I thought I'd do an update to my article of last week about 'Hey Hey' and 'Hungry Beast'. I watched both of these shows again this week and here are some general thoughts.

'Hey Hey It's Saturday'

• Obviously the whole blackface 'Red Faces' thing has been all over the press, even making it's way onto 'The View' in the U.S. I don't want to comment on the skit too much, though when I saw it, my main thought was "What the hell were they thinking?". I was surprised that the producers of the show hadn't picked up on the potential that the skit had to cause offense.
• The show is pretty daggy. I mean, even the sets are the same as they were ten years ago. That's part of the appeal I suppose, but it's not really a step forward. A lot of the jokes are quite lame, but then, I was keeping in mind that it's a family show so it's aiming for all ages.
  
• The pacing of the show is quite slow and the graphics and titles are pretty raw, particularly compared to shows such as 'Rove'. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it certainly is bucking the contemporary trend.
• Daryl is a very competent host but he's also quite annoying.
  
• The presence of Ossie Ostrich was excellent, a real highlight. I love the way Ossie just makes these quiet, subversive but very witty comments off to the side.

I definitely think a show like 'Hey Hey' has a place in the contemporary Australian television landscape. The main reason that I think it works is because it has a really wide cast who all contribute in some way. The people that make up the show aren't just people either, they're characters and they are all different. This keeps the show moving along, it's consistently quite funny mainly because at any moment any one of Ossie, Dickie Knee, John Blackman, Red, Wilbur, Russell Gilbert or the many others can chime in with a joke. The audience never knows where or when the next joke will come from and the fact that it's live means that anything can happen. Add to that the regular segments such as 'Red Faces', 'Plucka Duck' and 'Molly's Melodrama' and the show has a real structure that can be played with.

It's an excellent model for a variety show and it's the reason that the show can consistently provide two hours of entertainment regularly. However, there are aspects that are a little tired, 'Hey Hey' can't go on forever. Perhaps we need a new show that kind of combines the formats of 'Hey Hey' and 'Rove'. 'Rove' could definitely be longer, it would give it more room to breathe. 'Rove' would also work better if there were more people involved that had defined roles, that could provide jokes so as to support and also subvert the host (like Ossie Ostrich or Dickie Knee, though not necessarily a puppet). I guess one of the big things that came out of watching 'Hey Hey' is that a show tends to work better if the host isn't the one and only thing that the show revolves around. For instance, 'Hey Hey' is hosted by Daryl Somers but it's definitely not 'The Daryl Somers Show'. 'Rove' would benefit from this kind of approach.

'Hungry Beast'

This show just doesn't really work. Why?

• Way too many hosts. 19? What the hell. They all just kind of blur into each other and their personalities don't really shine through. Some of them are genuinely quite charismatic though, such as Dan Ilic.
• It feels like the television version of a uni newspaper. I read this description on Twitter somewhere and it pinpointed exactly what I was feeling about it. It's just a little too earnest, dare I say a little too tryhard.
• It's not consistent. It's very hard to get a grasp on the show because the hosts and segments vary constantly. A comedy sketch followed by a piece to camera followed by an interview with a grieving widow followed by some graphics about... who cares?
• Yeah, the graphics. Not a very interesting or effective device to link the segments.
• I keep drawing comparisons with 'Race Around The World'. The reason that 'Race' worked was because it had a structure. There would be the video made by a racer and then some judging. Was the judging necessary? Probably not, but it gave the show structure. It's the same reason that Tom Gleisner has a presence on 'Thank God You're Here'. He gives the show structure. Structure is really lacking in 'Hungry Beast'. You need a unifying presence.
  

I'm quite disappointed with it overall. Mainly because the concept is great but the execution is so average. I think it basically comes down to a lack of structure and cohesion. Without that, the show looks like a bunch of random clips strung together. I was initially reluctant to criticise 'Hungry Beast' because I reckon there should be more shows giving newcomers in the media industry a chance. But, as a show, I'm really struggling with it. It could just be a classic case of too many cooks in the kitchen.

