While I concur with my learned friend @TelevisionAU, I wonder if there is a funding partner limitation as well
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Surely funding isn’t the issue given the international success the show has had - if the ABC pulled out then others would step in.
Or perhaps there could be a spin-off with new characters and fresh storylines to tackle a new era.
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Spin off about Nolene and Rob perhaps
Or Geoff and Lindsay back in the 60s
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The Screen Australia website has added a brief synopsis for season 3, which is now in post-production.
In Season three, we find them in 1989…Dale Jennings, fronting the News At Six solo, has become the most beloved name in news, a Gold Logie nominee, permanently number one in the nightly ratings. Meanwhile Helen’s fearless international reporting has won her an opportunity to be the first woman to both anchor and produce her own current affairs show.
Not the best news for a 4th season.
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Yeah, just seen this. Not at all a surprise, especially after what that guy from ABC said a couple months ago, and fits in with how a lot of series these days - especially ones on streaming - appear to run for just three lots of episodes.
Probably best, as I wouldn’t want them to drag on the central storylines longer than originally planned, and the show’s quality reduce as a result. There’s only so much tension you can get out of Helen and Dale’s complicated travails in love; the US sitcom Superstore somewhat discovered this when they finally resolved the will-they-won’t-they storyline between their two leads.
Worth pointing out that the decision to make this a show about an historical news team came relatively late in development, as it was originally purely a show about a lavender marriage, and it just so happened to be that Lucas decided on the characters involved working in a newsroom as the framing. If that hadn’t been what underlaid the series, and it was more of a soap - with all its storylines coming in and out and surrounding the presentation of dealing with historical news events - it could probably have ran and ran for much longer and into the '90s.
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Stan or Binge might pick it up
Bit hard when the production team behind it have decided it’s time as well. Another issue is casting availability as well.
Article also mentions that the show has been pushed back to next year.
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Look money talks, especially when it comes to Michael
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I think money talks yes. But also I think for him if there isn’t a story behind it that is worthy he won’t do it
Michael Lucas confirmed on the Emsolation podcast this morning that this article was untrue. And Sam and Anna were not leaving, but rather the series was always ending at S3. They had the article updated to correct the misinformation.
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Season 2 has been nominated for an International Emmy Award.
DRAMA SERIES
“Les Gouttes de Dieu [Drops of God]” (Legendary Entertainment / Les Productions Dynamic / 22H22 / Adline Entertainment / France Télévisions / Hulu Japan)
France
“The Newsreader” – Season 2 (Werner Film Productions / Australian Broadcasting Corporation / eOne)
Australia
“The Night Manager” (Disney+ Hotstar / Banijay Asia / Ink Factory)
India
“Iosi, El Espia Arrepentido” – Season 2 [Yosi, the Regretful Spy] (Amazon MGM Studios)
Argentina
Winners will be announced at the 52nd International Emmy Awards Gala in New York on Monday, November 25.
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The ABC also released the season 3 trailer on iView this afternoon.
Season 3 premieres on ABC TV on Sunday, February 2, 2025, with all episodes dropping on iView on the same date.
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EDIT: the season 3 trailer is now available on YouTube.
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Season 3 Air date: Sunday 2 February 8.30pm
There are 6 episodes including the series finale where Helen & Dale wrap up their storylines.
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Start the year on a high for the ABC.
A great Australian drama, with a quality script, and great acting on a whole.
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Season 1 will stream on Sundance Now and AMC+ in USA from next Thursday, December 19. Previously it was available on The Roku Channel and ARTE in English for a limited time.
Season 3 - Episode 1
Sunday 2 February 8.30pm
In 1989, Helen and Dale are forced into direct competition as they fight to become number one in the shifting world of news. Cast: Anna Torv and Sam Reid.
We first met Dale Jennings (Sam Reid) and Helen Norville (Anna Torv) in 1986, when a fledgling Dale was desperate to be a star newsreader and Helen was fighting to be taken seriously as a journalist. Now, in 1989, Dale Jennings has become the most beloved name in news, and Helen’s fearless international reporting has won her an opportunity to be the first woman to both anchor and produce her own current affairs show, ‘Public Eye with Helen Norville’.
Helen and Dale initially take pride in each other’s success, until an unexpected and cynical network move sees them pitted directly opposite each other in the cut-throat 6pm time slot. Without warning, these former allies and lovers are plunged into the most ferocious battle in commercial television, and it becomes agonisingly clear that by year’s end, only one of them will maintain their long-fought-for position…
Production credit: Commissioned by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. A Werner Films Production. Major production investment from Screen Australia and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in association with VicScreen. Created by Michael Lucas. Written by Michael Lucas, Christine Bartlett, Adrian Russell Wills and Niki Aken. Directed by Emma Freeman. Produced by Lucas and Joanna Werner. Executive Producers Werner, Stuart Menzies and Emma Freeman. ABC Executive Producers Brett Sleigh and Rachel Okine.
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