Despite being encouraged by generally good feedback and ratings, the producer of TVNZ's late-night LGBT programme can't yet confirm if the show will return for more episodes in the future. The tenth and final part of 'The Outlook' series was broadcast on Tuesday. Producer Glenn Sims says the viewing numbers have been variable, but "have built consistently across the series to a peak of around 120,000 viewers". He says TVNZ expects this pattern in the programme's late timeslot of 11.05pm. Funding for the series came from New Zealand on Air. Television Manager Glenn Usmar says NZ On Air has not yet received any direct feedback on the series since its screening began. "This is not unusual when there are no problems and programmes are being well received," he explains. "We understand from TVNZ and the producers that there has been a positive reaction to the programme, both by correspondence and use of TVNZ OnDemand to access the show. The ratings achieved are in line with previous series for the GLBT community and other programming that screens in these slots," says Usmar. The programme's return to the screen is yet to be discussed. NZ On Air's next funding decision round is in October. Glenn Sims says the decision will be based on several factors, "including the scheduling availability of TV2 and also my own company's ability to commit time and man/woman power to producing further episodes." As is usual with television designed for the LGBT community, the programme has been controversial at times, with mixed feedback voiced on GayNZ.com's message boards. Sims says making the show has been "a steep learning curve for the entire crew - especially given an intensive shooting schedule and limited budget. "After nearly six months of production, we now have a successful working formula that we feel we can expand upon allowing us to be more contemporary with stories, breaking news, and upcoming events. "Personally, I would love to give the series an edgier entertainment focus however I'm still not convinced that wider New Zealand is ready for that just yet because of the existence of two very distinct pre/post 1986 generations amongst the audience." Sims says his personal highlights of the ten episodes are "the story of the drag competition at Family because it was a wider commentary on the state of drag in New Zealand; Alan Granville's journey from Porker to Pugilist because as well as being an enormous technical achievement for the crew, it was a hugely controversial story of a gay man doing and achieving something outside of the square of expectation for a gay man; and finally, Chris Walsh's campaign for the provision of Herceptin - not because it was a story about a lesbian, but because it was an intensely powerful story about a woman who just happened to be a lesbian fighting to make a difference for all women in New Zealand." All of the Express newspaper staff are still talking to Sims after their ten weeks under the spotlight, he assures. "But I'm sure they didn't expect it to be quite so 'warts and all'. Owen Allison was a very good sport in adopting his role as New Zealand's David Brent, and Richard Todd was wonderfully accommodating. "We've enjoyed the huge diversity of the series and the shift from angst-driven GLBT stories of the past to celebratory stories of GLBT life in 2007," Sims concludes. Ref: GayNZ.com (m)