Alex Casey breaks down the first episode of The Bachelor NZ season three by way of very accurate statistical analysis. The Bachelor NZ roared back into our screens tonight like a burnt orange Suzuki Ignis driven at about 7km an hour by none other than Zac Franich himself. Before I put my stake in the ground … Read more
A huge day for reality television and digital communications of emotion in New Zealand. Hold the phone, hold your loved ones, hold Mike Puru – there are emojis for The Bachelor New Zealand now. The Bachelor NZ launched their BachMoji app for both iOS and Android this morning, rattling the emoji community harder than when … 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. This week on The Real Pod, Alex, Jane and Duncan meet over some lukewarm chocolate-flavoured water to discuss what’s been going on in popular culture and life. In the … Read more
Alex Casey speculates as to the meaning of the single white rose, a new addition to The Bachelor NZ as it enters its third season this Sunday. Some intriguing Bachelor NZ news has rippled through the internet this morning like a fart on a pristine beach: they are introducing a mysterious white rose to the proceedings. … 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. It’s a massive week on The Real Pod as Alex, Jane and Duncan discuss the one-two punch of Lorde’s new single and the nation’s new Bachelor. After a ten … 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
Every person and their dog has made a film reboot for television overseas, so why hasn’t New Zealand? Aaron Yap picks some classic films that are due a television revival. Confession: I don’t watch New Zealand television. It’s not that NZ TV sucks, although there is definitely an element of that. A huge one. I can’t … Read more
Will The Project usurp Hosking? Will Shortland Street bring back Lionel? Will Dominic Bowden take his place in The Bachelor circle of life? We look bravely to the year ahead and pluck out the most promising bits of local television programming. Survivor New Zealand It feels like 1000 years have passed since Lana Coc-Kroft had a deadly … Read more
The triumphant return of Jane Yee, Duncan Greive and Alex Casey to wrap up New Zealand telly in 2016. As 2016 starts to slip away like sand through the hour glass, our in-house television experts* reflect upon 2016 on the small screen in our fair country. What has Jordy Pordy been up to? What does … Read more
Last week – before Trump won and the Earth shook in fear – it was announced that Mike Puru was being replaced as the host of The Bachelor New Zealand by Dominic Bowden. Alex Casey sat down with with Puru on the day the news broke. He’s got his fingers in a lot of pies, … Read more
With UnREAL season two coming to an end tonight, Alex Casey shares her favourite moments of producer manipulation, contestant craziness and pant-pooping in all of dating show history. The finale of UnREAL season two arrives to Lightbox tonight, further unraveling the vipers nest of manipulation, lies and corruption on which the twinkling lights of fictional dating show Everlasting … Read more
Duncan Greive watches Māori Television’s new dating show Finding Aroha, and finds a surprisingly authentic reality quest for love. As a highly-paid television columnist, I am in possession of piercing insights which will rock you back in your seat. Buckle up, there’s a whopper coming. You ready? You sure? Here goes: The Bachelor NZ is not … Read more
Over the weekend Lizzie Marvelly wrote a column condemning reality television, a sentiment that she shares with many. But does reality TV really herald the end of critical thinking, devouring brain cells as every minute passes? Leah Damm responds. Imagine writing an opinion piece in which you spend a thousand-odd words expressing disapproval of an entire genre, … Read more
Jane Yee watches the glittering official promo for The Real Housewives of Auckland, and isn’t even a little bit disappointed. If there’s one thing New Zealand TV does well, it’s turning the purses of overseas reality franchises into sow’s ears. We take the glamour and glory prescribed by the international reality overlords, throw some number 8 … Read more
Last night there was a party to celebrate the launch of Beauty and the Beach, a new local reality TV show following women to the tropics for some plastic surgery. The Spinoff’s Alex Casey and Madeleine Chapman went along, and combine to bring you this special report. Alex: “Two girls in high school who want … Read more
