To continue the thrills and spills of Murder Week, our Parenting editor Emily Writes recalls a Sensing Murder-style haunting of her own… by 24 star Kiefer Sutherland. When I was a kid I saw a movie on TV that scarred me for life. A little girl was getting ready for her birthday party and Kiefer … Read more
Aaron Yap, The Spinoff’s most die-hard 24 fan, tells you all you need to know about the return of 24, with a new star and a new name – 24: Legacy. “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” It’s hard not to summon the words of French writer Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr when … Read more
The teaser campaign for the long-awaited Lorde release has entered the troposphere, capturing the imagination of music lovers and crossword buffs alike. What’s it going to be? Yesterday Lorde did the most interesting thing to the 7pm New Zealand television half-hour since Dennis Conner stormed off the Holmes show, by dropping a 15-second teaser for … Read more
Arriving out of a clear blue sky during the 7pm news/soaps came a maddeningly short slice of the first single from Lorde’s second album, out this Friday, 3 March. Lorde previewed the first single from her forthcoming album across New Zealand’s major TV channels on Monday night. Here’s everything we know: It’s upbeat, got cool house … Read more
‘Best Songs Ever’ features various contributors to The Spinoff Music assessing recent songs and singles. SONG OF THE WEEK Calvin Harris ft. Frank Ocean & Migos – ‘Slide’ This is everything internet-buzz pop music is right now, rolled into a more radio-friendly format. Sure, you may love Blonde and Culture, but you’re not going to … Read more
As part of Equalise My Vocals, a new Spinoff project focusing on equality in the music community, Coco Solid speaks with Jessie Moss about her research on gendered participation in the music industry. Jessie Moss is an educator, musician, writer and Te Reo Māori enthusiast who lives in Newtown, Wellington, with her partner and two … Read more
To mark the return of Sensing Murder – and to kick off Murder Week, our ill-advised week-long celebration of the show – long-time skeptic Paul Casserly tries his best to become a convert. So Sensing Murder is back. Ten years ago I hated this show with such a vengeance that I took to it with … Read more
Hibiscus Coast kayaker Zac Franich was announced as New Zealand’s next Bachelor on The Project tonight. Alex Casey delves deep into the internet underbelly to find everything you need to know. Following Jordan Mauger, proprietor of the worst possible Gollum impression of all time, Zac Franich has just been announced as the next brave soul … Read more
Jane Yee, Duncan Greive and Alex Casey gather around the oval table and talk about the latest happenings in New Zealand television and real life in New Zealand. The dorks return for episode two, with a whole lot of new television to discuss. This starts with the impressive debut of The Project NZ, and Duncan’s terrified … Read more
Every Friday, ‘The Album Cycle’ reviews a handful of new releases. ALBUM OF THE WEEK Rhiannon Giddens – Freedom Highway Giddens’ second solo album comprises of a moving 12 tracks that travel through 200 years of black American history, using traditional folk rhythms and powerful storytelling as a means to cover slavery, the civil rights … Read more
In the final season of Parks & Recreation the timeline jumps ahead to 2017. The series was ultimately optimistic about the apparatus and people that constituted the American government. Real life 2017? Not so much. Jose Barbosa compares the two wistfully. Some time ago American illustrator and Law & Order aficionado Brandon Bird tweeted an insightful comment … Read more
Tara Ward watches in horror as Jono and Ben return and go live for the first time. Jono and Ben returned to our screens last night, promising a ‘star-studded, prank-filled show’ filmed — wait for it — LIVE TO AIR. Jono and Ben were more excited than the time my toddler found half a chocolate biscuit … Read more
All-American hero, songwriting colossus, rock n’ roll star … under-appreciated fashion icon? To mark Bruce’s New Zealand concerts this week, Pete Douglas shines a light on the best of his looks through the years. You could say that I’m quite a big Springsteen fan. I’m the kind of fan who converts the top 200 songs … Read more
Ten years ago today, The OC finished forever. Elle Hunt is very late to the party, but still partying nonetheless. The best part about watching television that is years old and everyone has already seen is that no one can complain about spoilers. As with the Montreal Convention governing air travel disasters, there’s a two-year limitation … Read more
