If you don’t like Shortland Street, or you’re unconvinced that Michael Galvin actually is a doctor, does that mean all New Zealand television is rubbish? One newspaper columnist argued as much on Sunday. Tara Ward says an emphatic no. The world is our TV oyster, but lately it seems not everyone in Godzone is feeling … Read more
Nancy Drew is back, but not as we know her. A new series about the teen detective hits our screens today, and turns out to be a spooky mix of Riverdale, Sabrina and Veronica Mars all rolled into one. Who is the heck is Nancy Drew? It’s Nancy Drew! You know Nancy Drew, even if you think … Read more
Think the news is boring? Think again. Tara Ward discovered some snazzy graphics on 1 News and realises that TVNZ’s current affairs have been zhushed up beyond her wildest dreams. The news. Who watches it? Who trusts it? Definitely not Trump and definitely not me, until the other day when I found myself in front … Read more
Big news for Outlander fans – the trailer for the new season of your favourite sexy time-travelling drama just landed. Outlander recapper Tara Ward tries to decipher what season five may bring. Friends, it’s time to dance around the room like we are Jamie Fraser eating figs at Hogmanay. The first trailer for season five of … Read more
Keen to expand your general knowledge? Behind on the sexbot craze? Want to know more local history? You could start with these documentaries on TVNZ OnDemand. Forget the latest fad of “books” and set fire to ye olde newspaper, because there’s no better way to discover the mysteries of our weird and wonderful world than … Read more
Taskmaster is arguably the funniest show on television, and next year a New Zealand version will hit our screens. Tara Ward dives into the caravan of challenges to find out what Taskmaster NZ could look like. We might be drowning in a sea of formulaic television, but Taskmasker is our David Hasselhoff, a beautiful saviour flailing towards us at … Read more
This week’s Sunday Theatre feature is Ablaze, a drama about the 1947 fire at the Ballantynes Department Store in Christchurch that killed 41 people. Tara Ward reviews. The Ballantynes Fire disaster is etched in New Zealand’s collective consciousness as one of our greatest tragedies, but it wasn’t until I watched Ablaze that I realised how disastrous it was. … Read more
In our latest local elections 2019 race briefing (read the rest here), Tara Ward goes into the New Plymouth election campaign, which is notable for being filled with pictures of turds. The Spinoff local election coverage is entirely funded by The Spinoff Members. For more about becoming a member and supporting The Spinoff’s journalism, click here. … Read more
With only a few more sleeps until the 2019 Rugby World Cup, Tara Ward looks at the variety of ways you can watch the tournament from the comfort of your own home. Set your clocks, sound the alarms and gird your scrum-loving loins for the 2019 Rugby World Cup, which kicks off this Friday in … Read more
It was another wild week in our favourite island paradise, as our remaining celebrities continued their quest to win cash for charity. Tara Ward power ranks. The bells of change have rung on Celebrity Treasure Island, and we’re now knee deep in an individual game of trickery, ping-pongery, and Tim-Tammery. The two teams merged into Team … Read more
Tara Ward delved into Māori TV’s impressive OnDemand catalogue and found some of the best TV taonga for your viewing pleasure. From lifestyle shows to documentaries, from current affairs to reality TV, Māori TV has an abundance of quality telly that celebrates and acknowledges the people, places and cultures of Aotearoa. Te reo Māori … Read more
It’s auction night on The Block NZ, and tonight the Firehouse burned with the smell of broken hopes and dreams. Tara Ward recaps the hijinks and heartbreak of this year’s live finale. “IT ALL ENDS RIGHT HERE!” yelled a perky Mark Richardson, as he welcomed the nation to The Block NZ 2019 live auction. Mark was … Read more
Married at First Sight NZ returns to Three tonight in a storm of controversy. Tara Ward takes a closer look at the brides and grooms who will marry a stranger in search of true love. Friends, we are gathered here today to lift the veil on a new series of reality juggernaut Married at First … Read more
It’s the grand finale of The Block NZ: Firehouse, but after a snooze of a season some fans are past caring. Long time Block NZ fan Tara Ward has a few ideas on how the show could get its mojo back. For eight long years, I’ve lived and breathed The Block NZ until my veins pulsed with … Read more
