Vikings Day Catch Up Club: Misplaced Dogs and Undercuts in S01E01

Two key Spinoff writers Alex Casey and Joseph Moore share a dirty little secret: they’ve never seen any of the defining ‘important’ TV shows of our time. They launched Catch Up Club to save them (and possibly you). On this day of Vikings celebrations, they sailed to a land of non-fiction ghosts and boating-related pranks. // Alex: Ves … Read more

A Deep Dive to Nowhere: Breakfast Botches its Big Moment

We are living through some kind of gold-plated age for stunt television. Last month we saw Nik Wallenda tightrope walk between two buildings. Soon we’ll witness a man being swallowed by a snake (we’re team snake). This morning New Zealand, that plucky nation at the bottom of the world, had a crack at its own dramatic … Read more

Set Visit: X Factor Auditions Part One

With The X Factor’s filmed auditions in full throttle, Alex Casey revisits her bizarre afternoon at the preliminary auditions many moons ago. // Chomping at the bit to see the next slew of wide-eyed The X Factor hopefuls, I decided to head to the preliminary auditions at AUT. These are the pre-screenings, the first of … Read more

Music Monday: Excessive Analysis of X Factor NZ’s New Promo

Last week TV3 premiered the first X-Factor 2015 promo to feature its full lineup of judges. The concept is basically ‘the end of the judges’ commute to work, and then them walking a bit’. Here is the clip. Here are a few takeaways from this piece of promotional footage. 1. Willy Moon is a big Willy Moon Fan and … Read more

Better Call Saul: The Many Scummy Faces of Michael McKean

With the huge Breaking Bad spinoff Better Call Saul arriving exclusively to Lightbox in February 2015, Alex Casey looks at the disturbing television timeline of cast member Michael McKean.// Playing Saul Goodman’s brother Chuck in Lightbox’s much-anticipated Better Call Saul is by no means the first big television role for Michael McKean. In fact, one glance through his IMDB profile will reveal his ripe … Read more

Sci Fi Week: The Alien Slugs and Porn Warriors of New Zealand’s TV Sci Fi

José Barbosa wraps up Sci Fi Week by examining New Zealand’s TV science fiction, which peaked in the ’80s and has rarely been seen since. He wants to know why. // As we know Television is traditionally considered the production budget equivalent of a ratty two dollar shop that sells mobile phone covers and velvet … Read more

The Week in News: Birthdays, Bloopers and Big Little Lies

Happy 25th Birthday TV3 This week marks the 25th year of TV3, and much like an excited 25 year old having an entire birthday week – they are going on an absolute bender. Check out this celebration page for daily vids featuring bloopers, politics, and international correspondence from the last 25 years. For more from … Read more

The Tribe Has Spoken: Survivor San Juan Del Sur Episode 9

Survivor San Juan Del Sur Power Rankings Episode 9  12) The Move/Me Getting Owned This is me watching Tribal Council. What a shocker! To say that this is the best episode we’ve had so far is an understatement. Jaclyn and Jon’s questionable move pretty much saved this season. So I guess that’s good, but I’m … Read more

Spunoff Competition 2014: And The Winners Are…

After a week of receiving pitches far more groundbreaking than anything on Dragon’s Den, our Spunoff competition has closed. After much deliberation, here are the results. // We asked you, dear readers, to write us the very best spinoff pitch ideas from your favourite Lightbox show. In return, you had the rare chance to win a Samsung GALAXY S … Read more

Sci Fi Week: To Trademe and Beyond

With Sci Fi week in full swing and Christmas right around the corner, Alex Casey dredges up some powerful space junk from the dark reaches of the Trademe TV Memorabilia galaxy. // If there is one place to learn about the nuances of a particular show and it’s fandom, I can highly recommend following the Trademe … Read more

Sci Fi Week – Throwback Thursday: The Surreal World of Aeon Flux

This Throwback Thursday, Aaron Yap appreciates the long-tongued leather-clad genius of sci fi series Aeon Flux.// A funny thing happened when I began revisiting Peter Chung’s cult animated sci-fi series Aeon Flux for this column. Seeing it for the first time since the mid-‘90s when it was on MTV’s Liquid Television – a memorably messed-up anthology … Read more

Sci Fi Week – Catch Up Club: Battlestar Galactica E01

Two key Spinoff writers Alex Casey and Joseph Moore share a dirty little secret: they’ve never seen any of the defining ‘important’ TV shows of our time. They launched Catch Up Club to save them (and possibly you). For Sci Fi week, they space-jumped into the rusty depths of Battlestar Galactica. // Joseph: What the frak … Read more

Sci Fi Week: Orphan Black and Learning to Live With The Irresolvable Puzzle

One of the most important TV shows right now – Orphan Black – might turn out to be a hollow disappointment, but it still makes for essential viewing. David Larsen explains why. Here is one of my favourite pop culture images from the last ten years. It has nothing and everything to do with Orphan … Read more

