A little less commentary would be good please!

[jlowe73]

Seeing as I pay for this stuff, I would have expected a bit more professionalism.

For example, in the EPG content I'm seeing a bit of bias towards Sevens Melbourne news and against Nine news.  I couldn't care less what your "reviewer" thinks of either news.  I've made my choice and here's not the place for opinions.  The Today Tonight / Current Affair saga is vagluely amusing but I don't need my TV guide to be telling me that.  I'd prefer you stuck with the facts.

Next Mondays blurb on Customs was funny at first, but is now getting downright annoying.

Don't trust foreigners! When they're not smuggling drugs, they're trafficking in human cargo, planning to blow up things, opening sweat shops and stealing our jobs. Not to mention trying to sneak weird foreign fruit across international borders via their carry-on luggage. Please explain. Actor Vince Colosimo, who's sure to be using his most serious voiceover voice, hosts this variation of Channel 7's hit show Border Security.

Tells me nothing of what the show is actually about, as far as I can see.  Please explain??

I rather enjoy the the IceTV experience, it's a shame to let this kind of stuff tarnish it.

[Madeleine IceGuide]

I've just checked the synopses for 7 and 9 news and both seem fairly straightforward and matter of fact. I'm sorry you've interpreted them as a dig at your choice of viewing habits. I don't think they were intended that way.

It's difficult striking a balance when some people like a description and some people don't. However, we will alter a synopsis if; a.) it's factually inaccurate or b.) has numerous complaints.

[prl]

Is jlowe73's question about Customs more about the fact that Customs has just a generic series synopsis, rather than an episode synopsis?

Personally, I quite enjoy some of the quirky synopses that IceTV produces, but it would be good to have more episode information sometimes.

[Madeleine IceGuide]

In general, dramas and comedies have specific descriptions for each episode. We do often create episode titles for TV shows that don't have them, either by using the date of broadcast or by creating a descriptive title.

This is not possible for Customs. Due to restrictions on Channel Nine's EPG data we have no way of knowing what each episode will be about. Also, if a series on Ch 9 is screened in the wrong sequential order (eg. Flashpoint) then we may not be able to work out the episode, in which case the description must be generic.

[csutak40]

Is jlowe73's question about Customs more about the fact that Customs has just a generic series synopsis, rather than an episode synopsis?

Personally, I quite enjoy some of the quirky synopses that IceTV produces, but it would be good to have more episode information sometimes.

I suspect that no episode information is freely available to IceTV for Nein.  I personally don't object to a bit of humour.  Slightly O.T., what I would love is a star system for movies.

[marcusstringer]

Personally, I really enjoy Ice's tongue-in-check approach, which makes my actually look forward to read the show's comments

...Sometimes your the windshield, sometimes your the bug...

[Paul55]

After the way #9 has behaved toward IceTV (and us by association), I have no problem with the Ice guide being, how can I put it? - not helpful to #9. As long as the info isn't inaccurate, don't talk it up. After all, if #9 wants to deny Ice (and us) access to their programming info, what is Ice to do. Way to go IceTV!!

[mtb]

I too would like to voice my support for the humour in the guide and, in this case, it appears to be both humourous and factual since Customs is clearly a rip-off of Seven's Border Security format and both programmes do very much present the "don't trust foreigners" paranoia that is prevalent these days.

[chopper]

I love ICE's humour.  Best EPG going around.

I bet the OP is a stooge for channel Nein.  Or a Forrest type, who irons his brown shoelaces.  Hang on, they're the same thing.

[zoszos68]

Oh I have to put in my two cents and say the Nine News descreption says "emphasis on NRL".
Well I'm in Melbourne and it should be AFL but hey why did we read it anyway ::).
Kevin

[jlowe73]

I'd just like to follow up on this, if I may; I watched the show and it was rubbish.  I should have listened to my guide.  :)

My mistake for taking things so seriously, guess I was having a bad day!

Thanks to the Ice guys, keep it up.

[dJOS]

I love ICE's humour.  Best EPG going around.

Agreed, the crap that some of the FTA Broadcasters serve up is well deserving of parody!  ;D

[techydude]

IceTV's quirky, and occasionally snide synopsis of many shows is one of the major reasons i love it!
and frankly so much of the crud on commercial tv is thoroughly deserving of a good dollop of 'the bird'.
you have my vote, IceTV.

for example:
"Target Earth (1998)
Seven HD, 12:30am to 2:20am
Sun, 7 Dec 2008, 110 minutes, M, Sci-Fi, Repeat

Oh, you know, the usual; alien invasions and all that.  They always have to drop the odd hint that they're on the periphery of our planet and lurking with intent.  And why is it always a little girl who has the means of foiling them?  I'll bet Meloni and Cross were happy to escape to TV land.  Christopher Meloni, Marcia Cross, Chad Lowe, John C. McGinley.
"

...told me everything i needed to know not to bother watching!

[dw]

IceTV's 'commentary' even got a mention in the IceTV/Channel 9 High Court judgment (see link on the News page):

"184. ... The primary judge found that IceTV's synopses had a different commercial purpose from that of Nine, as evidenced by the use of humour or criticism. For example, the IceGuide synopsis for the Nine programme The Footy Show (AFL) on 28 September 2006 read:

"From [t]he Rod Laver Arena comes this extra long torture session. Apologies for not bringing you the 'entertainment' line-up, it's not through lack of research. Unfortunately, the only way to have truly known was to be watching The Footy Show last week and frankly, not for love or money will the IceMan do that. So, those of you who enjoy the 'humour' and baffling ego inflation. Enjoy."

The judges were surely having a chuckle in quoting this!