Studio 3

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.
Extended Studio 3 cast, Australia Day 2012.

What do you do when you have a children's channel with no commercials? Fill up the space between shows with a quirky program to entertain your younger audience in the interval, and feature younger celebrities that will appeal to them. Thus, Studio 3 was created. It is described on it's home, Australia's only free-to-air children's channel, as 'the hub for everything that happens on ABC 3 - the place where it all comes together.'

Hosted by Kayne Tremills and Amberley Lobo, known as 'Kayne and Ambo' (although they were recently joined by James Elmer and then Olivia Phyland and Alfie Gledhill), it's an eclectic mix of audience participation, celebrity interviews, and odd skits. One recurring feature is a series of mini-episodes starring the hosts, called Bitcom. Bitcom proved popular enough to get it's own 40-min special, Bitcom and the Oblivion Ray.

Tropes used in Studio 3 include:
  • Almighty Janitor - The Janitor.
  • Audience Participation - Various initiatives, such as "Sponsor the Show". There are also chances for kids to be part of the show by sending in videos, photos or popping up on the show's webcam.
  • Baseball Episode - The Tennis Smackdown for Australia Day.
  • Big Bad - Katinka, the evil sandwich making lady from the ABC 3 Canteen in Bitcom
    • And then there was Captain Cameron and Brigadier Bridget from Bitcom and the Oblivion Ray
  • Big Damn Movie - Bitcom And The Oblivion Ray, which was certainly made clear in the ads.
  • Big Eater - Kayne.
  • Flashmob - For publicity, a pretty neat one, in Melbourne.
  • Gag Series - Whether the whole show on balance counts as this is debatable, but certainly Bitcom does.
  • Idiot Hero - Fictional Kayne sometimes fits this.
  • Intrepid Reporter - Ben Crawley's segments, where he "takes ABC3 out of the studio and into the streets, as he roves around his hometown of Adelaide and beyond, discovering the undiscoverable and mentioning the unmentionable."
  • Large Ham - The hosts, often.
    • Not to mention Bitcom's Katinka
  • Laser-Guided Amnesia - The actual power of the Oblivion Ray since wiping peoples memories makes it easier to take over the world.
  • Mythology Gag - A joke in Bitcom also serves as a callback to The ABC's previous kids' filler show, Rollercoaster.

Kayne: I didn't know you were into magic, mate.
Janitor: Did you know that the ABC had a rollercoaster?
Kayne: No.
Janitor: Well it would appear you don't know everything.

  • News Parody - On one recurring segment, the two hosts act as decrepit, old-fashioned news presenters: Ken Smartley and Anne Bronsonson.
  • No Name Given - The Janitor is called the Janitor
  • One of Us - James Elmer is a gamer and self-described 'manga fanatic'.
  • Parody - A staple of the show.
  • Running Gag: Too many to count. But special mention goes to the ending of every Australia Day Special which results in the house of one of Kayne's relatives exploding thanks to Bajo in some way.
  • Say My Name / This Is Sparta - "KATINKA!!" courtesy of Kayne.
  • Slapstick
  • Spin-Off - The Bitcom special, Bitcom And The Oblivion Ray.
  • Talk Show - Various interview segments with celebrities, also parodies this sometimes.
  • Vox Pops - Used regarding various kid-related topics. A roving camera ensures that kids get the chance to share what they like best, whether it's performing a new BMX trick, introducing their pets or showing off their town.
  • Widget Series - Bitcom again.