Bogan Hunters is an Australian comedy reality television series created by Paul Fenech for Seven Network's 7mate. The series provides an in-depth look into Australia's bogan subculture, as the Bogan Hunters traverse the nation looking for Australia's greatest bogan. The show first aired on Australia's 7mate on 13 May 2014 and on New Zealand's TV2 on 14 October 2014.[3] The finale of season 1 aired on 15 July 2014 in Australia and on 9 December 2014 in New Zealand.
Bogan Hunters | |
---|---|
Genre | Documentary comedy |
Presented by | Paul Fenech |
Opening theme | "Bogan Hunters" by Heaven the Axe |
Country of origin | Australia |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 1 |
No. of episodes | 10 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Running time | 30 minutes (inc.adverts) |
Original release | |
Network | 7mate (Australia)[1] TV2 (New Zealand)[2] |
Release | 13 May 15 July 2014 | –
On 8 February 2015, two Bogan Hunters specials aired titled "Summernats And The Hunt For The Great Aussie Hoon" and "Bathurst Conspiracy".[4]
Overview
editThe show follows the adventures of 'boganologist' Paul 'Pauly' Fenech, Shazza (Elle Dawe) and Kev the Kiwi (Kevin Taumata) as they travel around Australia in search of the nation's greatest bogan, tapping into a growing interest and fascination in Australia's unique version of the subculture.[5][6][7] Their quest takes them to all of Australia's states and territories, except for the ACT, revealing the diversity of bogan culture throughout the nation.[8] After searching in many regions with significant bogan populations, seven of the finest bogans down under are selected by a panel of eight celebrity judges to compete in a Bogan Grand Final in Sydney, where criteria such as appearance, attitude and sex appeal are measured. The winners of the 2014 showdown are granted a "Golden Thong Award", and a beer keg laden "Aussie pride 'Straya' ute" or a makeover.[9] Series 1 focused on suburban bogans, located about 20 minutes drive from the center of Australia's largest cities.[10]
Many of the shows' main characters and judges have previously appeared in the SBS television series Pizza, Swift and Shift Couriers and Housos.
Outcomes
editTasmania
editTasmania was named the 'bogan capital of Australia' with Taswegians earning four spots in the final.[11] On the island of Tasmania, half the population has literacy and/or numeracy difficulties, and the unemployment rate is higher than it is in mainland Australia.[12][13]
The producers of Bogan Hunters wanted to interview Bertrant Cadert, the Mayor of the Municipality of Glamorgan Spring Bay about the controversy surrounding the word bogan, after he labeled the residents of Triabunna as "the most bogan of bogans" using the word in a derogatory sense.[14] Cadert declined the interview.[14]
The show has become a part of Tasmanian culture, with "Bogan Hunters" being the 11th most popular search term on Google in 2014 for users from Tasmania.[15]
Australian culture
editThe show, while light hearted and presented in a comedic fashion, accurately documents the widespread extent and manifestations of the real bogan culture in Australia.[16][17]
There is no pretence, you are what you are, it's a very honest way of living. You don't try to be what you're not. A lot of bogans (who) have had hard knocks in life are still smiling. To me that taps into the best part of Australian character — the humour, the honesty, the ability to laugh at ourselves.
Fat Pizza vs. Housos
editSome of the show's finalists appeared in the 2014 motion picture Fat Pizza vs. Housos, which began showing in Australian cinemas on 27 November 2014.[19][20]
Production
editWhen asked about the production of the series and if the participants were enthusiastic about the project, producer Paul Fenech stated:
There are people who do classify themselves as bogans so I thought it would be a laugh because a lot of them are great characters. There's an optimism and an honesty and there's a real bogan culture and they seem cool with it. Sometimes we would drive to a suburb, get out and we'd be flocked by a range of different bogans. And then we'd just find the most obvious bogan and follow them around. There's maybe 2 per cent jokes in the show … and the rest of it is all real.
