HD Heads-Up: March 8-14

➢➢ Dope Girls (TVNZ 1, 9.10 Saturday) is from the Peaky Blinders school of period drama, starring Julianne Moore as a quiet, conservative widow and single mother who builds a nightclub and cocaine empire to support her family in post-WWI London. Reviews ranged from “a gloriously seedy romp” (Evening Standard) and “fun, gory” (The Guardian) to “takes an unusual approach to telling the story of real female historical figures ….  [tries] very hard not to be a stuffy period drama. Too hard, at times” (The Telegraph) …

➢➢ Sky Open overhauls Sunday nights with the double-billing of local kidult drama Secrets at Red Rocks (7.30) and Return to Paradise (8.30 Sunday). The latter is an Australian spin-off of the Death in Paradise franchise that was grudgingly praised. “There is no direct link to the original,” The Telegraph said. “But it has an awkward detective – DI Mackenzie Clarke (Anna Samson) – and an idyllic beachside setting, plus a tiny police station staffed with quirky characters … easy-going fun” …

➢➢ Sue Perkins hosts Double the Money (TVNZ 1, 8.10 Saturday), in which 13 pairs of UK contestants try to turn £250 into £20,000 by doubling their money time and again without using the same idea twice. “A bit like The Apprentice, but with more likeable people,” The Guardian said …

➢➢ I Cut Off His Penis: The Truth Behind the Headlines (TVNZ 1, 8.30 Monday) explores cases similar to the infamous Lorena Bobbitt act of 1993 and asks what drives women to commit “penicide”. Critics thought it “sober and worthwhile” and said it “paints a terrible picture – but it could have been far bolder” …

➢➢ Secrets of Your Big Shop With Michael Mosley (TVNZ 1, 7.30 Tuesday) is another shopping trolley take on health and budgeting …

➢➢ Three doubles down on Graham Norton with The Graham Norton Show (7.30 Thursday) and Wheel of Fortune With Graham Norton (7.00 Friday) screening within 24 hours of each other. Appearing on his chat show are Ewan McGregor, Kate Hudson, Naomie Harris, Chris O’Dowd and Self Esteem …

➢➢ Also returning are:

• Homesteads S2 (Whakaata Māori, 7.00 Monday)
• World’s Most Scenic Railway Journeys S2 (Sky Open, 8.00 Wednesday)
• Bloods S2 (Sky Open,10.00 Wednesday)
• Everyone Else Burns S2 (Sky Open, 10.30 Wednesday) …

➢➢ Ending their runs are:

• Password
• Queer Aotearoa: We’ve Always Been Here
• Saving Lives At Sea
• The Horne Section
• Naomi
• A Brief History of the Future
• Nightsleeper …

➢➢ Live/delayed free-to-air sport includes TVNZ spreading its White Ferns cricket coverage across two channels:

• SRP: Moana Pasifika v Hurricanes (Sky Open, 7.00 Saturday)
• NRL: Dragons v Bulldogs R1 (Sky Open, 9.30 Saturday)
• Premier League: Goal Rush (Sky Open, 10am Sunday)
• Cricket: White Ferns v Sri Lanka – 3rd ODI (Duke, 10.30am Sunday)
• A-League Men: Western United v Wellington Phoenix (Sky Open, midday Sunday)
• UFC: 313 Prelims (Sky Open, 2.00 Sunday)
• A-League: Women (Sky Open, 4.30 Sunday)
• Cricket: White Ferns v Sri Lanka – T20 (TVNZ 1, 7.00 Friday)
• NRL: Warriors v Sea Eagles R2 (Sky Open, 7.30 Friday) …

➢➢ HD coming attractions include:

• Bridge to Terabithia (Three, 6.30 Saturday)
• Richard the Stork (Whakaata Māori, 7.00 Saturday)
• My Best Friend’s Wedding (TVNZ 2, 8.00 Saturday)
• Demolition Man (Three, 8.30 Saturday)
• Ender’s Game (Whakaata Māori, 8.30 Saturday)
• Ali G Indahouse (TVNZ 2, 11.05 Saturday)
• The High Note (TVNZ 2, 12.50am Sunday)
• Coraline (TVNZ 2, 3.10 Sunday)
• Limitless (TVNZ 2, 8.30 Sunday)
• Justice League (Three, 8.30 Sunday)
• The Assistant (Eden, 8.230 Sunday)
• My Salinger Year (Whakaata Māori, 8.45 Sunday)
• The Curse of La Llorona (TVNZ 2, 12.30am Monday)
• Men in Black: International (Sky Open, 8.30 Monday)
• Ablaze (Whakaata Māori, 8.30 Monday)
• Man of the House (Duke, 9.30 Monday)
• The Punisher (Duke, 8.30 Tuesday)
• Perfect Stranger (Duke, 10.55 Tuesday)
• 7 Days (Whakaata Māori, 8.30 Wednesday)
• The Boss Baby: Family Business (TVNZ 2, 7.00 Friday).