Alex Casey interviews world famous drag queen Courtney Act, star of Guy Sebastian-era Australian Idol and runner-up on RuPaul’s Drag Race. I had a Transparent-style mic drop moment when I was informed by a friend that Courtney Act’s name was a pun. Cou-rt-ney Act. Coouurr tttnee Aaactt. CAUGHT IN THE ACT. With my mind in … Read more
An update from Coco Solid on Equalise My Vocals, a new project focusing on gender equality in the music community. Ngā mihi nui! Firstly I’d like to thank everyone, including The Spinoff, for supporting the Equalise My Vocals crowdfunder to get this mini-summit off the ground. Gender equality in New Zealand music is something we … Read more
Next month, Spark presents Seamless, an all ages show at Auckland’s Tuning Fork. Henry Oliver talked to headliner, and winner of Best Male Solo Artist at last year’s VNZMAs, MAALA. The Spinoff: So you released an album last year, have just finished a run of festivals and have a new single out. What are you up to … Read more
It’s a not a wedding of two complete strangers unless there’s a party of weirdos at the reception. Tara Ward reviews the most memorable guests (so far) on Married At First Sight. There’s nothing better than spending Valentine’s Day watching a Married At First Sight marathon. Forget all that love and flowers bullshit, give me six … Read more
Henry Oliver talks to Savage about getting his songs on big Hollywood movies, outlasting so many of his New Zealand hip hop contemporaries and why he’s not interested in recording any more albums. Two weeks ago, during the Super Bowl, over 110 million people heard a minute of ‘Push’, a year-and-a-half-old song that Savage, perhaps … Read more
With Stan Lee’s Lucky Man returning to Lightbox at the end of the week, we round up the luckiest charms of the big and small screen. If you haven’t seen it already, Stan Lee’s Lucky Man takes a step away from the explosive Marvel cinematic universe to gloomy Londontown, where James Nesbitt (the bloke from … Read more
Failed presenter Duncan Greive reviews the first episode of The Project, Three’s new 7pm current affairs show. The lights came on and, after two weeks of as-live rehearsals, they really were speaking to the nation. Even for the show’s guest Rove McManus, who has spent most of his adult life on live television, it was a big … Read more
Duncan Greive settles down to a nice night of linear television in front of TVNZ 1’s Fair Go and Mind Over Money. Like many people under the age of 40 – and a large portion of those older – linear television has almost entirely given way to on-demand in my viewing habits. Linear, scheduled television … Read more
‘Best Songs Ever’ features various contributors to The Spinoff Music assessing recent songs and singles. SONG OF THE WEEK Aldous Harding – ‘Horizon’ ‘Horizon’, the first single from Aldous Harding’s forthcoming album Party, is straightforward and certain, rooted in her gothic folk past, but not bound to it. Three piano chords repeat throughout, leaving room … Read more
What will popular music sound and look like in 10 or 20 years time? Gareth Shute looks to Japan, where the era of the ‘authentic’ rock musician has already come to an end. Late last year, I was visiting Ebisu, Tokyo and wanted to see what acts were playing nearby. I discovered online what I … Read more
For a strange week in November, The Spinoff’s editor Duncan Greive was on the longlist to host Three’s new 7pm current affairs show The Project NZ. Here he gives a blow by blow of a botching. “He’s a household name and needs no introduction – so why am I bothering? Ladies and gentlemen, would you … Read more
The Spinoff and Spark proudly present Pod On The Couch, a weekly podcast exploring music and the people that make it. This episode: Will Cooper Barling and Nikolai join host Henry Oliver to talk about LGBTQIA+ issues in music. Spinoff Music editor Henry Oliver talks to Will Cooper Barling, who performs as WCB and Nikolai, both of … Read more
Every Friday, ‘The Album Cycle’ reviews a handful of new releases. ALBUM OF THE WEEK The Nudge – Dark Arts The second album from Wellington psych-rock album is a three song brain-burner, combining all the right spiked ingredients to keep your head nodding while your mind is expanding. Best listened to waking up in a … Read more
Alex Casey talks to Tash Keddy and Harry Dickinson of Shortland Street about how the soap consistently progresses LGBTQIA representation like nothing else on local television. Even if you haven’t watched Shortland Street in years, there’s no denying that Ferndale hit a home run last week. All it took was The Cloud, an iPad and … Read more
Rumour has it that when Mark Weldon threw Campbell Live down a well, a tearful John Campbell cursed the 7pm slot on TV3: Road Cops, Come Dine with Me and Story have all met grisly fates there since. But last night Spinoff prophet Calum Henderson watched a live dress rehearsal for The Project, and predicts … Read more