It’s weird that Comedy Inc was the one to survive the longest, especially with the ‘late shift’ retooling, but both Big Bite and Skithouse didn’t seem to have staying power, despite probably stronger casts.
I didn’t even know about Big Bite until a few days ago. I feel so young.
That was a content quota thing IIRC, it was way cheaper than a drama series to make but counted towards points.
Enjoy that feeling whilst it lasts!
As TVHead pointed out… it was due to local content drama quota. Nine had very little local drama in production a the time.
Big Bite was the funniest, but dare I say the cheapest feeling.
Did give us the first sightings of Mr G though!
I’d say Comedy Inc, was the strongest of the 3 though is it a coincidence all 3 commercials seemed to debut sketch comedy shows in 2003 or is it purely down to the content quota?
Their Millionaire sketches were top notch and were made to look authentic. Also makes me wonder if those sketches were filmed on the actual set.
they were.
I always really liked the Sunrise ones
Andrew O’Keefe did impersonations of Eddie McGuire in their Millionaire sketch. I do wonder if those sketches helped him get the job for Deal or No Deal.
Paul McCarthy nailed those sketches. His impersonations of Kochie and Kevin Rudd were gold.
I loved that show!
It had so many great characters.
Its a shame it didn’t have a longer run.
If anyone knows if there is a way to watch all the episodes again, it would be greatly appreciated if you could let me know.
I always looked forward to Chris Lillee’s skits and the news skit at the end. Their take-off of The Panel was also hilarious.
Paul McCarthy was brilliant here as he was back on channel 10’s “Totally Full Frontal”.
I doubt this would have had any impact…
Fiona MacDonald’s diagnosis of MND will feature on the next Australian Story. So sad, with any fond memories of Fiona on Brisbane TV and then nationally especially with It’s A Knockout
4 posts were merged into an existing topic: STW9
I remember the furore when Nine sent its then-Sydney anchor Jim Waley to Baghdad to cover the Iraqi handover, wherein he was instructed to wear a flak jacket while Seven’s Adrian Brown didn’t.
Back in the studio, Mark Ferguson was deputizing in Waley’s chair, but while National Nine News outrated Seven News by 160,000 viewers nationally, pushing the latter to third in the ratings, in Sydney it was beaten by the mob at Epping, anchored by Ian Ross. These two links suggested it happened in the same week (the Crikey ref says Nine won by 160K on 28/6/2004).
Good little time capsule there.
I wonder where Adrian Brown is these days?
I believe Adrian Brown left Seven a long time ago, probably either during or just after the Ian Ross era.
He was also a reporter at Nine in the 90s, if my memory serves me well.