Tag Archives: Foxtel

Ep 280: The Bazura Project

You’ve heard us talk about the Bazura Project. Maybe you saw their show on Channel 31. Maybe you remember when we last had Lee Zachariah and Shannon Marinko on the show back in 2009. Well, now you get to hear all about how they got to do their own show on ABC2 and maybe finally be in contention for a Logie.

In further investigation of How We Watch, John went into a cinema to watch some Doctor Who.

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Ep 276: cloudstreet

Is cloudstreet the best television drama creation to come out of Australia or is it just another example of our reliance on nostalgia and bush magic to avoid truly reflecting our culture?

It’s quite possible that we answer that question in this week’s episode and there’s only one way to find out.

Also, John went to ACMI to (s)talk David & Margaret. He made a recording of his (s)talking and shares it with us.
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Ep 272: Wilfred

Usually when a USA network remakes a foreign series, it pales in comparison to the original. The US’s version of The Office is clearly an exception to that rule, but what about the new version of Wilfred? They’ve brought Jason Gann on board to play the title role, but how does it compare?

In I Don’t Buy It, Brett has problems with McDonald’s.

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It’s like going to the fights and having a hockey game break out this week on Boxcutters as we tie up the trans-Pacific phone lines, talking with Peter Campbell (Director of FOXTEL Sport and Olympic Games) and Giaan Rooney (former Australian Olympian and Channel 9 Winter Olympics 2010 commentator) live and direct from Vancouver, BC, Canada.

As we battle with international time-zones, we have some suddenly curtailed news, one thing to watch this week, some updates to things we’ve covered in the last week or two and some hilarious reality gossip.

Send us all your winter olympiad thoughts by sending us email or send us an SMS on 0458 288 837 (0458 CUTTER). And don’t forget to invite all your Facebook friends to become Boxcutters fans.

Ep 212: Archer, Ray Watch, TV Clichés

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Archer is an animated series on FX in the US. Fox 8 announced it will air on March 7 in Australia so we take a little look.

We talk about Chuck vs the *shudder* “shippers”.

In the news we discuss The Biggest Loser fans gone silly, David Leckie on record and Senator Conroy skis his way into the networks’ hearts.

There’s a Ray Watch, some TV Clichés .

Continue reading “Ep 212: Archer, Ray Watch, TV Clichés” »

:30 Seconds — A Rule of One review

The following took place as part of the Outland Institute radio show and our controversial “Rule of One” review process. Since this aired, last Friday, there has been another episode of :30 Seconds but the Rule of One prevails.

Last Monday, the first episode of the new sitcom from Andrew Denton’s Zapruder’s Other Films aired on the Comedy Channel.

Called :30 Seconds (complete with the colon), it’s about an advertising agency.

Yes, at the moment it seems like Zapruder’s is only coming out with shows about advertising. If you have a problem with that, take it up with Denton.

Comedy, as you well know, is a very sensitive lover. It requires caring, attention and tenderness.

To continue that already tortured analogy, the flowers and chocolate, the romance, if you will, are the acting and directing of a sitcom.

They make us feel like there might be something this relationship for us. We’re prepared to give it a chance and maybe allow a couple of dates.

The sex in the analogy that not even I can believe I’m taking this far, is the writing. It’s the writing that, BAM!, really drives home the idea that this comedy deserves a part of our lives.

As far as acting goes, :30 Seconds has the chops. Gyton Grantley, Kat Stewart, Peter O’Brien and Stephen Curry all bring their exquisite thespian skills to the set.

The glaring deficiency in the show is in the bedroom. The writing just isn’t there. So often we see a sitcom where the jokes come forced, like the writers are squeezing in the jokes regardless of context.

The secret is to let the jokes come from the characters. Especially when an accomplished cast is at the writers’ disposal, it the characters are good, the actors will find the comedy and the director will help bring it out.

The actors in :30 Seconds just don’t have enough to deal with. The characters are one dimensional at best.

The potential is there for a great comedy but the writing needs to improve.

Also, the lighting is some of the worst I’ve seen outside YouTube.

Lee Zachariah and Shannon Marinko from the Bazura Project come in to discuss the controversy surrounding their Logies/TV Week correspondence. We also review the UK series Being Human. Brett doesn’t buy Foxtel Ads and Kerry Armstrong makes a special appearance*.

You can buy Season 1 of Being Human at Amazon UK.

Contact us by sending us email or send us an SMS on 0458 288 837 (0458 CUTTER)

* Kerry Armstrong does not actually appear.

Ten and Foxtel

This news was from Tuesday (sorry for the delay and thanks to Paul Boxcutter for the heads-up).

Come September, Foxtel will be rebroadcasting Ten’s digital signal which also means they will publish the Ten EPG.

Now we just have to wait for Foxtel to open up their system to allow other pieces of software and hardware to have access and we might actually have a choice over how we watch our television.

Just imagine an openly competitive marketplace. A place where we can buy whichever PVR we want, subscribing to whichever EPG we choose (Ice TV really does have the best service out there), rather than being tied to one system. Alas, I seem to live in a dream world.

Still, I’ve now signed up for an IQ. I’ll be sure to keep the Boxcutters listeners/blog-readers posted on the ups and downs.

via The Age: Foxtel nabs Ten rights