The Wedge (Australian TV series)

Last updated

The Wedge
Wedgetitle.jpg
Season two logo
Created by Ian McFayden
Developed by Cornerbox Productions
Starring Dailan Evans
Rebel Wilson
Cal Wilson
Jason Gann
Adam Zwar
Opening themeSounds Funny sung by Hunter Kaine
Ending themeSounds Funny Instrumental
ComposerMusicbox
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes48 (4 unaired) (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producerSteve Dundon & Andy McIntyre
ProducerMichael Horrocks
Production location South Melbourne
Running timeApprox. 22 minutes
Original release
Network Network Ten
Release30 May 2006 (2006-05-30) 
29 December 2007 (2007-12-29)
Related
Mark Loves Sharon (Spin-off)

The Wedge was an Australian sketch show created by Ian McFadyen and produced by Cornerbox for Network Ten. The show stars Dailan Evans, from the ABC sketch show Eagle & Evans; Adam Zwar, best known for his roles in Wilfred , Rebel Wilson, who at the time was best known as 'Toula' on the comedy show Pizza ; Jason Gann, two-time winner of best actor at Tropfest for his roles in Wilfred, as well as regulars Kate Jenkinson, Anthony Ahern, Katrina Mathers, Julie Eckersley and Ross Daniels. Marney McQueen, Aidan Fennessy and Cori Hooper were also regulars in Series 1, and Damian Callinan and Cal Wilson were regulars in Series 2.

Contents

It ran for two seasons, airing 2006 and 2007. A spin-off mockumentary of one of the show's characters, Mark Wary, was produced by Network Ten in 2008. The show, titled Mark Loves Sharon premiered at 9:30pm on 30 June 2008.

History and premise

The program was first advertised by Network Ten in December 2005, with promos depicting Wedgedale, a stereotypical Australian urban sprawl suburb. The show’s pilot debuted on Network Ten on 30 May 2006. It is a sketch based format similar to Fast Forward or The Comedy Company . The difference is that nearly all the sketches take place in the same town, so the transition from sketch to sketch often involves a reference to the previous one. Most transitions involve a timelapse shot that takes the audience from one location to another, but sometimes the reference is more direct and seamless. This is used so often, that a sketch based on it was made. In one episode, the character, Sandra Sultry said "Next up, I'll turn my head to the TV behind me; it's a clever transitional device which will put you through to the next item..."The first season finale was broadcast on 21 November 2006. "Sounds Funny" is the show's theme. Hunter Kaine was recommended as the singer by a production team member's friend. [1]

A second series was commissioned by Network Ten; [2] production began in September, [2] [3] and was filmed in South Melbourne. The second season's status was updated by a news bulletin posted on its official website, which was advertising for a live taping with an audience. [4] The second season was broadcast on Network Ten in 2007. [5] [ needs update ]

The second season was first hinted on Network Ten in 2007 promoting a Mother Energy drink, featuring the character, Sandra Sultry (played by Katrina Mathers) and unknown voice actor as a frog. Along the bottom of the screen scrolled a web address for the Mother energy drink. [6]

The official website was relaunched with new information on the second series on 10 August.

The second season began on 12 August 2007, with two episodes screened back to back with the new rating of 'M' at 9:40 PM. However, from 19 August onwards, the timeslot was inconsistent from week to week. The season took a break for almost a month and was continued at the later time of 10.25 PM on 16 September with a single episode airing. It was dropped from the timeslot was once again due to the Rugby World Cup. Despite such movements from Network Ten, the show retained a much more popular feedback than its first season and has been having consistent ratings of around 500,000 viewers per episode.[ citation needed ] On 26 October the show returned with a 10:30 PM timeslot, and was not renewed for a third season.

