The Sun-Herald

The Tribal Mind: The viewers' verdict

To learn why New Zealand should become part of Australia, go to Who We Are.

by David Dale
Three weeks ago, inspired by a claim allegedly made by Channel Nine's news director, John Westacott, that "to make it in this industry, you gotta have f---ability", this column sought readers' help to develop a Desirability Index for the personalities on Australian television.

Conventional wisdom in the newspaper industry says that for every reader who expresses an opinion there's another thousand who share the view but didn't get around to sending a letter or email. Thus we can safely say that the list you are about to read represents the thinking of 151,151 viewers (Click here to read all the responses).

Some readers treated the column as a therapist's couch, telling us a little more than we needed to know. Bianca wrote: "I'm a glutton for punishment - I like men who are edgy sexy, even a little on the grumpy side. The less they give, the more I want! Prime example is Hugh Laurie from the international show House. Also Julian MacMahon from Nip/ Tuck. Australians Kristian Schmidt from Sea Patrol and Marcus Graham from Underbelly have an alluring appeal too."

The other 150 contributors were more concise but equally insightful. Here, in order of public preference, are the people who received more than three votes ...

The most f---able people on Australian television this year
1 Rupert Penry-Jones (Spooks)
2 Jennifer Hawkins (Make Me A Supermodel)
3 Todd Sampson (The Gruen Transfer)
4 Jennifer Morrison (House)
5 Jensen Ackles (Supernatural)
6 Kate Walsh (Private Practice)
7 Hugh Laurie (House)
8 Myf Warhurst (Spicks and Specks)
9 Jesse Spencer (House)
10 Diana Glenn (Satisfaction)
11 Daniel McPherson (City Homicide)
12 Natalie Bassingthwaighte (So You Think You Can Dance Australia)
13 Bridget Taylor (The Gruen Transfer)
14 David Tennant (Dr Who)
15 Adam Hills (Spicks and Specks)
16 Saskia Burmeister (Sea Patrol)
17 Tina Fey (30 Rock)
18 Olivia Wilde (House)
19 Wil Traval (All Saints)
20 Karen Tso (Nine news)
21 Janice Petersen (SBS news)
22 Hamish Blake (Thank God You're Here)
23 Katherine Heigl (Grey's Anatomy)
24 Shelley Craft (Domestic Blitz)
25 Kristian Schmidt (Sea Patrol)
26 Reuben Mourad (The Weather Channel)
27 Ben Damon (Seven sports)
28 Marcia Cross (Desperate Housewives)
29 Daniel Goddard (The Young and the Restless)
30 Marcus Graham (Underbelly)
31 Jeremy Lindsay Taylor (Sea Patrol)

Now to test The Westacott Hypothesis. We'll define "making it in this industry" as being in a show which attracts more than 1.1 million viewers in the mainland capitals. Four of the most desirable are in House, and in the first half of this year, it was Australia's most watched US drama. Strong correlation there. Ditto for Spicks and Specks and The Gruen Transfer, each with two representatives in the index and 1.2 million viewers.

Underbelly, Desperate Housewives, Sea Patrol, Domestic Blitz, and Grey's Anatomy also support a looks/ ratings link. But then again, Spooks, SBS news, 30 Rock, Satisfaction, The Weather Channel, and The Young and The Restless are well below the success point.

In any case, correlation is not the same as cause. It's possible House, Specks and Gruen are hits because of their brains rather than their beauties. And onstead of pulling viewers, Rupert Penry Jones, Kate Walsh and Jensen Ackles might be driving them away, as viewers consider them too gorgeous to be a plausible spook, GP or ghost hunter.

The Westacott Hypothesis could be a trifle simplistic. The search for the magic formula continues.

The images, top left to bottom right: Penry-Jones, Warhurst, Ackles, Petersen, Goddard, Blake, Lindsay Taylor, Morrison, Traval, Burmeister, Sampson, Glenn.

David Dale is the author of Who We Are -- A snapshot of Australia today (Allen and Unwin). To discuss Australian attitudes, go to http://blogs.sunherald.com.au/whoweare.