For fans, the journey to the end of The Bachelor NZ season two was an excruciating one. But, as Alex Casey finds, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel with the latest season of UnREAL. Contains spoilers. Everyone’s afraid of the difficult second season, especially in New Zealand reality television circles where our … Read more
For its entire run The Bachelor NZ was a bore. Then Naz, ‘The Women Tell All’ and Story helped it explode into the best entertainment of the year, says Duncan Greive. After 10 weeks and 20 episodes of some of the most interminable and vacuous television New Zealand has ever seen, season two of the The Bachelor … Read more
BREAKING: a very short New Zealand relationship is over – we convene an emergency podcast to talk about it. The dream is already over! Host Jane Yee is joined in The Fantasy Suite by Alex Casey and Duncan Greive to discuss the shock news of Fleur and Jordan’s breakup. We also talk about Naz’s incredible … Read more
Comedian Melanie Bracewell goes into the trenches for The Women Tell All, the Bachelor NZ live event, and almost gets kicked out in the process. “Oh us? Yeah we supplied the roses for all the rose ceremonies,” said one of the two elegantly dressed women standing next to me. She then pressed the button for … Read more
The final of The Bachelor NZ last night hardly contained the hidden gems of a Michael Hill ring, but that didn’t stop Alex Casey coming back for one last ranking. It’s all over and I don’t really want to talk about it. Hopped up on mini Milky Bars, sausage rolls and Lindauer, I was so … Read more
After the finale of The Bachelor NZ, some of the greatest minds in the country* assemble to talk about what they’ve learned from Mauger Jordan and the bacholerettes this season. Duncan Greive on some Maugerly dangerous sex advice Despite all the helicopters and extreme water sports, there were no injuries this season beyond Erin’s cold – … Read more
Jordan was ravenous for love on the Bachelor NZ this week, overnighting with Naz and Fleur – but sending poor Erin home after she failed to notice he is physically indistinguishable from Aragorn. It was all hometowns and fantasy dates this week or, as The Bachelor NZ likes to call it “terrible chat with a brother-in-law … Read more
Alex Casey delivers her power rankings for week eight on The Bachelor NZ, including more Middle Earth than you can shake an earring at, and the pact that broke the camel’s back. Happy to report that it only took until week eight of The Bachelor NZ for something to happen that made me cry with laughter. It began … Read more
There’s a new Bachelor, a new mansion, and the same old dorks talking about it. The Fantasy Suite is The Spinoff’s weekly podcast about The Bachelor NZ, hosted by Jane Yee with Alex Casey and Duncan Greive. Have a listen below, or download here on iTunes, or here on Stitcher. This week in The Fantasy … Read more
Alex Casey delivers her power rankings for week seven on The Bachelor NZ, including the rise of Naz and Kate’s shocking ocean release. What’s the point in trying to rank, predict, or follow anything to do with The Bachelor NZ anymore. Let’s all just go to Waitangi and get plastered in elaborate gowns, because apparently … Read more
There’s a new Bachelor, a new mansion, and the same old dorks talking about it. The Fantasy Suite is The Spinoff’s weekly podcast about The Bachelor NZ, hosted by Jane Yee with Alex Casey and Duncan Greive. Have a listen below, or download here on iTunes, or here on Stitcher. This week sees a shock … Read more
After week seven on The Bachelor NZ, some of the greatest minds in the country* assemble to talk about the big issues including Jordan’s poor connecting skills, that mannequin, and life after The Bachelor. Anny Ma on Connect Four Never trust somebody who can’t play Connect Four. Never trust Beyoncé when you lose to her in Connect … Read more
There’s a new Bachelor, a new mansion, and the same old dorks talking about it. The Fantasy Suite is The Spinoff’s weekly podcast about The Bachelor NZ, hosted by Jane Yee with Alex Casey and Duncan Greive. Have a listen below, or download here on iTunes, or here on Stitcher. This week the #TFSPod Squad … Read more
Alex Casey assembles her contestant power rankings for week six, including stolen dogs, a birthday for Naz and a daredevil massage. Ah well Rebecca, that’s us then. Farewell to the greatest potential reality TV love story ever told. Farewell to the book deal resulting in a global bestseller, the inevitable reality spin-off series called Pinky … Read more