Cast and crew

Season 1

Cast

CastRoleOccupation
Dailan Evans Various CharactersActor/Comedian/Writer
Rebel Wilson Various CharactersActor/Comedian/Writer
Jason Gann Various CharactersActor/Writer
Julie EckersleyVarious CharactersActor/Writer
Anthony AhernVarious CharactersActor
Katrina Mathers Various CharactersActor
Kate Jenkinson Various CharactersActor
Adam Zwar Various CharactersActor/Writer
Marney McQueenVarious CharactersActor
Aidan Fennessy Various CharactersActor
Cori HopperVarious CharactersActor
Julia Zemiro Various CharactersActor/Comedian
Brandon JohnVarious CharactersActor
Frieda McKennaVarious CharactersActor
Ross DanielsVarious CharactersActor/ Comedian
Hunter Kaine Theme Song/Music ClipSinger/Songwriter

Crew

CrewJob
Steve DundonExecutive Producer
Michael HorrocksSeries Producer
Steve Vizard Creative Consultant
Ross DanielsSupervising Producer
Nick BufaloDirector
Graeme RowlandDirector
Ian McFadyen Co-Executive Producer/Writer/Creator
Andy McIntyreCo-Executive Producer
Brendan LunoWriter
Tal BrottWriter
Paul CallejaWriter
Catherine DeveneyWriter
Des DowlingWriter
Craig EagleWriter
Russell Gilbert Writer
Andrew MajWriter

Season 2

Cast

CastRoleOccupation
Dailan Evans Various CharactersActor/Comedian/Writer
Rebel Wilson Various CharactersActor/Comedian/Writer
Jason Gann Various CharactersActor/Writer
Julie EckersleyVarious CharactersActor/Writer
Anthony AhernVarious CharactersActor/Writer
Katrina Mathers Various CharactersActor/Writer
Kate Jenkinson Various CharactersActor/Writer
Adam Zwar Various CharactersActor/Writer
Damian Callinan Various CharactersActor/Comedian/Writer
Cal Wilson Various CharactersActor/Comedian/Writer
Ross DanielsVarious CharactersActor/ Comedian/ Writer/ Supervising Producer
Hunter Kaine Introductory Song/Music ClipSinger/Songwriter

Crew

CrewJob
Michael HorrocksSeries Producer
Daniel ScharfSeries Producer
Andrew PowerAssistant Director
Steve Vizard Creative Consultant
Daniel ScharfProducer
Kevin CarlinDirector
Ian McFadyen Co-Executive Producer/Writer/Creator
Nicole MinchinLine Producer
Andy McIntyreExecutive Producer
Tal BrottWriter
Michael ChamberlainWriter
Paul CallejaWriter
Des DowlingWriter
Craig EagleWriter
Russell Gilbert Writer
Jo GillWriter
Greta HarrisonWriter
David LawrenceWriter
Andrew MajWriter
Garry MacaffrieWriter
Ray MatsonWriter
Gerard McCullochWriter
Lulu McClatchyWriter
Anita PuntonWriter
Matthew VaughanWriter
Vin HedgerWriters Coordinator
Matt CameronWriter

Characters and sketches

DVD releases

DVD titleRelease dateNo. of episodesRunning lengthRating
We're Moving 9 October 20066134 minutesM
Lucky 7156 minutes
Thanks for Coming 20 November 2006
That's Valid 16 December 20067

Episode guide

Critical reception

The Wedge had mixed success with audiences and critics during its first season. The ratings for the first season were initially strong, with the first episode receiving 1.5 million viewers [7] and later episodes averaging over one million viewers. [8] [9] The shows recent popularity waned nearer the end of the first season, with episodes reaching a much smaller audience (681,000 viewers for the episode that aired on 21 November 2006 [10] ). Despite the show's first season initially receiving high ratings, it was criticised by some TV reviewers. Issue was taken with the perceived over-use of canned laughter [11] and what they considered to be poorly written, dated, cheap humour that attacked easy targets and propagated offensive stereotypes. [12] [13] Shortly after the series debuted, Catherine Deveny, one of the writers, wrote an article for The Age in which she revealed that the producers had insisted on re-writing and blanding out the scripts in the hope of appealing to a wider audience, [14] but maintained that the writers and performers were themselves talented comics.

