I think what’s also failed the show is the promos. Bevan Lee above did mention in that podcast that they have struggled in the promos department with the show.
The promos that did run and the running have no insight into what it is. I understand they have wanted to protect the narrative but it’s detriment to the show. You can’t promo it like reality that has an ambiguous message and expect people to tune in.
People need to be convinced to watch drama sadly these days.
They have failed it.
It seems that the problem with Between Two Worlds is pretty simple; that viewers don’t like it. 490k watched the first episode across the week but only 280k came back for epsiode 2.
And in the key demos a shocking result last night with the show ranking just 34th in 25-54. In 16-39 it ranked 77th.
I found the drama to be a bit slow-moving and also the storyline seems a tad confusing. Something to do with a billionaire and a mother, and that’s all I am sure of.
Pity Seven couldn’t create a compelling piece of drama like Five Bedrooms and The Secret She Keeps on 10.
Agreed, but I don’t think the promo got the intrigue for the viewer to check it out in the first place really.
It was like a slideshow of images and didn’t really give the viewer much.
I feel a lot of people would have streamed Ep2 on 7Plus as it was up straight strafe the ep which is what I did. That could have also been a factor into last nights disastrous ratings.
If the show is looking for a new timeslot, what about Tuesdays 7:30pm-8:30pm (instead of AGT)? It should hopefully pull higher numbers than an 8:30pm slot, but some of the content in last night’s episode for example, isn’t suited to a 7:30pm slot.
If it runs Tues 7:30pm-8:30pm that would also help Seven’s 2000 Olympic Special this Tuesday, bringing it forward from 9:15pm to the earlier start of 8:30pm.
I haven’t watched it yet. But I will. Just will wait for all episodes to be available. I don’t tend to listen to too many peoples opinions on the drama as I think some people do struggle with Australian drama in general whereas I love it.
But with that said is this the same drama that was floating around a few years ago? Didn’t other networks pass on it?
The problem for dramas is that all three commercial networks have treated drama as an afterthought in Australia, putting all their eggs in one basket with reality shows. The problem is that these bloated reality shows at 7.30pm running 70min, 90min, 120min or more just make it impossible for drama shows starting on time or in a regular slot.
Impossible to switch over to another channel these days and catch the start of a show on another channel. Is there anywhere else in the world so loose with shows running over and every episode having a varied length? They have basically killed free to air television after 8.30pm in this country.
I don’t think Between Two Worlds running at 7.30pm is an option either. M rated shows might be allowed at 7.30pm but I think viewers would find it confronting to have scenes like a man watching his girlfriend have a threesome with two other men at 7.30pm which is still considered a timeslot for family viewing.
Another thing to ponder is whether Aussies will tune in to watch a show about the filthy rich. I remember a study back in the late 80s about which soaps or drama series work best in each country.
The Americans are obsessed with money and getting rich so they loved shows about the rich, which is why Dynasty, Dallas, Falcon Crest and all the other variants were massive hits. Even the daytime soapies like The Bold and the Beautiful or The Young and the Restless are about rich families.
The Brits like to feel better about themselves by watching shows about people who are more miserable than themselves, so they love shows about the working class and poor like Eastenders and Coronation Street.
Meanwhile, most Aussies prefer to watch shows about middle class and aspirational people like themselves so they prefer shows like Neighbours, Home & Away, The Sullivans and Packed to the Rafters. At the time of the study, they were trying to work out why series like Taurus Rising and Return to Eden about mega rich Australian families failed. Perhaps this is why Between Two Worlds also struggles and even A Place To Call Home struggled to find a wide audience.
I’m sorry but that wasn’t the reason why a place to call home struggled. it was because seven had found it skewing too old for their liking and this a common fact. Hence why it was enjoyed by a lot more on Foxtel and why it lasted as long as it did. and it seems to me that since apach got brought out to Foxtel and seven is punishing beven with between two worlds
Skewing old was the reason that Seven stopped making it after the second season. If it had been a huge success in season 2 or even matched season 1 then it would have survived, but season 2 was way down on its debut. The competition in the timeslot didn’t help either.
It probably could have greatly benefited from a decent writers room. The script makes the Seachange reboot look like a John Edwards production
I am a huge believer in Australian Drama, and we have had some really great quality on much lower budget. Maybe as I hit my late 30’s I am skewing older, but Stateless, Total Control & even Five Bedrooms have recently demonstrated how well things can be done.
I may be wrong, but I assume Back To The Rafters will be Lee’s final program, though he will likely continue to consult for Seven in some capacity.
