ScreenScribe

Dynasties | TVNZ 1, 7.00 Sunday ☆☆☆☆ “A lot of scripted dramas don’t have the emotional impact and, yes, dramatic arcs, that are on display in the latest stunning natural history documentary series from the producers of Planet Earth II and the BBC … The five-part series has the same stunning visual panache of Planet Earth II and Blue Planet II, but […]

The latest BBC wildlife blockbuster, Blue Planet II, will premiere here much quicker than last year’s Planet Earth II. TVNZ 1 will air the seven-part sequel 7.30 Sundays from November 12 — two weeks behind the BBC. Compare that to Prime’s disgraceful programming of Planet Earth II, which lagged seven months behind the UK to […]

   The stars at last have aligned for mere mortals — ie. viewers and consumers — to buy Planet Earth II on Blu-ray or 4K-UHD. Prime delayed its broadcast by seven months, which meant the earliest the eye-popping sequel could go on sale on disc was this week. But the wait has been worth it, […]

➢ TVNZ 1 is giving its schedule an early spring clean with a new weekend and week-night line-up from August 19. Taking over the 7.00 variety slot, presumably until The X Factor UK’s premiere, is Wild Alaska – Earth’s Frozen Kingdom while being double-billed on Sunday nights are The Replacement (above) and Prime Suspect: Tennison … ➢ Said The i of […]

➢ TVNZ 2 has relegated the premiere of “paranormal stoner comedy” Deadbeat to the dead zone: overnight Fridays from July 28. It stars Tyler Labine (Mad Love, Reaper) as a hapless New York City medium, was favourably reviewed, co-stars Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman’s daughter Lucy, and has survived three seasons on streaming service Hulu. “However […]

Prime will premiere arguably the year’s most anticipated free-to-air event, Planet Earth II, eight months after it dazzled viewers and critics in the UK. The benchmark wildlife series — the first the BBC has filmed in 4K and apparently the world’s most watched — will screen 7.30 Sundays from July 9, ahead of another long-delayed […]

What’s wrong with Prime? The channel continues to make us wait for Planet Earth II and the latest series of Top Gear while littering its schedule with second-tier premieres and re-runs. Top Gear post-Clarkson & Co may be running on the smell of an oily rag but it still deserves priority over yet another Best of Top Gear retread, which will air […]

  It looks like the Blu-ray and 4K-UHD of Planet Earth II will be released here in early August — which means Prime is likely to premiere the seven-part series late this month. It will be interesting to see where Prime schedules the BBC’s first 4K production so long — seven months — after it went to air […]

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 […]

Prime is bringing back 60 Minutes in a new slot. The veteran newsmag, which last year aired 8.30 Mondays, will screen 9.40 Sundays from March 26. It will open with an inside look at the Broadway smash Hamilton and interview members and the maestro of the Pope’s Choir. Still no word on when the latest season of Top Gear or Planet […]