Wednesday night was a very interesting TV night. On Channel 9, you had the return of a classic Australian show, 'Hey Hey It's Saturday', a show that hasn't been seen on our screens for ten years. It was presented in exactly the same format as when we last saw it, featuring the same veteran performers. On the other hand, on the ABC was the premiere episode of a brand new show from Zapruder's Other Films called 'Hungry Beast'.

These two shows present an interesting contrast within the Australian TV landscape at the moment. Australian television seems to be in an interesting period currently as commercial networks look towards finding the next 'Masterchef', basically a show that everyone in society might be drawn to, that all members of the family will watch. 'Masterchef' worked essentially because it was a show that was geared toward a whole range of demographics. A big reason that people watch television is so that they have something to talk about with other people at school or work. It works as a unifier. It's similar to what 'Talkin' About Your Generation' has successfully achieved recently and it's also one reason why 'Hey Hey It's Saturday' was so successful in the past. It's interesting then that 'Hey Hey' has returned, placed on Wednesday night against 'Celebrity Masterchef' and this new show 'Hungry Beast'.

From all reports, 'Hey Hey' rated really well although whether this is due largely to the curiosity factor will remain to be seen. I watched most of it and enjoyed it, it seemed to retain the same spirit that it used to have, the performers all have that great chemistry and it was pretty funny overall. Some elements felt a bit tired and definitely the John Farnham cross was a laughable misstep because the delay was so extreme. Overall though, the show was good family viewing. It seemed to fill a void that has been lacking in Australian television of late, that of live variety. It's a domain that hasn't ever been filled since 'Hey Hey' left our screens, the closest approximations that haven't been axed within a season have probably been 'Rove' and sadly 'The Footy Show'. There have been some attempts such as the ill-fated 'Micallef Tonight', a very funny show that didn't get much of a run, but there has been nothing as sustained as 'Hey Hey' was. Can 'Hey Hey' come back permanently? I don't see why not, it still works as a show. But ultimately, it can only be a temporary fill-in. Australian television still needs to develop something new, fresh and exciting. Live television, particularly the variety format, is important because it exposes new talent on our screens.

While 'Hey Hey' represents an old favourite, re-booted for a new generation; 'Hungry Beast' on ABC represents an entirely new concept, an untried format. The premise of the show is that nineteen young media newcomers (sort of) are given pretty much free reign to create a half-hour weekly show. The emphasis seems to be on news and current affairs but the tone is light and features comedy sketches and pranks as well. Did it work? It is very hard to judge a show based on the first episode but my reaction was basically disappointment. I was expecting this show to be like a new 'Race Around The World', a show that was fresh and exciting and really allowed the individuals in it to create whatever they wanted. It was a brilliant show that should be brought back, it introduced us to such talents as John Safran and Tony Wilson. I think 'Hungry Beast' is the sort of show that could be quite up and down from week to week, such is the nature of the experiment. I found the first episode quite patchy overall and there seemed to be a struggle to link the various segments together. It was also heavily stylised which seemed to undermine the premise of the show- to present raw talent producing raw material. Perhaps, I've misinterpreted the idea behind the whole thing but it seemed way too flashy at times for what they were trying to convey. The comedy sketches were disappointing, one in particular I'm pretty sure was based on a 'Hamish and Andy' thing from a few years ago. Having said all that, the show is an interesting experiment and will no doubt produce some great moments in the coming weeks. It certainly presented a contrast with 'Hey Hey' on Channel 9. In the same Wednesday evening, the ABC was exhibiting what might be considered the future of Australian television while on Channel 9, it was the past re-booted.

This week I've had a vivid dream every night which is unusual. Today is last day of mid-semester break.

'Traitor' (2008) directed by Jeffrey Nachmanoff

A solid thriller featuring an outstanding performance from Don Cheadle. The film builds tension really well and keeps you guessing, blurring the lines between just who is a terrorist in this film and who is not. Cheadle is great in this film as Samir, a complex character with strong convictions. Without giving away too much, the narrative develops the character of Samir really well, particularly in the way that he is perceived by the other characters in the film. Also, the ending features a really clever twist, even if it is a little improbable.

