When I heard we got renewed, I was all like...
This is a bit of a shocker, but let's just blame it on the struggling economy. NBC has given a full-season order to Kath & Kim, ordering the back nine episodes of the comedy for a 22-episode debut season. It can be argued that this really isn't a surprise, given the state of NBC today, which is desperate to hang on to anything that can be marginally considered a success (see Knight Rider).
And marginally considering Kath & Kim a success is a stretch itself. The "comedy" is an Americanized adaptation (surprise) of a critically adored Australian hit, but--this may come as a shocker--something apparently got lost in translation. Australians have called the US version a travesty, and it was axed by Oz television stations after just two episodes. US critics have also given it a verbal pummeling, dubbing it unwatchable and unfunny--two things comedies aren't supposed to be. And you, the collective hivemind known as the TV.com user, have rated it a paltry 5.8...out of 10. That's a D.
Still, the show averaged 6 million total viewers and pulled in a 2.6 rating, 6 share among the 18-49 demo, which is enough for NBC to give it the re-up.
"Kath & Kim is a show we love and believe in," said NBC Entertainment's Teri Weinberg. "We have incredible confidence in the creative auspices of this show and we believe it's a perfect fit with our Thursday-night comedies."
Kath & Kim stars Molly Shannon and Selma Blair as a clueless and goofy mother-daughter duo. The show airs on Thursday nights at 8:30 p.m., right after My Name Is Earl and before The Office.
Anyone else out there wondering what monkey is at the controls of NBC?
Comments (36)
This show is completely hysterical!!!! I love to watch it with my husband, my mother loves it, friends love it too! We live in the USA and don't care if it is, or is not like the Australian version since we have never seen that. All of the actors on this show are brilliant, especially Molly Shannon, Selma Blair and the guy who plays Phil. PLEASE KEEP IT ON THE AIR. I know in the Boston area it has a huge following!!!
I saw 2 minutes of this at 1 am in Australia and had to turn off! I don't even know how this show COULD be called Kath & Kim! Watch the Australian one and laugh yourself silly instead!
Great news! Love this show and love Molly Shannon!
omfg why??? i live in Australia, i've seen our original version and then i saw the US vesion. Channel 7 actually swapped the original series for it!!! it was jaw droppingly bad. thankfully they only showed one ep. NBC should just buy the rights to broadcast the Australian version cos America could just laugh at the wackiness of these 2 bogans! (a bogan is like a really stupid, really aussie ***
I'm totally bewildered and shocked!So many brillant shows have been cancelled despite of all the good reviews and pleading from fans and yet NBC are going to continue with this ridiculous-not funny-stupid so call comedy of 'Kath & Kim'? What planet does this network comes from?
Kath & Kim, whilst highly inferior to its Australian counter-part, isn't quite as bad as I thought it would be. Usually an American adaptation means sucking the soul out of it because they don't think Americans will get anything that doesn't relate to their culture. Even though its not side-splittingly funny, I feel that Kath & Kim at least has its heart in the right place, its just ballsed up the character a bit. Once they get comfortable, like The Office US needed to over its first 12 episodes, it might become a good show.
The state that Kath & Kim is in right now is a... travesty. And this show has the potential to become something really entertaining. Perhaps it should get advice from The Office and 30 Rock on how to put together a decent episode.
I'm surprised, but I guess I have different taste to NBC. Oh well, just because it got picked up doesnt mean I have to watch it. I watched half the first episode and wish I could get that 15 minutes of my life back. No offence to Americans, but Kath & Kim is the one show that Australia does better :)
If NBC wants plots i can write shows for them.How bad can i be.I will charge less than what the writers of this show charges and can give much better shows.NBC if u r that desperate then contact me.
I only watched 2 eps and couldn't get into it. I bet the original version is funnier. Wasn't it NBC who also attempted a remake of "Coupling" which is one of the funniest shows ever and they screwed that up even when their pilot copied 90% of the BBC's pilot episode? I really like the cast in Kath & Kim and think they're amazingly talented which is what prompted me to give this a shot in the first place. I really hope they get the kinks out and make it watchable.
I'm still scratching my head about this headline. Very surprising, I wonder if it will get renewed for Season 2 now. Interesting. NBC must have like... nothing.
I will never watch this show.
22 episodes, cool, australian series only had 8 episodes a season
It's cheap, thats all that is needed to be on the air....
Why???
i love kath and kim they are to funny
That's unbelievable! SO awful and not funny in the least even if you don't compare it to the original.
This show only survived 2 episodes before Channel 7 in Australia axed it, we are now getting repeat episodes of the Australian version
I know NBC is just dying for a good shows, but this is kind of ridiculous. Full season orders for Kath & Kim and Knight Rider. This network is really going down fast.
Go ahead and shoot me, but I love this show. I think it's so funny and I'm very relieved to hear of the full-season order.
I'm still undecided on this show. It's been o.k. so far but not nearly as bad as some of the reviews I have read.
Sorry but I think this show is hilarious. The main cast of four is sharp and funny, and I love that there's no laugh track. I'm not concerned at all with how it's performed in Australia, since it's perfectly natural that they'd like their original series and not this one (I like the original too though!). As for worrying what critics have said.. ha they all bagged on Cavemen too and helped drive that series to an early grave.I've always thought Molly Shannon was brilliant and I'm happy to see her paired with Selma Blair, who's turned out to be brilliant herself. The real heart of the show though may be John Michael Higgins, who brings Phil Knight to life as a sweet & funny goofball.
I couldn't make it past the first episode. It was too stupid.
Have not watched
That's a good question, thefanof. However, I think they are pushing it back some due to her just having her baby. They were initially going to give Amy's show a Super Bowl debut, but the pregnancy made that wish impossible. I wouldn't be surprised if they wait until next year.
I gave it a try and did not like it at all. I can't believe this show has been picked up when shows in the past have been cancelled. (especially if even the Australians hate it!)
I actualy like this show! Now if only Pushing Daisies got a full season Pick up!
OMFG.shocker.i'm so glad.i thought it was gonna get canceled for sure.
Sad... It's truly amazing that quality shows like Terminatior and Samantha Who just got full or "fullish" seasons and other good shows get axed quickly. Yet somehow Kath & Kim made it?? Makes you lose quite a bit of respect for the television networks.
I actually really enjoy the show. Glad to hear that it's renewed.
I actually really enjoy the show. Glad to hear that it's renewed.
I watched about 10 minutes of the first episode and shut it off. I just couldn't take it. I don't understand why NBC is saying they love this show but yet they gave up on Scrubs. Now that's a great show that NBC screwed with for 7 years. I don't understand it.
poor nbc time to dig the ditch of doom and finally shoot the horse into which i will give the answer but right now i can not because i am watching something other than nbc. Anything like abc, cbc, fox, the cw, comedy central, nick, the gsn.
Never watched it. I can't say if this is good or not
No other comedy they could get by Mid-Season would do much better so they may as well keep it for the season.
So what does that mean for the Amy Poehler show (not that I care about it cause she sucks, but just curious where in the lineup it would fit in)?