Aussie Out of the Blue fans are fed up

There's been lots of views posted up from UK fans of Out of the Blue on this blog recently, but until now we haven't heard much about what Aussie viewers think about the way the show has been treated on Ten.

Don't forget that the show started out in a four-nights-a-week 10.30pm slot on Ten in November, which is quite a bizarre decision for a daytime/evening show. Despite the lack of promotion and no network backing whatsoever, the show rose steadily in the ratings across its run as the storylines hotted up - particularly as the Tess diamonds plot was reaching its conclusion.

Sadly, in January Ten made another strange decision - removing the show from its 10.30pm slot and sticking it in a once-a-week 6pm slot, then later 5.30pm, on Sunday nights, thus making it very difficult for it to keep up any kind of momentum or buzz because the storylines are now moving at a snail's pace. And that's even if you don't consider the total lack of promotion or backing given to the show.

Here's what Aussie fans have been saying about the nonsensical scheduling recently.

jillli, Ten Forums: "Out of the Blue reminds me of another Channel 10 show which was aired two nights a week many years ago and had a lot of followers, just as this show will if Ten give it the chance it deserves, anyone remember E Street? Please Channel 10 listen to what we want to watch."

andole, Ten Forums: "It will take forever to resolve the Philby mystery at this rate. I've given up on it. Ten will never bring it back in a reasonable way so I'm just going to read the episode summaries and leave it there."

spunkystack, Ten Forums: "This is BS! How are we expected to follow the show if it's on once a week for half an hour?"

devotedparent, Ten Forums: "I agree with how ridiculous it is of Channel 10 to reduce OOTB to a half hour show each week when they give up so much airtime to run reruns and crap from the US. Come on Channel 10, give us back our OOTB!"

kellymm, Ten Forums: "I was so disappointed when this changed timeslots (twice!) without warning, because I missed a couple of episodes thanks to this. Then I discovered I can watch them online! However, now when I click on "episode 42" etc, it says there is an empty playlist!! Why? I am desperate to know what happens as I missed 42 and 43!"

eilkel, Ten Forums: "I prefer to watch it online too. Sundays at 5.30pm is such a stupid time to have it on the television."

ID10T-AU, Ten Forums: "If they are going to edit the show for 6pm Sunday, why can't they edit it for 6pm Monday to Friday?"

stewie_13, Ten Forums: "One episode a week is not enough, it will take us years to get through it all! We are just over 1/4 of the way through the season."

asianzebra, Ten Forums: "I'm really ticked, I got hooked on that show, as much as some think it's pathetic. It was the show I'd watch to wind down at the end of the day. Half an hour a week isn't going to be adequate at all, hopefully ratings pick up so that it will be reconsidered for a different or longer timeslot."

juls81, Ten Forums: "I am a big fan, I don't think once a week is enough. I love the show and am going crazy not being able to watch it every night."

Sharon200, Ten Forums: "Channel 10, put Out of the Blue back on nightly. I don't care what time as I record it anyway. I love it, it is easy to watch. Bring it back nightly. Surely there is enough crapola on TV to bump something else."

Shannon, TV Tonight: "Can you please just make up your mind if Out of the Blue is going to be on one night then you need to run it for at least an hour. This half an hour business is stupid for one night a week. There are people out there that enjoy this show, let us watch it!!!"

ek9, TV Tonight: "I just watch it online from the Channel 10 website now, a lot easier than trying to keep up with all the ridiculous programming changes."

Lisa, TV Tonight: "Just watch it from the Ten website, no ads and wrapped up in less than 23 mins. I'm loving this show - actually I'm addicted, anyone else out there that feels the same way? Storyline is good - I'm loving to hate certain characters and it generally throws you every ep, so bring on more OOTB!"

bulls_eye, Media Spy: "I actually think Ten gave up on this show about 2 weeks in when they stopped showing the advert about what's coming up in the next episode just as the episode finishes. Either a very lazy or cheap marketing department over at Ten."

Tickford, Media Spy: "This show is so much better than Neighbours and H&A."

southernguy, Media Spy: "Poor show has never stood a chance!"

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Like in the UK, it seems that the vast majority of those people who have tuned in on a regular basis have nothing but praise for the show. The problem is that there aren't more people willing to do so because of a total lack of faith and promotion from the network. There are probably many people out there who haven't even heard of Out of the Blue!

It's easy to forget that Neighbours debuted to low ratings when it launched in the '80s and is now the longest-running Australian drama, raking in a fortune from international sales. However, unless there's a miracle (ie a total change in attitude from Ten), it seems that Out of the Blue is going to be one fantastic show that passes many people by.