Chances (TV series)

This article is about the Australian soap opera. For the Philippine soap opera, see Sana Maulit Muli.
Chances

Chances Australian DVD release.
Genre Drama, Erotica
Written by Lynn Bayonas
Directed by Helen Gaynor
Starring John Sheerin
Brenda Addie
Michael Caton
Jeremy Sims
Deborah Kennedy
Patsy Stephen
Abigail
Mouche Phillips
Country of origin Australia
Original language(s) English
No. of episodes 127
Production company(s) Beyond Productions
Release
Original network Nine Network
Original release 29 January 1991 – 3 April 1992

Chances was an Australian evening soap opera, produced from 1991 to 1992. It told the story of the average middle-class Taylor family whose lives are transformed by winning $3 million in the lottery. The series was broadcast by the Nine Network, initially as two one-hour episodes each week.[1]

Principal cast members included John Sheerin and Brenda Addie as Dan and Barbara Taylor, Jeremy Sims as their mischievous son Alex, Deborah Kennedy as Dan's sister Connie Reynolds, Tim Robertson as Dan's brother Jack, Anne Grigg as his wife Sarah, and Michael Caton as neighbourhood friend Bill Anderson. Originally, creator Lynn Bayonas pitched the show as a family-oriented drama; however to help ensure the program's success, Channel Nine asked for nude scenes and risqué elements to also be included in the series.[2] Initial publicity for the show focused on the sex angle, and it was for this that Chances was chiefly known.

Reception

The show's early ratings proved disappointing, resulting in several cast re-shuffles that saw many of the original characters written out of the series, and new actors brought in, including Stephen Whittaker (Australian actor), Danielle Fairclough, Ciri Thompson, Kevin J. Wilson, Abigail, Lynda Stoner and Patsy Stephen.[3] Attempts to boost the ratings saw an increase in sex and nudity, including storylines involving bondage and lesbianism.[4] These sexual elements provoked considerable controversy, with some TV watchdogs attacking Chances as "teleporn".[4] The program's storylines also became increasingly bizarre and fantasy-oriented, with new stories involving the Asian Triads, ghosts, an angel on a Harley Davidson motorcycle, an Egyptian Sun Goddess, laser-wielding vampires, man-eating plants, and neo-Nazis hunting valuable Third Reich artifacts (in Melbourne, bizarrely).[5] The Age noted that Chances became "notorious" because of these elements.[2] These changes provoked much discussion and comment within the press and the public; however, they did not lead to a strong increase in ratings. Because of its "camp" elements, Chances did gain a small but devoted audience.[5]

Eventually, low ratings saw the show moved to a late-night slot, and the production rate reduced from two to one episode a week. With the reduced output, the size of the cast needed to be reduced, so further drastic cast purges occurred. In the later episodes, much of the Taylor clan had departed, and Alex Taylor became the focal point of many of the storylines.[5] In "the final episode, God made an appearance, speaking to Alex in the Melbourne library".[5] The series ended in 1992, and has never been repeated on Australian television. Selected episodes have subsequently been released on DVD in Australia.

International broadcasts

In the United Kingdom, Chances launched in February 1992 on Sky Television, a year after its Australian debut. It began during the same week as another Australian soap, E Street and was initially screened at 9 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays.[6] Like in Australia, Sky's promotion of the show centred heavily on the sexual aspects of the show. This failed to achieve high ratings. The Sunday Times media correspondent noted that Chances, along with Sky One's other heavily promoted imports, Studs and E Street, "all did poorly with UK viewers".[6] Eventually, as the series moved on and dropped to one episode a week, Chances was then screened on Thursday nights at 10 p.m. and ended in early 1993. A late-night repeat was screened during the early hours of the morning during 1995.

Chances was also shown on Russian television. However, the series ceased being broadcast there after members of the Russian Orthodox Church objected to a scene showing a naked woman saluting a swastika.[7]

In New Zealand, the show was screened on Channel 2 for around 12 months, but was dropped due to low ratings.

Bayonas also tried to sell Chances to US broadcasters. However, the only interested network was the Playboy Channel, which made several offers for the show; Bayonas declined, stating the channel would be an inappropriate broadcaster for the show.[5]

References

  1. ↑ Albert Moran, Moran's Guide to Australian TV Series, AFTRS 1993 p 111
  2. 1 2 "Taking the reins" Brian Courtis, The Age,20 June 2002. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  3. ↑ "Steamy Chances means stars are in and out". Herald Sun,23 October 1991.
  4. 1 2 "Chances runs out of steam". The Courier-Mail, 1 October 1992.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Andrew Mercado, "The Secret Life of Soaps". The Daily Telegraph, 1 December 2004 (p. T04).
  6. 1 2 Jonathan Miller, "Behind the Screens", The Sunday Times, May 31, 1992.
  7. ↑ Robyn Dixon, "Crocodiles and Capitalism in Oz". Sydney Morning Herald", January 11th, 1994.

External links

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