Lightbox

Monitor: Escape series Underground shatters the museum glass on slavery

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For Monitor this week, Aaron Yap tackles Underground, a escape drama that seeks to combine modern times with history. When Quentin Tarantino released his blaxploitation-cum-spaghetti western opus Django Unchained in 2012, he had a justification for his typically incendiary, controversy-baiting approach to one of the most awful and shameful periods in American history. “When slave narratives are done … Read more

Spoon me and think of Scotland – Thoughts from Outlander S02E05

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Our resident Outlander fanatic Tara Ward shares her thoughts from the much-anticipated return of time-travel romance series. Contains spoilers. And smoulders.  Episode five was titled ‘Untimely Ressurection’ or ‘Claire Screws Everyone Over To Suit Herself’. Like a runaway steamroller bedecked in beautiful botanical silks, Claire rampaged her way through the cobbled Parisian streets and pummeled anyone … Read more

Finally: Enjoy War and Peace without all those pesky words

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If you haven’t read Tolstoy’s War and Peace (and who has?), Lindsey Dawson has found an easier way to experience his epic love-and-conflict story: by watching it on the telly. The Russians are coming! We’ve heard that phrase often enough, but back in 1812 it was the Russians yelling, ‘The French are Coming!’ Napoleon wanted Moscow. … Read more

Knope we can – How to win at life using lessons from Parks & Recreation

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Joanna McLeod collates her favourite life lessons from Parks and Recreation‘s Pawnee, the little town built on optimism, fizzy drinks and a thousand rubber nipples. Please note this story contains spoilers. Some people seek guidance from lifestyle gurus, motivational speakers or large amounts of drugs. For me, everything I need to know I can learn … Read more

‘Never trust a man who plays Yahtzee with sheep knuckles’ – Thoughts from Outlander S02E04

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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’s Outlander episode covered more ground than Rupert and Angus when Mrs Fitz hits the dinner gong. There was a poisoning, greasy convict juices, bedroom intruders, perfect Jamie hair, a monkey bite, a joke about … Read more

“Forecast for Jamie’s hair: sultry, but changeable” – Thoughts from Outlander S02E02

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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

What’s actually in Harvey’s record collection? Gabriel Macht reveals a shocking Suits secret

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In the middle of a whirlwind New Zealand press tour, Gabriel Macht, star of Lightbox legal drama Suits, reveals the show’s darkest secret to Calum Henderson: there are no actual records in Harvey Specter’s record collection, just shelves of empty sleeves. The elephant in the room, and pretty much every room that Gabriel Macht ever … Read more

From meth to Meyerism: Aaron Paul talks Scientology and The Path

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Dominic Corry sat down with Aaron Paul to discuss Scientology, Breaking Bad, and leaving his character at work on Lightbox’s new cult drama The Path. Recently I was especially thrilled to spend some time in a Los Angeles hotel suite with Aaron Paul, an actor whose place in television history is already assured thanks to his iconic performance as … Read more

One woman’s life-long journey to the twin peaks of Twin Peaks

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David Lynch’s iconic television series Twin Peaks first aired 26 years ago on network television. Ruth Spencer relives her enduring relationship with the cult classic. A photo on Facebook of VHS tapes in a skip, an entire series sprawled against some hedge clippings. Did anyone want these Twin Peaks tapes before they went to the tip? Did … Read more

A field guide to the buttoned-up, Canuck espionage of X Company

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It goes down easy like syrup soaked pancakes; Joseph Harper puts you through boot camp on the “unconventional warfare” in Canadian WW2 drama, X Company. What’s the story? The world is at war – World War II to be exact. Canada has a role to play: assembling a small team of (mostly) Canadians who can … Read more

Podcast: The Fantasy Suite – A Bachelor NZ podcast, week five: The dark side of the Bach

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There’s a new Bachelor, a new mansion, and the same old dorks talking about it. The Fantasy Suite is The Spinoff’s weekly podcast about The Bachelor NZ, hosted by Jane Yee with Alex Casey and Duncan Greive. Have a listen below, or download here on iTunes, or here on Stitcher. The Bachelor NZ things are … Read more

“I’m proud to be a pseudo-ginger” – Sam Heughan talks Outlander and Loch Ness Monster truths

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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

Fava beans and Chianti? The most disgustingly perfect dishes to enjoy during Hannibal

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Joanna McLeod assembles a list of meals to match each macabre masterpiece from Hannibal season one. Simply hover the mouse over each dish to see the original inspiration from the show… if you dare.  This post contains imagery that may be disturbing or NSFW. You might think a stomach-churningly gory show like Hannibal would be the … Read more

Throwback Thursday: The untold story of New Zealand’s small screen legend Alan Dale

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Alan Dale is a national treasure, acting legend and generally lovely man, who has for far too long flown under the radar. Katie Parker celebrates this humble kiwi great of the small screen. It was out of unconditional love that I joined my boyfriend to see the Entourage movie last year. As I should have … Read more

Monitor: Why The Americans is the best show on TV right now

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Aaron Yap celebrates the superb Cold War spy drama The Americans. The Americans is currently the best spy show on TV. Scratch that. It’s the best show on TV, period. I’m saying this as a dyed-in-the-wool fan of Homeland, a show that its most avid followers have to admit is awfully patchy, even at its … Read more

