Fiver's screenings of Out of the Blue in the UK finally came to an end on Wednesday, meaning that the twists, turns, shocks and great storylines are now all over for the 'second generation' of British viewers.
With the show having been relegated to an early morning slot weeks earlier, it would have been easy for it to finish without anybody noticing or caring. However, the dramatic finale has once again left viewers desperate for more.
Since Wednesday, there's been a flurry of new signatures on the Save Out of the Blue Petition and Out of the Blue Second Series Petition, and their totals now stand at 325 and 432 respectively. If you haven't yet signed the petitions, please do so as it only takes a couple of minutes to add your support and it certainly can't do any harm. Additionally, if you have any family members or friends who enjoyed the show, encourage them to sign too!
Another thing worth doing is contacting the BBC to complain about their treatment of Out of the Blue as it was their fault that the show never built up an audience last year and the reason that there currently won't be a second series for the dramatic cliffhanger of episode 130 to be resolved.
The many comments on the petitions are worth a read because they demonstrate just how this show managed to grab viewers and get them completely hooked, even if only a few people were watching. However, Australian readers should be aware that the petition comments do contain spoilers.
Meanwhile, people have even been writing in to Teletext to find out what's going on with the show. Read the comments here.
Fans may now be split on whether it is worth keeping up the fight for more Out of the Blue. Certainly, it would be very surprising if more episodes were commissioned. However, it takes so little time to make your voice heard to the people who make the decisions, so here at this blog we're still encouraging people to do what they can.
Important links:
> Sign the Save Out of the Blue Petition
> Sign the Out of the Blue Second Series Petition
> Complain to the BBC
> Contact Five/Fiver to praise Out of the Blue
Showing posts with label fiver. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fiver. Show all posts
Saturday, 8 August 2009
Monday, 22 June 2009
Sad news for Fiver fans
Sadly, Friday 26th June will be the last time that Out of the Blue airs in the afternoons on Fiver. For the short time that the show remains on the air, it will play out in the early morning 6.45am slot only.
The show's Demand Five page is likely to remain in tact for the rest of the episodes, however fans using this service have experienced many problems in recent weeks so it could be an erratic experience for them.
What a shame that such a fantastic finale for the show will be watched by early risers only! Hopefully the dedicated fans the show has built up will still be able to watch in either of the forms available.
The show's Demand Five page is likely to remain in tact for the rest of the episodes, however fans using this service have experienced many problems in recent weeks so it could be an erratic experience for them.
What a shame that such a fantastic finale for the show will be watched by early risers only! Hopefully the dedicated fans the show has built up will still be able to watch in either of the forms available.
Saturday, 13 June 2009
Fiver schedule change
Another slight change to the Fiver schedule from next week. Sophia's Diary is out of the schedule, which means Out of the Blue now starts five minutes earlier in the afternoon - at 4.00pm. Fiver+1 is obviously affected by this too, so the new time on there is 5.00pm.
Wednesday, 13 May 2009
Demand Five back in business
There's been a bit of concern about Out of the Blue's future on Demand Five over the past couple of days following a delay in getting the most recent episodes online. Fortunately, today this has been rectified and Monday and Tuesday's episodes are now online and available to watch for UK fans as usual.
Meanwhile, Aussie fans shouldn't forget that they can also watch Out of the Blue any time they like on Ten's website. Simply click here. Usually they have the most recent 3-4 episodes on there, but at the moment there's only one - the episode which aired in Australia on Sunday night.
So, whether you're a British or Australian fan of Out of the Blue, regardless of scheduling mishaps or general poor treatment, it's still always possible to catch up with the show on the internet.
Meanwhile, Aussie fans shouldn't forget that they can also watch Out of the Blue any time they like on Ten's website. Simply click here. Usually they have the most recent 3-4 episodes on there, but at the moment there's only one - the episode which aired in Australia on Sunday night.
So, whether you're a British or Australian fan of Out of the Blue, regardless of scheduling mishaps or general poor treatment, it's still always possible to catch up with the show on the internet.
Monday, 11 May 2009
Latest updates
The first week of Out of the Blue's new arrangement on Fiver has been a bit of a fiasco. Fans on Facebook have reported that the 6.45am slot has become a free-for-all, with nobody aware of what episode is supposed to be airing in that slot. It was originally thought that the show's 2 airings each day would now be the same episode, but 6.45am has even seen mad stuff like the same episode airing two days in a row. Now it's back being the repeat, so the first chance to see each episode on Fiver is in the 4.05pm slot... for now anyway.
As always, fans can watch on Demand Five but that's been erratic too, with dates not corresponding to episodes correctly and an incorrect synopsis being put up from a future episode which gave lots away. Let's hope these teething problems will soon be over. Fortunately, the 4.05pm slot hasn't seen any issues, and that's when most fans will be watching.
In other news, Aussie ratings fans will be interested to hear that Episode 52 pulled in 319,000 viewers this week, ranking 29th for the day. That's a rise of 52,000 from last week and a rise of 90,000 from what it had two weeks ago. Additionally, it's the highest figure that it's managed since being taken out of its 10.30pm slot in January. Remember that at 10.30pm it used to average around 335,000 but was showing strong signs of growth (coming close to the 400,000 mark) before Ten got rid.
The figure still isn't great for the timeslot, but given the uniquely crap position Out of the Blue has been put in on Ten, any rise in figures is probably a feat in itself. Let's hope it can keep it up - Aussie fans are, as always, encouraged to keep spreading the word about the show. Our Youtube videos may help! Just click the links on the right hand side of the page.
As always, fans can watch on Demand Five but that's been erratic too, with dates not corresponding to episodes correctly and an incorrect synopsis being put up from a future episode which gave lots away. Let's hope these teething problems will soon be over. Fortunately, the 4.05pm slot hasn't seen any issues, and that's when most fans will be watching.
In other news, Aussie ratings fans will be interested to hear that Episode 52 pulled in 319,000 viewers this week, ranking 29th for the day. That's a rise of 52,000 from last week and a rise of 90,000 from what it had two weeks ago. Additionally, it's the highest figure that it's managed since being taken out of its 10.30pm slot in January. Remember that at 10.30pm it used to average around 335,000 but was showing strong signs of growth (coming close to the 400,000 mark) before Ten got rid.
