New to TVNZ+: February 7-13

One of the “most buzzed about” shows of the year, or so a publicity punster claims, will stream a week ahead of its TVNZ 1 broadcast.

Lord of the Flies will roll out in weekly instalments from February 8 on TVNZ+ and from February 15 on TVNZ 1 (9.35 Sundays).

The William Golding novel, about schoolboys stranded on a tropical island who descend into anarchy, was first published in 1954.

But this is the first time it’s been adapted for TV (by Adolescence writer Jack Thorne). Reads the BBC blurb:

Truthful to the original novel – set in the early 1950s on an unnamed Pacific island – Thorne’s adaptation delves further into the book’s emotive themes; human nature, the loss of innocence and boyhood masculinity. Each of the four episodes is titled after a character at the core of the story – Ralph, Piggy, Simon, and Jack – offering a subtly different perspective on the boys’ collective plight and manner in which they cope with their predicament. The series has been made with the support of Lord of the Flies author William Golding’s family.

The four-part series is a co-production with Aussie streamer Stan. Here’s the trailer.

Also new are two seasons of National Geographic’s award-winning Life Below Zero (February 8), which is in permanent loop on BBC Earth.

It chronicles the daily challenges of life in remotest Alaska, and ran from 2013-2025.

Otherwise, there’s another live UFC bout as well as the linear debuts of Selling Houses Australia, Michael McIntrye’s Big Show, Dr. Pimple Popper: Breaking Out, My Impossible House, Cooking With the Stars and Big Little Journeys (as previewed here).