Our resident Outlander fanatic Tara Ward shares her thoughts from the much-anticipated return of time-travel romance series. Contains spoilers. And smoulders. This week, Claire and Jamie head for Paris, where their ‘to do’ list consisted of: 1) infiltrating the French royal court 2) drinking all the profits from their new business 3) living a life of … Read more
Tara Ward brings you her Shortland Street Power Rankings for last week, including Harry’s tears, Michael’s fear fall and the worst pool party of all time. 1) Finn encourages Harry to live his dreams Finn and Harry’s cunning plan to host the pool party of the century became a cannonball of chlorine-riddled disappointment. It was … Read more
Tara Ward brings you her Shortland Street Power Rankings for last week, including Lucy’s diary, Ali’s waxwork model and a TV nightmare at the Warner manor. 1) In an exclusive excerpt from Lucy’s diary, we discover she had the busiest week in the history of Shortland Street: Tuesday Broke up with Finn, but not before I … Read more
Our resident Outlander fanatic Tara Ward shares her thoughts from the much-anticipated premiere of time-travel romance series. Contains spoilers. And smoulders. All good things come to those who wait: a Briscoes sale, a Monday-ised stat holiday, and the season two premiere of Outlander. It’s been ten long months since Claire and Jamie Fraser sailed for France, … Read more
Tara Ward brings you her Shortland Street Power Rankings for last week, including Chris Warner 2.0, a gaggle of sleazeballs and an uber disaster. 1) Finn Connelly is a crinkle-cut chip off the ol’ Warner block Chris’ super sperm was once so powerful that it impregnated RoboNurse Carrie Burton’s womb with not one but three … Read more
With daylight saving coming through an end, fall even further back than one hour with Tara Ward’s Outlander-inspired survival guide to the 18th century. It’s the end of daylight saving this weekend, and you know what that means – one more hour of sleep! Be still, my beating heart. A word of warning: take care … Read more
Tara Ward brings you her Easter-themed Shortland Street Power Rankings for last week, including Ali’s new uber business, Rachel’s return and Mo’s terrible toast. Find all the eggs and win absolutely nothing. It was Easter in Ferndale and the cute little Easter bunny sprinkled his seasonal joy all over town. The eggs have been power ranked; find … Read more
Sam Heughan is farmer, fugitive and all round Scottish spunkrat Jamie Fraser in fantasy-drama Outlander, the second season of which arrives exclusively to Lightbox on April 10. Longtime fan Tara Ward swallowed her nerves and spoke with Sam ahead of the premiere (please note, contains spoilers from season one). Last week my social media overflowed with the … Read more
Tara Ward brings you her Shortland Street Power Rankings for last week, including Bella’s DIY nightmare, and the arrival of the first transgender character to Ferndale. 1) Nicole is Emmeline Pankhurst “Give me more nurses, or I quit! And while you’re at it, put Crunchie bars back in the vending machines!” Nicole’s uprising was confronting … Read more
Tara Ward brings you her Shortland Street Power Rankings for last week, including Dayna’s new lease on life, Lucy’s love lament and Chris bringing back the dance move that nobody needed. 1) Chris uses his best jazz hands to magic money out of Rachel’s budget Thousands of Shortland Street CEOs have sat in the Big Chair, … Read more
Tara Ward watches May the Best House Win Abroad, the TV One show for houseproud homeowners and snoopy spectators alike. There’s nowt as queer as folk, especially the houseproud homeowners on British reality show May the Best House Win. Tucked away in TV One’s mid afternoon schedule, May the Best House Win is an hour … Read more
Tara Ward brings you her Shortland Street Power Rankings for last week, including Stevie’s evolution into Houdini, Nicole’s exhausting workload and Esther’s incredible phone-based breakthrough. 1) Stevie is the amazing disappearing baby Boyd lost it when he remembered he’d left Baby Stevie alone in the hospital car park. By the time he’d retraced his steps, … Read more
Season two of Outlander is coming to Lightbox at 5pm on April 10, and fans can hardly breathe. The Spinoff’s resident Outlander fanatic Tara Ward has been hard at work assembling clues. Please note: contains spoilers. Do you hear that noise? It’s the sound of dehydrated Outlander fans, deliriously lapping up the slow trickle of … Read more
Tara Ward brings you her Shortland Street Power Rankings for last week, including Kylie’s boob-based dilemma, Leanne’s fishy visions and a classic Chris Warner prank. 1) Leanne is a sight for sore eyes Leanne, I bloody love you. Every week you deliver the goods like a middle-aged, semi-psychic equivalent of ParcelPost. “You’re off your rocker!” Murray … Read more
Tara Ward brings you her Shortland Street Power Rankings for last week, including Victoria’s last-ditch campaign for #redpeak, Jimmy’s new slang and Leanne not giving a blue duck about anything. 1) Leanne gets funky The age-old question “where do we go to get our funk on?” is right up there with “why am I here?” and “what is … Read more
