Heelers put down

[pies4ever]

Heelers put down
Robert Fidgeon and Darren Devlyn
14jan06

CHANNEL 7 has axed its award-winning police drama Blue Heelers. After 12 years, 510 episodes and 24 Logies, the locally produced cop show is being killed off because of poor ratings and production costs estimated to be $16 million a year.

The show, which made stars of John Wood, Lisa McCune, Martin Sacks and William McInnes, and launched the careers of countless others, will end with the screening of the final 11 episodes that were filmed last year.
The show's axing will cost about 150 jobs.

It will end with episode 510, equalling the record set by legendary cop show Homicide as Australia's longest-running one-hour drama.

The decision to axe Heelers comes in the wake of Seven investing heavily in AFL coverage from 2007-2011.

Channels 7 and 10 paid a record $780 million for the AFL broadcasting rights.

McCune, who won four gold Logies for her portrayal of Maggie Doyle, paid tribute to the show that started her career.

"I will never forget what the show did for me as an actor and I'll never forget how special it was to be a part of that cast and crew," McCune said.

Foundation cast member John Wood, renowned for playing Tom Croydon, was in rural South Australia when Heelers' executive producer Gus Howard called him with the news.

"John, like most of us who were working on the show, are proud of what we've done and sad it has all come to an end," Mr Howard said.

"Our cast has always been the very strongest ensemble on TV. Our cast members stayed a lot longer than casts of other shows because of the quality of show and people working on it.

"We had so many big shows put up against us over the years, including CSI: Miami and House.

"The declining audience of Heelers (which peaked at 1.9 million) was 1.1 million at the end of last year. For most local dramas, figures of decline are quoted in the 400,000 range."

Original Heelers cast member Martin Sacks, who quit the show last year, said Heelers was a phenomenon.

"It was an entity unto itself and proved, with genuine collaboration between actors, writers and crew, you can make a piece of television magic that appeals to a big audience," he said.

"It was an extraordinary experience for me just to be a part of it for 11 years, and I was lucky to continue my link with the show by getting to direct some episodes."

Industry sources insist Seven took cost-cutting measures to soften the financial blow of covering football.

The axing comes as Seven continues to back its struggling new soap Headland.

Heelers, set in the fictional town of Mt Thomas, made its debut in January 1994.

Big name guest stars to have appeared in Heelers, include Hugh Jackman, Peter O'Brien, Gary Sweet, Vince Colosimo, David Wenham and Frances O'Connor.

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,17814148%255E661,00.html

[Joel]

It didn't rate? It was still in the Top 10 each week wasn't it?

Sad day really, wasn't too bad a show. Must admit though, in recent years I haven't had much of a chance to watch it.

[Eunos]

National figures were still healthy at 1.2 - 1.4 million a week.
Funny how it is axed, but "Headland", a shocker, rating about 700,000 nationally survives.

[Proud Pies]

why are they throwing good money for a crap show called Headland.......did i read somewhere that Kerry Stokes son has something to do with this show?

[sam.]

I love Blue Heelers, so sad that they've confirmed it's going.

[Eunos]

[The Prototype]

I don't thinik it will be long until Headland gets the ass.

As for Blue Heelers, I loved this show, and watched every series, so sad to see it go.

[skaman]

[David]

wasn't too bad as Australian TV shows go... but it's still funny to see Lisa McCune doing Coles ads... what acting ability! [/sarcasm]

[pies4ever]

Heeler Tom fights his demons
Mary Bolling
16jan06

BLUE Heelers producers have promised fans will be satisfied with the final episodes, with John Wood's character Tom Croydon facing his demons in one storyline.

Channel 7 has axed the Australian drama stalwart after a 12-year run, but series producer Gus Howard said the final episodes would tie up loose ends.
"In the last 11 episodes, we tried to satisfy fans' obvious desire for us to take the show into darker places," he said.

"At the same time, we wanted to satisfy long-time fans and their desire for life to neatly make sense at the end of every episode."

Shooting of the final episodes ended on December 20, before Southern Star production company producers and cast knew the show would be cancelled.

"As we wrote it and developed it and shot it, we didn't know if we would get a renewal or not . . . so we acted as if it was possible we wouldn't get renewed, so it could play as a final episode," Howard said.

"We've spun Tom's whole life and shattered his view of the world and the new episodes really put Tom on the spot and give him a whole new way of looking at his life."

Howard said the instalments would be "strong John Wood" episodes and he hoped they would impress Logies judges.

Blue Heelers will end with a double episode.

A spokeswoman for Seven said broadcast dates for the last episodes were yet to be set.

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,17831694%255E2902,00.html

[Northern Pie]

Whats the big deal with a show finishing off while still rating extremely high? Friends, Sienfeld, Everybody Loves Raymond all did it. Blue Heelers is a great show and should end while on top, I think of it more of a tribute rather than a disappointment. besides there has not been any real good Australian Drama since Cop shop and Prisoner anyways.......*chuckle*

Cheers

[Joel]

[Dr Alf Andrews]

Sad to see it go ... but I reckon the show started to die when Maggie Doyle got killed off.

In recent years it's become a bit of a joke. The surest way for a female cop to get herself murdered in Mt Thomas was to become sexually involved with P.J.

Talk about the "kiss of death" !

Jonesy was a total wanker. Amy was a complete ball-breaker. Joss and Kellie were a great comedy act but I wonder how much bearing Samantha Tolj's recent real life misadventures (drunk driving) had on bringing the show into disrepute.

One thing I know for sure ... I won't be moving to Mt Thomas. That place has got got to be the biggest hotbed of crime in this country. How many murders have happened there over the last 12 years? How many cops have been killed? How many cops have had to leave in disgrace after getting done for corruption? What a dangerous place. Why hasn't the Victorian government done something about it?

Here's hoping the Mudlarks can win the flag this year

[Dr Alf Andrews]

[Dr Alf Andrews]