HD Heads-Up: October 5 – 11

➢➢ The networks will unveil a slew of new and returning series in early October, including the lively British comedy series Ghosts, about a young couple who inherit a haunted country house (TVNZ 1, 9.15 Thursdays from October 10). “The new show from Horrible Histories may be the most unlikely comedy spinoff since Frasier, but what a glorious romp,” raved The Guardian. And the Independent called it “a jolly little comedy that’s minimally didactic, free of profanity and quite refreshing” …

➢➢ Also new will be two observational reality series: Spying On My Family (TVNZ 1, 8.30 Tuesdays from October 8), in which one family gets to see into every corner of each other’s lives; and The Secret Life Of 4 Year Olds Australia (TVNZ 2, 8.30 Mondays from October 7) …

➢➢ TVNZ also will air two specials that week: the series premiere of Batwoman (8.30 Tuesday), which will continue Mondays exclusively on TVNZ OnDemand; and the self-explanatory Party Pensioners: Sex, Drugs & Bingo (9.30 Tuesday) …

➢➢ Climate Change – The Facts, in which Sir David Attenborough examines potential solutions to climate change, will premiere on October 6 (Prime, 7.30). The Guardian hailed it as “a rousing, horrifying call to arms” and The Telegraph thought it “a superb film, guaranteed to make more of us look responsibly to the future” ….

➢➢ Love Island Australia has been marooned late-night after Love Island UK sank without trace. It will air weeknights from October 8 (Three, post-Newshub Late) …

➢➢ The TVNZ OnDemand UFO series, Project Blue Book, gets a late-night linear run from October 11 (TVNZ 1, 10.30). Another free-to-air premiere will be the cable realty series Shipping Wars (Prime, 7.00 Saturdays from October 5) …

➢➢ Prime is splitting up its Friday night pro-wrestling tag team of RAW and Smackdown — the latter shifts from 10.30 Fridays to 10.30 Sundays, pushing back 60 Minutes to 11.30 Sundays (from October 6). Hospital drama New Amsterdam will screen 10.30 Fridays from October 4 …

➢➢ The Graham Norton Show will open its 26th season with guests Dame Helen Mirren, Jack Whitehall, Simon Reeve, RuPaul and Normani (Three, 8.00 Fridays from October 11) …

➢➢ Also returning the week of October 5-11 will be Dinner Date (TVNZ 1, 8.40 Saturdays), The Walking Dead (TVNZ 2, 9.30 Mondays), Undateables (TVNZ 2, 8.30 Thursdays), Death in Paradise (Prime, 8.30 Thursdays) and Naked Attraction (TVNZ 2, 9.30 Fridays) …

➢➢ Ending their runs that week will be SVU (with a double-episode), Paramedics, Poldark and Drug Wars – Cocaine …

➢➢ The networks will serve up four free-to-air movie premieres in the week starting October 5: Battle of the Sexes (TVNZ 1, 9.40 Saturday), Downsizing (Three, 8.30 Sunday),  SGaawaay K’uuna (Maori TV, 8.30 Sunday) and Rodents of Unusual Size (Maori TV, 8.30 Monday) …

➢➢ Other HD coming attractions will include:

• Wall-E (TVNZ 2, 7.00 Saturday)
• Beethoven (Maori TV, 7.00 Saturday)
• Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (Prime, 8.30 Saturday)
• Premium Rush (TVNZ 2, 8.40 Saturday)
• Anaconda 2: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid (Duke, 9.25 Saturday)
• My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (Three, 9.30 Saturday)
• Criminal (TVNZ 2, 10.30 Saturday)
• Deadly Intention (Three, 11.30 Saturday)
• Concussion (TVNZ 1, 9.15 Saturday)
• Obvious Child (TVNZ 2, 12.23am Sunday)
• Ender’s Game (TVNZ 2, 7.00 Sunday)
• London Has Fallen (TVNZ 2, 9.10 Sunday)
• No Escape (TVNZ 2, 11.10 Sunday)
• Outcast (Prime, 8.30 Monday)
• Planet of the Apes (Duke, 8.30 Tuesday)
• Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 (TVNZ 2, 7.30 Wednesday)
• Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (Three, 7.30 Thursday)
• Fat Albert (Duke, 8.30 Friday)
• The Longest Week (Maori TV, 8.30 Friday).