The Spearman Experiment
Encyclopedia
The Spearman Experiment was an Australia
n television series, hosted by Magda Szubanski
that counts down Australian pop culture's most defining people and topics based on a public poll commented on by various Australian 'celebrities'. The series began development in May 2009 , and was officially announced in early August 2009.
The show is named for Charles Spearman
, who developed Spearman's rank correlation coefficient
, the statistical technique used to survey the public to produce the show's rankings.
which currently airs on Channel 9. However, the Spearman Experiment only counts down the top 15, rather than the top 20. Channel Ten also advertises the fact that The Spearman Experiments results are chosen by the public rather than television executives, as is the case with 20 to 1.
on Tuesday night..
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n television series, hosted by Magda Szubanski
Magda Szubanski
Magda Szubanski is a British-born Australian actress, comedian, television presenter, radio host and author.Szubanski's career began while she was studying at university and she progressed to television sketch comedy, as both a writer and performer...
that counts down Australian pop culture's most defining people and topics based on a public poll commented on by various Australian 'celebrities'. The series began development in May 2009 , and was officially announced in early August 2009.
The show is named for Charles Spearman
Charles Spearman
Charles Edward Spearman, FRS was an English psychologist known for work in statistics, as a pioneer of factor analysis, and for Spearman's rank correlation coefficient...
, who developed Spearman's rank correlation coefficient
Spearman's rank correlation coefficient
In statistics, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient or Spearman's rho, named after Charles Spearman and often denoted by the Greek letter \rho or as r_s, is a non-parametric measure of statistical dependence between two variables. It assesses how well the relationship between two variables can...
, the statistical technique used to survey the public to produce the show's rankings.
Format
The host and guest celebrities analyse, critique and celebrate Australia’s most popular topics interspersed with film clips. It has been compared to clip show 20 to 120 to 1
20 to 1 is an Australian television series, currently hosted by Bert Newton that counts down an undefined "top 20" of elements or events of popular culture, such as films, songs, sporting scandals. Previously the show was hosted by Charles "Bud" Tingwell and narrated by David Reyne...
which currently airs on Channel 9. However, the Spearman Experiment only counts down the top 15, rather than the top 20. Channel Ten also advertises the fact that The Spearman Experiments results are chosen by the public rather than television executives, as is the case with 20 to 1.
Episodes
- Episode 1: Aussie Comedy Characters - 8 September 2009
- Episode 2: Awesome Underdogs - 15 September 2009
- Episode 3: Cashed-up Bogans - 22 September 2009
- Episode 4: Songs You Should Never Have On Your Ipod - 29 September 2009
- Episode 5: Catchphrases - 6 October 2009
- Episode 6: Weird True Freaky - 16 October 2009
- Episode 7: Animated Characters - 23 October 2009
- Episode 8: Shocking Reality TV Moments - 30 October 2009
Contributors
Contributors on the show included:- Erin McNaughtErin McNaughtErin McNaught is an Australian television personality and former beauty pageant titleholder who won 2006 Miss Australia and represented Australia in the Miss Universe 2006 competition...
- Merrick WattsMerrick WattsMerrick Watts is a Australian comedian, radio host and television presenter. He is best known for performing stand-up comedy and radio works as part of the comedy duo Merrick and Rosso with Tim Ross....
- Samuel JohnsonSamuel Johnson (actor)Samuel Johnson is an Australian actor, radio presenter and voiceover artist.He was educated at Wesley College, Melbourne and is best known for his role as Evan Wylde in the television series The Secret Life of Us.-Starting out:At the age of 14, Johnson performed in his first school play, cast in a...
- Tim RossTim RossTimothy Jonathon Ross is an Australian comedian, radio host and television presenter. He is best known for performing stand-up comedy and radio works as part of the comedy duo Merrick and Rosso with Merrick Watts.-Stand up:...
- Heath FranklinHeath Franklin-Career:He is most recognized for his characters from The Ronnie Johns Half Hour sketch comedy TV show; and for his appearances as himself on ABC TV's Spicks and Specks, Working Dog's Thank God You're Here and in New Zealand, as regular guest panellist on 7 Days....
(chopper) - Shannan PontonShannan PontonShannan Ponton is one of two personal trainers on the Australian version of The Biggest Loser. He made his first appearance during the show's second season in 2007, where he trained the blue team alongside Bob Harper...
- Claire HooperClaire HooperClaire Hooper is an Australian stand-up comedian and writer. She appeared as a team captain on the 2008 revival of Good News Week on Network Ten and previously was a regular on The Sideshow, appearing with Paul McDermott...