The figure still isn't great for the timeslot, but given the uniquely crap position Out of the Blue has been put in on Ten, any rise in figures is probably a feat in itself. Let's hope it can keep it up - Aussie fans are, as always, encouraged to keep spreading the word about the show. Our Youtube videos may help! Just click the links on the right hand side of the page.
Tuesday, 5 May 2009
Don't forget...
Just a reminder to UK fans that Out of the Blue debuts in its new slot on Fiver today, with episode 66 airing at 4.05pm. Those with access to Fiver+1 also have the opportunity to watch the episode at 5.05pm.
The 6.45am (7.45am on +1) slot remains unchanged, however it will now be the first time each episode airs each day rather than being the catch-up repeat.
All in all, that means that viewers still have four opportunities to catch Out of the Blue on TV each day. If that's not enough, each episode is put up on Demand Five every day. Right now, episode 66 is already up on there - incorrectly labelled 'Monday 4 May' (no episode aired yesterday) and with an incorrect and very spoilery summary from a future episode. Looks like the move has caused a couple of teething problems.
It's probably fair to say that those who have stuck with the show and watched last week's stunning reveal episodes are hooked. The fresh comments on the petitions and elsewhere online reflect this. We just hope that the move doesn't cause too much disruption for those who are enjoying the show. There's another great storyline about to kick off that Fiver viewers won't want to miss out on...
The 6.45am (7.45am on +1) slot remains unchanged, however it will now be the first time each episode airs each day rather than being the catch-up repeat.
All in all, that means that viewers still have four opportunities to catch Out of the Blue on TV each day. If that's not enough, each episode is put up on Demand Five every day. Right now, episode 66 is already up on there - incorrectly labelled 'Monday 4 May' (no episode aired yesterday) and with an incorrect and very spoilery summary from a future episode. Looks like the move has caused a couple of teething problems.
It's probably fair to say that those who have stuck with the show and watched last week's stunning reveal episodes are hooked. The fresh comments on the petitions and elsewhere online reflect this. We just hope that the move doesn't cause too much disruption for those who are enjoying the show. There's another great storyline about to kick off that Fiver viewers won't want to miss out on...
Wednesday, 29 April 2009
More reaction to last night
Well the aftermath of last night's murderer reveal is certainly making waves among the show's characters, but what about the show's Fiver fans? Here's some more responses that we've found online. As usual, it's close to impossible to find any criticism of the show from those who actually take the time to watch it.
Supersoapgirl, on Digital Spy: "I've been really shocked by just how good this is when you get into it. I've only been watching since it started on Fiver but now I'm hooked! It'll be interesting to see how it progresses now the mystery is over. It's a shame it hasn't been recommissioned as I think it had a lot of potential."
misspeg, on Digital Spy: "They really need to rethink recommissioning it. [...] I think they should keep an eye on viewing figures towards the end of the series and advertise it more! If they'd advertised some of the more recent storylines then I think more people might have picked up on it and thought OH maybe this is getting better."
Pierced Musie, on Back to the Bay: "Wow... the acting completely put some of the Home and Away cast to shame. [...] Awesome moments."
Luke, petition supporter: "I can't believe I missed this fantastic soap on the Beeb! I really hope Five recommission another series!"
Ruth, petition supporter: "It's the best show in a long time."
Sam, petition supporter: "Please please add another series! This is a great show, but it was NEVER marketed properly so most of my friends who love Home and Away, and who would have loved this show, never watched it!"
As usual, we encourage anyone who feels the same way to express their views directly (but politely) to the people who count - the BBC, Five and Ten. Emails are great too but bear in mind that physical letters often show more passion/commitment because they take a little bit more effort.
Thanks for reading the blog and keep visiting.
Supersoapgirl, on Digital Spy: "I've been really shocked by just how good this is when you get into it. I've only been watching since it started on Fiver but now I'm hooked! It'll be interesting to see how it progresses now the mystery is over. It's a shame it hasn't been recommissioned as I think it had a lot of potential."
misspeg, on Digital Spy: "They really need to rethink recommissioning it. [...] I think they should keep an eye on viewing figures towards the end of the series and advertise it more! If they'd advertised some of the more recent storylines then I think more people might have picked up on it and thought OH maybe this is getting better."
Pierced Musie, on Back to the Bay: "Wow... the acting completely put some of the Home and Away cast to shame. [...] Awesome moments."
Luke, petition supporter: "I can't believe I missed this fantastic soap on the Beeb! I really hope Five recommission another series!"
Ruth, petition supporter: "It's the best show in a long time."
Sam, petition supporter: "Please please add another series! This is a great show, but it was NEVER marketed properly so most of my friends who love Home and Away, and who would have loved this show, never watched it!"
As usual, we encourage anyone who feels the same way to express their views directly (but politely) to the people who count - the BBC, Five and Ten. Emails are great too but bear in mind that physical letters often show more passion/commitment because they take a little bit more effort.
Thanks for reading the blog and keep visiting.
Tuesday, 28 April 2009
Fiver viewers find out who the murderer is!
Well tonight one of the most thrilling episodes in Out of the Blue history aired on Fiver. As we have Australian readers who haven't seen it yet we won't reveal anything, except to say that the show's fresh lot of UK fans finally got a chance to find out who killed Philby... and why.
With fantastically acted scenes and compelling and shocking writing that brought together all of the loose ends and mysteries of the first 60 episodes, it's no surprise that the show is getting high praise once again from a small but dedicated fanbase. Here's what some new viewers have had to say (remember this is spoiler free).
Hazel, on Facebook: "WOW!!!! That was so good!! I just watched Friday, Monday and Tuesday's in a row and it was so exciting [...] I can't believe they're not making another series of this, it's soooooo good! Please tell me it remains as good? I'm assuming it does since I still loved watching even when we thought Ray was the murderer."
