Channel 9, long heralded as "still the one" in tribute to its long-held position at number one in the ratings, has recently changed its catch phrase to We heart TV.

Unfortunately it is no longer "the one" and for the past few years, while Channel 9 may heart TV, TV viewers have not hearted Channel 9.

They have failed to meet the challenges set by Seven and Ten in the drama, news or reality TV stakes and after being the nation’s premier broadcaster for so long, they have slipped out of people's consciousness and remote-clicking fingers for quite some time.

Someone wrote a book titled Who Killed Channel Nine. I haven’t read it, but I think it must be about whoever used to be in charge of programming.

Thank God that person has now been sacked, because at long last Channel 9 has made a brilliant programming decision. It comes in the form of the new, gritty cop/crime drama Underbelly.

Based on the events of a decade of gangland wars in Melbourne, the show’s website tells us it follows the rise and fall of career criminal Carl Williams.

Along the journey we meet the other criminals who became part of the notorious wars.

Underbelly boasts a stellar cast of Aussie talent including Vince Colosimo, Les Hill, Marcus Graham, Rodger Corser and Frankie J. Holden. It also seems that there has been a reunion of sorts for the cast of Blue Heelers … clearly Martin Sacks and Caroline Craig figured that their staple acting diet should be in crime dramas so they have signed up to be part of this one.

The show moves along at a cracking pace, ensuring you are kept on the edge of your seat from the opening credits to the close. Sometimes it is moving so fast that you forget to breathe as the drama of gang wars unfolds before your eyes, but at the same time due to the fast pace, it’s easy to feel that you might have missed some important part of the story.

Underbelly feels very real throughout, the actors are all incredibly talented (although sometimes Vince Colosimo does take it a bit far with the accent) and at times it feels more like you are watching a documentary than a drama.

It’s angry, it's gritty, it’s a bit dirty, plenty of flesh is flashed across the screen and we get a sneak peak at a side of life many of us never experience.

I don’t know how much is real and how much is "artistic licence" on the part of the writers, but it doesn’t matter because the show is great entertainment.

Even though the promotional ads for this make it look like a dodgy version of Australia’s Most Wanted or a documentary narrated by David Attenborough’s more boring younger sister, it is pleasing that the show appears to be nothing of that ilk.

Channel 9 has pinned a lot of hope on this being the one that will drag them out of their ratings slump. If any of their 2008 programming choices can do it, this one can.

If the first two episodes are anything to go by, Underbelly is going to become must-see television for many Australians but if last year's programming is anything to go by, it will be up against stiff competition.

Channel 7 had City Homicide in the 8.30pm Wednesday time-slot and it proved a sure-fire ratings winner. With a similar cops and robbers theme for both shows, fans are going to have a tough decision to make. Channel 10 has the extremely popular House in this slot so there is even more competition there.

Of course before any of that happens, Underbelly has to overcome a Supreme Court challenge to prevent it from going to air in Victoria amid concerns that that it may affect a forthcoming murder trial. But never fear, the Channel 9 TV guide still has it screening in Queensland tonight.

Underbelly premieres on Wednesday February 13 at 8:30 the nine network.

For more information visit http://www.underbellytv.com/
- NATHANAEL COOPER