HD Heads-Up: December 10-16

➢➢ Prime will spruce up Saturday nights with a dramatic overhaul that pairs a superior two-and-a-half-hour comedy block with a new soap opera about a vintner dynasty. It will sandwich a 7.30 re-run of the award-winning Kiwi comedy Raised by Refugees between another acclaimed immigration comedy, HBO Max’s Gordita Chronicles (6.00), about a family of Dominican Republicans who move to Miami, and an HBO Max reboot of ’80s high school comedy Head of the Class (7.05). American Auto (7.40) concerns a car-maker whose new CEO knows nothing about cars (“a hilarious sitcom with a solid foundation,” said Rotten Tomatoes), the well-reviewed Grand Crew (8.10) follows the lives of young Los Angelenos, and The Kings of Napa (8.40) is named after a Napa Valley clan whose patriarch suddenly exits, leaving his three children vying to be his successor …

➢➢ Shortland Street will end 2022 with an hour-long final (TVNZ 2, 7.00 Thursday). Also finishing ahead of the Christmas rush of specials and movies will will be Primetime Lingo, Hyundai Country Calendar, The Larkins, Swamp People – Serpent Invasion, The Bay, My Kitchen Rules, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, Hypothetical, Hartland USA with Leigh Hart, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Swipe, Match, Murder: The Disappearance of Grace Millane, The First Lady, The Voice Australia and The World’s Most Extraordinary Homes …

➢➢ Spearheading this year’s festive programming will be In for a Penny Christmas Special (TVNZ 1, 8.05 Saturday), The Dog House Christmas Special (TVNZ 1, 7.30 Tuesday) and Jamie’s One Pan Christmas (TVNZ 1, 7.30 Thursday), in which Oliver cooks Christmas meals cooked in just one pan, pot or dish …

➢➢ There also will be a slew of music specials, with viewers having to choose between the Topp Twins live concert tribute Topp Class (Prime, 8.30 Tuesday) and an Adele double-bill: Adele: 30 Greatest Moments (TVNZ 2, 7.30) and a repeat of An Audience With Adele (TVNZ 2, 9.30). TVNZ 1 will have ABBA: Best Covers Ever (7.30 Sunday), which reveals the stories behind the covers, while Whakaata Māori will premiere Citizens of Boomtown: The Story of the Boomtown Rats (8.30 Monday) …

➢➢ Fans of Special Victims Unit will be able to watch a double-episode on Monday (Three, 8.30) and a third on Tuesday, ahead of the 9.30 premiere of the Pam Corkery documentary The Gangs … 14 Years Later, which will continue 9.40 Wednesday …

➢➢ Other law-and-order premieres will include S3 of FBI (Prime, 8.30 Thursday), Ten 7 Summer (TVNZ 2, 10.25 Thursday) and Joe vs Carole (TVNZ 2, midnight Friday), in which Carole Baskin, a big cat rescuer, learns that roadside zoo owner Joe Exotic has hired a hit man to murder her …

➢➢ New to TVNZ 1 will be Joanna Lumley: The Northern Lights (8.45 Saturday), in which she journeys to Norway to observe “the true wonder of the world”, and the documentary series The Costa Concordia: Why She Sank (7.30 Monday) …

➢➢ TVNZ 2 will switch The Amazing Race to 6.00 Saturdays for its S32 premiere while re-runs of The Dog House will air 6.00 Sundays …

➢➢ On the sporting front, Whakaata Māori will screen the 32nd Annual Māori Sports Awards, Ngā Tohu Tākaro Māori 2022 (6.30 Sunday), while Prime will broadcast 2022 New Zealand Netball Awards (9.00 Monday) …

➢➢ Kate Winslet, Sir Lenny Henry, Nadiya Hussain and Jack Whitehall will guest on Thursday’s The Graham Norton Show (Three, 8.30) …

➢➢ Duke will precede a weekday re-run of S13 of Doctor Who with the 2021 New Year’s special, Doctor Who – Revolution of the Daleks (2.00 Monday). The channel will also premiere S3 of Warship: Life at Sea (9.35 Thursday) …

➢➢ Screening for the first time on free-to-air TV will be The Hunt (TVNZ 2, 10.50 Sunday). Other HD coming attractions will include:

• Dirty Dancing (TVNZ 2, 7.00 Saturday)
• Jungle Shuffle (Whakaata Māori, 7.00 Saturday)
• Open Water (Three, 8.30 Saturday)
• Awake (Eden, 8.30 Saturday)
• Song For Marion (Whakaata Māori, 8.40 Saturday)
• I Feel Pretty (TVNZ 2, 9.00 Saturday)
• Piranha 3DD (Three, 10.15 Saturday)
• The Butterfly Effect 2 (Duke, 10.50 Saturday)
• Underworld Awakening (TVNZ 2, 11.05 Saturday)
• The Butterfly Effect 3 (Duke, 12.35am Saturday)
• The Accountant (TVNZ 2, 12.45am Sunday)
• Michael  (TVNZ 2, 2.55am Sunday)
• My Girl (TVNZ 2, 3.55 Sunday)
• The Zookeeper’s Wife (Eden, 8.30 Sunday)
• Colossal (Whakaata Māori, 8.30 Sunday)
• Skull Island (TVNZ 2, 8.40 Sunday)
• Flight (Three, 9.00 Sunday)
• Clear and Present Danger  (Duke, 8.30 Tuesday)
• View From the Top (TVNZ 2, 9.00 Wednesday)
• Julie and Julia (Whakaata Māori, 8.30 Wednesday) 
• Labyrinth (TVNZ 2, 7.00 Friday)
• Ocean’s Eleven (Three. 7.30 Friday)
• Police Academy 7 – Mission to Moscow (Duke, 9.30 Friday).