| Fat Cow Motel | |
|---|---|
| Genre | |
| Created by |
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| Written by |
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| Directed by |
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| Starring | |
| Composer | Cameron McKenzie |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 13 |
| Production | |
| Producers |
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| Cinematography | Robert Humphreys |
| Running time | 25 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC |
| Release | 10 July (2003-07-10)[1] – 2 October 2003 (2003-10-02) |
Fat Cow Motel is an Australian comedy/drama television series, created by Nathan Mayfield and Tracey Robertson and starringKate Atkinson andBrendan Cowell.[2] Described as an interactive drama[3] viewers could register online for access to the shows website and to sms and email messages sent onscreen during the show[4] Each episode ends in a mystery cliffhanger which can be solved with help from the interactive content.[5] Two final episodes were filmed and the audience could vote for their desired alternative.[6]
The show was filmed inHarrisville, Queensland with the town's Royal Hotel standing in for the titular Fat Cow Motel.[7]
The owner of the Fat Cow Motel makes up a story that a famous rock star died in one of the rooms in her motel which attracts a journalist to town.[8]
Nicole Brady of the Age wrote "It looks great on paper, but two weeks in and this Australian comedy-mystery series is feeling a little clunky."[9] Illawarra Mercury's Glen Humphries notes "The two lead actors in this weekly whodunit are both very watchable and there's a certain charm here. Shame it's hampered by the show's over-emphasis on interactivity."[10]
Summing up the fate of Australian made dramas Greg Hassall of The Sydney Morning Herald wrote "A comedy/drama set in a rural town, billed as our first interactive drama because viewers could follow clues on the show's website to solve a mystery each week. But the interactive angle felt gimmicky and the show lasted only one season."[11]