The Real Pod assembles to dissect the week in New Zealand pop culture and real life, with special thanks to Nando’s. THIS EPISODE CONTAINS MAJOR REALITY TV SPOILERS, TAKE HEED It’s our last proper episode of The Real Pod for the year, nicely timed with the end of every reality TV show ever. Join us as … Read more
The week’s episode of the Great Kiwi Bake Off was a right old sausage-fest, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. Tara Ward power ranks the grand finale. This is how we roll on the Great Kiwi Bake Off: sausage-fests and tight buns aplenty. After ten glorious weeks, 12 amateur bakers, a shedload of soggy … Read more
Brianna fell down the time-travelling rabbit hole in this week’s episode of Outlander, but who did she meet there? Tara Ward recaps. Chuck me in the Fraser bathtub and sponge me down with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, because this season of Outlander is stronger than Claire Fraser’s wig in a hurricane. ‘Down the Rabbit … Read more
In the final episode of Project Runway New Zealand, the designers had to make a whole damn collection. Henry Oliver ranks the results. First, the show itself. Overall, I was impressed. I was initially scared that the cast lacked the chops to make it a competitive series: sure, actual skill doesn’t matter that much on these … Read more
It can be hard making small-talk with your loved ones over the holidays – which is exactly why television was invented. Sam Brooks shares the best shows to binge on Lightbox over the silly season, no matter your demographic. For the child (outside you): Paw Patrol. Your child has probably seen all of it already, and … Read more
Every day in the lead-up to Christmas, open the door to reveal a Spinoff writer’s short, sizzling commentary on a weighty subject. Our arbitrary and strictly enforced word limit: 365. Today: Alex Casey on the only social media influencer worth following. As we drag our heels towards the end of December, it’s the perfect time … Read more
If people don’t recognise your power, no worries, you can always just appeal to a higher authority. Alex Braae recaps S05E13 of Vikings. One of the things that often gets forgotten when looking at media depictions of historical events is the all-encompassing role that religion once played in political and social life. Spiritual power had a … Read more
House of Drag breaks out of the Drag Race mould with an all rap-challenge, with mixed results. Look. It’s not racist to do a rap challenge with an all-white cast, but it’s something that I might give a little pause to before continuing on with it, just for the sake of optics. I would also give a little … Read more
The Real Pod assembles to dissect the week in New Zealand pop culture and real life, with special thanks to Nando’s. This week on the Real Pod, we suck back an ice cold taurine fizz and tackle another week of reality television. Both Project Runway and Bake Off are in their semi-finals, MKRNZ has finally come … Read more
The strip club-set New Zealand TV series The Strip ran for two seasons in the early-2000s and is now largely forgotten. But Emily Writes remembers it… We heard about The Strip before we saw it on TV. The advertising had been hot. We knew Robbie Magasiva was involved and my god, we loved Robbie Magasiva … Read more
Where were you when the person you thought would get sent home from Great Kiwi Bake Off didn’t? Tara Ward was in her pantry, praising the chocolate gods for blessing us with the nicest show on television. “It’s all about the crust and the goo,” Sue said, as she welcomed us to Chocolate Week. Sue … Read more
Last week saw a hat-eating pig on Fraser’s Ridge, this week there was a snake in the dunny. What other joys await us in the next episode of Outlander? Tara Ward finds out. When Outlander begins with a snake stuck in a long drop, you know you’re in for one heck of a ride. Toilets, so … Read more
In the eleventh episode of Project Runway New Zealand, the designers had to make a look representing their hypothetical spring/summer line. Henry Oliver ranks the results and predicts the ultimate winner. Ahhhhh the final challenge. Traditionally, the first chance the designers have to just make something they want to make. No herbal soft drinks, no shopping … Read more
Alex Casey talks to Medulla Oblongata following their shock elimination from House of Drag. Medulla Oblongata is the name of the stem that connects the spinal cord to the brain. It’s also the part that controls the gag reflex. It’s also the name of the recently-eliminated contestant from House of Drag, a non-binary former refugee … Read more
