The Cooks goes the way of the dinosaurs

[andrew flap]

yet another 'showcase' of Aussie talent gets canned (he says sarcasticly). Did anyone actually see this ? Given the ratings I suppose it is a silly question. Why is it that Aussies produce so much of this crap ? I mean it's not as if the talent pool is shallow. Thoughts anyone ???

Sourced from Sydney Tele today FYI

Cooks go off the boil

October 21, 2004

MAYBE it would have worked if we'd been allowed to vote people off.

The Cooks, Ten's "sizzling" new drama, has been taken off the primetime menu after only one episode.

A network spokeswoman said yesterday the show had been bumped "for obvious reasons".

We presume that means its desperate try-hard air and the least-likable cast of characters since those beer-fuelled weirdos were marooned on an island on Ten's reality show The Resort earlier this year.

But we could vote to evict them. And at least the people on The Resort knew how to talk like normal people (apart from Tabs, of immortal, "Why don't you open your earballs and listen a bit" fame).

The first episode of The Cooks _ which screened to a panic-inducing low viewership of 121,000 people in Sydney on Monday night despite its heavy hype – featured robotic lines like, "I have missed you" and a "fiery Argentinian" named Carmelita (Emma Lung), who hissed things like, "I want to be THE dessert bitch of the inner-west" in what, we might add, sounded suspiciously like a Russian accent.

The majority who missed one of the lowest points in Australian drama history, however, can still tune in to see just how bad it is – from next week it can be seen on Thursdays at 10.30pm.

Ten has to keep the show on air in order to fill its quota of Australian drama.

The Cooks' 9.30pm Monday timeslot, meanwhile, will be filled with American import NCIS.

 

[blackfriday]

isnt the cooks just there to fill the aussie tv quota?

 

[hrundi99]

There was a big brouhaha about the free trade agreement but if they produce quality shows, they'll rate.

 

[weasel]

My favourite character is Sachin.

 

[twista]

i didnt even watch it. the problem is they always try and sell there shows as sexy and controvercial but nothing ever actually happens. we have been let down so many times that we dont care anymore

 

[wittyfan]

I was expecting it to be bad so I didn't watch it. Ahhh, it joins a long list of short lived Channel 10 dramas that promised to be "hot" and "hip".

 

[ucantseeme]

they need hot chicks, not these NIDA bushpigs

 

[bazza]

"Above the Law" was much worse

 

[aphelion]

It sounded like it was just another pretentious Simple Life Of Us clone. When will 10 realise that nobody cares about their "hip", "edgy" dramas anymore?

Hopefully this was a lesson to them. Now if only people would stop watching Idol and Big Brother, 10 might well be worth watching again.

 

[Dean Moriarty]

Why are there few decent Aussie dramas?

If you have a good idea and even a good script, the commercial networks won't invest in it unless it resembles some previous success. So there are loads of wannabe Secret Life shows, even better if you can throw in some legal/medical cop drama there. You can see how The Cooks got through - "great, cooking, everyone loves those Jamie Oliver shows. Script? What script?".

Then, if you have managed to get through the commissioning minefield, the show had better be an instant hit, because the networks are not going to give you a decent slot to develop an audience. So you'd better make your plots simple and your characters obvious.

Oh, and don't forget casting. Australia's mosts successful "dramas" are Neighbours and Home and Away. How do they cast shows? They follow the lead of ucantseeme - looks over talent and training. Better get some bimbos in then.

Still, who needs drama when you have reality shows?