New to TVNZ+: November 8-14
October 30, 2025 
5 Comments
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is the latest global streaming series to be licensed locally, probably because Prime Video is trying to claw back its reported US$250 investment in the underwhelming prequel.
The first two seasons can be binged from November 13 and a third is in production — due less to popularity than the apparent US$60 million kill fee Amazon MGM Studios would have had to pay the JRR Tolkien estate for cutting short what was meant to be a five-season saga.
That’s according to a report in The Ankler newsletter, which recently revealed only 45-35% of viewers who started S2 were able to finish it.
However, at least on Prime Video you can see where some of the money went because it streams in 4K-UHD whereas TVNZ+ maxes out at 1080p.
TVNZ+ also is picking up express-from-Oz Big Brother Australia, which streams six days a week from November 10, as well as true-crime docuseries Notorious: Happy Face Killer and Notorious: The Cleveland Strangler (both November 9).
Live sport continues with T20 Cricket: BlackCaps v West Indies (1pm November 9, 11 & 13), FIFA 17 World Cup Qatar 2025 and the conclusion of the U17 Women’s World Cup Morocco 2025:
- FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup Morocco 2025: Final – Sunday 9 November, 7.50am
- FIFA U17 World Cup Qatar 2025: Saudi Arabia v New Zealand – Sunday 9 November, 4.35am
- FIFA U17 World Cup Qatar 2025: New Zealand v Austria – Wednesday 12 November, 4.35am
Also new are the movie Unchartered and, as previewed here, Malpractice S2, The Hack, Can’t sell, Must Sell and Rich House, Poor House.
I was just about to ask you Philip about the rebooted Big Brother, glad TVNZ is picking it up for TVNZ+. — Leo
Any sightings of Murder in a Small Town season 2 on TVNZ+? — Jonathan.
Yay Big Brother Aus for us Kiwis! Happy about that :-) – Dave.
Hey, Jonathan, no sign of it over the next three months. That doesn’t mean it won’t surface but clearly isn’t enough of a priority for TVNZ to want to roll it off the back of S1. And you would think if TVNZ was continuing with S2, it would put it on TVNZ+ sooner rather than later.
The Premier Hockey League starts 8-9 Nov on TVNZ+. Loving the PHL commentary team. The Hillbilly commentary are clearly on cricket duties. Sadly next season when there is no cricket on TVNZ, the hockey supporters will suffer … — Mike.