“Rougher than sandpaper gate”: Warnie series a swing and a miss with fans
Since Channel 9’s Warnie series was first announced, Australians have been sceptical, with some dubbing it “embarrassing and disgraceful” after the trailer was revealed as they called for television networks to “let him rest in peace”.
And now, the first episode of the two-part miniseries has gone to air, and fans of the late cricket legend Shane Warne have wasted no time in making their thoughts clear.
The episode detailed everything from Warne’s 1999 West Indies experience - when he was dropped from the team - to the start of his career, his St Kilda delisting, his rise and fall with the Australian team, the ‘Ball of the Century’, the diuretic scandal and his 2003 ban, and the John Bookmaker scandal.
Warne’s personal life wasn’t off the cards, either, with the episode also dipping into his romance with then-wife Simone Callahan.
It was enough ‘plot’ for hours of viewing, but while Warnie was a beloved fixture of Australian - and even international - sport, the series missed the mark, and prompted critics on social media to share their take, and warn anyone else from daring a watch.
“Shane Warne would be embarrassed!!” a Twitter user announced. “And so should channel 9 and anyone involved in this”.
“This is really good if you take out the actors and script and just look at the archive footage,” one allowed.
“I am shocked I made it through the first 45 minutes [of] quite possibly the worst tv show produced by @Channel9,” another said, before going on to note that it had been some of the “worst casting, acting and make up of any show ever”.
Another was annoyed that while the Warnie series had hit 9’s main channel, the Women’s Ashes had been pushed aside, a move raising eyebrows from the online cricket community.
“Just a reminder, the women’s #Ashes Test which is set to go down to the wire is on one of Nine’s secondary channels while #Warnie gets the main channel treatment,” wrote CODE Sports’ Lachlan McKirdy, who also mentioned that the same would never have happened to the Men’s Ashes series.
“#Warnie was predictably terrible, and not just because it was hopelessly cheesy. You need distance in the rear view mirror before a thing like this can work. We all know the stories, the moments, the guy's character. 20 years on, it would've been a fantastic trip down memory lane,” author Anthony Sharwood lamented.
“I’ve had enough. This is an absolute disgrace and is tarnishing a legend of the game. It should have never seen the light of day. Shame on you @Channel9,” one other user said.
One watcher, however, was at least willing to give the second episode a chance, sharing that “This #warnie series on 9 is already highly cringeworthy, poorly directed, and rougher than sandpaper gate. Warnie and Packer sitting somewhere highly bemused. I'll keep watching, see if it improves”.
Images: Screentime, Channel 9