Sci Fi Week: When Outer Space meets the Props Budget

José Barbosa shines a harsh space torch on sci-fi’s dirty little secret: it mostly looks terrible. Then tells us why we shouldn’t care. // If we can start by being honest, I think it’s important to acknowledge that really, no one should like science fiction TV shows. Much like KFC, the basic idea appeals, but … Read more

Sci Fi Week – Music Monday: Having Faith in Star Trek’s “Faith No More”

This is Sci-Fi week at The Spinoff – we’re running a bunch of content devoted to the most ambitious genre of them all. First up: Andrew Todd defends the much-hated theme song to Star Trek: Enterprise. // Star Trek: Enterprise, the sixth and thus far last TV show to bear the franchise’s name, was initially met with some … Read more

Ego Takes a Stage Dive: The 2014 NZ Music Awards Report

Joseph Moore reports on last night’s Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards from the safe confines of his VIP couch. // Grab your tuxes and gowns everyone! And by tuxes and gowns, I mean your track pants and delivery-Thai food, we’re doin’ these awards from the couch! Who needs a fancy invitation or VIP table when you’ve invited … Read more

The Week in News: Saul, Simpsons and Sick Commissions

Tingly Fingers for Better Call Saul Better Call Saul, one of the more hotly-anticipated shows for next year, has managed to maintain an almost unheard of level of mystery. The Breaking Bad spinoff show has restrained its PR to mere small town billboards, classified ads and the odd trailer, leading to fever pitch levels of intrigue … Read more

Throwback Thursday: The Gripping 1988 University Challenge Final

With the return of University Challenge NZ to Prime this Saturday morning, Alex Casey watches the incredible 1988 final between Canterbury and Waikato. // Host Peter Sinclair welcomes us to the 1988 final, reflecting on the year that has been. He honestly looks like the perfect combo of Christoph Waltz, a Ken doll and this infamous dog wearing … Read more

Catch Up Club: Downton Abbey E01 and Butler Realness

Two key Spinoff writers Alex Casey and Joseph Moore share a dirty little secret: they’ve never seen any of the defining ‘important’ TV shows of our time. They launched Catch Up Club to save them (and possibly you). This week they got lost in the Labrador-filled labyrinth of Downton Abbey. // Alex: First of all, can I … Read more

The Spinoff and Lightbox present “Spunoff”: a Group Think Competition

Television spinoffs are nothing new. Some nailed it (Daria, Frasier). Some didn’t (Joey, The Cleveland Show). Some are the current source of feverish rumours and hype (Better Call Saul, the untitled-Walking Dead parallel story). Most remain unmade – existing only in the hearts and minds of devoted fans worldwide. Have you ever woken up in a cold sweat, … Read more

Where The Ad Never Ends: The Barbarism of Contemporary Informercials

Like advertising’s cockroach, informercials have emerged stronger following the internet’s onslaught. José Barbosa suffered through a night of them to bring you this harrowing report. // It can be argued that, in terms of human dignity, waking up at 1:30 in the morning with the intent to watch infomercials is a plunge into the lowest … Read more

The Block Week 12: Swing From the Chandeliers

Gather around, my friends: the time has come. It’s here! It’s really, really here! It’s our last week on The Block NZ. The teams returned their tools to the Bunnings Shed, packed their suitcases and said an emotional goodbye to their houses. Let us journey onwards and upwards, as we relive the glorious moments of the … Read more

Music Monday: Josh Pfefferman and How Transparent Nails the Music Industry

This Music Monday Henry Oliver and Duncan Greive discuss an underrated element of the phenomenal Transparent: its unnervingly sharp portrayal of LA’s music industry. // Henry: Transparent was an interesting show for so many reasons, all of which could/should be discussed at length. There were issues in the show: gender (obvi) and the ‘new’ American family … Read more

Shorty Street Scandal: Warner by the Dozen

Please enjoy this week’s episode of Shorty Street Scandal, wherein James Mustapic recaps the past week of Ferndale hijinks. This week? We meet our darling Clementine, Chris forgets how to parent and Wendy cockblocks the night away: It’s always exciting to have a new addition to the Street – this week saw the arrival of Clementine. … Read more

The Week in News: Broads, Brothers and Broadchurch

Goodbye Sweet Dawg After 13 seasons, 400 cheesecutter hats and just as many peace signs – judge Randy Jackson is moving on from American Idol. He leaves Ryan Seacrest as the only remaining original cast member, to join Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul in some sort of Coca-Cola Mecca. The judges for the upcoming season … Read more

Dance Moms: The Inhuman Price of Perfect Form

Abby Lee Miller trained the dancer in Sia’s ‘Chandelier’ clip, but reveals deep depravity in reality show Dance Moms. Eleanor Robertson wrestles with a complex monster. // Think about the worst person you’ve ever met. Not someone who inexplicably annoys you, or somebody you hate for a petty historical reason. I mean the worst person. The kind of person you … Read more