1995: April 8-14

We’re all doomed romantically!
The Blue Heelers men — Grant Bowler, Martin Sacks, William McInnes and Damian Walshe-Howling (pictured) — all agree that their characters have a lot to learn when it comes to relationships. “It’s a bit of an inside joke with us that we’re all doomed romantically,” Grant Bowler (Constable Wayne Patterson) told TV Week. “Tom’s (John Wood) wife was killed, my wife left me, and Nick’s (William McInnes) family died tragically. Chris (Julie Nihill) also has the all-time worst taste in men.” Although the actors have their fans, they say the show’s popularity is more about the quality of the drama rather than the look of its cast members. “None of us are ripping our shirts off in Blue Heelers,” Sacks told TV Week. “The scripts are tight, it’s cast well and it has a certain amount of integrity.” Despite the show’s change from 7.30pm to 8.30pm, Bowler said this won’t have any impact on the show’s formula. “The problem is we’re also dealing with international sales. Blue Heelers screens in the UK in the afternoon, so we adhere to that,” he said.

Melissa’s back in town!
Melissa Bell has returned to Neighbours to reprise her role of Lucy Robinson, and she’s happier than she’s ever been. Her return to the series comes after a financially crippling experience in London, including the split from her London-based manager. “The situation with my manager in London became very difficult and expensive,” she told TV Week. “I had to hire an accountant and a lawyer to sort the situation out and it cost me a fortune.”

Gavin goes grunge
Former A Country Practice star Gavin Harrison (pictured) might be at home in Beverly Hills, but he is happy not to pursue the glamorous side of the industry. Now sporting a disheveled grunge look, Harrison says he is picking his roles carefully. He has already put his voice to a Disney series called The Little Wizards and has a continuing role in the series Wing And A Prayer. Harrison has also adopted a strong American accent. “It is necessary for work,” he told TV Week. “Some people wear suits and have short hair because they are lawyers — they all the rules and regulations you have to follow to work. If you go in to a (script) reading or whatever talking like an Australian and then decide to turn it around, there can be doubts about whether you can pull it off. But if they perceive you as an American there can be no doubts.”

Briefly…

• Dean Cain, star of Lois & Clark The New Adventures Of Superman, is coming to Australia to guest star at the TV Week Logie Awards, to be held at the Melbourne Concert Hall later this month. Also coming to the Logies are Sesame Street‘s Big Bird and Hangin’ With Mr Cooper stars Mark Curry and Holly Robinson. For Big Bird it is his second Logies, having appeared once before in 1980.
• Derryn Hinch‘s forum special, Battle Of The Sexes, hasn’t attracted much praise — with some labeling it a low point for Australian TV. “If you thought the hour was bad, you should have seen the two hours and 10 minutes we had before the editing,” one Nine staffer told TV Week.
• ABC‘s TVTV could be on the chopping block. The show’s producer Mark Gibson has already moved on to other projects — including a proposed Saturday night comedy show. Insiders say the show’s future will be decided in June but the axe seems likely.
• Artist Services, the production company of Steve Vizard and Andrew Knight, is said to be discussing new projects with ABC — in particular a new comedy show. The company’s exclusive contract with the Seven Network expires soon.

TV’s Top 20 (Week Commencing 19 March): 

Lawrie Masterson: The View From Here:

“With this week’s announcement of our special guest stars, the countdown to the 1995 TV Week Logie Awards is on in earnest. Work on the 37th annual Logies has been progressing quietly (on occasions, not so quietly!) for some months, but, with the event only weeks away, now is the time to step up into overdrive. And we can’t think of a better way to do so than by announcing that three of the hottest young stars on American television have agreed to be part of our television industry’s biggest night of the year. Dean Cain, star of Lois & Clark The New Adventures Of Superman, and Mark Curry and Holly Robinson, from the hit family sitcom Hangin’ With Mr Cooper, will be in Australia for the Logies. And we’ve also secured the services of a fourth big, international name… One of the all-time children’s favourites, Big Bird, will be here as part of a worldwide celebration of the 25th anniversary of Sesame Street, and he’s all set for a Logie Awards starring role, as well.”

Program Highlights (Melbourne, April 8-14):
Saturday: Beyond 2000 (5.30pm, Ten) looks at a reality centre — the testing ground for tomorrow’s virtual reality and computer games. The Second Test, West Indies v Australia, begins live overnight from Antigua (12am, Ten)

Sunday: AFL Sunday includes Brisbane Bears versus Adelaide (1pm, Seven), live from Brisbane, followed by Sydney Swans versus Geelong (4pm, Seven), live from Sydney. Sunday night movies are Turtle Beach (Seven), Dead Ahead: The Exxon Valdez Disaster (Nine) and Dream A Little Dream (Ten). The Second Test resumes overnight (12am, Ten).

Monday: In Neighbours (6.30pm, Ten), Mal (Benjamin McNair) and Danni (Eliza Szonert) come to blows when her jealousy gets out of control. A British documentary, Hacker Attack (7.30pm, SBS), looks at how the development of the internet has resulted in the rise in electronic crime across the globe.

Tuesday: In Fire (9.30pm, Seven), Banjo’s (Aaron Jeffery, pictured) secret is out, he’s getting married to Anne (Anne Tenney, pictured), and the platoon members aren’t invited. Boss (Peter Phelps) reminds him that they are his family above and beyond his wife-to-be.

Wednesday: Comedy special World Series Debating (8.30pm, ABC) discusses the topic That Australia Is The Arts End Of The World, featuring Robyn Archer, Louise Adler, Jean Kittson, John Herouvim, Bob Ellis, Margaret Scott and moderated by Campbell McComas.

Thursday: In Janus (8.30pm, ABC), Judge Glenda de Bono (Louise Siversen) takes on her first trial — a rape case. The Opening Ceremony of the World Youth Football Championships (11.30pm, SBS) is live from Qatar, followed by Nigeria versus Russia (12.15am, SBS) and Australia versus Costa Rica (2.45am, SBS).

Friday: The Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal (9am, Seven) features celebrities from Home And Away, Blue Heelers, Wheel Of Fortune, Family Feud, Saturday Disney, Fire, The Great Outdoors, Eleven AM and Full Frontal. After breaking for Seven Nightly News, Today Tonight, Home And Away and Four Quarters, the appeal resumes (8.30pm, Seven) with a concert special from the World Congress Centre. The appeal closes at midnight. Compass presents a special Good Friday program (7.30pm, ABC), looking at the Homicide Victims’ Support Group.

Source: TV Week (Melbourne edition), incorporating TV Times and TV Guide. 8 April 1995. Southdown Press