Jess and Rob face axe Clouded future for The Secret Daughter, Wrong Girl
TWO of the Territory’s favourite stars face uncertain futures as Aussie television drama appears to be in a state of crisis with Love Child, The Wrong Girl, Offspring, Sisters and House Husbands either axed, in hiatus or under a cloud.
Now Channel 7 has confirmed that The Secret Daughter, starring the Territory’s Jessica Mauboy, is also being rested.
It comes after a year when local drama has struggled to make a dent in the ratings. Seven’s Hoges: The Paul Hogan Story and Nine’s The House of Bond were disappointments.
Ten got disastrous figures for Wake in Fright. Sisters was shunted from 8.30pm to 9.30pm before the end of its first season.
“The state of Aussie drama on the commercial networks is the worst it has been for a decade,” media analyst Steve Allen said.
“If the networks didn’t have to meet a quota for local drama I doubt any of them would make it.”
The worrying thing is that the networks don’t seem to have any idea how to stem the tide. They have lost their confidence and are increasingly playing it safe. Nine is resur- recting the Underbelly brand for its Chopper miniseries. It looked into reviving McLeod’s Daughters but that plan was abandoned.
Seven is banking on another music biography with Olivia: Hopelessly Devoted to You. Ten’s only new drama is Playing for Keeps, about footy wags.
“We are not in danger of not meeting our quota obliga- tions, even if The Wrong Girl and Sisters do not return,” a Ten spokesman said.
Producer John Edwards believes the networks have a defeatist attitude.
“I think there is a fear of breaking new ground at the moment,” Edwards said. “There is a resignation (that Aussie drama will never rate big again) and it is a bit selffulfilling.”