Tara Ward brings you her Shortland Street Power Rankings for last week, including Harper the hipster, Leanne the Dame-in-waiting and TK with some tinfoil on his head. 1) Victoria shoots her way to the top She bloody well did it. The mystery assassin was all Victoria: the beige foundation, the blue glove, the stinky perfume. Tired … Read more
Tara Ward brings you her Shortland Street Power Rankings for last week, including a disgusting sex couch, Harper’s detective work and Virginia’s full evolution into a Disney villain. 1) Shortland Street’s mystery hand job Just when you think you’ve got the shooting case sorted, a random arm enters the frame to stir things up. Who does … Read more
Tara Ward brings you her Shortland Street Power Rankings for last week, including Lucy’s evil twin, TK’s vile virility and Drew’s detective nose. 1) Wendy sails into the west Grab the tissues and the smelling salts, peeps, as we say a final farewell to Wendy and Len. A bumper crowd of approximately fifteen people gathered at … Read more
Tara Ward brings you the first Shortland Street Power Rankings for the year, including Drew’s iron heart, TK’s confused return and Wendy’s tragic passing. 1. Wendy rages against the machine This week’s Shortland Street experience was like riding the Main Trunk Line down the Raurimu Spiral. It was a steep, twisting descent into a dark valley … Read more
With Shortland Street returning tonight to answer the questions of last year’s bloody cliffhanger, Tara Ward predicts ten potential plotlines. It’s been four long weeks since the Shortland Street Christmas cliffhanger. When the automatic doors of our favourite state-funded hospital closed last December, we witnessed scenes of great drama and terror. Drew lay dying on … Read more
Think this year’s Shortland Street cliffhanger was dramatic? The 1995 festive special was even more heartrending. Tara Ward remembers the Christmas episode that shocked a nation. Christmas Day television is notoriously bad. You can guarantee a Royal Variety Performance and a Vicar of Dibley special, and Jamie Oliver is bound to chuck a litre of olive … Read more
Tara Ward recalls the most memorable moments from last night’s bloody Shortland Street Christmas cliffhanger (CONTAINS SPOILERS). 10) Gareth locks Dave the security guard in the supply cupboard Have you seen Security Dave? The guy is a freaking giant compared to Gareth. I’m no scientist; in fact, I can barely spell the word. But I … Read more
Tara Ward brings you this week’s Shortland Street Power Rankings, including Virginia’s car crash, Gareth’s window shopping and the saddest Christmas tree yet. 1) Boyd said bye bye to bachelorhood with a hangover from hell Boyd knows how to party like an S-Club party. He spent his last days as a single man in a … Read more
Tara Ward brings you this week’s Shortland Street Power Rankings, including Gareth’s cushion chaos and Harper’s hectic hen’s night. 1) Leanne’s spectacular party planning puts Harper in a pickle Leanne was on fire this week. Harper’s hen’s party was the event of the year, nay, the century. It was everything a hen’s night usually is: … Read more
Tara Ward brings you this week’s Shortland Street Power Rankings, including Wendy’s aquatic incident and Harry’s IT wizardry. 1) Harry tinkers with science and practically splits the atom Rachel gifts Harry with his first job: Leanne’s new slave. Harry’s first task is to print the Shortland Street Christmas cards, which hopefully feature a delightfully festive … Read more
Tara Ward brings you this week’s Shortland Street Power Rankings, including Curtis the quiche thief and a rogue doppelgänger from The Block NZ. 1) Sport was the winner on the day At last, the day we’ve been waiting approximately three episodes for has arrived: The Shortland Street Fun Run/Outdoor Quiz/Sack Race/Three Legged Race Fundraiser for … Read more
Tara Ward brings you this week’s Shortland Street Power Rankings, including Boyd’s boring babysitting and Esther’s terrible needlework. 1) Return of the Mac(kenna) I figured Rachel had been sucking on the nitrous gas last week, especially after she came over all feeble and let blackmailer Gareth and his dodgy medical wares into her hospital. Thankfully, the … Read more
Tara Ward brings you this week’s Shortland Street Power Rankings, including Virginia’s man-eating, Lucy’s woeful pikelets and Ferndale’s latest ill-thought-out engagement. 1) Virginia celebrates her divorce from Drew by shagging him senseless Sit back, girls, and let Auntie Virginia teach you this week’s life lesson. Recently spurned by the love of your life? Exhausted by a lengthy … Read more
Tara Ward brings you this week’s Shortland Street Power Rankings, including Boyd’s doodacky and Harper’s baby blues. 1) Dayna gives it a crack with Knob the Builder Call off the search: Dayna found The Knob. The Knob is actually George the Labourer, a doctor visiting Ferndale on a working visa. George is from England, which is … Read more