Janet CollinsYoung Lions - a Good but Forgotten Australian Drama
January 19th 2010 05:36
Australian television can be really good. Pity the media outlets don’t support the industry just a bit more than they do. So many shows that well stack up against their American counterparts seem to be discontinued and then put in at very late night viewing, usually in a non-ratings period or just as some kind of filler for in a really unpopular slot. Young Lions is one of these.
I can remember watching it when it first came to TV. The trouble was that the channel that had the show kept changing the times they viewed it. I can’t remember exactly but I think it started off in the 8:30pm slot and then just kept getting later and later. Eventually it disappeared all together.
Australian TV channels should nurture these types of gems. Most of the time, the television stations don’t give these real great dramas enough promotion or at the very least enough time to find an audience of their own. They just relinguish them without giving them a real try.
I happened to be sitting up late last night and an episode came on of Young Lions and it still stacks up today. It has some great Aussie actors in it including Alex Dimitriades, Tom Long, Anna Lise Phillips and Alexandra Davies. I was quite disappointed when it disappeared year ago.
It is no wonder that Australian actors are heading for America because they just don’t get the recognition they are due here. Young Lions is well worth a watch and pretty good compared to some of the rubbish cops and robbers shows that our TV stations give us, probably because they have got them cheap.
Take a look if you missed the series. It is pretty good.
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Comment by Jason King
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Comment by Janet Collins
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Nor have most people. They started moving around the time slot practically as soon as the series started and then wondered why the ratings were low.
I watched it because I like a lot of the cast but I couldn't keep up with when it was on and then it was cancelled all together. It was not a perfect show but it was pretty good. At least it gets some viewing now, even if it is late at night.
Thanks for the visit.
Janet
Comment by Clara
Oh and I have to agree as a American I prefer British and Australian TV shows to most US stuff, and I figured that the stupid American TV shows were why so many of your good shows were being canceled, I had noticed so many of them being advertised on Australian TV show sites, so I figured they had taken over, which is sad, I wish your TV shows and the Brits TV shows would take over our TV channels instead, maybe I would have more to watch,lol, the show Fringe is one of the few I watch that are American made that I can enjoy, and two of its lead actors are Australian so what does that tell you, that we need actors from Australia and UK to make a good show, like House as well, but we also need the writers and producers too,lol
Comment by Janet Collins
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Unfortunately for many of those in the film and television industry in Australia, we don't have the budgets for films and tv shows that you have in America. Because of that, we see so much of our talent departing our shores for America to make their name.
This also means that most of our tv shows don't get too long a trial here. If they are not really popular instantly they tend to get ditched pretty quickly.
I hope you get to find the American format for some of these because they are really worth a watch.
Thanks again.
Janet