ScreenScribe

A weekly guide to what’s new of note on air and online SUNDAY Trackers | SoHo, 8.30/Neon South African thriller about organised crime, smuggled diamonds, state security, black rhinos, the CIA and international terrorism. “There’s enough action in Trackers to keep you interested. But the first episode is disjointed and confusing, and you may not have the patience […]

TVNZ 1 has postponed the June 17 premiere of Critical Condition so it can shift Race Across the World to 8.30 Wednesdays. Race has been airing 7.30 Wednesday but after next week’s broadcast, Towies and The Force will replace it as the Seven Sharp lead-out. Programmers will be hoping the Australian reality shows can compete better […]

From the beaches of Bondi to Hawaii, Three’s law-and-order line-up largely ruled on Wednesday. Double-billing new episodes of Bondi Rescue with re-runs has created a 7.30 beachhead for the network. Newshub Live at 6pm and The Project lack the firepower of their TVNZ 1 rivals but thereafter Three dominates in all the core commercial demographics except […]

Saturday Tooth Fairy (TVNZ 2, 7.00) The Karate Kid (Three, 7.00) The Nice Guys (TVNZ 2, 8.45) The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (Three, 9.25) Hostel (Duke, 9.25) Sudden Impact (Prime, 9.30) Assassins (TVNZ 2, 11.00)   Sunday Tusk (TVNZ 2, 1.25am) I Feel Pretty (TVNZ 2, 8.10) Spotlight (Maori TV, 8.30) The Mummy (Three, 8.35) Evolution (Duke, 9.35) Zombeavers (TVNZ 2, 11.05)   Monday Maximum Conviction (Prime, […]

Viewership of The Luminaries continues to ebb for TVNZ 1, with Sunday’s broadcast the lowest rating yet. Episode three averaged 2.3% of of the channel’s target audience, 25-54 year-olds, 1.3% of 18-49s, 0.7% of 18-39s and 2.7% of household shoppers with kids. It lost to TVNZ 2 and Three’s movies in all the core commercial […]

➢➢ Don’t dismiss Critical Condition as just another reality series about emergency workers when it eventually surfaces on TVNZ 1 (it was due to air 8.45 Wednesdays from June 17 but has been postponed). For once, the publicity may not be just hype: “A powerful, highly emotional and ultimately awe-inspiring look at how staff at the Royal University Hospital […]

Three’s The Project, Lego Masters and crime dramas reigned on Queen’s Birthday Monday. They won or dominated in all the core commercial demographics. Without TVNZ 1’s Seven Sharp as a rival, The Project out-rated TVNZ 2’s Shortland Street in three of the key demos and split the 18-49 vote. SS averaged just 3.9% of the channel’s […]

TVNZ Duke is pulling Live PD Uncut from its Friday night schedule because of the US rioting. It will replace the reality series with stand-up specials for the next three weeks: Danny Bhoy Live: At the Festival Theatre (10.15 Friday); John Bishop Live: Rollercoaster Tour (10.20, June 12); and Russell Brand Live: Messiah Complex (10.25, […]

Onward, the movie that bypassed cinemas for direct-to-consumer release on Sky TV and streaming platforms because of the COVID-19 lockdown, can be bought on Blu-ray this week but not 4K-UHD. It’s the first new Pixar movie not to debut on both HD formats, despite its availability on 4K-UHD in Australia. This is another worrying sign […]

Three’s David Lomas Investigates has closed the gap with TVNZ 1’s Eat Well for Less? NZ in the key 25-54 demographic. Both networks target this audience with their programming. When Eat Well premiered two weeks ago, three rating points separated them in this demo. But last Tuesday the gap was barely one point, with Eat […]