Reviews
editThe show was praised by critics such as Scott Ellis and Louise Rugendyke from The Sydney Morning Herald's "The Guide".[22][23] They have speculated that some of the characters could use a little more help than is afforded to them, highlighting the importance of shining the spotlight on them.[23]
Reception
editThe 9:30pm premiere of Bogan Hunters on 7mate rated 390,000 mainland capital city viewers and 589,000 viewers Australia wide, making it the highest-rating entertainment program ever to screen on the three-year-old digital channel and the second highest rating show to date.[24][25] It led in multichannel ratings for the night, far ahead of shows such as Parenthood on Seven Network's primary channel.[1] The second episode was slightly higher with 393,000 mainland capital city viewers, and was also the night's highest rating program on a multichannel.[26]
Season 1 of Bogan Hunters enjoyed more viewers than many other Australian comedies of its era, such as the ABC's Jonah from Tonga, which later screened on HBO in the United States and BBC Three in the United Kingdom.[27][28]
Season 1 (2014)
editNo. | Original air | Multichannel Ranking (Australia) | Australian viewers | New Zealander viewers |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 13 May 2014 | 1 | 589,000[21] | |
2 | 20 May 2014 | 1 | 554,000[29] | |
3 | 27 May 2014 | 1 | 321,000[30] | |
4 | 3 June 2014 | 1 | 341,000[31] | |
5 | 10 June 2014 | 15 | 247,000[32] | |
6 | 17 June 2014 | < 20 | 193,000[33] | |
7 | 24 June 2014 | 15 | 248,000[34] | |
8 | 1 July 2014 | < 20 | 191,000[35] | |
9 | 8 July 2014 | 2 | 325,000[36] | |
10 | 15 July 2014 | 9 | 232,000[37] |
Series overview
editSeason | Episodes | Originally aired | iTunes release | DVD release | DVD features | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Season premiere | Season finale | + New unreleased footage | Region 4 | + | |||
1 | 10 | 13 May 2014 | 15 July 2014 | 15 July 2014[38] | 17 July 2014[39][40] |
|
Episodes
editSeason 1 (2014)
editNo. | Title | Directed by | Original air date | Consolidated Australian viewers (Mainland Capitals) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "Episode 1" | Paul Fenech | 13 May 2014 | |
Seasoned boganologist Pauly Fenech, bogan translator Shazza Jones and security leader (and NZ beer drinking champion) Kev the Kiwi begin their search for Australia's greatest bogan at Western Australia's Powercruise event at the Perth Motorplex where they encounter examples of the "cashed-up bogan" or cub. Later, they head to southern Tasmania, where they discover the phrase 'obeastie', a recent addition the Australian vernacular. The episode also features a stop at the Ned Kelly museum in Glenrowan, VIC.[38] | ||||
2 | "Episode 2" | Paul Fenech | 20 May 2014 | |
The Bogan hunters travel to George Town, Tasmania, and then to Fremantle, WA where they visit bogan icon Bon Scott's grave and encounter a group of Bogan Bikers. Finally they travel to a popular Logan Bogan hangout spot, a pub in Logan, Southern Queensland where a game of thongs is used to settle a dispute.[38] | ||||
3 | "Episode 3" | Paul Fenech | 27 May 2014 | |
The Bogan hunters continue their search, playing wheel of goon in Nar Nar Goon, VIC, and looking for "remote area bogans" to no avail near Stonor, TAS. Later the hunters split up, with Shazza making an important stop at Holden's soon to be closed Elizabeth factory, and Pauly and Kev attending the King of the Ring Fight in Darwin, NT and performing burnouts inside a Fannie Bay living room.[38] | ||||
4 | "Episode 4" | Paul Fenech | 3 June 2014 | |
The Bogan hunters' quest takes them to New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia. Shazza does her first burnout in a flanno covered car, visits the Big Merino and the team investigates rumors of a two headed bogan in the Tasmanian wilderness.[38] | ||||
5 | "Episode 5" | Paul Fenech | 10 June 2014 | |
Davey Cooper joins Pauly and Kev for a look around the Salisbury and Elizabeth areas of Adelaide, SA. In Brahma Lodge, the hunters attend a Cold Chisel tribute concert. Later the crew returns to the Northern Territory, where they meet the thong throwing champion of Darwin at the Corroboree Park Tavern. Kev loses against Pauly in a fishing contest, resulting in two penalties, firstly to be covered in snakes and secondly to go for a dunk with a large crocodile while inside a perspex tank.[38] | ||||