LukeCageH4H, on Digital Spy: "I just watched tonight's episode and all I can say is holy cow!!! I have never been so impressed with a soap. It is such a shame it has been cancelled. Let's hope Fiver make a second run."
ukdiva23, on Digital Spy: "I'm enjoying it so far, can't believe I missed it first time round."
misspeg, on Digital Spy: "Top class television! I can't believe how good the show is, it's disappointing it hasn't been a success because I think once you get over the initial 'new show, new characters' thing, the characters become easy to get to know and enjoy watching. I started watching near the beginning and turned off again, I recently went back to watching it so I rewatched the episodes I could on Demand Five and now I'm sat here a couple of weeks later wishing it didn't have to end."
It could have all been so different...
With fantastically acted scenes and compelling and shocking writing that brought together all of the loose ends and mysteries of the first 60 episodes, it's no surprise that the show is getting high praise once again from a small but dedicated fanbase. Here's what some new viewers have had to say (remember this is spoiler free).
Hazel, on Facebook: "WOW!!!! That was so good!! I just watched Friday, Monday and Tuesday's in a row and it was so exciting [...] I can't believe they're not making another series of this, it's soooooo good! Please tell me it remains as good? I'm assuming it does since I still loved watching even when we thought Ray was the murderer."
LukeCageH4H, on Digital Spy: "I just watched tonight's episode and all I can say is holy cow!!! I have never been so impressed with a soap. It is such a shame it has been cancelled. Let's hope Fiver make a second run."
ukdiva23, on Digital Spy: "I'm enjoying it so far, can't believe I missed it first time round."
misspeg, on Digital Spy: "Top class television! I can't believe how good the show is, it's disappointing it hasn't been a success because I think once you get over the initial 'new show, new characters' thing, the characters become easy to get to know and enjoy watching. I started watching near the beginning and turned off again, I recently went back to watching it so I rewatched the episodes I could on Demand Five and now I'm sat here a couple of weeks later wishing it didn't have to end."
It could have all been so different...
A year ago today...
Well it's been one year since Out of the Blue launched on BBC One on April 28, 2008. As most people will know, it made a decent debut with 1.2m viewers but steadily dropped to around 600,000 viewers over the next nine days, prompting the BBC to shift it to BBC Two and thus killing the show off from pretty much day one.
One year on, and the impact of that decision is still being felt. Many people regard Out of the Blue as a turkey, when in fact it was a million times better than Neighbours and Home and Away and just needed a fair chance to prove itself.
The loss of the BBC's backing also put Australia's Ten network off the show, perhaps partly due to financial reasons (ie reluctance to take over financial responsibility for the series if it became popular). For that reason, we've seen appalling timeslots and abysmal treatment in Australia, with the show now running just once a week at 5.30pm Sundays despite building up a decent fanbase at 10.30pm which was growing all the time.
The latest news about the show is that, after this week's murder-related bombshells, it's being taken out of its 7.30pm slot on Fiver. From next week, the schedule will be as follows:
Fiver
6.45am Out of the Blue
4.05pm Out of the Blue
Fiver+1
7.45am Out of the Blue
5.05pm Out of the Blue
This new schedule won't come into effect properly until Tuesday 5th May. On Monday 4th, only the 6.45am showing will air - a repeat of Friday's episode. The logic behind it seems to be that, from Tuesday, the two showings will be the same episode each day.
Finally, we haven't updated on the Aussie ratings for a while because it's just been more of the same. However, here's how the show has been doing recently:
April 13
Episode 48: 239,000
April 20
Episode 49: 262,000
April 27
Episode 50: 221,000 according to OzTam figures, 229,000 according to Ten figures.
With 80 episodes left to air on Ten, who knows how long this situation is going to be allowed to play out for. As has been stated before, it'd be a huge surprise if Ten got rid of the show altogether as they need it for local drama points. To get these points, the show must air between 5.00pm and 11.00pm.
You would think that it would make more sense for them to play the episodes out more quickly to avoid Out of the Blue sticking around forever. However, airing it more frequently could see the show creating the momentum and buzz that it was successfully building up at 10.30pm - a situation that Ten seems determined to avoid. As always, we'll keep you informed of any updates.
No matter what the figures say, we know that Out of the Blue is a fantastic programme with great talent involved in every aspect of the show. Nobody who has given the show a fair chance - whether in the UK or Australia - has a bad word to say about it. The problem lies with poor promotion and lack of faith from TV networks who should know better.
All we can do as fans, especially those in Australia where there are still many episodes left to run (containing some truly fantastic moments), is try to keep spreading the word about the show, sending the Youtube videos along, signing the petitions - and perhaps most importantly - writing to letters pages, newsdesks and the network itself.
One year on, and the impact of that decision is still being felt. Many people regard Out of the Blue as a turkey, when in fact it was a million times better than Neighbours and Home and Away and just needed a fair chance to prove itself.
The loss of the BBC's backing also put Australia's Ten network off the show, perhaps partly due to financial reasons (ie reluctance to take over financial responsibility for the series if it became popular). For that reason, we've seen appalling timeslots and abysmal treatment in Australia, with the show now running just once a week at 5.30pm Sundays despite building up a decent fanbase at 10.30pm which was growing all the time.
The latest news about the show is that, after this week's murder-related bombshells, it's being taken out of its 7.30pm slot on Fiver. From next week, the schedule will be as follows:
Fiver
6.45am Out of the Blue
4.05pm Out of the Blue
Fiver+1
7.45am Out of the Blue
5.05pm Out of the Blue
This new schedule won't come into effect properly until Tuesday 5th May. On Monday 4th, only the 6.45am showing will air - a repeat of Friday's episode. The logic behind it seems to be that, from Tuesday, the two showings will be the same episode each day.
Finally, we haven't updated on the Aussie ratings for a while because it's just been more of the same. However, here's how the show has been doing recently:
April 13
Episode 48: 239,000
April 20
Episode 49: 262,000
April 27
Episode 50: 221,000 according to OzTam figures, 229,000 according to Ten figures.
With 80 episodes left to air on Ten, who knows how long this situation is going to be allowed to play out for. As has been stated before, it'd be a huge surprise if Ten got rid of the show altogether as they need it for local drama points. To get these points, the show must air between 5.00pm and 11.00pm.
