For some reason, there’s a prohibition theme this week on Dancing with the Stars NZ! Alcohol or no, these are the power rankings. ELIMINATED: Marama Fox (and Brad) – Foxtrot Calling it now: Meghan Trainor killed Marama Fox’s chances of winning this thing. Marama Fox is a charismatic, beautiful Māori woman, and it’s sad to … Read more
All eight episodes of spy thriller Killing Eve are now available to stream on TVNZ on Demand. Sam Brooks looks back at the series. After watching just the first episode of Killing Eve, I was all in. A new Phoebe Waller-Bridge show? Check! A new Sandra Oh performance to obsess over? Check it twice, then a third time for a … Read more
It might be called Coast New Zealand but, after three seasons, it should really be called Neil Oliver New Zealand, writes Calum Henderson. After three seasons of Coast New Zealand, most reasonable TV watchers will surely agree: Neil is the best Oliver. He’s funnier and smarter than John without even trying, and even though he … Read more
It’s week six, and it’s Survivor NZ’s cheesiest week yet! Time to microwave a leftover slice of Pizza Hut™ Pizza and look back at all the action from this week. Luke Harries recaps. Pizza Hut Delivers This week’s reward challenge prize was the best so far, no question. Pizza is bloody great. Winning pizza is … Read more
ER might be one of the biggest television shows of all time, but it’s rarely thought of as the subject of teen obsession. Claire Adamson was the exception that proves the rule. Obsession is a rite of passage for a teenage girl. From the Beatles to Bieber, the teen girl has long buoyed the print … 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 do a dramatic Paso Doble between Survivor NZ and Dancing With the Stars NZ. Why has New Zealand kicked all the dancing reality stars to the curb so … Read more
Last year, Oddly Even won TVNZ’s inaugural New Blood web series competition. This year and $100K later, the series launches. Sam Brooks talks to Oddly Even’s three lead actresses about the experience so far. Oddly Even is a cute web series. There’s an SPP-lite feel about the endeavour, with enough new-generation flavour to keep it from feeling … Read more
Amazingly, Dancing with the Stars NZ continues despite Naz’s untimely and controversial departure from the show. And as surely as the sun rises and sets, the power rankings come in. ELIMINATED: Zac Franich (and Kristie) – Paso Doble We bid adieu to the third Bachelor! The one thing I will give Zac Franich is that he seems … Read more
As we entered week five of Survivor we were yet to see a man go home. Would this finally be the week? Yes, yes it would. Luke Harries recaps. We’ve made it to week five of Survivor NZ, and I’m starting to think the men of this year’s Survivor cast might have it out for … Read more
The royal wedding is tomorrow, and The Spinoff has a correspondent on the ground for all the late-breaking Meghan and Harry news. Let’s check in with him. Starring Ra Pomare This content, like all television coverage we do at The Spinoff, is brought to you thanks to the excellent folk at Lightbox. Do us and … Read more
Alex Casey dissects episode five of The Handmaid’s Tale, including the march of the child brides and a lovely holiday to the colonies. Contains spoilers, obviously. Finally, we’ve caught somewhat of a break. ‘Seed’ was perhaps the most relaxed episode of the season so far, and when I say relaxed I mean a couple of … Read more
Obsessed with the royal wedding and not sure what to do with the few hours that are left in the lead-up? Proud royal(wedding)ist Tara Ward shares her pre-planning schedule. Friends, there is one more sleep until Prince Harry marries Meghan Markle in the event of the century, and I am gripped by wedding fever. Gripped, … 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, Alex has only stopped spewing, Duncan has just woken up from a five-day coma, and Jane is trying to get away from both of them. Together they have a … Read more
As of today, there’s a bunch of new ways to Lightbox! Sam Brooks counts them all, including premium subscriptions, movies, downloads and a kids corner. So you’ve got Lightbox. It’s your favourite place to stream The Handmaid’s Tale, Suits, UnReal and a range of other great shows. It sponsors your favourite TV section on the internet. It’s … Read more
The state-owned broadcaster has long resisted public service. Yet with $38m on the table, and the government’s relationship with RNZ rocky, moving Q+A to primetime could be be seen as a deftly timed olive branch The press release, under the headline “TVNZ powers up primetime political coverage”, came out at 3:25pm yesterday afternoon – until … Read more