It was the *other* double murder that defined the nineties – the one that wasn’t OJ-related. Coming to Lightbox today is its TV dramatisation: Law and Order True Crime: The Menéndez Murders. But who are all these people? Sam Brooks has the info you need. I was not yet born when Lyle and Erik Menéndez walked on … Read more
The latest episode of Vikings shows that even in the more civilised parts of this world, subtle politicking can still be overcome by a knife straight through the eye. Alex Braae recaps episode twelve of season five of Vikings. One of the affectations that Vikings has always relied on a bit too heavily is the use … Read more
It’s taken five episodes – but we’ve finally gotten to a choreography challenge. Sam Brooks power ranks the fifth episode of House of Drag. It feels strange that it’s taken until halfway through the season until we get to a choreography challenge — nay, any music challenge at all. As a performative artform, drag is more aligned … Read more
The Real Pod assembles to dissect the week in New Zealand pop culture and real life, with special thanks to Nando’s. This week on the Real Pod, the gang is back together to recap another thrilling week on reality TV and in real life. Duncan brings all the inside gossip from the Mediaworks launch, Jane provides … Read more
McDreamy’s new show, a mid-aughts mum classic and two of the year’s most fun films – they’re all on Lightbox this month! Plus, what you need to catch before it leaves. Book Club (movie from December 5) 2018 is the year that I embraced the book club, and it has enhanced my life in ways I … Read more
Get It to Te Papa follows journalist Hayden Donnell on an ambitious quest to collect underappreciated Kiwi cultural artefacts and get them into New Zealand’s national museum, Te Papa. And you can watch the second episode right here – for free. But first, watch episode 1, in search of the Waitangi Dildo, here. In episode … Read more
Get It to Te Papa follows journalist Hayden Donnell on an ambitious quest to collect underappreciated Kiwi cultural artefacts and get them into New Zealand’s national museum, Te Papa. And you can watch the first episode right now, for free. The first episode sees Hayden and José embark on a desperate quest to find the … Read more
Alex Casey talks to the key players involved in one of the greatest moments in New Zealand television history. Erin Simpson is playing air guitar beneath guttural groans. A kid is doing enthusiastic devil horns. A death metal band is playing against a purple sequin background. It was 4.30 in the afternoon, 2010, when TV2 … Read more
Welcome to Pastry Week, my little overstuffed cherubs. Tara Ward power ranks episode eight of the delicious televisual feast that is The Great Kiwi Bake Off. This morning Sir David Attenborough announced that civilisation was on the brink of collapse. Seems likely, but let’s just eat some cake and chill out for a bit. I’m … Read more
Stand aside, Jamie Fraser, there’s a new pork chop in town. Tara Ward recaps ‘Savages’, episode five of the fourth season of Outlander. Welcome to ‘Savages’, or as I like to call it, ‘The Mystery of Jamie Fraser’s Hat’. Just where was Jamie’s hat? Claire didn’t have it, Jamie didn’t have it, and it certainly … Read more
In the tenth episode of Project Runway New Zealand, the designers had to make a suit. Henry Oliver ranks the results. There are three acts to a competition reality TV show. The first act is when they cut the people who can maybe do the thing in real life but can’t under the constraints of a … Read more
Before American Horror Story, before Glee, before Pose, Ryan Murphy was television’s biggest peddler of schlock. The biggest heap of it? Nip/Tuck, all available on TVNZ on Demand. Before the age of streaming television, you couldn’t pick when you watched something. If you wanted to watch a show that was, quite rightly for many reasons, on at 10:30 PM at … Read more
The hairiest show on TV (and online streaming services) is back, and there are legitimate questions to be asked – mainly, why is Ivar such a loser? But while Vikings characters may break our hearts, their beards are forever. The Spinoff’s resident facial hair expert Madeleine Chapman ranks them. You can watch all of Vikings … Read more
What do the TV gods have in store for the sons of Ragnar Lothbrok, as season 5 of Vikings returns? Alex Braae recaps the first episode back. Perhaps fitting for a show about an era where murderer and plunderer were legitimate occupations, Vikings got a bit messy for a while there. The first half of … Read more
It’s our first shock elimination – and one that genuinely leaves the show worse off. Sam Brooks power-ranks episode four of House of Drag. “Skits are for scouts.” is one of the many pearls of wisdom that my mother gave me. Skits are sketches that weren’t good enough to be sketches, so they’re called skits. … Read more