Confidential (anthology)

Confidential is the name of a series of anthology specials produced by TotalAccess, which focus on behind-the-scenes details and untold stories from the casts of America and Britain's favourite sitcoms and drama, as well as the political and sensational intrigue behind the network business. To date, five of the six produced anthologies have aired on Network Six. A special, one-off programme about the history of Christmas specials on TV has also been made.

Sitcom Confidential
Sitcom Confidential ran for eight hourlong episodes and was narrated by Trish Bertram. It was produced in 2005.

1. "It Didn't Travel" - Good sitcom ideas from one country don't gel as well across the pond. Included are examples from Britain's attempt at a localised version of "Golden Girls," and America's three attempts at a "Fawlty Towers" import.

2. "Spinning Off" - Why some characters get spinoffs and some very good spinoff ideas never got airtime.

3. "Castaways" - Whether by poor audience reception, actor's death, or other reasons, this episode looks at cast changes in well-established series.

4. "Resurrection" Red Dwarf, Family Guy, and several other series have been on the brink of the axe before, but get last minute reprieves due to fan interests, letter campaigns, and more.

5. "Slapsticked!" When all else fails, a little pie in the face is good for a laugh.

6. "Never Work with Kids or Animals" - Series based on kids or animals face problems when said actors grow up and/or shed.

7. "Special Guest Star" - The cameo appearance is a staple of sitcoms worldwide.

8. "Finale" - The final episodes of your favourite shows are explored, along with the reasons why they ended in the first place.

Network Confidential
Network Confidential ran for six hourlong episodes and was narrated by Philip Elsmore. It was produced in 2006 with the sixth episode created and broadcast during the Writers Guild of America Strike in 2008.

1. "The Last Auction" - Rude shocks and hurt feelings abound after the ITC's announcement of franchise winners for 1993.

2. "The Lost Network" - America's DuMont Network ran from 1948 to 1958 and set many standards used in the industry today.

3. "The Launch Night" - While Channel 4's launch went off without a hitch, we all know BBC2's was doomed from the word go.

4. "The Merger" - Carlton and Granada make ITVplc, while in America, The WB and UPN make The CW.

5. "The Sixth Channel" - The rise and fall of APFS Network, 6Net, and the formation of Network Six

6. "Pencils Down" - The Writers Guild Of America strike creates havoc on Stateside screens and scheduling headaches across both nations.

Drama Confidential
Drama Confidential ran for twenty hourlong episodes and was narrated by Joanna Lumley. It was produced in 2007. Unlike the first two, Drama focuses each episode on two distinct programmes, one British, one American, encapsulating their stories from start to finish. Four special episodes focused solely on one topic, four more were split into two parts.

1. The "Law & Order" Franchise, part one

2. The "Law & Order" Franchise, part two

3. Casualty; ER

4. Hetty Wainthropp; Murder She Wrote

5. The Bill; Homicide: Life on the Street

6. Nineteen Eighty-Four; Fail Safe (this episode highlights the live broadcasts of each)

7. Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy; St. Elsewhere

8. Upstairs, Downstairs (full episode)

9. Spooks; Desperate Housewives

10. Lost (full episode)

11. Waking the Dead; CSI

12. Lynley; Columbo

13. Coronation Street (Full episode)

14. Dallas (full episode)

15. Robin Hood; Stargate SG1

16. Life on Mars; Boston Legal

17. Emmerdale; The Young and the Restless

18. Crossroads; Another World

19. Doctor Who, part one

20. Doctor Who, part two

News Confidential
"News Confidential" is the title of a further expansion of the anthology series, covering television journalism in the USA and UK, with unprecedented camera access in the newsrooms of CBS, NBC, ABC, ITN, BBC, and Taff Media. Dan Rather, formerly of CBS and current anchor of HDNet News, has been tapped to narrate. Seven episodes have been edited together and will air in the States in June 2008. This segment was selected to air on Network Six during the summer 2008 schedules. It airs Mondays at 8.00pm

1. Good Morning, Airwaves: Breakfast television was pioneered in the States with the then-innovating "Today" show; and has progressed into a money-making format on both sides of the Atlantic.

2. World Affairs...: International breaking news has become an instantaneous event on television; but in the early years, pictures literally came over the wires.

3. Becoming the Story: Sometimes, not often, the reporter covering the news makes headlines themselves, whether by career-ending mistake, classic bloopers, and in some cases a tragic death.

4. Nerve Centre: An unprecedented look into the newsrooms at the BBC, NBC, ITN, and Taff Media. Also covered is TotalAccess Television's attempt to build a news service from the ground up.

5. Moments that Shook the World, Part One: Archived footage from major news organizations in the opening and closing moments of the world's biggest breaking news stories. In this hour: JFK, Challenger Disaster, Oklahoma City Bombing, Death of the Pope, Death of the Queen Mother, the Recension of Hong Kong and more.