Although the show had its share of negative reviews, critics from Famous magazine quoted that it had "Some of the most outrageous, loopy, and colourful residents God ever put on this world", [15] while Sean Fewster from the Adelaide Advertiser remarked that "This could well be the first truly great ensemble of the 21st Century" and "The Wedge is a near perfect blending of The Comedy Company's family-friendly, occasionally bizarre jokes and Fast Forward's nasty, satirical edge.... Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to Australian sketch comedy". [16] Sean Lynch remarked that "We may very well look back on this...as the beginning of one of Australia's greatest comedy shows of the new millennium", Neil Mitchell from 3AW remarked that the show was "one of the freshest things on TV" and a writer from newspaper The Age said "Such a rich vein of comedy, you can't help wonder why someone hasn't mined it sooner". Memorable TV remarked "At last we have a comedy sketch show worthy of the mantle of Fast Forward and Full Frontal. Very funny." shortly after the release of the DVDs. [17] The show's second season had a much more popular feedback from audiences during its second season, hence reflecting from its consistent ratings at its 'dead-zone' timeslot. The Age, who had panned the show's previous season remarked, "... (The Wedge) delivers enough flashes of brilliance to confirm it's on the right track".

British television and radio presenter Jonathan Ross recently reviewed it on his film 2009 show, in which he condemned it saying "it tries to hard to follow the much better British alternatives and fails badly" in which he added "not one to watch".

Side projects

Related Research Articles

<i>Home and Away</i> Australian television soap opera

Home and Away is an Australian television soap opera. It was created by Alan Bateman and commenced broadcast on the Seven Network on 17 January 1988. Bateman came up with the concept of the show during a trip to Kangaroo Point, New South Wales, where he noticed locals were complaining about the construction of a foster home and against the idea of foster children from the city living in the area. The soap opera was initially going to be called Refuge, but the name was changed to the "friendlier" title of Home and Away once production began.

<i>Hey Hey Its Saturday</i> Australian variety television series

Hey Hey It's Saturday was a long-running variety television program on Australian television. It initially ran for 28 years on the Nine Network from 9 October 1971 to 20 November 1999, with a recess in 1978. Its host throughout its entire run was Daryl Somers, who later also became executive producer of the program. The original producer, Gavan Disney, left the program in the 1980s, and Somers then jointly formed his own production company, Somers Carroll Productions, with comedy writer and on-screen partner Ernie Carroll, the performer of Somers' pink ostrich puppet sidekick Ossie Ostrich.

<i>Comedy Inc.</i> (Australian TV series) Australian sketch comedy TV series

Comedy Inc. was an Australian sketch comedy television series, which ran on the Nine Network from 19 February 2003 to 26 December 2007. The series was produced by Crackerjack Productions. It first premiered in February 2003 in the new wave of Australian sketch comedy shows being launched across the free-to-air channels along with Big Bite and skitHOUSE. Since the end of the series episodes have been repeated on the Foxtel cable channel, The Comedy Channel and during 2009, reruns were shown on Nine HD before the channel's closure.

<i>Rove</i> (TV series) Australian TV series or program

Rove, also titled Rove Live, is an Australian television variety show that featured live music performances and interviews with local and international celebrity guests. The program premiered on the Nine Network on 22 September 1999, before moving to Network Ten which aired the program from 2000 until November 2009. The show was hosted by comedian Rove McManus through his production company Roving Enterprises, and featured an ensemble cast who presented various segments throughout the course of the show. The show won the Logie Award for "Most Popular Light Entertainment Program" five times.

