Dave Callan

Back in 1999 a group of comedians got together for a late night TV comedy show. Ten weeks later, the network came to their sense and booted them out. For those of you who missed it, and for those who forgot to tape it, here are the highlights of that exciting new program launched on an unsuspecting TV audience. A show with the less-than-imaginative title of "Rove".

Rove, formerly Rove Live, was an Australian television variety show which premiered on the Nine Network on 22 September 1999, before moving to Network Ten which aired the program from 2000 until November, 2009. The show was hosted by comedian Rove McManus, and featured an ensemble cast, who presented various segments throughout the course of the show. The show won the Logie Award for "Most Popular Light Entertainment Program" five times.

Going Home was a drama television series produced by the SBS network in Australia that aired from 2000 to 2001. Scripted, filmed, edited and broadcast on the same day, Going Home was set in a nightly inter-urban commuter train. A group of regular train travelers are featured on their daily commute in a blend of up-to-the-minute commentary on the news and events of the day, together with the unfolding dramas in their lives. Viewer feedback was encouraged, including plot and character suggestions that were regularly incorporated into subsequent episodes. Towards the very end of the 2001 season, we see Australian character actor Stuart Rawe, before Swift and Shift Couriers, in one of his very early roles as a "Silent Football Fan". The concept has been used later in other countries: in Canada, in France and in Italy.

Comedy Slapdown is an Australian television improvised comedy program produced by FremantleMedia, that first aired on The Comedy Channel from 8 November 2008 at 7:30pm. The show is hosted by H.G. Nelson and feaures a variety of comedians participating in theatresports Matt Parkinson heads up the judging panel which includes one other celebrity judge and one judge selected from the audience. Notable guest comedians include Corinne Grant, Tom Gleeson, Natalie Garonzi, Matt Tilley and Julia Zemiro. The premise of the show can be compared to the popular improvisational comedy program 'Whose Line Is It Anyway?' with various improvisational comedy games played as the teams compete against each other.

Two Twisted is an Australian TV mystery anthology drama which premiered on the Nine Network on 14 August 2006. Narrated by Bryan Brown, who also produced the series' predecessor, Twisted Tales, each episode of the series contains two short half-hour stories, that have a twist ending. Also present in each episode is a link or connection between the two tales.

A not very effective, obsessive and socially inept junior lawyer (Sammy J) scrambles to hold onto his last ounce of dignity while clinging to the bottom rung of the corporate ladder. Meantime, his slovenly, unemployed flatmate Randy is desperately trying to win back the affections of his glamorous ex wife Veronica. Oh, and Randy's a purple puppet. But he doesn't care, nor does Sammy, and nor should you.

A weekly comedy show about games, I guess?