You would think that it would make more sense for them to play the episodes out more quickly to avoid Out of the Blue sticking around forever. However, airing it more frequently could see the show creating the momentum and buzz that it was successfully building up at 10.30pm - a situation that Ten seems determined to avoid. As always, we'll keep you informed of any updates.
No matter what the figures say, we know that Out of the Blue is a fantastic programme with great talent involved in every aspect of the show. Nobody who has given the show a fair chance - whether in the UK or Australia - has a bad word to say about it. The problem lies with poor promotion and lack of faith from TV networks who should know better.
All we can do as fans, especially those in Australia where there are still many episodes left to run (containing some truly fantastic moments), is try to keep spreading the word about the show, sending the Youtube videos along, signing the petitions - and perhaps most importantly - writing to letters pages, newsdesks and the network itself.
Saturday, 7 March 2009
Fiver scheduling and New Zealand updates
Heads up to any new fans of Out of the Blue in the UK who have discovered the show on Fiver. Yesterday was the final time that the show will air in its 9.25am slot. From next week, there'll be just two showings a day - with a repeat of the previous night's episode airing at 6.45am as usual, and the latest episode airing at 7.30pm. Viewers with Fiver+1 also have two extra opportunities to catch each episode at 7.45am and 8.30pm.
In other news, the show has recently completed its run on TV2 in New Zealand. The show started out in an early evening slot on the network, going up against Home and Away on another channel. In later weeks, it transferred to a 1.30pm slot and had double episodes. We've already seen a couple of comments online from fans in New Zealand who are wondering what will happen next. For example, TV Tonight reader Lottie says:
"I've just finished watching the whole series in New Zealand and loved it, but it has just ended without notice and a big cliffhanger. Are they going to make any more or is it all over? I think there is an audience for it here and everyone I know loved it... the majority being over 25. Please bring another series!!!"
It'll be interesting to see whether Aussie fans become as fanatical as their UK counterparts as the show continues to hot up over the next few weeks.
In other news, the show has recently completed its run on TV2 in New Zealand. The show started out in an early evening slot on the network, going up against Home and Away on another channel. In later weeks, it transferred to a 1.30pm slot and had double episodes. We've already seen a couple of comments online from fans in New Zealand who are wondering what will happen next. For example, TV Tonight reader Lottie says:
"I've just finished watching the whole series in New Zealand and loved it, but it has just ended without notice and a big cliffhanger. Are they going to make any more or is it all over? I think there is an audience for it here and everyone I know loved it... the majority being over 25. Please bring another series!!!"
It'll be interesting to see whether Aussie fans become as fanatical as their UK counterparts as the show continues to hot up over the next few weeks.
Thursday, 19 February 2009
Five's Out of the Blue ads
By request we've added Five's excellent promo ads for Out of the Blue onto the site. Three versions of the ad have aired over the past few weeks - a short one, a medium one and a longer one. Since the show launched, it's mainly been the shorter version which has been seen.
Click below to play the long version of the ad. The links to the other two ads can be found on the right hand side of the page, under the heading Out of the Blue Videos.
Click below to play the long version of the ad. The links to the other two ads can be found on the right hand side of the page, under the heading Out of the Blue Videos.
Saturday, 7 February 2009
Five releases Out of the Blue statement & campaign update
As discovered by Alaina on the Facebook group, Five have released a statement about Out of the Blue after being bombarded with emails from the show's loyal fans (not bad for a programme which, according to the BBC, didn't have a following).
Anyway, their official response to the emails isn't the greatest. They say: "Lots of people seem to think that we are carrying on from where the BBC left off. Unfortunately, we are not doing this. We've bought up all the episodes originally commissioned by the Beeb and there are no plans to produce any more. Sorry about that."
Not as sorry as us...
Interestingly, just above their statement they discuss the mixed response to their remake of Minder, explaining: "All we would say is that when we get a lot of reaction from a TV show on Five, good or bad, we're happy."
If that's not an incentive to keep up the campaign, we don't know what is.
Speaking of those efforts, on the Facebook group we've also been alerted to a leaflet which has been produced by a fan. See it here. If anyone does decide to use it we'd obviously recommend doing so sensibly - ie, don't cover your nearest postbox with 500 of them or hire a helicopter to drop them over your closest town centre.
Yet another new start for the show tomorrow as it changes to its new 5.30pm-6.30pm slot on Ten in Australia. Whether fans over there have any idea that it's moving again is anyone's guess. Judging by Ten's forums, a lot of viewers are now only watching online because they can't keep up with the channel's crazy scheduling.
Anyway, their official response to the emails isn't the greatest. They say: "Lots of people seem to think that we are carrying on from where the BBC left off. Unfortunately, we are not doing this. We've bought up all the episodes originally commissioned by the Beeb and there are no plans to produce any more. Sorry about that."
Not as sorry as us...
Interestingly, just above their statement they discuss the mixed response to their remake of Minder, explaining: "All we would say is that when we get a lot of reaction from a TV show on Five, good or bad, we're happy."
If that's not an incentive to keep up the campaign, we don't know what is.
Speaking of those efforts, on the Facebook group we've also been alerted to a leaflet which has been produced by a fan. See it here. If anyone does decide to use it we'd obviously recommend doing so sensibly - ie, don't cover your nearest postbox with 500 of them or hire a helicopter to drop them over your closest town centre.
Yet another new start for the show tomorrow as it changes to its new 5.30pm-6.30pm slot on Ten in Australia. Whether fans over there have any idea that it's moving again is anyone's guess. Judging by Ten's forums, a lot of viewers are now only watching online because they can't keep up with the channel's crazy scheduling.
Friday, 6 February 2009
New petition
The Save Out of the Blue petition is still going strong, however a new petition has now also been set up with the specific aim of encouraging Five to commission another series. New visitors are encouraged to sign both if they have not already.
Meanwhile, the Five homepage is currently asking readers to vote on whether Neighbours, Home and Away or Out of the Blue is the best Aussie soap, so don't forget to take advantage of this extra opportunity to show support for the show!
Meanwhile, the Five homepage is currently asking readers to vote on whether Neighbours, Home and Away or Out of the Blue is the best Aussie soap, so don't forget to take advantage of this extra opportunity to show support for the show!