6 | "Episode 6" | Paul Fenech | 17 June 2014 | |
The hunt continues with the team hanging out in Ravenswood, Tasmania, and meeting with a bogan imposter in Queensland. Later, Shazza gets to give her first ever homejob tattoo to a mother in St Helens, TAS.[38] | ||||
7 | "Episode 7" | Paul Fenech | 24 June 2014 | |
The hunters meet a crazy and sometimes naked Western Australian contender in Rockingham, a bogan who lives in a Holden vehicle and the crew visit One Mile Hotel in Ipswich, QLD to report on an officially registered sport - jelly wrestling.[38][42] | ||||
8 | "Episode 8" | Paul Fenech | 1 July 2014 | |
The Bogan Hunters recap on the highlights of their trip and the seven finalists found during their quest are revealed.[38] | ||||
9 | "Episode 9" | Paul Fenech | 8 July 2014 | |
10 | "Episode 10" | Paul Fenech | 15 July 2014 | |
After almost enjoying a pie from Harry's Cafe de Wheels, the winners of the title of 'Australia's Greatest Bogan' are presented with the keys to the "Aussie pride 'Straya' ute" with beer kegs in the back, while the winners of the Best Bogan Female Award and the Overall Points Winner are invited to receive a complimentary 48-hour make over conducted by Henry Roth, complete with etiquette lessons from June Dally-Watkins and dental treatment from Haoey Dental.[38][43][44] |
Cast and characters
editMain
edit- Paul Fenech as Pauly
- Elle Dawe as Shazza Jones
- Kevin Taumata as Kev the Kiwi
Celebrity Judges
edit- Angry Anderson as himself
- Jonesy as himself
- Amarli Inez as Miss Nude Australia
- Tahir Bilgiç as himself
- Mick Gatto as himself
- Mark "Jacko" Jackson as himself
- Chris Franklin as himself
- Derek Boyer as himself
- Rob Shehadie as himself
- Guy Sebastian as himself
Other
edit- Davey Cooper as himself
- Jimmy Jackson as James aka Big Wheels
- June Dally-Watkins as herself
- Henry Roth as himself
- Martin Miller as Marty the Engineer[45]
- Alex Romano as Jimmy
International broadcasting
editCountry | Network(s)/Station(s) |
---|---|
Australia (origin) | 7mate |
New Zealand | TV2 |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Knox, David (14 May 2014). "Bogan Hunters let f***in fly on 7mate". TV Tonight. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
- ^ "The Bogan Hunters: Tuesdays at 9:30PM". TVNZ. 14 August 2014. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
- ^ Smith, Michelle (4 April 2014). ""Our fascination with "bogans" will be televised"". The Conversation. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
- ^ "Australia Day kick starts a new line-up on 7mate"
- ^ Galvin, Nick (1 April 2014). "Housos stars reveal Australia's biggest bogans: 'I'd probably be scared'". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
- ^ Khoury, Matt (9 July 2014). "4/Against: Bogan Hunters". NRMA Publishing. Archived from the original on 8 November 2014. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
- ^ Tilbrook, Sam (7 April 2014). "Australian Audiences the real Bogan Hunters". Edith Cowan University Daily. Archived from the original on 23 December 2014. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
- ^ "The Bogan Hunters - Series 1". ABC. Archived from the original on 8 November 2014. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
- ^ "The Bogan Hunters crown Australia's Greatest Bogan!". Yahoo!7 TV. 8 July 2014. Archived from the original on 8 November 2014. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
- ^ "Bogan Hunters". 2GB 873 AM. Archived from the original on 8 November 2014. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
- ^ Galvin, Nick (1 April 2014). "Tassie tops Housos' bogan hunt". The Examiner. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
- ^ McClintock, Alex (7 July 2014). "Embracing our inner bogan". The New Daily. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
- ^ Smith, Suzanne (20 February 2014). "Tasmanian literacy levels alarm school education experts, who call for 'significant change'". ABC News. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
- ^ a b "Bogan controversy mayor 'will not stand down' as no-confidence vote looms". ABC News. 8 July 2014. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
- ^ Black, Zona (17 December 2014). "What Tasmania Googled in 2014". The Examiner. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