6. Moments that Shook the World, Part Two: Included in the hour: Princess Diana's Wedding and her eventual Death; the resignation of Thatcher and Nixon; the FA Cup Disaster, Andrea Doria, and 9/11, among others.

7. The Evening News: Behind the scenes footage of the decisions leading up to the broadcast of the evening bulletins in the UK and America.

Network Confidential 2
Linda Cardellini (Nurse Taggart from ER) narrates another trip behind the cameras of the US and UK's most favourite series. Network Confidential 2 focuses on decisions or notes from the higher-ups that ultimately change the course of TV series.

1. Cast Shakeups: When the network has a problem with a cast member, you can be guaranteed their character will make a stellar exit. Included are clips from "ER," "Ally McBeal," and "Good Times" from the US, "EastEnders" and "Doctor Who" from the UK.

2. I'll Retool You: Ever notice that Episode Two felt a lot more different than Episode One? That's due to a "re-tooling," a change of cast, characters, settings, or even titles. Clips from "All-American Girl" and "Mad About You" help illustrate the point.

3. Fallen Stars: Your programme's star has either walked out on their contract or died! But your network insists that the show must go on. How do you handle it? It's happened on "Last of the Summer Wine," "Til Death Us Do Part," "NewsRadio," and "Valerie" (later to become "The Hogan Family.")

4. The Ratings Game: The life of a series depends on one crucial aspect: the viewing figures. Some shows get canceled mid-run and must rush to tie up storylines, while others pump every casting stunt they can to try and up the ratings. "Studio 60," "SportsNight," "Crossroads" and more are featured.

5. Cult Status: Whether the programme was wildly popular ("Fawlty Towers"), or low on ratings ("Firefly"), the decision to stop production leaves fans desperate for more material.

6. The Reality of Reality (part 1): The logistics and legalities of putting together a reality game show make networks fraught with worry. Examples from production of "Big Brother," "Survivor," and "Biggest Loser" are featured.

7. The Reality of Reality (part 2): What happens behind the scenes when something goes wrong on a reality programme? Medical emergencies, threats of violence, and other unexpected events jumpstart a chain reaction of network activity.

8. Fan Base: Sometimes fan reaction to a show's cancellation results in more series ("AbFab," "Family Guy,") and sometimes it doesn't ("Reba," "Sliders").

Game Show Confidential
Donny Osmond narrates a series about the creation, wacky antics, and evolution of wildly popular quiz shows.

1. Match Game/Blankety Blank, Countdown

2. Hollywood/Celebrity Squares, Pyramid Game

3. Price is Right, Distraction

4. Password, Beat the Clock

5. Jeopardy (full episode)

6. Wheel of Fortune (full episode)

7. Sale of the Century, Scrabble

8. Family Feud/Family Fortunes (full episode)

Christmas Special Confidential
Originally produced in 2007 as "The Christmas Special Christmas Special," this programme was updated in 2008 with new interviews and footage. It takes a decade-by-decade look at some of the most memorable, and in some cases, the rarest footage of Christmas on TV, and is narrated by Chase Erwin (As Seen on TV). Each segment of the two-hour special is dedicated to one decade, from the 1950s to the present. Included are recently discovered clips from the 1951 telecast American TV's first designated Christmas tradition, "Amahl and the Night Visitors," plus snippets from classic and contemporary favourites, from EastEnders to Dallas, the Royles to the Simpsons, the Vicar of Dibley to the staff at E.R. We also interview the people involved in writing and acting some of the most memorable Christmas moments in television history.

Celebrity Confidential
The Spring 2009 edition of the series features entertainers having intimate discussions with an unseen interviewer. They have each agreed to share intimate details about their personal lives and even their controversial public moments. (Episode listing appearing soon)

Drama Tonight: A 'Confidential' Special
This four part special is concerned exclusively with NBC-TV's "Tonight" programme. Since its debut in 1952, there have only been five permanent hosts of the iconic show, and each tenure has been frought with drama behind the scenes.

1. Hello, Goodnight: The Tonight Show is born, with its first host Steve Allen, whose antics cause issue with the network, and at one point, the Coast Guard.

2. Parr's Programme: Jack Paar was known for his good-boy image, and for the fact that his emotions were never far below the surface. It all comes to a head one night when an innocent joke is censored, and Paar quits on-air.

3*. There Goes Johnny: After an illustrious career and making Tonight his own, Johnny Carson retires and a mammoth battle for control of late night TV begins.

4. The Spoils of War: A contract five years in the making gives Conan O'Brien the reigns of The Tonight Show from Jay Leno, who moves to prime time... but not for long...


 * Along with Episode 3 is an optional broadcast of the 1994 HBO film "The Late Shift," an all-star dramatization of the 1992-93 drama of Carson's departure.