Thursday, 5 February 2009
Mention on Mirror blog & more Five promotion
Out of the Blue was given a rare mention in the UK media yesterday after a fan emailed The Mirror's We Love Telly blog to express their dismay at the show being dropped by the BBC.
In response, the site said: "Well there might be some good news for you [...] Out of the Blue is getting a second shot on Fiver, and if it performs well on the ratings it might be the boost it needs to get new episodes produced."
Bear in mind that, as previously discussed on here, Five are currently ruling out commissioning any more of our favourite soap. Who knows what could happen in the future, though: there's certainly no harm in trying to create a buzz around the show by talking to friends about it, as well as emailing or writing to Five to express your interest.
Meanwhile, Five have also put a promotional article about the show up on its Official Neighbours Website.
The repeats continue on Fiver tonight with the immediate fall-out of Philby's murder.
In response, the site said: "Well there might be some good news for you [...] Out of the Blue is getting a second shot on Fiver, and if it performs well on the ratings it might be the boost it needs to get new episodes produced."
Bear in mind that, as previously discussed on here, Five are currently ruling out commissioning any more of our favourite soap. Who knows what could happen in the future, though: there's certainly no harm in trying to create a buzz around the show by talking to friends about it, as well as emailing or writing to Five to express your interest.
Meanwhile, Five have also put a promotional article about the show up on its Official Neighbours Website.
The repeats continue on Fiver tonight with the immediate fall-out of Philby's murder.
Wednesday, 4 February 2009
Mystery begins & Petition update
The show's big mystery has now started on Fiver, with the murder having occurred (off-screen of course) in tonight's episode. Pretty much every episode from this point onwards is excellent, so let's hope the show starts getting some great ratings.
The only other news today is that the Save Out of the Blue petition has now been signed by over 200 people. Here's a selection of the latest comments on there, which once again illustrate the passion that fans have for the show.
David: "Out of the Blue is the best soap with the best storylines I have seen in YEARS! Please, please save this magnificent show!"
Sarah: "Loved the show, can't believe the BBC messed it up so badly!"
Jane: "Please save Out of the Blue, I am lost without it!!! And how the hell can it be left on such a cliffhanger!!!"
Anonymous: "What a nightmare!! I've been watching Out of the Blue since the start on BBC Two and it's just keep me hooked but didn't realise that last Thursday's episode was the last one and what a cliffhanger [...] Bring it back BBC Two!"
Jaonne: "It's the only programme I watch on TV, and now it's been axed... such a shame for a good programme."
L May: "It is simply unfair to introduce a cliffhanger [...] and leave the loyal fans hanging. There is plenty of scope left, and sticking to a schedule will ensure viewers are loyal."
Shabnum: "This is pathetic by the BBC, I switched on today 2 Feb thinking what the hell is going on!!! Why isn't the programme on!!! BBC get a grip and don't show replays of wildlife and I can't stand bloody Loose Women on ITV!"
Margaret: "I was angry but not surprised by the BBC after the way it mucked about with the viewing times of OOTB. They seem to think that all viewers want to watch is their precious DEPRESSING EastEnders which I stopped watching long ago. Good luck with the petition."
Anonymous: "There HAS to be a second series of this programme!!! It is one of the best TV shows out there! I didn't watch every single episode not to find out what happens next!!! So PLEASEEEEEEEEE give us round 2 :)"
Claire: "This drama is brilliant, couldn't believe it when it stopped last Friday especially leaving on a huge cliffhanger like that!!!!!! Don't axe it."
Susan: "I have really enjoyed watching Out of the Blue and can't believe that it is at the end of its run, why can't you see it is sooo goood and if you give it a chance and a sensible timeslot then you would soon see how popular it was."
Janet: "If I was only allowed to watch one programme on TV it would be Out of the Blue. It's brilliant [...] It should have been shown in an evening slot - wasted on daytime TV. Although we've already seen this, mum and I will be watching again on Fiver. Thank God we've got a digibox."
Samantha: "One of the best things produced by the BBC in a long time. Perhaps if BBC spent less of our licence fee on funding untalented and lewd presenters (which are not even name worthy!) then a 2nd series would already be in the bag. I guess this is indicative of today's Britain - a country which I am ashamed of."
Joanne: "I have been engrossed by this drama since it started on BBC Two, despite the ridiculous and erratic viewing schedule it was given. Thank goodness Five have taken it over, but please please please let them continue with it after episode 130. It's a real worthy TV drama with great characters, exciting plotlines and wonderful locations. Please keep it going!"
The only other news today is that the Save Out of the Blue petition has now been signed by over 200 people. Here's a selection of the latest comments on there, which once again illustrate the passion that fans have for the show.
David: "Out of the Blue is the best soap with the best storylines I have seen in YEARS! Please, please save this magnificent show!"
Sarah: "Loved the show, can't believe the BBC messed it up so badly!"
Jane: "Please save Out of the Blue, I am lost without it!!! And how the hell can it be left on such a cliffhanger!!!"
Anonymous: "What a nightmare!! I've been watching Out of the Blue since the start on BBC Two and it's just keep me hooked but didn't realise that last Thursday's episode was the last one and what a cliffhanger [...] Bring it back BBC Two!"
Jaonne: "It's the only programme I watch on TV, and now it's been axed... such a shame for a good programme."
L May: "It is simply unfair to introduce a cliffhanger [...] and leave the loyal fans hanging. There is plenty of scope left, and sticking to a schedule will ensure viewers are loyal."
Shabnum: "This is pathetic by the BBC, I switched on today 2 Feb thinking what the hell is going on!!! Why isn't the programme on!!! BBC get a grip and don't show replays of wildlife and I can't stand bloody Loose Women on ITV!"
Margaret: "I was angry but not surprised by the BBC after the way it mucked about with the viewing times of OOTB. They seem to think that all viewers want to watch is their precious DEPRESSING EastEnders which I stopped watching long ago. Good luck with the petition."
Anonymous: "There HAS to be a second series of this programme!!! It is one of the best TV shows out there! I didn't watch every single episode not to find out what happens next!!! So PLEASEEEEEEEEE give us round 2 :)"
Claire: "This drama is brilliant, couldn't believe it when it stopped last Friday especially leaving on a huge cliffhanger like that!!!!!! Don't axe it."