- ^ Cassidy, Adene (13 May 2014). "Bogan Hunters". Today Tonight. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
- ^ "Nobody likes a bogan... Or do they?". Today Tonight. 13 May 2014. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
- ^ "Alisa and Lysandra make the top nine, but who is Pauly Fenech's ultimate celebrity bogan?". 936 ABC Hobart. 21 May 2014. Archived from the original on 8 November 2014. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
- ^ "Fat Pizza Vs Housos". Hoyts. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ^ "Fat Pizza Vs. Housos". Transmission. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ^ a b McMahon, Neil (14 May 2014). "Bogan Hunters is car-crash TV says creator Paul Fenech". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
- ^ "Review of the Bogan Hunters Makeovers July 2014". YouTube. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
- ^ a b "Bogan Hunters reviewed". The Sydney Morning Herald. 12 May 2014. Archived from the original on 8 November 2014. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
- ^ Enker, Debi (14 May 2014). "Do Bogan Hunters and What Really Happens in Bali push an ethical boundary?". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
- ^ Knox, David (19 May 2014). "Sarah Ferguson grilling tops ABC1". TV Tonight. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
- ^ Knox, David (21 May 2014). "The Voice, When Love Comes to Town give Nine the night". TV Tonight. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
- ^ "Jonah's back and ready to puck with viewers in 2014". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 27 November 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
- ^ "Major US Civil Rights Organizations Slam ABC/HBO's Jonah From Tonga". The Tonga Herald. 9 August 2014. Archived from the original on 2 November 2014. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
- ^ Dyer, Glenn (21 May 2014). "Glenn Dyer's TV ratings: game shows bolster early evening figures". Crikey. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
- ^ Knox, David (28 May 2014). "Not much Love coming to Nine's ratings town". TV Tonight. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
- ^ Knox, David (4 June 2014). "If it's Tuesday it must be bogan night". TV Tonight. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
- ^ "Tuesday 10 June". Media Spy. 11 June 2014. Archived from the original on 8 November 2014. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
- ^ "Tuesday 17 June". Media Spy. 18 June 2014. Archived from the original on 8 November 2014. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
- ^ "Tuesday 24 June". Media Spy. 25 June 2014. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
- ^ "Time Shifted/Consolidated TV Ratings: 1 July 2014". Throng. 9 July 2014. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
- ^ Knox, David (9 July 2014). "Denton family history lifts SBS". TV Tonight. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
- ^ "Tuesday 15th July 2014". Media Spy. 16 July 2014. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Bogan Hunters, Series 1 Raw and Uncut". iTunes. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
- ^ Eedy, Matt (27 June 2014). "The Bogan Hunters are Raw & Uncut on DVD!". Beyond Home Entertainment. Archived from the original on 8 November 2014. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
- ^ "Bogan Hunters; S1". Sanity. 17 July 2014. Archived from the original on 8 November 2014. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
- ^ "Bogan Hunters - Series 1". JB Hi-Fi. 17 July 2014. Archived from the original on 23 December 2014. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
- ^ "Bogan Hunters in Ipswich for Jelly Wrestling". River 94.9. 30 June 2014. Archived from the original on 8 November 2014. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
- ^ "Haoey Dental Implant and Cosmetic Dentistry". Haoey Dental. Archived from the original on 8 November 2014. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
- ^ "Bogan Makeover". Bogan Hunters. Archived from the original on 9 January 2014. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
- ^ Townsend, Samantha (6 January 2014). "Grass covered car comes with its own built-in golf course". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 18 November 2014.