HD Heads-Up: June 28

➢ A Sunday Theatre take on horse-racing legend Kiwi will precede the season premiere of another Kiwi favourite Westside. Kiwi (TVNZ 1, 8.30 July 8) goes behind the stable doors to reveal how a farm hack went on to win the 1983 Melbourne Cup and will premiere 24 hours ahead of the return of Westside on Three. The network is teaming season four with season three of Humans, which The Guardian reckons was ripe to regain its momentum when it went to air last month in the UK: “This opener offers plenty of hope – mainly of new conflict, on a grander scale. Humans itself won’t compete with Westworld on wild ambition or imagination, and certainly not on budget. But I like it better; it’s more pressingly relevant. And more human” …

➢ Other reviewers were just as positive. The Telegraph dubbed it “riveting sci-fi” and Radio Times said it “finally delivers on its premise, showing the bleak consequence of the synth awakening – which took place at the end of series two – one year on, with thousands killed in the initial confusion and the synths themselves now confined to ghettoes” …

➢ TVNZ 2 will unveil new episodes of its controversial dating show Naked Attraction on July 13. The first season drew more than 540 complaints about its full frontal nudity when it aired late last year in the same 9.30 slot. It’s part of a Friday night refresh that will see the July 7 premiere of Ellen’s Game of Games (8.00)and the resumption of season nine Big Bang Theory repeats (8.50) ….

➢ Fridays continue to be TVNZ 2’s Achilles heel, with Three’s light-ent line-up of The Graham Norton Show and 7 Days continuing to dwarf the competition. Last week the former averaged 8.4% of Three’s key 25-54 demographic to earn a 32.2% share while the latter averaged a 7.7 rating and 31.3% share ..

➢ Prime is picking up one of the lamest dramas yet to screen on SoHo, Knightfall. The History Channel series follows the Knights Templar on the trail of the Holy Grail and will air 9.30 Tuesdays from July 10. One of the kinder reviews was Entertainment Weekly’s verdict: “Even as the narrative gains momentum, Knightfall’s mix of screaming matches, head-chopping, and grimness makes for one unpleasant slog.” No word yet on season two prospects …

➢ The same week Prime will premiere Loch Lomond (7.30 Saturdays), a year in the life of Glasgow’s Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, and a new season of American Pickers (7.30 Mondays) while ending their runs will be Joanna Lumley’s Japan, Endeavour, Grey’s Anatomy, Kirstie and Phil’s Love It or List It, Heartbreak Island, The Undateables, Bull and SEAL Team …

➢ Appearing this week on Prime’s The Late Show With Stephen Colbert: Paul Rudd, Ken Jeong and Florence + The Machine (Thursday); and Michael Moore, Eric Andre & Derrick Beckles and experiments with Kate the Chemist (Friday). Next week’s broadcasts will be repeats of shows that aired in May and June …

➢ Three will screen the network movie premiere of Warcraft on July 8 at 8.30 opposite TVNZ 2’s re-run of Godzilla (2014). Other HD coming attractions that week include:

• Planes 2: Fire & Rescue (TVNZ 2, 5.30 Saturday)
• Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (Three, 7.00 Saturday)
• Into the Storm (TVNZ 2, 10.25 Saturday)
• The East (Three, 10.40 Saturday)
• Good People (TVNZ 2, 12.05am Sunday)
• Godzilla (TVNZ 2, 8.30 Sunday)
• Warcraft (Three, 8.30 Sunday)
• Babel (Maori TV, 8.30 Sunday)
• Cabin Fever: Patient Zero (TVNZ 2, 12.30am Monday)
• Parker (Prime, 9.30)
• The Wolverine (Three, 8.30 Thursday)
• The Benchwarmers (Duke, 8.30 Friday).