Susan: "I have really enjoyed watching Out of the Blue and can't believe that it is at the end of its run, why can't you see it is sooo goood and if you give it a chance and a sensible timeslot then you would soon see how popular it was."
Janet: "If I was only allowed to watch one programme on TV it would be Out of the Blue. It's brilliant [...] It should have been shown in an evening slot - wasted on daytime TV. Although we've already seen this, mum and I will be watching again on Fiver. Thank God we've got a digibox."
Samantha: "One of the best things produced by the BBC in a long time. Perhaps if BBC spent less of our licence fee on funding untalented and lewd presenters (which are not even name worthy!) then a 2nd series would already be in the bag. I guess this is indicative of today's Britain - a country which I am ashamed of."
Joanne: "I have been engrossed by this drama since it started on BBC Two, despite the ridiculous and erratic viewing schedule it was given. Thank goodness Five have taken it over, but please please please let them continue with it after episode 130. It's a real worthy TV drama with great characters, exciting plotlines and wonderful locations. Please keep it going!"
Tuesday, 3 February 2009
Premiere reaction, Aidan and Aussie ratings
- We've been scouring the web trying to find some reactions to the Fiver premiere of Out of the Blue from new viewers. In the interests of fairness we'll include a selection of good and bad from what we've found:
littlelau, Handbag Forum: "Seems a bit boring so far [...] At the moment it doesn't seem like a soap, more like a drama that will turn into a murder mystery."
Slade, Back to the Bay: "Ok, well I watched the first episode and it seemed a bit anticlimatic but it is early days so I'll give it a chance. During the voiceover it was mentioned that one of them was going to be murdered so I look forward to seeing that."
ukdiva23, Digital Spy: "I recorded it because it clashes with Corrie, I don't think Fiver thought it through putting it on head to head with the major soaps like EastEnders and Corrie [...] I quite enjoyed the first episode though, so will definitely continue watching."
Tyleer, Digital Spy: "I really enjoyed it, so will definitely continue to watch it and hope I can really get into it [...] I also agree that they should put it on at an early time to get more viewers but as I can't stand Corrie it doesn't affect me."
It probably is fair to say that the first episode is the least action-packed of the lot, so it will be interesting to see how reactions change as the series progresses.
- Writing on the Facebook group about his stint on Home and Away, Aidan Gillett (Daniel McManus) has confirmed that he will be on-screen in Australia by February 13. Remember that the UK airings are currently two weeks behind those in Aus.
- It looks like Out of the Blue is starting to struggle a bit in the ratings in Australia. The show performed really well during its two-month stint in a 10.30pm slot on Ten - with an estimated average audience of 335,000, and with figures looking set to soon reach 400,000 before being taken out of the slot. These were respectable figures given the episodes were on so late.
Unfortunately, since moving to 6pm on Sundays, those figures have dropped. Two weeks ago the show debuted in its new slot with 170,000 viewers. At the weekend, it had 266,000 viewers - an increase, but still disappointing. Part of the reason for this is that the 6pm Sunday slot was probably the most competitive one the show could have been put in. In Australia, news programmes are always the highest-rated shows of the day, and Out of the Blue was unlucky enough to be put up against two of them - Seven News and Nine News.
To put things in perspective, on Sunday Seven News had 2,000,000 viewers and Nine News had 1,272,000. That's a massive chunk of the available audience watching news shows! Out of the Blue's move to a 5.30pm-6.30pm slot this weekend could possibly address this problem - it'll have a 30-minute advantage over the news shows and will hopefully keep hold of viewers over the hour.
Another issue is that the show could at least build up some momentum in its 4-nights-a-week 10.30pm slot. Such a low number of episodes each week prevents that a little bit.
Whatever happens, the official ratings season has now started in Australia and so Ten will obviously be watching closely to see how the show performs. Maybe the show just needs time to settle into its new slot - after all, it dropped to just over 200,000 at 10.30pm at the start of January before shooting back up to the high 300,000s the week after. We'll keep passing on any info we can find!
littlelau, Handbag Forum: "Seems a bit boring so far [...] At the moment it doesn't seem like a soap, more like a drama that will turn into a murder mystery."
Slade, Back to the Bay: "Ok, well I watched the first episode and it seemed a bit anticlimatic but it is early days so I'll give it a chance. During the voiceover it was mentioned that one of them was going to be murdered so I look forward to seeing that."
ukdiva23, Digital Spy: "I recorded it because it clashes with Corrie, I don't think Fiver thought it through putting it on head to head with the major soaps like EastEnders and Corrie [...] I quite enjoyed the first episode though, so will definitely continue watching."
Tyleer, Digital Spy: "I really enjoyed it, so will definitely continue to watch it and hope I can really get into it [...] I also agree that they should put it on at an early time to get more viewers but as I can't stand Corrie it doesn't affect me."
It probably is fair to say that the first episode is the least action-packed of the lot, so it will be interesting to see how reactions change as the series progresses.
- Writing on the Facebook group about his stint on Home and Away, Aidan Gillett (Daniel McManus) has confirmed that he will be on-screen in Australia by February 13. Remember that the UK airings are currently two weeks behind those in Aus.
- It looks like Out of the Blue is starting to struggle a bit in the ratings in Australia. The show performed really well during its two-month stint in a 10.30pm slot on Ten - with an estimated average audience of 335,000, and with figures looking set to soon reach 400,000 before being taken out of the slot. These were respectable figures given the episodes were on so late.
Unfortunately, since moving to 6pm on Sundays, those figures have dropped. Two weeks ago the show debuted in its new slot with 170,000 viewers. At the weekend, it had 266,000 viewers - an increase, but still disappointing. Part of the reason for this is that the 6pm Sunday slot was probably the most competitive one the show could have been put in. In Australia, news programmes are always the highest-rated shows of the day, and Out of the Blue was unlucky enough to be put up against two of them - Seven News and Nine News.
To put things in perspective, on Sunday Seven News had 2,000,000 viewers and Nine News had 1,272,000. That's a massive chunk of the available audience watching news shows! Out of the Blue's move to a 5.30pm-6.30pm slot this weekend could possibly address this problem - it'll have a 30-minute advantage over the news shows and will hopefully keep hold of viewers over the hour.