'Alpha Dog' (2006) directed by Nick Cassavetes

Terrific film. It's written really well, setting up crucial plot points and key character relationships early before executing a subsequent payoff much later on. The story is about drug dealers and brings together quite a large ensemble cast that works really well, chiefly because the characters and performances are so strong. Justin Timberlake and Anton Yelchin are particularly good. For the majority of the film there is a mood that is dynamic and fun, however beneath that there is always a sense of danger, of tension, perhaps even of impending doom. Much of this is created through on screen labels of seemingly irrelevant characters, identifying them as 'witnesses'. Witnesses to what? Well, as the film moves towards it's climactic point it always keeps you guessing. Well worth checking out.

'Tom White' (2004) directed by Alkinos Tsilmidos

A quality Australian film driven by a top lead performance from Colin Friels. It's about an average middle-aged family man who has a mental breakdown which leads him to basically opt out of his life and become homeless. It's an interesting story with lots of original characters and the cinematography looks great.

'All the Real Girls' (2003) directed by David Gordon Green

I really liked this film. It looks amazing, shot in the same style as Green's first feature film 'George Washington'. There is a sense of stillness to this film, as though each scene could be a painting. The action unfolds in a subtle and controlled way, introducing the characters and building the relationships between them brilliantly. The romance at the centre of the film is played out so well, it really drew me into their world. It's not a simplistic film at all, there is a lot going on here, the film is at times poignant and heart wrenching.

Yesterday was a pleasant day. I headed over to Brunswick to hang with Tom. We had a coffee and went out for lunch and chilled at his place for a bit. Twas cool. Last night played some soccer, I think we lost. The day before that was a full day at work but it was quite good because I ended up writing a fair bit. Wrote about eight short pieces of which three or four I think I'll be able to extend into full sketches. It was a bit of a relief because up until then I've had some writer's block, just had to push through it I suppose. I might put some short pieces on this blog perhaps, I'm not sure.

'The Fog of War' (2003) directed by Errol Morris

A well constructed, thought provoking documentary centred around the former U.S. Secretary of Defense, Robert S. McNamara. The film uses interviews with McNamara as the main structural device and also uses a lot of compelling archival footage. The film is split into eleven parts, based around eleven lessons learnt from the life of McNamara. The film is great viewing chiefly because McNamara is such a charismatic speaker, he really offers a unique insight into recent American history, politics and war.

'(500) Days of Summer' (2009) directed by Marc Webb

While watching this film I became increasingly frustrated. I found it quite hard to get into, it was a bit all over the place. It employs a range of storytelling techniques, most of which don't really work. The worst of these is probably the use of voiceover narration which seems totally out of place. There's also a pretty awkward dreamy dance sequence. I don't know, I really wanted to like this film but the tone of it was a bit confused. The characters weren't quite likeable enough for it to be an interesting romance but it wasn't really funny either, despite the light tone. The film's structure is non-linear, it plays with time, constantly shifting back and forth so as to create these kind of snapshot memories of a relationship. It's an interesting technique, but I had to wonder whether it really served the narrative. Instead, I found it kind of fragmented the story, ultimately undermining it. It didn't allow me to get involved with the relationship, to see it develop. The structure seemed to be that in one scene it's quite romantic and happy but in the next you see Joseph Gordon-Levitt's character miserable. This sequence then repeats for a good portion of the film. I found this a little tedious. Having said that, there were some nice moments in the film, I particularly liked the split screen "Expectation vs Reality" scene. I also thought that there was some nice chemistry at times between Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel. Basically, I left the cinema feeling a bit ambivalent about the whole thing, I'm still not totally sure what I think of it but I still keep coming up with criticisms. I guess that means I'm still thinking about it days later though.

'Funny People' (2009) directed by Judd Apatow

Pretty good movie. It's not really a comedy so much as a drama with some quirky characters and that Apatow sensibility. It does have funny moments but a lot of those come from when the stand up comic characters are telling jokes as part of their routines. Overall, I really enjoyed the film although the last thirty minutes or so (particularly the scenes with Eric Bana) felt overlong and a bit messy. Up until then though, the movie really held my intention and was thoroughly entertaining. The relationship between the two main characters played by Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen was engaging and the film played around with some really interesting themes.