It’s week three of Celebrity Treasure Island, and what a forking great week it was. Tara Ward power ranks our favourite celebrity contestants as they compete to win that sweet charity cash. Welcome back to another glorious week in Paradise, as our beloved CTI contestants dodged, ducked, dipped, dived and dodged their way through tense eliminations, … Read more
Sunday Theatre’s new drama Runaway Millionaires tells the story of Kara Hurring, the Rotorua woman who in 2009 fled the country with $10 million which simply landed in her lap. Tara Ward reviews. What would you do if one day you discovered ten million bucks randomly sitting in your bank account? Would you come clean, or … Read more
If you’re a fan of thrilling skill-based reality contests, Blown Away is the show you’ve been waiting for. Tara Ward reveals why you’ll fall in love with Netflix’s latest sensation. If you think the Earth needs another reality TV show like it needs a glass light fitting that looks like a diver’s helmet, then think … Read more
We review the entire country and culture of New Zealand, one thing at a time. Today, Tara Ward taste-tests the best hot chips in the country. Everyone loves a hot chip because they’re a) hot, and b) a chip, but there’s nothing more disappointing than a bad chip experience. A flaccid, overcooked piece of … Read more
Two recent scientific discoveries rocked us to our fossily core, but there’s a bigger, more shocking story to be told. Who are the silhouette people? Tara Ward finds out. It’s been a big month for bones. First, New Zealand scientists uncovered evidence that a giant parrot once roamed the country around 19 million years ago, … Read more
It’s the season finale of The Handmaid’s Tale, and we’re desperate for a happy ending. Will we get one, or will we be left weeping into our revolution muffins? Tara Ward recaps. I didn’t think anything could be tenser than the time Maria made the Von Trapp kids hide from the Nazis in the Sound of … Read more
Tara Ward reviews Deep Water, a new British drama that’s been compared to Big Little Lies that lands on TVNZ OnDemand today. There’s three shows called Deep Water currently available on TVNZ OnDemand, but only one is a new British drama about the lives of three very different women living in the Lake District. This Deep Water is … Read more
We review the entire country and culture of New Zealand, one thing at a time. Today, Tara Ward on mouse-dancing theatrical spectacle Disney on Ice. Before you ask, I don’t know why Disney is on ice. It makes no sense, but neither does Aladdin not having nipples, and we all seem to accept that just fine. … Read more
Tensions continue to rise in Gilead, but June’s plan to start the revolution is coming together perfectly. Is this too good to be true? Tara Ward recaps this week’s episode of The Handmaid’s Tale. It’s the pentultimate episode of season three, and life is positively jaunty in Gilead. The Waterfords are in the Canadian slammer, … Read more
It was the best episode of The Handmaid’s Tale this season, with an arrest, an attack, and a whole lot more muffins. Tara Ward recaps. The second I laid eyes on this cheeky little chappie, I knew this was going to be a very special episode of The Handmaid’s Tale. Did the happiest little muffin … Read more
Air New Zealand released their new safety video this morning, featuring the legendary Louis Litt from legal drama Suits. Tara Ward buckles up to watch. Prepare yourself for the brace position, because Air New Zealand just dropped its latest safety video. In typical Air New Zealand safety fashion, it’s filled with famous faces like Cliff Curtis, George … Read more
The revolution in Gilead has finally begun, and it’s taking place one batch of muffins at a time. Tara Ward recaps the latest episode of The Handmaid’s Tale. The revolution we’ve waited nine long episodes for is here at last, and how do we know? Muffins. It turns out the network of Marthas’ have a … Read more
Ever wanted to buy a sonogram of Quinn’s baby from Glee? How about Dr. House’s bathrobe? Tara Ward shows you how. If you’re a fan of Taika Waititi’s classic Kiwi romantic comedy Eagle and Shark and you’ve a spare hundred bucks rattling around down the back of the couch, then get thee to Screenbid immediately. There are two iconic, … Read more
Tara Ward reviews Funny As, a series that documents the history of New Zealand comedy, and manages to be a key part of that history in its own right. Kiwi comedy has come a long way since Fred Dagg first fell out of a Land Rover, and new documentary series Funny As: The Story of New Zealand … Read more
Heaven is a place on earth, and June is saving the world one ’80s pop hit at a time. Tara Ward recaps season 4, episode 9 of The Handmaid’s Tale. Praise be, for there was a tiny bit of good news in Gilead this week. Aunt Lydia gave Janine a snazzy new eye patch, and … Read more