ScreenScribe

  Three is shifting both midweek episodes of American Idol to Saturday nights after weeks of persistently low ratings. The changeover happens Saturday, when the US talent quest will replace the network’s movies and screen as a three-and-a-half-hour block. Three was going to implement the strategy from May 5 but has just now announced it […]

Three posted its first monthly 25-54 win in three-and-a-half years ahead of its leaders debate last night topping the ratings. The 90-minute special averaged 10.9% of 25-54 year-olds, 9.6% of 18-49 year-olds, and 9.0% of 18-39 year-olds and household shoppers with kids to win in all four core demos as well as viewers 5+ (11.0%). […]

A sharp ratings rise for Three’s NCIS wasn’t enough to beat TVNZ 2’s re-run of cycling thriller Premium Rush on Tuesday. In its third week, the veteran procedural averaged 4.0% of Three’s target audience, 25-54 year-olds, compared to 2.5% the previous week. And with 18-49 year-olds, which is TVNZ 2’s key demographic, it improved from 2.6% – 3.6%. […]

TVNZ 1 is banking on new seasons of I Am Innocent and The Missing to lift its Tuesday night ratings. They go to air tonight from 8.30-10.30, when they will square off against the movies that have restored TVNZ 2’s popularity after 24: Legacy flopped and Three’s new season of NCIS. The latter began last week, […]

New Zealand’s definitive guide to what’s airing nightly free-to-air in 1080i    Saturday  Ultimate Fishing With Matt Watson (TV1, 5.00) The Hunt (TV3, 5.00, R) 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) Movie: The Spiderwick Chronicles (TV2, 7.00, R) Antiques Roadshow (Prime, 7.30) Te Radar’s Chequered Past (TV1, […]

Three will restore some overdue dramatic integrity to its schedule with new scripted fare in the same week it launches The Bachelor NZ. The reality hit will air 7.00 Sundays and 7.30 Mondays from March 18, with Monday’s instalment leading into The Wrong Girl at 8.35. The Australian romantic comedy stars Jessica Marais (above) as the producer of a cooking […]

Bull (Prime, 8.30 Thursdays) “Bull is based (rather loosely) on the early career of Phil McGraw, better known as ‘Dr. Phil,’ who became acquainted with Oprah Winfrey while working as a trial consultant. In the CBS drama, Michael Weatherly plays Dr. Jason Bull, a psychologist who works with lawyers by profiling jurors and tweaking trials to his clients’ […]

TV3 will use its popular hospital drama Chicago Med to try to resuscitate Hawaii Five-O’s primetime prospects. The ’60s crime drama reboot will air 9.30 Wednesdays from August 3 after years of being in and out of peak hour because of low ratings. The show has been one of the network’s most vexing conundrums, given similar […]

The week starting May 29 will see an unusual number of free-to-air HD movie premieres: In Darkness (TV One, 11.40 Saturday), Noah (TV3, 8.30 Sunday), Need for Speed (TV2, 8.45 Sunday), Deliver Us From Evil (TV2, 11.10 Sunday), Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (TV3, 8.30 Monday) and Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa (Prime, 9.30 Friday). Other coming attractions in HD that […]

Lightbox will launch season two of time travel hit Outlander on Sunday. Deadline Hollywood calls the “splendid feast” of a premiere “an opulent, exciting and extremely complicated affair, literally and figuratively” while The New Yorker warns of “graphic surgical scenes that make The Knick look prissy, and another time-travel twist”.  Meanwhile, soon to leave Lightbox […]