The Verdict (Australian TV program)

The Verdict
Presented by Karl Stefanovic
Opening theme "Shut Up and Dance" by Walk the Moon
Ending theme "Shut Up and Dance" by Walk the Moon (instrumental)
Country of origin Australia
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 1
No. of episodes 8 (as of 25 November 2015)
Production
Running time Approximately 60 minutes
Release
Original network Nine Network
Picture format 576i (SDTV)
Audio format Stereo
Original release 8 October 2015 (2015-10-08) – present
External links
Website

The Verdict is an Australian television panel discussion program on the Nine Network, hosted by news journalist Karl Stefanovic, which premiered on 8 October 2015.[1]

A pilot for the series was ordered by the Nine Network in August 2015, to be filmed the following month.[2] The series was green lit on 14 September 2015 for 8 episodes to air on Sundays at 9:30pm from 11 October 2015.[3] However, the series was moved prior to launch to the Thursday 8:30pm timeslot starting from 8 October 2015. In addition, it was announced the network had only committed to 5 episodes.[1]

On 28 October 2015, the series was renewed for a second season, set to air in 2016.[4]

Format

The Verdict has been modelled on a mixture of Q&A and The Project, and features a rotating panel of guest. They discuss hot-button issues in front of a live audience. The panel give fielding opinions from the studio audience, while viewers at home can vote on weekly topics. Host Karl Stefanovic injects his own opinion into the show, something he has been doing increasingly while hosting Today.[5]

Episodes

Season 1

Episode Date Host Panellists Viewers
(millions)
Political Others
1 8 October 2015 Karl Stefanovic Mark Latham, Senator Jacqui Lambie, Sandy Rae, Campbell Brown, Jamila Rizvi, Anne Anderson, Dr Anne Aly 0.522[6]
Topics included: The Sydney terror attack, Donald Trump, over-diagnosis of mental health, The deporting of anti-abortionist Troy Newman
2 15 October 2015 Karl Stefanovic Mark Latham, Julian Burnside AO QC, Senator Jacqui Lambie, Sandy Rae, Campbell Brown, Anne Anderson, Dr Anne Aly, Miranda Tapsell 0.396[7]
Topics included: Racism in Australia, Detention Centres, The negatives of Social Media, Gender War
3 22 October 2015 Karl Stefanovic Mark Latham, Tim Costello, Bob Katter Angela Mollard, Jamila Rizvi, Campbell Brown, Sandy Rea 0.360[8]
Topics included: Early Election, Ban Paparazzi on Celebrity Children, Gun Control, Ban on Pokie Machines
4 29 October 2015 Karl Stefanovic Mark Latham, Senator Jacqui Lambie, Peter Reith Rachel Corbett, Campbell Brown, Sandy Rea, Miranda Devine 0.417[9]
Topics included: Political Correctness, Apology from John Howard, Kids dropping out of School, School teachers on Social Media
5 4 November 2015 Karl Stefanovic Mark Latham, Anthony Albanese, Amanda Vanstone Indira Naidoo, Rachel Corbett, Campbell Brown, Sandy Rea 0.387[10]
Topics included: Women Equality in Sport, Teachers role in Schools, Increases in Taxes, Tiger Woods Scandals
6 12 November 2015 Karl Stefanovic Mark Latham, Pauline Hanson, Amanda Vanstone, Peter FitzSimons, Osman Faruqi Jamila Rizvi 0.465[11]
Topics included: Legalisation of Cannabis for Recreational Use, Australia's Adoption Reform, Republic Australia, Mulitculturalism in Australia, Shark Attacks
7 19 November 2015 Michael Usher Mark Latham, Senator Jacqui Lambie ,Osman Faruqi Rev. Bill Crews, Rachel Corbett, Anne Henderson, Major General Jim Molan (Ret) 0.419[12]
Topics included: Australia at War, Syrian Refugees, equality for women in boxing, Charlie Sheen HIV scandal
Special - Year
in
Review		 25 November 2015 Karl Stefanovic Mark Latham, Peter FitzSimons, Amanda Vanstone Jamila Rizvi, Campbell Brown, Rachel Corbett 0.548[13]
Top Ten Topics of the Year included:
10. Jarryd Hayne playing for the NFL
9. Donald Trump running for President of the USA
8. Mick Fanning's Shark attack
7. Gay Marriage Campaigners
6. Michelle Payne Melbourne Cup Win
5. Refugee Crisis
4. Adam Goodes being booed
3. Execution of Chan & Sukumaran
2. Malcolm Turnball taking out Tony Abbott as PM
1. Islamic State

Reception

The show has received mostly negative reviews, being called by people as "Q&A for bogans". The tone and nature of discussion is a problem, the show is a clumsy mish-mash of elements. Panellists arrive in the arena like players appearing on The Footy Show: entering centre stage, smiling and waving to the studio audience as their names are announced. Once seated, they start weighing in on the chosen topics and appear primed for some argy-bargy. No measured presentation of views. They interrupt each other, talk over each other and try to shout each other down as Stefanovic sits in the centre, unsuccessfully trying to moderate the debate. Meanwhile, a small and fairly desultory studio audience looks on and suggests a little too strongly that they've been instructed on when to clap and nod.[14]

References

  1. 1 2 Knox, David (25 September 2015). "The Verdict to premiere on Thursdays". TV Tonight. Retrieved 16 October 2015.
  2. ↑ Knox, David (26 August 2015). "Nine to film panel pilot with Karl Stefanovic". TV Tonight. Retrieved 16 October 2015.
  3. ↑ Knox, David (14 September 2015). "Nine greenlights The Verdict pilot". TV Tonight. Retrieved 16 October 2015.
  4. ↑ Knox, David (28 October 2015). "Nine Upfronts 2016: Nine goes HD, new lifestyle channel -and Daryl Somers returns". TV Tonight. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  5. ↑ Bowden, Ebony (30 September 2015). "Karl Stefanovic promises 'bumpy ride' in trailer for Nine panel show The Verdict". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  6. ↑ Knox, David (9 October 2015). "The Verdict third in timeslot but Nine wins Thursday". TV Tonight. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  7. ↑ Knox, David (16 October 2015). "Bachelorette, Gogglebox win for TEN as The Verdict pushes Nine to third place". TV Tonight. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  8. ↑ Knox, David (23 October 2015). "Bachelorette scores 1.52m as TEN wins Thursday". TV Tonight. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  9. ↑ http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2015/10/gogglebox-battles-mighty-cruise-ships.html
  10. ↑ http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2015/11/nines-verdict-still-struggling-as-seven-nabs-thursday.html
  11. ↑ http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2015/11/thursday-12-november-2015.html
  12. ↑ http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2015/11/thursday-ratings-rinse-and-repeat.html
  13. ↑ http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2015/11/1-81m-watch-the-block-winners-announced.html
  14. ↑ http://m.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/the-verdict-is-a-late-starter-for-worst-show-of-2015-20151013-gk6mqy.html
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