New to Neon in April

Sharon Horgan’s new comedy Dreamland will stream on Neon from April 6. It’s based on the Catastrophe/Bad Sisters star/creator’s BAFTA-winning short of the same name about “secrets, lies, loves and aspirations within a family of four sisters.” Reads the blurb: Set in the sun-drenched British seaside town of Margate, it is a dark comedic exploration of multi-generational female […]

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Crimefighting Duos Duke It Out

TVNZ 1’s new Britbox whodunit-duo, Murder in Provence and The Magpie Murders, has strengthened its Saturday night arsenal. They launched last weekend, when Provence delivered a 25-54 share of 10.5 (19,555 viewers) and Magpie a 9.9 share (13,670), helped by Jamie’s One-Pan Wonders opening to a 17.4 share (44,820). Provence’s share exceeded the previous week’s season […]

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TVNZ 1 Backtracks The Celebrity Chase

TVNZ 1 will revert to re-runs of The Celebrity Chase from Wednesday. The network says this is due to ITV being unable to deliver new episodes, although it’s still possible these will surface during the current run. In the meantime, TVNZ 1 will repeat the series from episode two of season 12. It will feature […]

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Network Movies in HD: March 18-24

Saturday Marmaduke (Whakaata Māori, 7.00) Fast & Furious (TVNZ 2, 7.30) Silver Linings Playbook (Eden, 8.30) Non Stop (Whakaata Māori, 8.40) Divergent (TVNZ 2, 9.25) 3 Days to Kill (Three, 10.30) The Bank Job (TVNZ 2, midnight)   Sunday Cloud Atlas (TVNZ 2, 2.10am) Trolls World Tour (TVNZ 2, 3.45) John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (TVNZ 2, 8.30) Interstellar (Three, 8.30) The Blind […]

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Mont Bee at Top of Ratings Class

Guy Montgomery’s Guy Mont Spelling Bee stung the competition in the core commercial demographics on Thursday. It won the 7.30 hour for Three with an 18-49 share of 21.3 (42,782 viewers) and finished second in the 25-54 race with a 17.9 share (48,942). TVNZ 1’s The Great British Sewing Bee had a higher 25-54 share of 19.4 […]

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TVNZ 2’s Friday Night Strategy a No-Brainer

TVNZ 2’s Patriot Brains With Sue Perkins has slipped to third place on Friday nights a month after its premiere but the network’s lead-out line-up is sheer genius. Last week the panel show’s share of 25-54 year-olds plunged from 14.2 (31,820 viewers) the previous Friday to 8.8 (23,750). TVNZ 1’s 25-54 share for The Repair Shop […]

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Disney+ Giveth and Taketh Away

The best reviewed of the epic fantasy sagas to hit streaming services last year won’t be returning for a second season. Deadline today reported Disney+ has axed Willow: Willow, which picked up years after the events of the film, did not have the zeitgeist cultural impact of the original but was well received by critics, […]

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Celebs Chase Aussie Couples

The return of The Celebrity Chase helped TVNZ 1 to narrow the 25-54 gap with Three’s Married at First Sight Australia on Wednesday —  but the reality juggernaut still coasted to an easy victory. TCC posted a 25-54 share of 23.7 (78,903 viewers) and an 18-49 share of 23.5 (60,036) vs 29.6 (94,271) and 30.1 […]

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HD Heads-Up: March 25-31

➢➢ The Kevin McCloud-fronted Grand Designs returns for its 23rd season (TVNZ 1, 8.30 Sunday) with a classic budget blow-out disaster when a couple in south Manchester takes eight years to build a curved glass-and-wood Swedish design that the Manchester Evening News reports left Channel 4 viewers “gob smacked” — and the middle-aged owners with a 20-year-mortgage. Said one critic: “The […]

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More Bark Than Bite

TVNZ 1’s cute critters combo was the weak link in the network’s ratings chain on Tuesday. SPCA Rescue’s share of the network’s core commercial audience, 25-54 year-olds, was 15.8 (52,600 viewers) and Barkley Manor’s, 10.2 (34,025). These were down sharply on lead-in Seven Sharp’s 29.4 share (83,225) and significantly lower than lead-out Mt Hutt Rescue’s 20.2 (51,864). […]

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