Another issue is that the show could at least build up some momentum in its 4-nights-a-week 10.30pm slot. Such a low number of episodes each week prevents that a little bit.
Whatever happens, the official ratings season has now started in Australia and so Ten will obviously be watching closely to see how the show performs. Maybe the show just needs time to settle into its new slot - after all, it dropped to just over 200,000 at 10.30pm at the start of January before shooting back up to the high 300,000s the week after. We'll keep passing on any info we can find!
Monday, 2 February 2009
A few updates
- Out of the Blue has now aired its first episode on Fiver! The advert for it has been put on at pretty much every opportunity over the past two weeks, and anyone who was intrigued by the promotion has now had a glimpse of what the show is like. The Fiver announcer said that it was great to have another Aussie soap on the air, and declared that the first episode was "awesome". If she thought that was awesome, she'll be running out of adjectives in a couple of weeks once the murder mystery has started properly and the really good episodes have started to air!
- The show is available to watch online via Demand Five. Thanks to Alaina for the link.
- In Aussie news, the show has now aired for the final time in its 30-minute 6pm Sunday night slot. As previously discussed on here, it now starts airing double episodes from 5.30pm to 6.30pm each week, starting this Sunday. As well as airing the usual Sunday evening episode yesterday, Ten also put a new episode on after midnight. It was time for the Lucia/Kirsten/Blade storyline, and as the episode had an "M" rating for adult content, they couldn't show it in the early evening - at least not without making cuts. Hopefully this will be the last scheduling mishap and the show now gets some stability in Oz.
- The number of signatures on the Save Out of the Blue petition continues to rise as more fans realise that Thursday's BBC Two episode was the last one. Though they couldn't be bothered to tell fans this after the episode had aired, the BBC have now updated their homepage for the show for the first time in months to include the message: "Out of the Blue is no longer being shown on the BBC."
- Over the next few months we'll try to pass on any information we can find about what the cast are up to. Here's our first nugget of news: Zoe Carides, who played Pia Jones on the show, has been taking part in the Short & Sweet Festival in Sydney. The theatre event sees audiences turning out not just to watch one play, but to watch 10 or 11 - with each being just 10 minutes long.
Zoe's play is called Duals. According to the Australian Stage website, the short production explores "fame, fidelity and family". It seems that the site's reviewer was impressed by Zoe, too: "Brilliantly cast, this piece is clearly theatrically sophisticated: and brilliantly acted. Zoe Carides as the genuine and forgiving makeup artist Susan, is well matched to the diva actor Tessa (Alice Ansara)."
- The show is available to watch online via Demand Five. Thanks to Alaina for the link.
- In Aussie news, the show has now aired for the final time in its 30-minute 6pm Sunday night slot. As previously discussed on here, it now starts airing double episodes from 5.30pm to 6.30pm each week, starting this Sunday. As well as airing the usual Sunday evening episode yesterday, Ten also put a new episode on after midnight. It was time for the Lucia/Kirsten/Blade storyline, and as the episode had an "M" rating for adult content, they couldn't show it in the early evening - at least not without making cuts. Hopefully this will be the last scheduling mishap and the show now gets some stability in Oz.
- The number of signatures on the Save Out of the Blue petition continues to rise as more fans realise that Thursday's BBC Two episode was the last one. Though they couldn't be bothered to tell fans this after the episode had aired, the BBC have now updated their homepage for the show for the first time in months to include the message: "Out of the Blue is no longer being shown on the BBC."
- Over the next few months we'll try to pass on any information we can find about what the cast are up to. Here's our first nugget of news: Zoe Carides, who played Pia Jones on the show, has been taking part in the Short & Sweet Festival in Sydney. The theatre event sees audiences turning out not just to watch one play, but to watch 10 or 11 - with each being just 10 minutes long.
Zoe's play is called Duals. According to the Australian Stage website, the short production explores "fame, fidelity and family". It seems that the site's reviewer was impressed by Zoe, too: "Brilliantly cast, this piece is clearly theatrically sophisticated: and brilliantly acted. Zoe Carides as the genuine and forgiving makeup artist Susan, is well matched to the diva actor Tessa (Alice Ansara)."
A new era for Out of the Blue
Today's the day! After completing its run on BBC Two, Out of the Blue's repeat airings make their debut on Fiver at 7.30pm tonight. It'll seem a little bit weird to go back to the beginning - lots of us are still reeling following the shock cliffhanger ending in the last BBC episode - but it shouldn't take too long for us to start enjoying the early episodes again.
Who knows what these repeats airings will mean for the show. After all the TV promotion, it will at least pull in a few new fans who can experience for themselves just how great the show is, if they decide to stick with it. If it does turn out to be even a moderate success, it would add weight to fans' belief that there is still life in the show and it deserves a chance.
The best we can hope for is that Fiver realises what the BBC didn't - a soap needs time to build up a dedicated fanbase who tune in every day. It's impossible to gauge anything about an audience's reaction to a show like this after just a week. People will tune in out of curiosity for the first episode, the audience may start to drop afterwards, then the dedicated fans who are left will help to maintain interest through word of mouth. Ideally, after that the ratings will build back up again over time.
Out of the Blue wasn't given the chance to do this on the BBC - after a week it got shunted to a rubbish timeslot and all promotion for the show was stopped. Hardly a great way to convince people to watch and build up those viewing numbers. With 130 episodes of the show, there's plenty of time for it to establish itself on its new channel if it is given the chance - let's hope Fiver are prepared to give our favourite soap some stability!
Here's a reminder/first-look (depending on if you're an old or new viewer) of the first episode, courtesy of Alaina who was kind enough to upload the video:
And so the rollercoaster ride begins again...
Who knows what these repeats airings will mean for the show. After all the TV promotion, it will at least pull in a few new fans who can experience for themselves just how great the show is, if they decide to stick with it. If it does turn out to be even a moderate success, it would add weight to fans' belief that there is still life in the show and it deserves a chance.
