HD Heads-Up: March 14 – 20 UPDATE*

➢➢ * Turns out TVNZ 1 isn’t cutting short Jamie’s Ultimate Veg to try whet its Thursday night ratings. I originally posted it was an eight-part series that will end after six episodes on March 19. The version TVNZ 1’s airing is an international edit that repurposes eight half-hours into six one-hours. So sorry for the confusion and thanks to TVNZ for quickly pointing out the error. I was surprised it may have been pulling JUV early given last week it proved competitive against tough competition after persistently low ratings (see next entry) …

➢➢ Exiting the same night will be JUV’s Jeremy Clarkson stablemate Who Wants to Be a Millionaire UK. Both celebrity-fronted vehicles have struggled opposite TVNZ 2’s unassailable Ten 7 Summer, Booze Patrol Australia and Ambulance (Australia) and Three’s Zumbo’s Just Desserts and The Graham Norton Show. They did close the gap last week against Zumbo and Norton in the 25-54 demographic, and out-rated them in the other key demos for the first time. But Three’s line-up is about to strengthen with the March 12 premiere of Lego Masters USA while TVNZ 2’s grip on the night will tighten from March 19 with the launch of Police Ten 7‘s 27th season. Expect TVNZ 1 to fire back with more of George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces and another Gordon, Gino and Fred: Road Trip from March 26 …

➢➢ Also returning for new seasons in the week starting March 14 will be Travel Man (Duke, 8.30 Sunday), Eat Well for Less (TVNZ 1, 8.00 Tuesday) and Rich House Poor House (TVNZ 1, 9.15 Tuesday) while ending their runs will be TVNZ 2’s Wednesday night duo 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and God Friended Me. The network will be replacing both with a season of comedy movies to try to thwart Three’s top-rating Married at First Sight Australia and Lost & Found …

➢➢ Three will screen a one-off Graham Norton special on March 19 called Graham Norton’s Good Show Business Guide. It’s another excuse to recycle clips from his chat show, this time with Stanley Tucci, Stephen Merchant, Sandi Toksvig, Richard Ayoade and Alan Davies sharing their thoughts on showbiz …

➢➢ And TVNZ 2 will celebrate Neighbours’ 35th anniversary with a week of double-episodes from March 16 and a week of commemorative hour-long eps from March 23. The latter will see 11 former cast members return to Ramsay Street for five unique weddings, one per episode, that reunite couples from different decades who didn’t make it down the aisle in their original stint on the series. …

➢➢ There will be three network movie premieres in the week starting March 14: The Son of Big Foot (TVNZ 2, 7.00 Saturday), Justice League (TVNZ 2, 8.30 Sunday) and A Ghost Story (Maori TV, 8.30 Sunday). Other HD coming attractions will include:

• The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything (Maori TV, 7.00)
• U.S. Marshals (TVNZ 2, 8.45 Saturday)
• Everest (Three, 8.55 Saturday)
• Interview With the Vampire (TVNZ 2, 9.25 Saturday)
• A Stranger Outside (Three, 11.20 Saturday)
• Lakeview Terrace (Duke, 11.40 Saturday).
• Prisoners (TVNZ 2, 11.25 Saturday)
• The Judge (TVNZ 2, 2.15am Sunday)
• Aaliyah Princess of R&B (TVNZ 2, midday Sunday)
• Arrival (Three, 8.30 Sunday)
• A Ghost Story (Maori TV, 8.30 Sunday)
• Aliens (TVNZ 2, 10.55 Sunday)
• Now You See Me 2 (Prime, 8.30 Monday)
• Janis: Little Girl Blue (Maori TV, 8.30 Monday)
• Jurassic Park III (Three, 7.30 Friday)
• The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (TVNZ 2, 7.30 Friday)
• Tropic Thunder (Duke, 8.30 Friday).