ScreenScribe

➢➢ TVNZ 1 is so determined to make Vanity Fair a hit that it will screen the first two episodes on consecutive nights and repeat them late-night. The costume drama will premiere on September 23, in an 8.30 Sunday slot, continue 8.30 Monday and repeat in a two-hour block after Deep State on September 29. […]

➢ The award-winning Sherpa will spearhead a season of movie-length HD documentaries on Maori TV. The indelibly filmed Sherpa was conceived to explore the growing tensions between the Himalayan guides and rich foreigners on bucket-list hikes – only to wind up covering the aftermath of the worst tragedy in Everest’s history. It will premiere on June 11, […]

New Zealand’s definitive guide to what’s airing nightly free-to-air in 1080i    Saturday  The Hunt (TV3, 4.55, R) Ultimate Fishing With Matt Watson (TV1, 5.00) Ados Addicted to Fishing (Prime, 5.00) Newshub Live at 6pm (TV3, 6.00)  The Simpsons (TV2, 6.00, R) The Middle (TV2, 6.30, 5.1, R) Outback Pilots (TV1, 7.00, F) Movie: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (TV2, 7.00, R) Movie: Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears […]

TVNZ is considering buying a new talk show starring Mrs Brown. The series  started this week in the UK and coincides with TVNZ 1 premiering the latest Mrs Brown’s Boys special, Mammy’s Forest, on April 13. Said The Telegraph: “Where Dame Edna and Mrs Merton boldly ventured Agnes Brown has inevitably followed. Having conquered British comedy […]

  TVNZ 2 is shunting one of its most anticipated dramas for 2017, 24: Legacy, from peak-hour to late-night. Following a second week of unsustainable ratings, it and stablemate Lethal Weapon, which has just been renewed for a second season in the US, have been jettisoned from Tuesday nights. No word on when Lethal Weapon will […]

It’s hard to know which will be more nerve-wracking: tonight’s episode of 24: Legacy for fans or tomorrow morning’s ratings for TVNZ 2 programmers? The overnight ratings for last week’s premiere were not as thrilling as the action, averaging only 3.8% of 25-54 years-olds and 3.0% of TVNZ 2’s target 18-49 audience. That equated to […]

Most territories around the world will view 24: Legacy up to a week earlier than Kiwis. NZ, Australia and the UK are among the minority that will lag a week or more behind a series that already is making headlines. Given 24’s global rollout to more than 160 markets, and its post-Trump terrorism topicality, it’s surprising TVNZ 2 […]

TVNZ 1’s natural history hit, Our Big Blue Backyard, continues to dominate Sunday night ratings.  This week’s season finale was tops with two of the network’s core commercial demographics, 25-54 and 18-49 year-olds, and ranked second with all viewers aged five-plus. TVNZ 1’s Victoria is also holding firm after a slow start and finished in the […]

End of days for TV3 chief … Victoria’s secret? … Lethal Weapon pacified …  TV3 programming chief Mark Caulton has resigned after 18 years with the network. He plans to relocate to the UK next year after overseeing an upsurge in stripped primetime reality programming, including the first NZ X Factor  and Family Feud. Under his […]

How scary is this? Key ratings for The Exorcist in its new late-night slot improved on Sunday. The first four episodes aired 9.30 Sunday before TV2 bumped the movie spin-off to 11.30. Amazingly, episode five averaged 3.3% of 25-54s compared to 2.4% for episode four; in the 18-49 demo, the former averaged 2.8% and the latter, […]