1995: May 20-26

tvweek_200595Cover: Lisa McCune (Blue Heelers), ‘Hammer’ and ‘Vulcan’ (Gladiators)

Network Ten buys Melrose spin-off
Network Ten has snapped up the rights to the new US series Central Park West, described as the final chapter in the Beverly Hills 90210-Melrose Place trilogy (ignoring the short-lived Models Inc which concluded its run in Australia recently). Described as “a sort of younger Bonfire Of The Vanities”, Central Park West was commissioned by US network CBS before a pilot was produced, with the first series of 13 episodes to debut on the network later this year. Network Ten is expected to screen Central Park West sometime during 1996.

lauravasquezLaura tunes up!
Former Home And Away star Laura Vasquez (pictured) is heading to the UK in the hope of launching her own recording career. The young star has recorded three demo songs to take to record companies. “Because of the experience I’ve had as a child performer, growing up singing and dancing since I was eight years of age, and also having a profile in London due to Home And Away, I thought this was a great opportunity because it’s what I’ve always wanted to do,” she told TV Week. “I’m also not going to let people say to me, ‘Oh, but you’re just going to be another Kylie or Dannii (Minogue) or Toni (Pearen)’. I don’t care. This is what I love to do and I’m not going to stop it because other people don’t think that I can do it.”

humphreybbear_0001Bearly 30!
Humphrey B Bear is celebrating his 30th anniversary on television. The funny old fellow made his TV debut in Adelaide on 24 May 1965 and has become the Nine Network‘s most enduring celebrity. He is also credited with making more public appearances for charity than any other Australian celebrity and has two TV Week Logie Awards to his credit.

Briefly…

 

  • Network Ten is launching a new finance show, Your Money And Your Life, hosted by finance columnist David Koch and featuring his wife and four children as a living example of how finances affect every member of every family. The new show is expected to debut next month.
  • Filming for Heartbreak High is now due to resume late in June following a last minute reprieve by overseas interests — in particular the BBC. The new batch of episodes is not expected to be shown on Network Ten in Australia, with producers shopping it around to other networks. Meanwhile, episodes of Heartbreak High completed earlier this year will appear on Ten from this week.
  • The crew behind Electric Blanket, the late-night current affairs show which was not picked up by the Seven Network, is now working on another pilot, but without host David Reyne. The new project is set to feature former Crowded House drummer Paul Hester.
  • rebeccariggActress Rebecca Rigg (pictured), partner to actor Simon Baker-Denny, is making a return to television with a role in an upcoming Cody telemovie. She has also recently finished working on a feature film, Tunnel Vision, and will soon star opposite Chris Haywood (Janus) in an episode of the upcoming ABC series, Naked.

TV’s Top 20 (Week Commencing 30 April): 

Rank Program Network Day(s) Viewers
1 Lois & Clark Seven Mon 2134000
2 Gladiators Seven Sat 2058000
3 Home Improvement Seven Sun 1921000
4 World’s Greatest TV Commercials Seven Sun 1871000
5 ER Nine Thu 1857000
6 Seven Nightly News Seven Sat 1848000
7 60 Minutes Nine Sun 1820000
8 The X Files Ten Wed 1807000
9 Seven Nightly News Seven Sun 1767000
10 Just Kidding Nine Tue 1759000
11 National Nine News Nine M-F 1750000
12 Burke’s Backyard Nine Fri 1741000
13 National Nine News Nine Sun 1737000
14 National Nine News Nine Sat 1730000
15 Australia’s Funniest Home Video Show Nine Tue 1728000
16 Fire Seven Tue 1724000
17 Wildlife With Olivia Newton-John Nine Thu 1693000
18 Money Nine Wed 1691000
19 Our House Nine Wed 1691000
20 A Current Affair Nine M-F 1666000

Program Highlights (Melbourne, 20-26 May):
Saturday:
Beyond 2000 (5.30pm, Ten) looks at a South African safari tracking down elephants to learn more about their tusks; and a ski boat with a radical new design. Singer Tina Arena is a guest star on Hey Hey It’s Saturday (6.30pm, Nine).

Sunday: AFL Sunday includes Brisbane versus St Kilda (1pm, Seven), live from Brisbane, followed by West Coast Eagles versus Essendon (4pm, Seven), live from Perth. In the series return of Heartbreak High (5.30pm, Ten), school is back but there is an undercurrent of unresolved grief and guilt over the death of Nick (Alex Dimitriades). Sunday night movies are Gross Misconduct (Nine) and Die Hard (repeat, Ten), up against the debut of two-part mini-series The Tommyknockers (Seven).

Monday: Healthy Wealthy And Wise (7.30pm, Ten) looks at the latest in car audio systems including improved CD technology; while Iain Hewitson visits Don’s Tables, the restaurant run by former South Australian premier Don Dunstan; and Jim Brown looks at the maintenance and care of large trees.

Tuesday: In GP (8.30pm, ABC), a romantic sojourn at a five-star hotel with Eva (Sue Walker) is ruined for William (Michael Craig) by an outbreak of food poisoning. In Blue Heelers (8.30pm, Ten), Maggie (Lisa McCune) is concerned for the welfare of two children whose mother is involved with a gang of bikies.

Wednesday: In Home And Away (7pm, Seven), Curtis (Shane Ammann) and Selina’s (Tempany Deckert) friendship leads to an intimate kiss. The documentary The Resurrection Of The Batavia (8.30pm, ABC) retraces the story of the Dutch ship, Batavia, which sank in 1628 off the West Australian coast.

judynunn_0004Thursday: In Home And Away (7pm, Seven), Ailsa (Judy Nunn, pictured) is forced to lie on the floor while the diner is robbed. In Wild Life With Olivia Newton-John (7.30pm, Nine), Rachel Friend travels to Tasmania to meet Jason Wiersma, who devotes his spare time to caring for injured birds of prey; and Olivia Newton-John visits Wolf Hollow, a hospital for injured wild animals. In Police Rescue (8.30pm, ABC), a youngster without a father makes friends with Angel (Steve Bastoni) and the squad. The Rugby World Cup begins with the Opening Ceremony (10pm, Ten), live from Cape Town, South Africa, followed by the opening match — Australia versus South Africa.

Friday: Friday Night Football (9.30pm, Seven) includes the delayed telecast of North Melbourne versus Geelong, from the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The Rugby World Cup (11.30pm, Ten) features Scotland versus Ivory Coast, France versus Tonga and Canada versus Romania.

Source: TV Week (Melbourne edition), incorporating TV Times and TV Guide. 20 May 1995. Southdown Press

 

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