“We’re not in Inverness anymore, Toto” – What we know about the second season of Outlander

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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

Podcast: TV Mum, Episode 5 – Dianne finds out that Eye Candy has been cancelled

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Welcome to TV Mum, a weekly podcast starring Brendon Green and his Mum, Dianne. Every week Brendon will try and get Dianne to remember the details of a TV show she’s recently watched. The resulting discussion is a journey through Dianne’s shaky memory and never ends up where you’d expect. This week the Greens talk … Read more

Interview – Toby Stephens talks Black Sails, bro-dudes and the gay pirate uproar

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Dominic Corry spoke to Toby Stephens about the new season of Michael Bay’s Black Sails. Warning: Contains major spoilers from seasons 1 and 2. Michael Bay’s epic pirate series Black Sails doesn’t get as much attention as some period action dramas, but it’s been building an increasingly devoted audience with its filmic scale and intense, often … Read more

A field guide to the pissed piccolo players of Mozart in the Jungle

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Lindsey Dawson has been binge-watching Mozart in the Jungle. Despite being about fuddy-duddy music, it won two Golden Globes this year. She can understand why. What’s the story? The New York Symphony Orchestra. It sounds grand but this fictional institution is fighting to maintain reputation, cash flow and audience. Enter ageing maestro Thomas, played with … Read more

“Rust Cohle never talked about turds on a plane” – A field guide to cop show No Activity

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Alex Casey introduces No Activity, the brilliantly funny Australian cop show where nothing ever really happens.  What’s the story? Referred to as “the Seinfeld of cop shows” by The Sydney Morning Herald, No Activity plonks itself right down on the dashboard of a cop car during a series of painfully uneventful stakeouts. Watch policemen Hendy and … Read more

“I have just decided to be me” – recapping the return of Better Call Saul

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Alex Casey recaps the return episode of Better Call Saul season two on Lightbox, including pinky rings, alcohol heists and poolside pondering. Contains spoilers. Sometimes it feels like Better Call Saul‘s Jimmy McGill is eerily close to me in the months following my graduation from university. We’re both disgusted by the idea of entering the workforce, both … Read more

A selection box of the most romantic television to watch this Valentine’s Day

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Inside the Lightbox is a sponsored feature where we mine the extensive Lightbox category for shows you might want to watch. This week, we queue up some of the most romantic episodes of television for you to enjoy this Valentine’s Day (no matter what your relationship status is). Warning: contains very sappy spoilers. Outlander – … Read more

New to Lightbox in February: The return of Saul Goodman

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Inside the Lightbox is a sponsored feature where we mine the extensive Lightbox category for shows you might want to watch. This week we present the new offerings in February, including the exclusive return of Better Call Saul and Suits. Suits (S5 arrives express every Thursday) Returning from last year’s hiatus, season five of legal … Read more

Inside the Lightbox: How to cook like Heston Blumenthal in just one long weekend

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Inside the Lightbox is a sponsored post where we mine their extensive catalogue for shows that you might want to watch. This week we plate up some cooking shows full of tips and tricks to have you cooking like a celebrity chef in just one long weekend.  How to Cook like Heston What’s the vibe?  Heston … Read more

How Nordic Noir introduced a new scowling breed of female detective

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Alex Casey discovers the legendary stony-faced female detectives in Scandinavian thrillers The Bridge and The Killing, who swap the pantsuits for chunky knit jumpers and the smiles for scowls.   It’s a pretty grim state of affairs when one simple Google search for “woman cop” yields these sort of results: Now that is just unrealistic. There’s not … Read more

Podcast: TV Mum, Episode 1 – One Mum retraces her journey through Vikings

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Welcome to the first episode of TV Mum, a weekly podcast starring Brendon Green and his Mum, Dianne. Every week Brendon will try and get Dianne to remember the details of a TV show she’s recently watched. The resulting discussion is a journey through Dianne’s shaky memory and never ends up where you’d expect. This … Read more

“These lawyers are superheroes” – Gabriel Macht aka Harvey Specter on the new season of Suits

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Played by Gabriel Macht, Harvey Specter of Suits once saved Tim Lambourne during a tenancy dispute. Years later, Tim rings Gabriel for a chat about the success of the show, and the mystery surrounding the returning season (arriving express to Lightbox weekly).  Suits is a show about lawyers, fancy ass New York lawyers, lawyers that make … Read more

Video – The Spinoff salutes television’s most gravelly voices

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Nothing delivers authority or menace like a deep, rumbly voice. Join José Barbosa on a journey of discovery, from Black Sails to CSI: Miami, as he celebrates TV’s deepest, most sonorous voices. Click below to enjoy the brand new, extra gravelly season of Black Sails, coming express to Lightbox every Sunday This content, like all … Read more

What Mark Weldon and MediaWorks can learn from 30 Rock’s Jack Donaghy

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With MediaWorks continuing to spiral down a strange rabbit hole full of new shubs, Joanna McLeod calls upon a hero that could help CEO Mark Weldon rediscover his path to greatness: 30 Rock‘s fictional network boss Jack Donaghy. As Mark Weldon continues to make a series of more and more…interesting choices for MediaWorks, it’s become clear … Read more