Always Greener: articles


Always Greener out to grass in Seven backflip

Another day, another disaster for Australian drama. Channel Seven announced yesterday that it would make no more episodes of Always Greener, despite declaring six weeks ago that it had commissioned a series for 2004.

And the latest ratings figures showed that Channel Ten's brave new drama Crash Burn is doing just that—its Monday audience in the mainland capitals dropped from 1.2 million viewers the first week to 893,000 the second, below the worst performance of the program it replaced, The Secret Life of Us.

The ratings also showed that the 30 most watched shows of last week included only two home-made dramas, McLeod's Daughters on Nine and Blue Heelers on Seven, compared with six American dramas and seven Australian lifestyle shows.

Seven was apologetic yesterday about its U-turn on Always Greener. Its director of programming and production, Tim Worner, said: "This is not a decision we have taken lightly and follows a careful analysis of our cost management and programming commitments for 2004. The cancellation of any Australian program is to be regretted, especially one that dared to be different, such as Always Greener. We're very proud of Always Greener but unfortunately, we sometimes have to make a prudent decision that means the end of an Australian series."

On July 6, Worner had announced the show's renewal, saying, "Always Greener is an important program for Seven". The show, starring John Howard and Ann Tenney, started in 2001 with record figures for an Australian drama on a Sunday—2.06 million viewers in the mainland capitals. It was seen as the successor to SeaChange.

By June, the audience for the second season had shrunk to 1.2 million. At the same time, Seven's new boss, David Leckie, started selling himself as a ruthless cost-cutter.

Ten says it remains committed to Crash Burn (which is about the breakdown of a marriage, and was written by the creators of SeaChange, Deb Cox and Andrew Knight).

Ten's corporate communications manager, Margaret Fearn, agreed yesterday that Crash Burn's audience had dropped. "With the focus on relationships, the beginning might have been a little too confrontational, a little too close to home for some people," she said.

"But it becomes progressively more engaging as you get to know the characters. The writing is brilliant and there are some hysterical moments coming up."

Seven also announced yesterday it would not to buy the US-produced make-over show Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.

The network had been negotiating with the producers of the show, which features five gay fashion experts making over heterosexual slobs.

The show set ratings records for US cable channel Bravo, but Seven decided the asking price was too high, especially as it already has the rights to a BBC make-over show, What Not to Wear.

- with AAP

By David Dale
September 02, 2003
The Age



Always Greener gets the flick

AUSSIE family drama Always Greener has been axed—just two months after Channel 7 commissioned a new series.

In a shock about-face, Seven's head of programming and production, Tim Worner, said the decision was taken with regret.

"We did commit to a new season of in 2004, but have decided not to proceed," he said. "The cancellation of any Australian program is to be regretted, especially one that dared to be different such as

"We're very proud ofbut unfortunately we sometimes have to make the prudent decision that means the end of an Australian series.

"We share the disappointment of the cast and crew."

A source said Anne Tenney, who shared top billing with John Howard, was in tears.

Australia's highest-rating debut drama enjoyed an average 1.7 million viewers in 2001, but lost viewer support when programmers tried to use it to beat Ten's last year.

Seven also announced it was not going ahead with a local version of the US make-over reality show as the network reins in its production budget.

By Robert Fidgeon
September 02, 2003
Herald Sun



Cast in tears as Always Greener axed

CAST, crew and fans of Always Greener were left high and dry yesterday when Channel 7 cancelled the popular drama less than two months after announcing it would continue.

In one of the most notable turnarounds of the TV year, Seven programming and production director Tim Worner ate his July words and spat out new ones.

"The cancellation of any Australian program is to be regretted, especially one that dared to be different such as Always Greener," he said.

"We're very proud of Always Greener, but unfortunately we sometimes have to make the prudent decision that means the end of an Australian series.

"We share the disappointment of the cast and crew."

Not by half, insiders said—devastated was the word, especially after being given the green light recently after a protracted period of uncertainty.

"The first script meetings for the new series were being held when the news came through," a source told media writer Marcus Casey.

"There were a lot of nerves before the new series was announced, but then it was relief—and now this.

"Anne Tenney is in tears."

No doubt similar feelings were felt by fellow actors John Howard, Michala Banas, Natasha Lee and creator Bevan Lee.

Australia's highest-rating debut drama enjoyed an average 1.7 million viewers in 2001, but lost it when programmers unsuccessfully tried to use it to beat Ten's Big Brother last year.

Worner said the decision was purely based on cost—the roughly $10 million price tag for 22 episodes was too high for the cost-cutting No. 2 network.

Seven was also "walking away" from gay-men-makeover-straight guy reality show Queer Eye For A Straight Guy, which they wanted The Block's Woz and Gav to host before Nine contracted them.

After an invigorating honeymoon under new boss David Leckie, the jitters have developed at Seven while Nine continues to reign supreme after its own internal dramas.

September 02, 2003
The Daily Telegraph



Drama put out to pasture

THE Seven Network has axed one of its flagship Australian TV programs, Always Greener, reversing its decision to create a third series as it seeks to cut costs.

The announcement is the first in what will be a tumultuous week for Seven, which will tomorrow unveil an overhaul of its business as it releases its annual results.

Seven's director of programming and production, Tim Worner, said he regretted axing Always Greener, which last screened in June.

"This is not a decision we have taken lightly and follows a careful analysis of our cost management and programming commitments for 2004," he said. Always Greener is the fourth local drama to be axed from commercial networks in the past 12 months after Nine's Young Lions and Seven's Marshall Law were cut last year and White Collar Blue was canned by Ten last month.

Always Greener cast members were shocked by the news.

"It's been an extremely emotional seven months," said actor Michala Banas.

"We've been without pay not knowing if the show would go ahead. We had a few different start dates for series three and the last was October 13, so we're only five weeks out from that. It's a real shame for Australian drama."

Always Greener creator Bevan Lee said he understood the show's axing was a result of the network's economic rationalisation to keep Seven's more popular dramas Blue Heelers, Home and Away and All Saints on air, but he was still "extremely saddened".

"Australian drama is going into a difficult phase," he said.

"But this highlights an economic malaise in Australian television rather than a malaise in drama."

Seven is under strong sharemarket pressure to reduce costs and Australian programs cost between $400,000 and $500,000 an hour, compared with $100,000 an hour for overseas programs.

By Jane Schulze and Sophie Tedmanson
September 02, 2003
The Australian