The best we can hope for is that Fiver realises what the BBC didn't - a soap needs time to build up a dedicated fanbase who tune in every day. It's impossible to gauge anything about an audience's reaction to a show like this after just a week. People will tune in out of curiosity for the first episode, the audience may start to drop afterwards, then the dedicated fans who are left will help to maintain interest through word of mouth. Ideally, after that the ratings will build back up again over time.
Out of the Blue wasn't given the chance to do this on the BBC - after a week it got shunted to a rubbish timeslot and all promotion for the show was stopped. Hardly a great way to convince people to watch and build up those viewing numbers. With 130 episodes of the show, there's plenty of time for it to establish itself on its new channel if it is given the chance - let's hope Fiver are prepared to give our favourite soap some stability!
Here's a reminder/first-look (depending on if you're an old or new viewer) of the first episode, courtesy of Alaina who was kind enough to upload the video:
And so the rollercoaster ride begins again...
Saturday, 31 January 2009
Out of the Blue finale creates online buzz
Out of the Blue's fans have been passionate about the show from the beginning - and this shows no sign of abating following its conclusion on BBC Two on Thursday.
As predicted on this blog, the BBC's decision not to bother telling viewers that they had just aired the last episode has led to a great deal of confusion among fans, many of whom have sought answers online after finding their favourite show replaced by a repeat of Open Gardens in the schedule on Friday.
The Facebook group for the show has been extremely active over the past two days, with existing members posting for the first time to share their thoughts on the finale and find out what is next for Out of the Blue. Other Facebook users have joined the group for the first time for similar reasons.
The Save Out of the Blue Petition has also seen an increase in activity following the finale, with many more signatures being added from fans who are desperate to find out what happens next after Thursday's shocking cliffhanger ending. Let's hope more are added over the coming days.
Many fans have contacted Five to find out if they have any plans to commission a second series. Unfortunately, the official word from them is that Fiver will not be showing any episodes beyond the run of 130 that we have seen on the BBC. Fans have not given up hope yet, though - and it's still worth contacting Five to (politely) express your interest in the show.
The Soap Show, which has been a long-time supporter of the programme, has praised the quality of the last week of episodes and, like many of us, expressed disappointment over the way it was treated by the BBC. You can read their words for yourself in the linked article, however the following quote from the site sums up the situation extremely well: "A new soap takes months to bed in and find its audience, but sadly these days, if a programme isn't an instant hit, actions taken from the fear that it doesn't have appeal lead to a self fulfilling prophecy." Wise words, and let's hope another great show doesn't suffer the same fate as Out of the Blue.
Forums on Out of the Blue Online, Digital Spy, Back to the Bay and Neighboursfans have also seen discussions on the finale. The reaction has been mixed - viewers seem to have been blown away by the dramatic conclusion to the show, but there's obvious frustration that we may never find out what happens next due to the hasty decision made by the BBC after the first week of the show had aired.
Keep up your passion for Out of the Blue and don't forget to tell your friends about the repeats on Fiver!
As predicted on this blog, the BBC's decision not to bother telling viewers that they had just aired the last episode has led to a great deal of confusion among fans, many of whom have sought answers online after finding their favourite show replaced by a repeat of Open Gardens in the schedule on Friday.
The Facebook group for the show has been extremely active over the past two days, with existing members posting for the first time to share their thoughts on the finale and find out what is next for Out of the Blue. Other Facebook users have joined the group for the first time for similar reasons.
The Save Out of the Blue Petition has also seen an increase in activity following the finale, with many more signatures being added from fans who are desperate to find out what happens next after Thursday's shocking cliffhanger ending. Let's hope more are added over the coming days.
Many fans have contacted Five to find out if they have any plans to commission a second series. Unfortunately, the official word from them is that Fiver will not be showing any episodes beyond the run of 130 that we have seen on the BBC. Fans have not given up hope yet, though - and it's still worth contacting Five to (politely) express your interest in the show.
The Soap Show, which has been a long-time supporter of the programme, has praised the quality of the last week of episodes and, like many of us, expressed disappointment over the way it was treated by the BBC. You can read their words for yourself in the linked article, however the following quote from the site sums up the situation extremely well: "A new soap takes months to bed in and find its audience, but sadly these days, if a programme isn't an instant hit, actions taken from the fear that it doesn't have appeal lead to a self fulfilling prophecy." Wise words, and let's hope another great show doesn't suffer the same fate as Out of the Blue.
Forums on Out of the Blue Online, Digital Spy, Back to the Bay and Neighboursfans have also seen discussions on the finale. The reaction has been mixed - viewers seem to have been blown away by the dramatic conclusion to the show, but there's obvious frustration that we may never find out what happens next due to the hasty decision made by the BBC after the first week of the show had aired.
Keep up your passion for Out of the Blue and don't forget to tell your friends about the repeats on Fiver!
Friday, 30 January 2009
Promotion on Five & Fiver
With just three days to go before the show makes its debut on Fiver, Five have become Out of the Blue fanatics and have been promoting the show like there's no tomorrow.
Adverts for the show started airing last week on Fiver in between their first-look airings of Home and Away and repeats of Neighbours.
This week, the ads have also been airing on Five itself before, during and after the two other Aussie soaps. With Home and Away and Neighbours being two of Five's biggest shows, and appealing to a similar target audience, let's hope the promotion pulls in a good few curious viewers.
There's at least three versions of the ad, which has a "Friends" theme, opening with shots of the gang at school before fast-forwarding 13 years and showing the cast with captions like "Friends get richer", "Friends get hotter", "Friends get dumped" and "Friends get out of control". Katy Perry's hit single Hot 'N' Cold is used as the backing track.
Adverts for the show started airing last week on Fiver in between their first-look airings of Home and Away and repeats of Neighbours.
This week, the ads have also been airing on Five itself before, during and after the two other Aussie soaps. With Home and Away and Neighbours being two of Five's biggest shows, and appealing to a similar target audience, let's hope the promotion pulls in a good few curious viewers.
There's at least three versions of the ad, which has a "Friends" theme, opening with shots of the gang at school before fast-forwarding 13 years and showing the cast with captions like "Friends get richer", "Friends get hotter", "Friends get dumped" and "Friends get out of control". Katy Perry's hit single Hot 'N' Cold is used as the backing track.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