At the height of their mid-90s fame, Jason Gunn and his sidekick Thingee made their own 60 minute movie, the Christchurch-set caper Jason and Thingee’s Big Adventure. Baz McDonald talks to team behind it, including Gunn himself. For New Zealand kids growing up in the early ’90s, weekday afternoons from 3:30 to 4pm meant one … Read more
Sometimes the judges on Dancing with the Stars can be just a little bit rough. Need proof? We’ve rounded up all this week’s meanest comments about celebrities moving around the dance floor. Presenting #DWTSNZ – Harsh Words. This content, like all television coverage we do at The Spinoff, is brought to you thanks to the excellent folk … Read more
It’s week three but it feels like we’ve never had a world without Dancing with the Stars. We’re down one Real Housewife™ but there’s still eleven contestants left. We power-rank those who remain, and farewell one more star. ELIMINATED: Naz Khanjani (and Shay) – Cha cha Naz had something that nobody else in this competition had: a … Read more
Angel, Dove, Mercy and the rest of the flock are back, as happy as ever in blue. Writer Anke Richter, a cult observer, watches Gloriavale: The Return. The best thing I could do to prepare myself for Gloriavale: The Return was to catch up on the latest episodes of The Handmaid’s Tale. It’d be a … Read more
It’s been a huge week on Survivor NZ. The game is really heating up and absolutely no one is safe. Luke Harries takes a look at what went down this week. Adam & Tess v Dylan & Kaysha A cold war of sorts came to a head this week at Khang Khaw, between Adam and … Read more
You want mothers? Lightbox has ’em. Tara Ward takes a look at the best TV mothers to hang with this weekend. Mothers. They’re everywhere these days; at work, at the gym, on the television. They’ve even had the audacity to give themselves a day in their own honour (it’s tomorrow, FYI). Nowhere is safe from women … Read more
With the return of Three’s women-led sketch show Funny Girls tonight at 9.45pm, we bless ye with an exclusive clip from tonight’s episode. Funny Girls returns to Three tonight at 9.45pm This content, like all television coverage we do at The Spinoff, is brought to you thanks to the excellent folk at Lightbox. Do us … Read more
Alex Casey dissects episode four of The Handmaid’s Tale, including tense baby showers and a walk down memory lane. Contains spoilers, obviously. June, in the sacred words of Fur Patrol, am I surprised to see you here with Lydia? No. No I’m not. After last week’s literal plane crash disaster, I knew it was only … Read more
There’s some huge Coronation Street news: New Zealand is in for a hardcore catch up. A shaken Tara Ward explains what’s happening. Hold the phone, stop the runaway tram, throw your wobbly trifle at the wall. Mark this day down in television history, for it’s the day that TVNZ made an announcement that will make Coronation … 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 feast upon a delicious meal of Nando’s (and wash it all down with some Peri Peri chips) while we recap that week that was. Which celebs have we … Read more
Patsy Stone visiting two of the most beautiful places in the world? Sold! Tara Ward watches Joanna Lumley’s TWO travel series which you can watch on Lightbox right now. Last night I dreamed I saw Patsy Stone trapped in a warm embrace with an over-sized, dancing seal. The sun was shining, Patsy was grinning wildly, … Read more
It’s week two on Dancing with the Stars and one star must combust. Sam Brooks and Alex Casey power rank the contestants with varying levels of expertise and insight. ELIMINATED: Gilda Kirkpatrick (and Shay) – Samba Look, if Gilda’s insta story from last Sunday night is anything to go by, her elimination is a tremendous loss to … Read more
It’s week three of Survivor NZ, and it’s one week closer to finding out which one of our castaways will be allowed to return home to participate in the next season of Dancing With The Stars, and who will be left marooned in the Thai jungle for the rest of time. Luke Harries recaps. Eve’s … Read more
Alex Casey dissects episode three of The Handmaid’s Tale, including cereal gags, serious twists and a Gwen Stefani cameo, of all things. First of all: I’m sorry. I tricked you with a delicious sugary cereal snack and a pun headline, just like episode three of The Handmaid’s Tale tricked me into relaxing a bit before … Read more