At the end of last year all the episodes of the ’60s Batman TV show were packaged together on Blu-ray and DVD for the first time. Alongside the original 120 episodes, there’s also three hours of special features. How special they are is a matter of opinion. José Barbosa offers his. It’s either comforting or dispiriting … Read more
Fragmentary Thoughts is a new comic strip by José Barbosa, in which he’ll tackle a different television show or phenomenon each month. The first is a response to the debut episode of Better Call Saul. Warning: contains a spoiler. // Straight out of the starting blocks Better Call Saul‘s first episode didn’t quite knock it out of the … Read more
José Barbosa wraps up Sci Fi Week by examining New Zealand’s TV science fiction, which peaked in the ’80s and has rarely been seen since. He wants to know why. // As we know Television is traditionally considered the production budget equivalent of a ratty two dollar shop that sells mobile phone covers and velvet … Read more
José Barbosa shines a harsh space torch on sci-fi’s dirty little secret: it mostly looks terrible. Then tells us why we shouldn’t care. // If we can start by being honest, I think it’s important to acknowledge that really, no one should like science fiction TV shows. Much like KFC, the basic idea appeals, but … Read more
Like advertising’s cockroach, informercials have emerged stronger following the internet’s onslaught. José Barbosa suffered through a night of them to bring you this harrowing report. // It can be argued that, in terms of human dignity, waking up at 1:30 in the morning with the intent to watch infomercials is a plunge into the lowest … Read more
Each Thursday a Spinoff correspondent will discuss a nugget from television’s rich and distinguished past. This week José Barbosa argues for the enduring tensions of A Dog’s Show. It’s become part of our vague national perception of New Zealand culture to catalogue A Dog’s Show as a crusty anachronism. The show played during a time when stubbies (sartorial … Read more