2008 In Television: Flops
We continue our review of television in 2008 with a look at some of the high profile shows were 
launched by their respective channels with much hype, fan-fare and high hopes only to be deemed a flop, axed and leaving egg well and truly over the faces of those who commissioned them. Some of these shows had flop written over them from the moment they were commissioned, which does beg the question of why they were commissioned, others should have worked but failed to capture the audiences imaginations.
We continue our review of television in 2008 with a look at some of the high profile shows were launched by their respective channels with much hype, fan-fare and high hopes only to be deemed a flop, axed and leaving egg well and truly over the faces of those who commissioned them. Some of these shows had flop written over them from the moment they were commissioned, which does beg the question of why they were commissioned, others should have worked but failed to capture the audiences imaginations. Here at ATV News we confidential predicted that Echo Beach, The Royal Today, Harley Street and Britannia High were doomed to failure and you know what, we were right. So it’s no surprise that these four shows are amongst those to make our list.
The Palace: ITV
This was one of those shows that should have done well but didn’t, hindered probably by the fact it 
was on ITV. Had The Palace gone out on C4 or BBC2 it would have probably done very well. The drama centred on a fictional royal family who is thrown into the deep end when the king dies and reckless young Prince Richard is forced to grow up fast in order to take on his new responsibilities as King. However, the new King doesn’t have the support of all his family, namely older sister Eleanor who thinks she should be on the throne, and Richards’ only blunders only help serve Eleanor’s schemes and the his other enemies. 
Other troubles for the new King include his relationship with the Prime Minister’ aide and his growing feelings for his Press Officer, Abby – who is actually writing a book about life at the Palace. The Palace was a cross between The West Wing, Dallas and Upstairs, Downstairs with the antics of the palace’ staff also the focus of the drama. Well written, well cast and not an ex-soap star in sight but ratings matter with ITV and allas it just didn’t deliver the goods. ITV seemingly put this down to the lack of ex-soap stars but we whole heartedly disagree with that sentiment.
Echo Beach: ITV1
We have written about Echo Beach so many times now, in regards to it flopping, that we aren’t entirely sure of how to sound original in our summary of it. Echo Beach was the soap that the team in Moving Wallpaper were writing and producing. However, while Echo Beach was meant to the series “side” of the two shows and Moving Wallpaper the “comedy” side, no one seemingly explained this to the cast of Echo Beach. The “soap” came across as a spoof with it veering between shades of Eldorado, Hollyoaks, Neighbours, The O.C and a few other soaps in between. It wasn’t well received by critics, had lame storylines, poor characters and ratings plummeted. While companion show Moving Wallpaper was given a second run Echo Beach was dropped. Casting for the series consisted mostly of ex-soap stars.
The Royal Today: ITV1
A spin-off from Sunday 60s drama The Royal, itself a spin-off from Heartbeat, that was set in the modern day. Instead of being set in the 60s The Royal Today was set in the 21st century but the 
same hospital as its counter-part. Rather patronising the title for the drama also contains this fact. The Royal Day was ITV’s answer to the BBC’s popular daytime drama, Doctors. However, the cynics out there, including us, accused ITV of just cashing in on a brand name in the hope of drawing viewers. The first season of the drama contained 50 half-hour episodes and once again casting was based on recruiting ex-soap stars. Ratings were mostly below the million mark, far less than Crossroads ever attracted, and so the show hasn’t been given a second run.
Rock Rivals: ITV
A drama about an X-Factor style contest that was loosely based on the reality series itself. Rock Rivals was from the team behind Footballers Wives and Bad Girls and there was a high level of 
expectation surrounding it. The show would allow viewers to decide the winner at the end of the series and there was even talk of the winner releasing a single. Michelle Collins and Sean Gallagher led the series with Alison Newman and Gary Cooke also starring. The show was the usual mix of silly names and silly plots, with lots of pouting, bitching and scheming from all involved, but audiences failed to take with the series. Only 3.9 million tuned in for the first episode and this dropped by a million for the second episode. Although figures rallied somewhat for the last episode, with 3.3 million watching, it failed to have the impact ITV were hoping for. Considering the series was from the makers of Bad Girls and Footballers Wives the series should have worked but poor scheduling was partly to blame. However, there is so much theatrics surrounding The X-Factor anyway that a drama based on it hardly compares to the real thing.
