Flop in line for six TV awards

Andy Rodoreda in Doves of War, the drama nominated for six Qantas television awards.

TV3's political drama Doves of War may be in contention for six Qantas television awards, but it is unlikely to take home one for viewers' choice.

The series, which screened in February, was ditched from prime time halfway through its first season after low ratings made it a certifiable flop.

"We moved the timeslot because it wasn't rating," TV3 programme director Kelly Martin said.

The series screened at 9.30pm on Thursdays, before being shifted to 10.30pm on a Saturday.

The six-part series revolved around fallout from the discovery of a mass grave in Bosnia, and a group of New Zealand soldiers' involvement in the Bosnian conflict.

Though Ms Martin was reluctant to discuss why the series rated so poorly, she agreed that the serious nature of the drama might have been a factor.

"It obviously didn't appeal," she said, adding: "I have my own ideas and opinions as to why the show maybe didn't work so well. All I can do with that information is learn from it."

Despite the public's apparent distaste, Doves of War gained six nominations in yesterday's finalists announcement, while the more popular Outrageous Fortune mustered just four nominations.

Ms Martin said the network would look at rescreening the series.

"We'll try and find a good timeslot for it. We'll definitely play it again."

She pointed to the TVNZ series Mercy Peak as another award-winning drama that did not survive New Zealand television's tough scheduling regimes.

"Mercy Peak got a billion awards, and didn't even rate that badly, and it still got pulled."

Mercy Peak began production in 2001 and won three New Zealand Film and Television Awards in 2002, before being cancelled the following year.

Doves of War was nominated for best NZ drama, best director, best camera and best editing, while actors Scott Wills and Kate Atkinson are up for best actor in a TV drama and best actress in a TV drama respectively.

The company which made the series, ScreenWorks, said the producers were overseas and unavailable for comment.

Thirty-one of the award categories will be voted on by people from the industry, and the public will vote for the remaining four Woman's Day readers' choice awards.

* The Qantas Television Awards are on Saturday, November 18, at Auckland's Aotea Centre and will screen on TV3 that night.