One Question Quiz
graham-mctavish-as-dougal-mackenzie-grant-orourke-as-ruper-mackenzie-episode-209

Pop CultureNovember 15, 2016

Inside the Lightbox: Our picks for the People’s Choice Awards

graham-mctavish-as-dougal-mackenzie-grant-orourke-as-ruper-mackenzie-episode-209

Lightbox are currently running their grand annual People’s Choice Awards, giving you the chance to win a trip for two to New York. Alex Casey and Madeleine Chapman aren’t allowed to win, but that won’t stop them explaining who they would be voting for and why.

Best hero: Captain Flint, Black Sails

Black Sails

The pirate market in popular culture is a bit of a cesspool. Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow is what happens when you mix an animatronic theme park ride with Keith Richards. Captain Hook was dead in the water when Christopher Walken stepped into his shiny black boots (and tonnes of rouge) and made the world laugh for ever and ever. Perhaps Captain Flint of Black Sails is only heroic pirate there is. Sure, he’s murdered a few humans in his time. Sure, he is hellbent on avenging those who wronged him. But he’s got heroic hair, a heroic beard and is heroically blowing the minds of dudebros everywhere after kissing another dudebro.

Also, what a heroic gravelly voice. / AC

Sexiest: Donna, Suits

donna

Donna embodies the struggles that so many women face in the workplace. Working for a man, getting paid a fraction of his salary, and yet seemingly doing most of the work. As secretary to Harvey Spectre (fellow nominee who appears cooler than he is), Donna bears the burden of laughing at his jokes, performing tedious tasks for him, and helping solve law disputes with zero credit, all while pulling off an air of authority befitting a woman in charge. Strong is sexy.

Disclaimer: I thought this category was ‘coolest character’, not ‘sexiest character’ but let’s be honest, Donna would win both. / MC

Best Kiwi show: bro’Town

bro town

A controversial decision given that Outrageous Fortune is also a nominee, but bro’Town came first in the race to portray a real New Zealand on screen that wasn’t white and middle class. I rewatched the first few episodes recently and realised that if bro’Town were aired in 2016, twitter would explode with calls of racial stereotypes and insensitivity. But as a Samoan it made me laugh more than any New Zealand show ever has, because the seemingly exaggerated characters certainly exist in real life and I’ve met each of them at some point. / MC

Funniest character: Ty Burrell, Modern Family

Is it fine to make a pick based on the fact that you once shared the same Uber seat as a nominee? Because if that’s allowed, then Ty Burrell gets all my votes and then some. Let me paint you a scene: November 2015, Los Angeles. I jump in an Uber, and the jolly gent behind the wheel beams that he’s just had Modern Family star Ty Burrell in the very same seat in which I now recline. I say I love Modern Family very much, and highly enjoyed the episode where there’s a pigeon inside the house. The Uber driver says he prefers The Big Bang Theory. I say nothing. / AC

Best show: Outlander

Outlander

There’s just no way that any other show will come close in this category. As both the biggest Googler of ‘Jamie Fraser shirtless’ and the biggest lurker of the official New Zealand Outlander page, I can personally vouch that Outlander fans would move both mountains and large Pictish stones for that show. Devouring every episode of the steamy time travel romance, there’s just no way any of the other shows nominated could elicit the same levels of cos play, homemade calendars, meet-ups and whisky tasting in real life. Any television that includes copious amounts of tartan, fudge and drinking is A-OK with me. / AC

Best Discovery: The Kettering Incident

KETTERING

We’ve reported at-length on The Kettering Incident’s obsession with the humble moth, but don’t let that put you off. The first locally made series to ever come out of Tasmania in the history of mankind, The Kettering Incident is part Top of the Lake, part Stranger Things, and part X Files. The eight episode mystery follows the disappearance of a small town girl at the hand of some ominous looking bright lights in the sky. Are the lights aliens? Fireworks? Moths having a rave? You’ll have to make that discovery (sorry) for yourself. / AC


Scoffing at our choices? Make your own voice heard by voting here in the Lightbox People’s Choice Awards to win a trip for two to New York.

This content, like all television coverage we do at The Spinoff, is brought to you thanks to the excellent folk at Lightbox. Do us and yourself a favour by clicking here to start a FREE 30 day trial of this truly wonderful service.

Keep going!