Harley Street: ITV
A “glossy” medical drama set in the world of the rich, wealthy and glamorous and following the lives of the patients and Doctors of London’s infamous Harley Street. Doomed to fail before it ever reached 
screens thanks to the predictable and uninspiring casting of ex-soap stars, the critics blasted it for “clichéd” plots, poor storylines and wooden characters. It was launched amongst much hype by ITV and had a wide range of guest-stars across its short run but the audiences just didn’t fall for the series. Across its run the ratings were poor and few doubted it would come back. The stars however, were more hopeful saying ITV felt the series had potential but aired at the wrong time of the year but ultimately ITV cut their losses and opted to drop their axe.
Whistleblowers: ITV1
A thriller series about two people who go undercover in various companies to expose the criminal/dangerous goings on with them. The series starred Indira Varma, Richard Coyle and Daniel Ryan but sank in the ratings without trace. The series fell below the two million mark very quickly as the audience turned off. Reviews were not good
Britannia High: ITV
Drama series aimed at the youth audience and cashing in on the success of High School Musical and the lasting legacy of Fame by focusing on a group of young dancers and singers at a talent 
school. The series was devised by Arlene Phillips and ITV hoped it would capture the younger audience’s imagination in the same way Disney has with High School Musical. While the cast were quick to distance themselves from the HSM tag the reviewers, the press and their critics weren’t. Charlie Brooker was particularly savage about the show on his BBC Four show. Ratings for the show started badly, rose for episode, being rocketing below two million viewers. While those who liked the show are hopeful for a second series its highly unlikely ITV will be producing one.
Mutual Friends: BBC One
Comedy/drama series about a group of friends who are reunited once more following a suicide. The six-part series starred Marc Warren, Alexander Armstrong, Emily Joyce, Keeley Hawes and Clare Rushbrook. Ratings for the series were not good at all and it’s unlikely to return.
Spooks Code 9: BBC Three
Teen/young adult drama spun-off from BBC One’s spy series, Spooks. Set in 2013 after a nuclear attack in London, during the Olympics, and dealing with a group of young spies who are recruited to 
be the new line of defence against terrorists and other enemies. These young spies must also deal with traitors in their ranks who are prepared to sell them out in order to secure themselves a place in an emerging new world. Amongst the cast were Georgina Moffett, Andrew Knott and Ruta Gedmintas. The series aired on BBC Three and premiered with good ratings but as the series went on these figures dropped and the critics weren’t kind to the series. In December the BBC confirmed to us that they had axed the spin-off.
The Invisibles: BBC One
Comedy/drama series about two career criminals who are forced back into a life of crime their monety 
pot runs dry, only problem is since they retired things have moved on a lot. The series starred Anthony Head, Warren Clarke, Dean Lennox Kelly, Jenny Agutter, Mina Anwar and Emily Head. The series was originally entitled Desperados but was changed to invisibles as the two main characters in the series refer to themselves as such. Up against some tough competition on ITV, the series didn’t perform well for the BBC.
Apparitions: BBC One
Supernatural drama from Lime Pictures, makers of Hollyoaks, and starring Martin Shaw as Catholic Priest Jacob, who performs exorcisms. The series was written by Joe Ahearne who created the cult C4 series Ultraviolet and also contributed to the revived Doctor Who. Actor Martin Shaw suggested the idea for the series. Plagued by consistently low ratings.
Bonekickers: BBC One
Archaeological drama from the team behind Life On Mars and Spooks and so the BBC, unsurprisingly, had high hopes for the drama series. The idea was certainly new and different and 
attracted six million viewers for its first episode but Bonekickers was more Indiana Jones than Time Team and so audiences turned away, unimpressed. Recycled plot lines, in which the team would find an artefact of major importance on their door-step only to have destroyed it by the end of the episode, were criticised by reviewers. During its six-part run the team found the tomb of Boudicca, the Crucifix in which “Christ” died on and Arthur’s legendary sword, Excalibur – amongst other artifacts. The drama starred Julie Graham, Hugh Bonneville, Adrian Lister and Gugu Mbatha-Raw. Although it started well, ratings rise, viewers soon turned off preferring their archaeological offerings to be calmer and more Time-Teamesque rather than the improbable and bonkers Indiana Jones style antics.
