The Real Dirty Dancing ratings are in
The Real Dirty Dancing’s ratings were not what Seven wanted. Now it’s forced the network to move it out of its original time slot.
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The Real Dirty Dancing was a nod to Australia’s love for Patrick Swayze — and social media lit up with praise for the show.
But the official OzTam ratings show it was beaten by The Masked Singer Australia which had 1.063 million viewers in five capital cities as Seven’s new show competed with it in the 7.30pm time slot.
It was also beaten by The Block which had 806,000 viewers.
The poor result has led Seven to move the last two episodes from their original timeslot of 7.30pm AEST on Monday and Tuesday next week.
After Tuesday night’s episode airs, episodes three and four will now run on Sunday October 6 at 7pm.
The family-friendly timeslot is where Seven has enjoyed great success recently with its All New Monty: Ladies’ Night.
It also takes the program away from its biggest threat, The Masked Singer Australia.
The final episode will then air on Monday October 7 on the end of the October long weekend at 7.30pm.
The two-part special marked the 10-year anniversary of Swayze’s death and awareness for pancreatic cancer.
Social media certainly embraced Seven’sexperiment - playing off the nostalgia of the 1987 cult classic film.
FIRST REVIEW
It’s not often that a television show comes with a dietary warning or disclaimer for those suffering allergies.
But The Real Dirty Dancing — the cheesiest TV show of 2019 — will not find friends with the lactose-intolerant; or, in the case of host Todd McKenney’s wardrobe those who break out in hives at the sight of some of the most horrific polyester costuming since Bert Newton last ruled the airwaves.
After watching the first episode, I also predict the viewers who give in to the fun and frivolity of Seven’s romping good reality series, will suffer cheek strain from excessive smiling (again, mostly laughing at McKenney in shorts).
Fans get behind Patrick Swayze’s best films
For those who fell for this cult classic love story back in 1987, this celebrity challenge is every hard core fan’s wildest dream: returning to Kellerman’s family resort, in Virginia, USA, in search of the next Johnny and Baby.
Shelving Dancing With The Stars after a ratings slide last year, this new format delivers all of the voyeuristic joy of watching talented people fumble like fish out of water — or, with some of them, find their inner Patrick Swayze or Jennifer Grey.
DWTS judges McKenney and Kym Johnson Herjavec are tasked with training eight stars: TV presenter Jessica Rowe, The Bachelor winner Anna Heinrich, garden guru Jamie Durie, former Swans star Jude Bolton, Olympic swimmer Stephanie Rice, actor Firass Dirani, entertainer Hugh Sheridan and comic Anne Edmonds (who for mine, steals the show).
It’s kitsch and camp and lacks the sequins and razzle dazzle of DWTS, but what it lacks in serious ballroom dance skills, it makes up for in feel-good fun.
It also has heart — using the 10-year anniversary since Swayze’s death to pancreatic cancer — to raise awareness for the killer disease; with Heinrich and Sheridan both dedicating their performances to family members who have been lost to or are battling the disease.
That said, it doesn’t overplay the sad stuff and, thanks to a soundtrack of awesome 80s hits, trips on from one hilarious, happy scene to another.
And we all know how fun it is to laugh at and along with celebrities, right?
Like the heroic effort of Jamie Durie to hold his breath and suck in his gut between dance routines.
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Or, an awkward Jude Bolton, whose wife is a Dirty Dancing tragic and encouraged him to sign up for the scenes: “grinding with a stranger for the count of eight.”
Any semblance of this show taking itself seriously is completely punctured by Anne Edmonds, who plays the perfect court jester in this series.
When the girls are taken to train in a wooded area, one of Johnny’s “special places” she jokes: “Like in Australia, he’d have taken her to a Maccas carpark.”
Spliced together with real scenes from the movie, and the stars’ attempts to recreate them, makes for a fun filmic comparison.
It’s not going to find us the next Broadway star, but I have no doubt for those who let themselves love this show, you’ll have the time of your lives.
* The next episode of The Real Dirty Dancing airs at 7.30pm on Tuesday, October 1 on Seven.