Seven good and bad on Seven Sharp
February 6th, 2013 at 1:00 pm by David FarrarA press secretary commented to me yesterday that I seem to be the only person in the country who liked Seven Sharp. By coincidence Heather DPA walked past at that point!
Anyway it is fair to say that almost all reviews and comments online have been critical, including of course those written before it aired!
But I thought this post by Toby Manhire is pretty well balanced. The summary is:
Good
- The tone
- The personnel
- Ali Mau
- The set
- The John Key office item
- The Afghanistan and post-traumatic stress disorder item
- No pratfalls
Bad
- The lack of live-news content
- Interactivity
- The tone
- The tone cont’d
- The timing of the John Key office item
- Some of the jokes
- The absence of studio guests
Tuesday’s night show was a bit different to the first night. One thing which would improve things for me is having them say at the beginning of the programme what they’ll be covering. If you know what is coming up, you are more likely to stay past the jokes.
The naturist item was quite interesting. A good example of meeting someone behind the headline story. I had some sympathy for him up until the point he compared himself to Martin Luther King.
Had to laugh at the position of the boom mike in the interview 
Not quite so many items as the night before, which was good in my opinion.
And a mini coup with getting Karen from the Rachel v Karen phone call on screen. Not as exciting as one would have thought though from the phone call.
The Richie McCaw item was very boring, but I guess rates well with hormonal women.
So after two nights, I’m still in the liking it category. But no, I won’t be doing daily reviews. After this I’ll give a month before blogging again on it.
Tags: Seven Sharp, TVNZ
February 6th, 2013 at 1:16 pm
“The Richie McCaw item was very boring, but I guess rates well with hormonal women.”
And salivating All Black fanboys like Pete George and Contrarian…
Vote:February 6th, 2013 at 1:22 pm
I think it needs to decide if it is satirical or serious. I’d like to see it evolve into a Jon Stewart type of Daily Show.
Vote:February 6th, 2013 at 1:24 pm
I saw part of Monday night show. The immature pap the presenters spoke left
Vote:Me cold. They are not clever or witty especially the one that leaves his top button undone with a tie. Ali Mau is ok but the other two are junk.
February 6th, 2013 at 1:31 pm
I couldn’t bring myself to watch the second show on Tuesday. (I made it up to the first ad break on Monday).
Vote:Was it any better?
[After seeing his review of Monday's show, I'm not relying on DPF's verdict]
February 6th, 2013 at 1:55 pm
Watched some of the first show until getting bored. Why three presenters ?
Vote:how nauseating is that? At least TV one scraped up enough money to buy three chairs.
That poor chap in Close up had to stand. and do the whole show himself.
Didn’t watch the second show. As the sun was shining it was more exciting to go outside and watch the grass grow.
Apparently they had some rugby player on. Another good reason to go and watch the Simpsons.
TV One news is still brain dead.
February 6th, 2013 at 2:10 pm
If this is the best TV1 can do it’s time to sell it off.
If this is the crap they think the younger demographic will like, they need their heads examined.
Whatever happened to interesting/topical stories presented seriously and informatively, with humour arising naturally if appropriate?
This is forced, self-satisfied and shouty and sadly underestimates the intelligence of their viewing public.
Thank goodness for Sky, Prime and even Perky John.
Vote:February 6th, 2013 at 2:40 pm
Well if people find watching this programme better than anything else on TV – then they need psychiatric help – including heavy medication.
Watched about 8 minutes of first night and about 5 min in the middle of last night.
It will be the major cause of suicides in society………………
Vote:February 6th, 2013 at 3:08 pm
Longknives (2,132) Says:
February 6th, 2013 at 1:16 pm
“The Richie McCaw item was very boring, but I guess rates well with hormonal women.”
And salivating All Black fanboys like Pete George and Contrarian…
I suspect Pete only begins salivating when they’re talking about those All Blacks who have worn, or will wear, the traditional green of the deep South.
Vote:February 6th, 2013 at 3:36 pm
The nudist item might have been ok later in the evening – though frankly a more substantive, critical examination of the issue and especially the court decisions could actually have been in the public interest. But as it was, such extensive nudity, blurred or not, struck me as purely gratuitous, and at 7:15pm I thought it was utterly inappropriate. Someone should be fired before they do more damage.
Vote:February 6th, 2013 at 7:18 pm
All right look. What you’ve got here is still really to all intents and purposes a Government Department. I don’t need to go any further. Over-thinking, buck passing, ass covering, focus groups, HR departments, promotions for appalling decisions etc.
Not only that, they’ve got to try and maintain the presence of being a state broadcaster with less money, and a bigger dividend.
What you’re seeing on 7 Sharp is basically a veneer painted over the same machine. It’ll be the same team as on Close Up At Seven. So all that’s really happened is they’ve re-powered a Holden Commodore. Same shit different day.
I reckon it’s not so bad. Probably get better. Probably do at least as well as Close Up did
Vote:February 6th, 2013 at 8:04 pm
Mindless pap.
Vote:February 6th, 2013 at 8:24 pm
i caught 5 mins of it tonight.
is one of the dudes a fag?
im actually shocked. how the hell knew oamaru was pronounced that way!
the show is just mindless shit. the reporter who did the oamaru bit was just dreadful.
why do these young female reporters have to yell at us?? reminds me of the chick they have on radio sport some mornings. thats right, a chick. cause god forbid blokes have their own station.
Vote:February 6th, 2013 at 8:39 pm
Sorry Dave, but I disagree with every one of Toby Manhire’s ‘goods’ except for #6.
The show is a dog: it needs to be put down as soon as possible.
Vote:February 6th, 2013 at 8:46 pm
The dumbing down of NZ continues. Frankly, how on earth an intelligent man such as DPF can find any redeeming features with this utter garbage, is beyond me
Vote:February 7th, 2013 at 9:50 am
It’s hardly compelling viewing.
I do think that for a show that call’s itself “Seven Sharp” the logo on the desk could be less fuzzy.
Vote:February 7th, 2013 at 10:27 am
Seven Sharp has now handed over that program and time slot to Campbell Live on a platter, I feel.
I watched it the first time yesterday, and I was not impressed at all.
Wasting time and money on such nonsensical, less than mediocre “entertainment”, and that is all it can be categorised as (“infotainment light”), is not justified.
The news before that are often “light” and “superficial”, not much informing when compared with main news on channels internationally (except perhaps parts in the US), so I would rather have a program that focuses on real issues and topics after that, to get some more in-depth reporting and information.
Close Up had over years tended to become “lighter diet” in that sense, so has Campbell Live really, but is that really what the viewers want? If so, I am dismayed about the intelligence, the use of it and the common “level” or standard of education of the bulk of the population.
Vote:February 7th, 2013 at 11:34 am
Campbell Live lost me when their coverage of the christchurch earthquake consisted soley of the most bitter people they could find.
Yes, a lot of people were having problems but most people were quite stoic in my experience.
Vote:February 8th, 2013 at 9:36 am
ARRGH
Well I won’t be watching anymore after their pathetic mispresentation of fractional reserve banking.
Vote: