User Reviews

2005 was a disaster for ITV who produced one flop after another including CELEBRITY LOVE ISLAND and CELEBRITY WRESTLING but this was nothing compared to ROCK AROUND THE BLOCK

This show revolves around a competition between two families who are given a challenge of performing a cover version of a popular song in 48 hours . They are helped by choreographer Paulette Minott , rap coach Kaz Gamble and worst of all camp stylist Erik Rudy who gives them fashion advice . 48 hours later the two families perform in front of an excited audience of neighbours , family and friends . For example we saw the Swain family performing the Madness hit Baggy Trousers while their rivals the Adams family ( No not that one , they're much worse ) performed Ricky Martin's La Vida Loca . After the performances the audience , or at least the ones who have the intelligence to write an X in a box , vote for the family who they thought were the best and they get a prize . What the prize was I can neither remember nor care

You have to watch this show to see how unbelievably bad it was since mere words can't do it justice . Who on earth thought this would be a prime time light entertainment hit on Saturday nights ? Perhaps it's all a big conspiracy by the drinks industry to make us all head for the pub ? Certainly you get the impression that it was produced solely to give the likes of (c)rap coach Kaz and girlie man Erik an income , it definitely wasn't made to entertain the masses that's for sure . Perhaps the worst aspect is that Kaz , Erik , Paulette and co insult the viewers by pretending the contestants are in any way impressive as performers - They're not I assure you

To give you an idea of how bad ROCK AROUND THE BLOCK is it was canceled from the schedules a couple of weeks into its run . When I say canceled I don't mean rescheduled like ITV did with earlier flop CELEBRITY WRESTLING , I mean it was taken off air and there are no plans for the untransmitted editions to ever be broadcast and thank f**k for that ! It's one of the worst shows produced in 2005 and that is really saying something

The whole Rock around the Block was like a glamorised karaoke competition. The first show was excellent with the Mitrovics and the Millers as both families displayed some real talent, both families had a great sense of humour and weren't worried of showing stress when it started to set in. That gave excellent viewing. The mum in the Mitrovics family was so natural. She and her family were just themselves but she really held the viewers attention. The Millers were obviously talented even the dog should have been on stage.

From then on the show just seem to go down hill and portrayed the families as boring and shy. The following show lacked the dynamics the first show had. A better format would have improved it and choosing families with a bit more get and go like the first two families, would have kept the people watching.

This series needed a bit more money spending on it (it was all shot on the cheap I think- maybe it was a pilot series), but as far as these families making total idiots of themselves it was great. Watching the mum perform on stage for 'Baby Got Back' was one of the funniest things I've ever seen.

The pace of it was quite intense and if you blinked you missed something happening, and the cast of 'experts' was spot on. the Amercian guy who went through wardrobes humiliating the family was priceless, especially as he was used to big walk-in wardrobes back in the states. One lad just had a few football tops and that was it! The dance coach was fab, funny to see them try and practise in the small living rooms.

I hope they work out the format and bring it back.