Howzat tops 2m for Nine

Everybody Dance Now – just 385,000 !

That’s even after a page 5 Sunday Telegraph advertorial by the Murdoch’s.

Oh well – back to the drawing board.

Howzat was actually a really good show, good writing, great acting, well done Ch9.

I’m interested, anyone got a torrent?

Howzat was a bloody rippa! Onya nine.

I really enjoyed every aspect of Howzat, that’s exactly the kind of stuff I want to watch on Sunday evening..

HOWZAT great show & insight into what most of us took for granted.
Interesting how much they pushed the eating aspect tho…

What a fantastic show – can’t wait for next week and more from Southern Star/Nine

Great Aussie drama. Cannot wait for part 2 next week!

Nice to see the costume department at Nine being efficient in rehashing the same looks for the original underbelly, the Ita buttrose thing & now this. How many Packer shows can Ch9 do?! They’ve obviously decided on a certain formula for their drama’s, & they’re certainly sticking to it. Good show, but lacking any real creativity/uniqueness

@Grim Reaper – the “Ita Buttrose” thing was on the ABC, and the original Underbelly was set in the last decade in Melbourne – hardly a rehashing of anything….

@Ben… Well said.

Brilliant Aussie TV, Aussie Film industry, please take note, of recent times, you quality has paled in comparison (excluding reality TV crap).

The only very minor critique? We worked out which one was Doug Walters, you didnt have to have a cigarette in his mouth in EVERY scene he was in. We get it, he smoked, done.

As Kerry would have said: “it was a f–king great show.”

Does anyone else see the irony with Howzat being a ratings blockbuster?

For decades Kerry Packer was a harsh and active opponent of Australian drama – only screening the bare minimum as required by the regulators, often in unimportant timeslots and with “plan to fail” budgets, development and production schedules etc.

He was happy for Seven to be the home of drama, focussing instead on richly-resourced news and current affairs and, of course, sport.

Now he’s the central character of one of the biggest Australian drama smash hits of the year. It’s poetic!

My goodness, I watched it for five minutes and was bored out my brain…so turned it off and read a book.

Ben, the Ita show on the ABC was enjoyable, the show last night was not enjoyable (for me).

Excellent show with some great actors, fun soundtrack and retro styling. Every show needs a hero so you can understand the need for a “strong but sensitive” KP. No Goanna references here. Reminiscent of Bodyline in resurrecting the old stereotype of brave, down-to-earth Aussies fighting the entrenched power system of Mother England. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that.) Was also interesting to bring back memories of one-camera cricket with half the coverage showing “the batsman’s arse”.

http://catchup.ninemsn.com.au/.....packerswar

What do you know, good Aussie drama with great talent, scheduled well and promoted well – rates!
Good for them. Glad to see programming that isnt about a bunch of talentless bogans cooking, dancing, locked in house together, renovating house, singing, or largely doing stupid shit that no one with an IQ above 27 has any interested in seeing.
Will be watching next week.

Um, OK Carole, good to hear….?

I tried to watch it after the Masterchef finale but fell asleep halfway. Too much “Kerry” barking at everyone, cba.

@Carole Goldsmith, thanks for sharing. Your loss.

Tim, Howzat, all about cricket and lots of F words from chain smoking Packer…
not my cup of tea – boring and offensive to me.

Well done to all involved – the recreation of the original WSC opening titles was a triumph! Shame about so many ad breaks – segments were getting down towards 6 minutes by the end, but that’s modern commercial television for you.

No doubt execs are pacing the floor today thinking of other Packer story lines. His selling the network to Alan Bond and then buying it back for a song would be a ripper!

Personally, I like that ‘Rhonda’ made an appearance in Howzat also.

How can they get away with all the smoking in the show? Surely that should be banned.

Seems the cast of Offspring can’t put a foot wrong.

Yeah, your’e right Carole. And the swearing. And the cricket. Let’s not make a true life drama anything like the real thing

Great stuff.one of the most outstanding Dramas on TV. Loved it. Pity it’s only two episodes. Well done Nine!

Jesus, Carole, what else did you want removed? Drinking beer? Girls in bikinis by the pool? Grow up! It’s not the 1950s anymore in Peyton Place!

Carole you seem to be outnumbered.Let the boys have their fun. It was a blokey program anyway.

I am watching X Factor as I write this. Will be interesting to see how it rates. Lots of young great talent on show. Surely people will prefer this over some smoking, cursing drama??? But then again-maybe not.

Carole, it’s set in the ’70s, FFS. People smoked back then. Packer swore, but he was a revolutionary. It’s a story well worth retelling. And it’s not just about cricket, either. Two million-plus viewers can’t be wrong. You, on the other hand, are. Best Australian production since Chopper – I bet you hated that too? Go back to your safe, conservative little encasing.

Devlin, I bet you work in your safe little world and office in Sydney or somewhere and never venture out.

I work across Japan, China, Kore and Vietnam – You take the challenge and get out of your own little box and learn from the world instead of watching shows with swearing and smoking from 40 years ago and critisising others who have better things to do with their time. .

@Carole….you obviously have nothing better to do than troll

@Carole: I fail to see how working across Asia has anything to do with the argument that you’re a conservative troll who can’t appreciate a seriously good Australian period piece. What other motive would you have to get on here and say how it ‘bored’ and ‘offended’ you (they smoke AND swear, ohmygosh), other than to disagree for disagreement’s sake, or attempt to piss people off? Now, get your self-important ass back to Vietnam and stay there.

So what’s next. I reckon Centre bet could have book running.. I would put Money on

“Plastic Fantastic. Allan Bonds Cup” Bought to you by Mastercard”
“Marbella and Bust. The Christopher Skase story bought to You by Wikileaks”

C’mon sure we can another five ideas by COB!!!