Stingers is an Australian police drama television series. It premiered on 29 September 1998, and ran for eight seasons on the Nine Network before it was cancelled in late 2004 due to declining ratings, with its final episode airing on 14 December 2004. Inspired by true events, Stingers chronicled the cases of a deep undercover unit of the Victoria Police. The series also followed their personal lives, which sometimes became intertwined with their jobs. The original cast members include Peter Phelps, Joe Petruzzi, Kate Kendall, Ian Stenlake, Anita Hegh, and Jessica Napier. Phelps and Kendall were the only actors to remain with the show for its entire run.

<i>Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip</i> American comedy-drama television series (2006-2007)

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip is an American comedy-drama television series created and primarily written by Aaron Sorkin. The series was about the production of a live comedy series similar to Saturday Night Live. Produced by Warner Bros. Television, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip ran on NBC for 22 episodes, from September 18, 2006, to June 28, 2007. On May 14, 2007, NBC cancelled the series after one season. It is the only one of the four television shows created by Sorkin not to air for more than one season.

<i>The Chasers War on Everything</i> Australian television satirical comedy series

The Chaser's War on Everything is an Australian television satirical comedy series broadcast on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) television station ABC1. It has won an Australian Film Institute Award for Best Television Comedy Series. The cast perform sketches mocking social and political issues, and often feature comedic publicity stunts. The series is produced by The Chaser, an Australian satirical group consisting of Chris Taylor, Julian Morrow, Craig Reucassel, Andrew Hansen, and Chas Licciardello. Fellow Chaser members Dominic Knight and Charles Firth are not part of the regular on-screen cast. However, Knight is a writer, and Firth compiled roving reports for the show from the United States, until he left the group to start a satirical newspaper in mid-2007.

<i>Thank God Youre Here</i> Australian improvised comedy television program

Thank God You're Here is an Australian television improvised comedy program created by Working Dog Productions, which premiered on 5 April 2006 on Network Ten, where it aired for the first three and the fifth seasons; the fourth season aired on the Seven Network.

It Takes Two was an Australian music talent show, which ran for three seasons from May 2006 to April 2008. It was based on the original UK programme Just the Two of Us.

Kate Jenkinson is an Australian actress, known for her various roles on The Wedge, as well as her role of Kendall Quinn on Super Fun Night. She is known for her role as Allie Novak in the Australian TV series Wentworth.

"Branch Closing" is the seventh episode of the third season of the American comedy television series The Office and the show's 35th overall. It was written by co-executive producer Michael Schur and directed by Tucker Gates. An edited version of the episode first aired on November 9, 2006, on NBC; later that night, a longer "producer's cut" edition was released, with deleted scenes edited into the full episode and broadcast on the website NBC.com. This uncut episode is the version included on the Season 3 DVD set.

Adam Zwar is an Australian actor, voice artist, and writer. He is best known for co-creating the Australian comedy series Squinters, Lowdown, Wilfred and creating the critically acclaimed Channel 10 comedy Mr. Black as well as the popular factual series Agony Aunts, Agony Uncles, The Agony of Life, The Agony of Modern Manners and Agony. Zwar also presented and produced seminal cricket documentaries Underarm: The Ball That Changed Cricket and Bodyline: The Ultimate Test which took a forensic look at the infamous 1932–1933 Ashes series between Australia and England.

<i>Wilfred</i> (Australian TV series) Australian comedy television series

Wilfred is an Australian comedy television series created by Adam Zwar, Jason Gann and Tony Rogers based on their award-winning 2002 short film. The story follows the lives of the eponymous dog Wilfred, his owner Sarah, and her boyfriend Adam, who sees Wilfred as a man in a dog suit. It was directed by Tony Rogers, produced by Jenny Livingston and stars Gann, Zwar and Cindy Waddingham.

<i>Chelsea Lately</i> American late night comedy talk show

Chelsea Lately is an American late night comedy talk show created by Brody Stevens and hosted by comedian Chelsea Handler. The show was produced by Handler's production company, and taped at Universal Studios Stage 1, in Universal City, California. It was broadcast on E!, with the first episode aired on July 16, 2007, and the 1048th, and last, on August 26, 2014. In American markets, the show aired at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and 8:00 p.m. Pacific time having been recorded at 3:30 p.m. PT, usually the same day.

