Fox's The Complex is re-learning a lesson that The Restaurant's Rocco DiSpirito already learned -- it's hard to be a success in both Australia and the U.S.
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Although The Complex (under its original title, The Block) was one of the biggest smashes in Australian history, the September 17 edition of its U.S. version drew only a dismal 2.32 million viewers to its Friday 8PM timeslot -- doubly disappointing to Fox, since this was the episode in which the final four teams were determined. As a result, Fox has shifted upcoming broadcasts of the show to the Friday 9PM timeslot, following a lead-in from reruns of The Simpsons and That 70s Show.
For perspective, this spring Fox pulled the "gaydar" reality show Playing It Straight after only three episodes in the same Friday 8PM time slot because it was only drawing a little over five million viewers, which is still more than twice as many as The Complex.
However, unlike Playing It Straight, Fox is forging ahead with the final episodes of The Complex. Last week, Fox announced that the auction of the four California seaside condominiums renovated by the four teams is scheduled for Saturday, October 2, at 1PM at 1550 Pacific Coast Highway (located at the canopy on the beach just north of the pier in Santa Monica). The auction and its results will be featured on the season finale of The Complex: Malibu, which will air at the special time of Monday, October 4 at 9 PM ET/PT.
The four condos have a "reserve price" (the minimum price below which they will not be sold) of $500,000. The units, which range in size from from 1,150 square feet to 1,450 square feet, feature panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, two bathrooms, and either two or three bedrooms ... plus the blood, sweat, tears and toil of the four teams..
Under the winner-take-all U.S. rules for The Complex, one team will emerge as champion. The team that produces the highest profit percentage on the sale of its unit will get ALL of the net profit from all four unit auctions. What will the other three teams get? A hearty handshake from the winners for helping to pad their bank accounts.
For more information on the properties or to inquire about viewing the units in advance, interested parties should contact Alex Shirloo of Prudential California Realty at 562-761-6746 or alex@alexshirloo.com. For more information on the the auction and to pre-qualify to bid, log on to www.premiereestates.com or call 877-3-ESTATE (which converts to 877-337-8283). The auction itself will be handled by Premiere Estates Auction Company co-founders Edward Kaminsky and Todd Wohl.
The Complex is produced by FremantleMedia North America, Inc.