Look at him. Just look at him. This is amazing. Former New Zealand cricket player Chris Zinzan Harris is going to be on Dancing With the Stars. To me, an avowed fan of both the legendary all-rounder and the harmlessly stupid celebrity dancing show, this could just about be the greatest thing that has ever … Read more
The Americans is not only one of the best shows on TV right now (with the fifth season dropping on Lightbox this week), it’s an education tool. Tara Ward studied the show and came away with tips on how to decipher if your real-life neighbours are also real-life spies. If you’re looking for an intelligent drama … Read more
Bringing back an awesome show from 20 or 30 years ago may seem like the answer to all our modern TV problems, but is it really? Today, Calum Henderson examines the case for bringing back a true crime masterclass. Mike Bungay QC was a New Zealand lawyer so famous they gave him his own TV … 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 team wash up in a MAFS-free world. Luckily, our favourite celebrity couple Zac Franich and Erin Simpson (Zarin) are marking their three month anniversary by moving in together. … Read more
Alex Casey and Sam Brooks round up the new content coming to Lightbox this month, including the highly anticipated return of The Handmaid’s Tale, Russian spies in wigs and Helen Mirren’s career-defining role! The Handmaid’s Tale S2 (April 26) The last we saw of Offred and the gals, a cute way of characterising a group of women … Read more
Wikipedia has it on its list of the worst sitcoms of all time. But how bad is it? Sam Brooks watched the first episode of Melody Rules to find out if the notorious Kiwi comedy has been unfairly maligned. The answer is yes, but also no. For those of you who are not in the know about … Read more
Alex Casey introduces Raised by Wolves, a coming-of-age sitcom created by UK feminist firebrand Caitlin Moran. What’s the story? Raised by Wolves is a semi-biographical retelling of the childhoods of Caitlin and Caroline Moran, set on an estate in the working class city of Wolverhampton. Join Germaine (who I’m assuming is inspired by Caitlin via … Read more
For the greater good of television, three industry heavyweights put their differences aside for the launch of research and advocacy group ThinkTV in New Zealand. Jihee Junn tags along to see what the fuss is all about. It’s not every day you have the heads of New Zealand’s three biggest TV providers on stage at … 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 team try to put together the pieces after an explosive end to Married at First Sight Australia. Why is Sean suddenly dipped in gold? What were Tracey’s sexy … Read more
Alex Casey watches the final week of Married at First Sight Australia, and comes away with some important lessons for the new season of the New Zealand franchise. It’s been a difficult relationship with Married at First Sight Australia. Late nights have meant I haven’t always been there and, when I made the effort, sometimes the … Read more
Last night, the Dancing with the Stars NZ Facebook page dropped the first bizarre, post-apocalyptic and surprisingly dance-free promo for the new season. Sam Brooks watched it very closely. 00:01 – White paper blows across a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Is it a metaphor for broadcast TV? The state of affairs when the first people you announce … Read more
Sam Brooks picks out what you should watch this long Easter weekend when you’re too full of chocolate and can reach no further than your trusty remote. Easter is upon us! The four day weekend, or the weekend when you inexplicably can’t buy alcohol on Friday or Sunday in this country, full of chocolate, full … Read more
The second half of season seven of Suits hits Lightbox tomorrow! But what would it look like… in New Zealand? Like real, flyover country New Zealand. Sam Brooks imagines this beautiful scenario. We all know Suits. It’s the show where lawyers outwit those around them, fall in love, fall in almost-love and wade in the murky waters between … Read more
Anika Moa’s new show Anika Moa: Unleashed launches today at midday on TVNZOnDemand with an interview with National deputy leader Paula Bennett. It’s a perfect showcase for two strong personalities, writes Sam Brooks. Anika Moa is one of the greatest interviewers in our country, and she does it in the skin of an internet troll. … Read more