Horne & Corden is a British sketch show written by Jon Brown, Steve Dawson, Andrew Dawson, Tim Inman and the cast, script edited by Sam Ward, and starring Mathew Horne and James Corden. It aired on BBC television in 2009. The first episode was broadcast on 10 March 2009 on BBC Three. It is presented by stars Mathew Horne and James Corden in front of a live audience, featuring pre-recorded sketches and vignettes filmed in a studio with an audience. Several episodes featured a song and dance routine as their finale. The first episode attracted the highest ratings for a comedy show debut on BBC Three, however, ratings quickly dropped throughout the show's run.

Lowdown is an Australian television comedy series set in the world of celebrity journalism. Created by Amanda Brotchie and Adam Zwar, it stars Zwar, Paul Denny, Beth Buchanan, Dailan Evans, Kim Gyngell and is narrated by Geoffrey Rush. The ABC series premiered on 21 April 2010 and is produced by Nicole Minchin and directed by Amanda Brotchie.

Ben Elton Live From Planet Earth was an Australian comedy television series produced by FremantleMedia which aired on the Nine Network in 2011. The program was broadcast live as a sketch comedy and variety show. Comedian Ben Elton presented the program and performed some stand-up material, with the sketches performed by an ensemble cast including Paul McCarthy and Genevieve Morris. After critical reviews, hostile social media reaction and poor ratings, the Nine Network cancelled the show after three episodes had aired.

<i>A Little Late with Lilly Singh</i> American late-night talk show

A Little Late with Lilly Singh is an American late-night talk show that was broadcast by NBC. Premiering on September 16, 2019, and hosted by Canadian comedian and internet celebrity Lilly Singh, it succeeded Last Call with Carson Daly as the third and final original program of NBC's late-night lineup, airing at 1:37 a.m. ET/PT.

References

  1. www.myspace.com/hunterkaine Official Hunter Kaine Myspace. Retrieved 15 March 2007.
  2. 1 2 Bridget McManus, "Wedge drives through", theage.com.au, 31 August 2006, URL last accessed 24 November 2006.
  3. The Wedge at IMDb OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg , last updated 26 September 2006.
  4. Official Wedge News Page
  5. Official Wedge News Page
  6. A Force Of Nature
  7. "The Early News - 5 June 06", Network TEN Corporate, 5 June 2006, URL last accessed 24 November 2006.
  8. "The Early News - 13 June 06", Network TEN Corporate, 13 June 2006, URL last accessed 24 November 2006.
  9. "The Early News - 19 June 06", Network TEN Corporate, 19 June 2006, URL last accessed 24 November 2006.
  10. David Dale, "The Tribal Mind: Slow bowling", The Sydney Morning Herald Blogs, 24 November 2006, URL last accessed 24 November 2006.
  11. David Dale, "The freedom not to laugh", smh.com.au, 18 July 2006, URL last accessed 18 November 2006.
  12. Craig Platt, "Last Laugh: Sockin' the suburbs", smh.com.au, 31 May 2006, URL last accessed 18 November 2006.
  13. "Wedge Politics", The Blurb, URL last accessed 18 November 2006.
  14. The Age, 24 June 2006 reproduced here: I did a few weeks' writing for The Wedge but you will be pushed to find a word of my stuff on screen. This is because when they said, "What we are after is new, fresh and young", I didn't realise that what they actually meant was "boring, safe and dumbed down". Most of the scripts have been rewritten so many times that the guts of the joke has been diluted severely or obliterated entirely.
  15. The Wedge: Lucky DVD cover
  16. The Wedge: We're Moving DVD cover
  17. "Long Shot Film Entertainment's 'The Wedge' page"
  18. "The Wedge: episode guide", Australian Television, URL last accessed 29 November 2006.
  19. "Thank God You're Here's Episode Guide", Australia Television, URL last accessed 29 November 2006