fallen on hard times of late. Average daily ratings for the show have plummeted 22 per cent on last year, from 819,498 viewers to 638,017 viewers.
Even the show’s UK audience, which once hovered about 18 million viewers a day is now down to about six million viewers.
What’s wrong with Neighbours? Firstly, it’s useful to point out that Neighbours’ downward spiral has come as the two current affairs programs, A Current Affair and Today Tonight, declared war on each other in a shameless grab for ratings.
But that doesn’t excuse one of Neighbours’ biggest problems. The younger characters just aren’t as compelling anymore. For example, Sky Mangel, played by Stephanie McIntosh, who leaves the show this year, is no Charlene Robinson or Nina Tucker (Delta Goodrem), for that matter.
This year, we’ll welcome to the cast Rowena Wallace, mostly famous for playing Pat The Rat on ‘80s soap Sons And Daughters (although younger viewers will probably know her more for her reality TV detour and brush with the law).
Fact is, unless they can find another Kylie or Jason or Guy or even Holly, the cast looks a little grim. But the problems are not confined to the characters’ lack of appeal. The show itself, including the sets, also looks as drab as a Melbourne skyline.
Unless the show moves into this century, regains whatever mojo it once had, Ramsay Street could well be bulldozed to make way for ... well, probably more episodes of Futurama or The Simpsons.
The Daily Telegraph, Monday, March 05, 2007
By Stephen Downie