Sam Brooks continues his dig through the NZ on Screen archives and the history of New Zealand drama with 1978’s Radio Waves, a half-hour maybe-comedy about the travails of an Auckland radio station. After watching Close to Home, I was struck by three things. One, how indebted New Zealand drama (and this also extends to … Read more
Candid, considered and confronting, Three’s story of singer Stan Walker’s battle with cancer transcends the famous-person-facing-adversity form, writes Sam Brooks. “I went for a routine check about two months ago – a week later I found out I’ve got cancer. I know I’m gonna beat this …” He pauses. “… And then, nek minute, I … Read more
International co-production Nori: Roller Coaster Boy is one of two new Lightbox Originals, representing the TV service’s first foray into original programming. Alex Casey talked to the NZ creatives behind it. Nestled in the shadow of Peter Jackson’s enormous Park Road Post studio in Miramar is POW studios, a small sound production company in quiet … 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 heave our way to the end of Married at First Sight Australia wearing nothing but our Earth suits and eating nothing but chilled Tim Tams. What is Paleo … Read more
It’s got big hair, rollerskating, and Reebok hi-tops, but what exactly is The Goldbergs? Tara Ward is here to give you the low-down on this 80s-set sitcom, which drops all four of its seasons on Lightbox today. What’s the story? The Goldbergs is a family comedy that will speak to anyone who lived through the ‘80s, knows … Read more
Before there was Shortland Street, there was Close to Home. Sam Brooks dug through the NZ on Screen archives and found the first episode of New Zealand’s first soap opera. It’s 1975 in New Zealand. Imagine the climate. Robert Muldoon is about to become prime minister, the population has just cracked three million and television … Read more
Alex Casey watches the Anne Batley-Burton spinoff show the country has been waiting for. In a year where Gilda Kirkpatrick is entering Dancing With the Stars NZ and Julia Sloane is somehow making a TV show about sex, it is only fitting that Anne Batley-Burton now has a show entirely devoted to… herself. Keeping Up … Read more
Henry Oliver sits down with Freddie Highmore to talk about his TV journey from the cellars of Bates Motel to the corridors of The Good Doctor. In The Good Doctor, Freddie Highmore plays Shaun Murphy, a surgical resident with autism and savant syndrome. So, basically, he’s both a genius with diagnostic powers exceeding those of his superiors at … Read more
Alex Casey and Sam Brooks round up the new content coming to Lightbox this month, including some sunny Philadelphians, Harvey Specter’s return and Lightbox’s first original content ever! It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (Seasons 9-12 arrive March 15) They’re the worst people on TV – and some of the funniest. If you’ve missed the show for the … 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, Jane returns to the hosting chair and Duncan and Alex couldn’t be more relieved. We look at an exciting and delicious incident involving a shark and a pie, take … Read more
The Great British Bake Off returned to Prime last night. Amateur baker and Bake Off fan Tara Ward was watching to see how the new Mel, Sue and Mary-less season fared. When last we saw The Great British Bake Off, everything had turned to shit. After Channel 4 bought the show from the BBC for a bargain … Read more
A lot of British migrants are making the move to New Zealand – so why shouldn’t there be a TV show documenting the process? Elle Hunt watches BBC reality show Wanted Down Under. A family of four wheels a trolley through an airport’s arrival hall. Far away from home, they look tired but hopeful. Today … Read more
It may not be as flash as its counterparts, but TVNZ 2’s latest obstacle course show more than makes up for it in pure heart. The giant obstacle course could be about to topple the commercial-grade kitchen as television’s main competitive arena in this part of the world. Australian Spartan (Sunday nights, TVNZ 2) is … 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, Jane is away and things quickly fall into complete disarray. Madeleine Chapman joins Alex and Duncan as co-host to look at the past week in New Zealand, including a … Read more
Cops, doctors, variety shows writers, reality show producers, women are running the show – and running the shows. To celebrate International Women’s Day, Tara Ward is saluting ten of Lightbox’s best shows made by women. It’s a well-known fact that women are awesome. They also make awesome television, whether its comedy, drama or a bicycle-riding … Read more