five's blog

Coming to five in August 2008

Shaun Ellis, the Wolfman, gets closer to wolves than anyone has ever done – living, eating, sleeping with them as one of the pack, 24/7. Now he's become close to a human too – Helen Jeffs, his new love. But how will Helen be treated by the in-laws – Shaun's pack of seven enormous timber wolves? Will they let her join the pack and help Shaun raise its first litter of pups, or will they see her as lunch?

Demand Five, Five's recently re-launched video on demand service has seen the number of visitors to the site more than double since it soft-launched three weeks ago it was announced today (THURS).

The 30-day catch-up service provides viewers with online access to a significant percentage of Five's peaktime schedule including much of its hit acquired content such as CSI and Neighbours.

The offering is extended with a raft of originated programming including: Fifth Gear; The Hotel Inspector; Extraordinary People and Hidden Lives. A large number of programmes will also be available for much longer than 30 days, with the majority of content available free, streamed within the website (www.five.tv/demandfive).

Demand Five's technical partners are BT Media and Broadcast working closely with Entriq and Agency.com which has allowed for a full-screen viewing experience, just like watching the content on a TV.

A blackmailer threatens Paul’s happiness. Steve’s father arrives with a shocking secret. Libby and Ty grow closer. Nicola creates trouble for Steve and Miranda. Sam makes a big decision.

Perennial love rat Paul Robinson finds himself in a world of trouble this week – and not for the first time. He returns from his trip to Paris to a warm welcome from Rebecca. Touched by how much she cares for him, Paul decides to chance yet another trip down the aisle and proposes to her.

But his happiness is quickly derailed when he is sent incriminating photos of himself and Kirsten by an anonymous blackmailer. Paul initially fingers Kirsten as the culprit, but is convinced of her innocence when he sees how upset she is. Worried for her son Mickey, Kirsten urges him to go to the police. Paul eventually identifies the blackmailer as a disgruntled Lassiter’s employee. But then he receives a text message indicating that a second blackmailer is at work...

Kane is sentenced. Aden and Belle grow closer. Who is the father of Martha’s baby? Another Buckton arrives in Summer Bay. Jai develops an obsession with Matilda.

It is Kane’s day in court this week, and both Kirsty and Morag beg him to plead not guilty. But Kane is determined to face the music, so he enters a guilty plea. When he is handed down a nine-year sentence, Kane makes a dramatic decision – he wants his wife and son to move on with their lives and forget about him. Kirsty should not have to wait for him to get out of prison and he does not want Oliver to see him behind bars. In a final parting gesture, Kane takes off his wedding ring and hands it to a disbelieving Kirsty. Is this really the end?

This week’s top movie is this action-packed science-fiction sequel based on the successful video game series.

Milla Jovovich (‘The Fifth Element’) returns as feisty heroine Alice, who leads a band of allies attempting to combat the latest zombie plague to hit their city. But it soon turns out that zombies are the least of their worries...

Resident Evil: Apocalypse was director Alexander Witt’s debut feature. Jovovich, along with her co-stars Oded Fehr (‘Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo’, ‘Charmed’) and model/actress Sienna Guillory (‘Eragon’), returned three years later to appear in the franchise’s third instalment, ‘Resident Evil: Extinction’.

Animated fantasy adventure in which the happy marriage of a royal couple is threatened by an evil sorcerer who is desperate to get hold of an allpowerful orb. Princess Odette and Prince Derek find themselves in danger and need help from their trusted animal friends.

Atmospheric drama about a young newcomer (Steve McQueen) who joins a circle of New Orleans card players in the 1930s. The story centres on a showdown between the outsider and the reigning poker champion (Edward G Robinson).

Classic drama in which a poor New Hampshire farmer sells his soul to the Devil in exchange for seven years’ prosperity. When the time has elapsed, however, the Devil makes the man a chilling proposition –which sends him scurrying to a local hero for help.

Wry comedy based on the novel by Graham Greene. After being recruited as a British agent in Havana, a vacuum-cleaner salesman (Alec Guinness) begins to fabricate information to earn extra cash. The chief of police grows suspicious of his actions and spies on him – unaware that he too is being spied upon by the salesman.
Co-starring Noel Coward, the film is directed by Carol Reed (‘The Third Man’, ‘Oliver!’).

Classic action adventure yarn set in Ancient Greece. Jason encounters many a mortal foe in his search for the magical Golden Fleece, which will restore his father’s throne to its rightful owner. Along the way, he wrestles with a multitude of monsters, including a giant living statue and seven sword-wielding skeletons.

Continuing this week is the new version of one of British television’s most iconic sport shows.

Based on the popular series of the 1970s and 80s, Superstars pits a new batch of athletes from a range of disciplines against each other in a series of sporting challenges. This week’s show sees Mike Catt’s Blue team go head-to-head with Roger Black’s Yellows as the first round of the Superstars mini-league comes to an end.

Launched in 1973, the original Superstars fast became a family favourite as fans tuned in to see top sporting stars compete in a variety of disciplines, including the 100-metre sprint, football, archery and tennis. During its 12-year run, Superstars was presented by David Vine and saw nearly 200 of the most famous sports men and women in Britain take part.

Drama based on the true story of two groups of amateur mountaineers who pursued their quest to scale the world’s most challenging peak. When a violent storm overtakes the climbers on their perilous ascent, they face a terrifying ordeal. Co-starring Nathaniel Parker (‘The Inspector Lynley Mysteries’).

Period drama based on a true story about two women kidnapped by Sioux Indians. Over time, the leader of the tribe falls for one of the captive women (Janine Turner, ‘Northern Exposure’, ‘Cliffhanger’), who in turn finds herself increasingly attracted to him, despite being married. Meanwhile, the woman’s husband (Patrick Bergin, ‘Sleeping with the Enemy’) and the US cavalry strive to locate them.

Chilling story about a mother’s overpowering aspirations for her daughter which ultimately lead to attempted murder. Determined to see her daughter marry well, she answers an upmarket dating agency advertisement in her name. However, the daughter has other ideas and marries a lowly mechanic, a move which incenses her mother into doing everything she can to keep the couple apart.

The second series of the compelling US legal drama continues. In this instalment, an up-andcoming songstress is murdered shortly after attending a party at the Playboy Mansion.

Suspicion initially falls on a sleazy record producer who was having an affair with the girl. However, the case is put in jeopardy when Reyes becomes intimately involved with a key witness who turns out to know more about the crime than she lets on.

Stark and his team are called to the scene of their latest case – a young singer named Abby Coleman has been beaten to death and dumped by the roadside. Shortly before she was killed, she had been at a record company party hosted by Hugh Hefner (guest starring as himself) at the Playboy Mansion. Suspicion falls on one Rupert Stone, a successful record producer with a bad reputation with women who was rumoured to be having an affair with Abby. “If Abby was sleeping with this creep, we just may have our man,” says Jordan.