- Tom Gleeson
- Bill WoodsBill WoodsWilliam "Bill" Woods is an Australian television broadcaster.Woods is currently the presenter of Network Ten's Ten News at Five in Sydney, alongside Sandra Sully.-Early Career:...
- Colin LaneColin LaneColin Stuart Lane is a comedian and actor, best known for being one-half of former comedy duo, Lano and Woodley.-Lano and Woodley:...
- Sandra SullySandra SullySandra Sully may refer to:*Sandra Sully , Australian television presenter*Sandra Sully...
- Brad McEwanBrad McEwanBrad McEwan is an Australian television personality and sports journalist.McEwan is currently sports presenter on Sydney's Ten News at Five and probably best known for his hosting duties on Network Ten's Sports Tonight....
- Mikey Robbins
- Paul MercurioPaul MercurioPaul Joseph Mercurio is an Australian actor, dancer and TV presenter. Mercurio is well-known for his lead role in Baz Luhrmann's Strictly Ballroom . His father was the character actor Gus Mercurio.- Biography :...
- Kim WatkinsKim WatkinsKim Watkins was the co-host of Network Ten's morning show 9am with David and Kim which aired until 11 December 2009 and was replaced by The Circle...
- Mike GoldmanMike GoldmanMike Goldman is an Australian television and radio host, probably best known for his various roles in Big Brother Australia series.-Television:...
- Charli DelaneyCharli DelaneySharlene Marie Zeta Robinson, known professionally as Charli Robinson and previously as Charli Delaney is an Australian singer, actress, radio presenter and children's performer....
- Michelle BridgesMichelle BridgesMichelle Bridges is a personal trainer on the Australian version of The Biggest Loser. She made her first appearance in 2007, on the second season of The Biggest Loser and trained the red team alongside Jillian Michaels. When Jillian left half way through the series, Michelle officially took over...
- Marcia HinesMarcia HinesMarcia Elaine Hines, AM is a vocalist, actress and TV personality who achieved success in her adopted homeland of Australia. Hines made her debut, at the age of sixteen, in the Australian version of the stage musical Hair and followed with the role of Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar...
- Anh DoAnh DoAnh Do is a Vietnamese Australian author, actor and stand-up comedian.He has appeared on many Australian TV shows such as Thank God You're Here and Good News Week, and was runner-up on Dancing With The Stars in 2007. He studied a combined Business Law degree at the University of Technology, Sydney...
- Chrissie SwanChrissie SwanChrissie Swan is an Australian radio and television personality. In 2003, she gained fame in her country as the runner-up of Big Brother Australia on Network Ten...
(Former Big Brother contestant) - Natalie Hunter
- Holly BrisleyHolly BrisleyHolly Brisley is an Australian actress and television presenter. She began her career at the age of 15 on Agro's Cartoon Connection and more recently portrayed Amanda Vale-Baker on Home And Away...
- Dave HughesDave HughesDavid William "Hughesy" Hughes is an Australian stand-up comedian, radio and television presenter. He is currently co-host on the Network Ten's The Project and Before the Game as well as the breakfast radio show Hughesy and Kate.-Television:Hughes co-hosted the ABC comedy talk show The Glass House...
- Natalie Bassingthwaite
- Natarsha BellingNatarsha BellingNatarsha Belling is an Australian news presenter on Network Ten.Belling is currently presenter of Ten Morning News and Ten News at Five: Weekend with Matt Doran.-Career:...
- Charlotte DawsonCharlotte DawsonCharlotte Dawson is known in New Zealand for her roles as host of Getaway, How's Life? and Charlotte's Lists, in Australia as a judge on Australia's Next Top Model and as a host of The Contender Australia....
- Zoe NaylorZoe NaylorZoe Naylor is an Australian actress as well as journalist, presenter, MC, model, voice-artist and producer.-Early life:...
Ratings
The Spearman Experiment drew 1.039 million viewers nationally for its premiere episode making it the 11th most viewed program of the day. The show's second week showed a massive decline in audience, with national ratings dropping to 699,000 viewers, coming fourth in its timeslot. In its third week ratings grew to 808,000, coming third in its timeslot. The fourth week, it dropped to 668,000 which made it the 17th most watched program that evening. On 16 October 2009, the show was moved to a Friday night timeslot of 7:30pm, to make way for new episodes of The SimpsonsThe Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
on Tuesday night..
Cancellation
The show has now been bumped from Friday nights to make way for The Simpsons Hour after drawing only 540,000 viewers. The show was cancelled, due to a record low ratings.See also
- 20 to 01
- List of Australian television series
- List of programs broadcast by Network Ten
External links
- Official site - Network TEN